Navigation apparatus

A navigation apparatus

• a base unit that is fastenable to a dashboard at a driver's seat of a vehicle;
• a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with a display displaying map data;
• and
• a microcomputer that performs a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data,
• characterized in that:
• a part of the front panel unit projects from a surface of the dashboard toward a user seated in the driver's seat, as viewed from side, when the front panel unit is attached to the base unit;
• the base unit is accommodated in a recess formed in the dashboard to be fastenable to the dashboard;
• a top of the front panel unit projects from the surface of the dashboard toward the user, as viewed from the side, when the front panel unit is in the attached position;
• and a detach button of an attach/detach mechanism provided to be operable by the user for moving the front panel unit from the attached position to a detached position is disposed at bottom of the front panel unit located inside the recess.

A navigation apparatus having:

• a base unit that is accommodatable in a housing formed in a dashboard D at a driver's seat of a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer;
• and
• a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data,
• characterized in that:
• a front surface of the front panel unit is made same size as a mating face of the base unit;
• an upper cover is provided at a top of the housing formed in the dashboard to extend beyond a front end of the front panel unit toward a driver's seat as viewed from above;
• and
• the front panel unit is kicked out to be detached from the base unit at a position between a base end of leading end of the upper cover and a point of inflection where the dashboard D starts to be inclined downward.

A navigation apparatus having:

• a base unit that is accommodatable in a housing formed in a dashboard D at a driver's seat of a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer;
• and
• a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data, characterized in that:
• a front surface of the front panel unit is made same size as a mating face of the base unit;
• partitions are provided on opposite sides of the front panel unit;
• and
• one of the partitions on steering wheel side is formed to project more with respect to the front panel unit than other of the partitions not on the steering wheel side.

A navigation apparatus having:

• a base unit that is accommodatable in a dashboard D at a driver's seat of a vehicle and is equipped with at least a microcomputer;
• and
• a front panel unit that is attachable to and detachable from the base unit and is equipped with at least a display displaying map data and a microcomputer performing a navigation function to indicate a determined location of the vehicle on the map data,
• characterized in that:
• a front surface of the front panel unit is made same size as a mating face of the base unit;
• a surface of the dashboard D is formed with a recess of U-shape, as viewed from front, to accommodate the base unit of laterally elongated rectangular shape;
• the front panel unit is made attachable to the base unit;
• and
• a sloped surface is formed at an edge of the recess of U-shape.