AU736574B2

AU736574B2 - Mobile phone holder

Info

Publication number: AU736574B2
Application number: AU69063/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michelle Elizabeth Krammer
Original assignee: HOLSTA Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Holsta Holdings Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-05-28
Filing date: 1998-05-28
Publication date: 2001-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2018-05-28
Also published as: AU6906398A

Description

47645 DP:TA P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

.MICHELLE ELIZABETH KRAMMER Address for Service: Details of Associated Provisional Applications: P07057 Dated 28 MAY 1997 best method of performing it known to me: The present invention relates to a mobile phone holder. Mobile phones are now used widely to contact people on the move and many people feel a need to carry a mobile phones at all times, even, for example, when they may be exercising or engaging in other out of doors physical activity. In such situations it is convenient if the mobile phone can be carried and even used in a manner which allows the hands of the owner to remain free for other tasks.

So that a mobile phone can work effectively it is essential that the phone can be heard when ringing, answered without any difficulty and that both microphone and speaker of the phone can be used without hindrance. If any 1 0 of these functions are interfered with in some way then communications through the phone become strained, difficult and obviously unsatisfactory.

It is therefore important that when a phone is carried by a person the above functional use aspects are considered as well as the convenience of the user and the need to prevent damage occurring to the phone, for example by 1 5 unnecessary swinging or banging the phone against objects.

To this end a number of methods are currently used for transporting mobile phones. For example, a case may be provided with the phone that both protects the phone and allows it to be attached to a belt by means of a clip **usually located on the rear of the case. These cases are typically fairly substantial and might be made of leather, suede or a similar fabric. To allow communications between the phone microphone and speaker punched holes are formed in the case. Similarly, to allow the keypad of the phone to be used without removing the phone from the case a transparent panel typically made of plastics material is also used in the case. The keys on the phone keypad are viewed and operated through the plastic panel.

The known cases are undoubtedly popular but are not free of defects. For example, the case is usually somewhat larger than the phone so that the phone can easily be placed in the case and movement of the phone in the case during carriage inevitably results in the case partially or substantially 3 0 obscuring the speaker or microphone thereby making communications through these two devices difficult. Moreover, the use of the panel through which the key pad needs to be activated can be difficult and accurate pressing of the desired keys is not always possible.

It therefore usually takes longer to use the phone without taking it out of the case.

In an alternative storage method mobile phones can also be carried in a hand bag or attach6 case. This is effective but obviously has the draw back that it can be difficult to hear the ringing of the phone and it is therefore not always possible to detect an incoming call and missed calls are common. Moreover people who wish to take a phone with them when out exercising are unlikely to carry such items.

The inventor of the present invention has recognised these difficulties and 1 0 proposes an alternative holder for a mobile phone which addresses one or more of the difficulties identified with current devices.

Therefore, according to a first aspect of the present invention, although this need not be the broadest nor indeed the only aspect of the invention, there is provided a mobile phone holder comprising: a support strap adapted to be strapped around a wearer and including adjustable fastening means thereon; a housing for a mobile phone depending from the support strap, the housing having an uppermost open mouth and front and rear faces at least one of which is formed substantially of mesh material, the housing further including a 2 0 continuous strip extending between the front and rear faces and forming a side wall and base of the housing.

By including at least one mesh face the mobile phone holder of the present invention is able to be heard clearly when ringing. Moreover, the mesh face being generally a lightweight, flexible and easily deformable material allows the user to press any of the keys on the keypad necessary to answer incoming calls or make outgoing calls. Similarly, the mesh face does not pose a barrier to the use of the microphone or ear piece of the phone.

It should be noted that the holder present invention is created from a continuous supporting strip which passes down a side of the phone around 3 0 the base and adjacent a second side of the phone.

4 The use of the strip facilitates both a simple manufacturing process and produces a secure base support for the phone Preferably, the support strap and continuous strip of material are integrally formed and can conveniently be formed of a woven nylon material. By forming the mobile phone holder in such a way the continuous side wall can be used to support the phone in the housing and, more preferably, by using a continuous strip forming the support strap and side wall together support for the phone is ensured and manufacturing can be further simplified.

The mesh is preferably a woven mesh of knitted yarn and is sufficiently flexible 1 0 to allow easy pressing of a phone key pad and has a high proportion of open area which allows clear communications between the microphone and speaker of the phone to enable use of the phone without moving the phone from the case. Where the microphone and speaker of the phone are sufficient hands free operation of the phone is also possible.

1 5 Using the support strap the phone may be strapped so as to be around the waist of the wearer, or alternatively, cross-wise over a shoulder to facilitate hands free movement.

Conveniently, the phone is secured in the housing by means of a drawstring **formed around the upper open mouth of the housing.

2 0 The present invention will now be described, with reference to the :accompanying drawings, which illustrate non limiting examples of the present invention. In the drawings: Fig 1 represents a perspective view of a mobile phone holder formed in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention; Fig 2 illustrates the mobile phone of Fig 1 in use; and Fig 3 illustrates in close up detail a mobile phone holder formed in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention.

Shown in Fig's 1 and 2 is a mobile phone holder 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The holder 10 is shown together with a phone 12. The holder 10 includes a support strap in the form of a belt 14 (right hand figure) or a harness like brace (left hand figure) adapted to be strapped around the waist of a wearer and a phone housing 16 depending from the belt 14.

The belt 14 is formed of a woven nylon type material and includes a spring fastening clasp 18 with an adjusting clip 20 formed at one end thereof.

The housing 16 is adapted to be a reasonably snug fit around the phone 12 1 0 and has an open uppermost mouth which allows the phone 12 to be dropped V. into the pouch. The housing 16 is formed of two parallel spaced apart front and rear faces 21 joined by a continuous strip 22 extending around the faces 20 and forming side walls and a base for the housing 16. The weight of the phone when in the housing 16 is therefore supported by the strip 22, the front 1 5 and rear faces 21 serving simply to orient the phone in the correct position.

Moreover it can be seen from the drawings that the belt 14 and the strip 22 are in fact formed integratedly the strip 22 being a continuous extension of the belt S. 14. As can be seen from the drawing this is effective by the belt rotating to 900 from one orientation when used as a belt to a second orientation when forming the strip 22 and rotating back to the original position to reform the belt on the far side of the housing 16.

The front and rear faces of the housing 16 are formed in the example shown in Fig's 1 and 2 of a woven mesh, formed of a flexible knitted material. The mesh has a substantially high proportion of open area which allows ready communication between the phone speaker and microphone and moreover the flexibility of the mesh allows the key pad to be easily sighted and used without removing the phone from the holder. As shown in Fig 2 the holder is unobtrusive and allows the wearer to carry out most forms of exercise without interference.

3 0 Should the phone move in use the open mesh would not interfere or obstruct communications through the microphone or speaker in any way. A drawstring 26 is formed at the upper open mouth and secured with a toggle 28 to hold the 6 phone in position. As shown in Fig 2 the phone can easily be used by people desiring to exercise. It is also possible to strap the belt 14 over one shoulder such that the phone 12 is held relatively close to the head of the wearer, allowing hands free use.

The harness like belt 36 shown in the left hand person in figure 2 includes a strap passing over each shoulder and a connecting belt 14. In the case of this embodiment hands free operation of the phone is possible.

Fig 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention in the form of a mobile phone holder 30. The phone holder 30 is in many respects similar to 1 0 the phone holder 10 and shares many items in common. Like numerals are used to indicate like parts. The phone holder 30 includes a front mesh panel S* 32 and a solid rear panel 34. Where a solid rear panel 34 is used any material thought desirable can be used for the panel including fabric or fur or any patent material or other fashion items which may be thought attractive.

1 5 Modifications and variations of the present invention such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to within the scope of the invention.

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Claims

3. A mobile phone holder according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, the belt and continuous strip of material are formed of a woven nylon material, the continuous side wall being thereby used to support the phone in the housing.
4. A mobile phone holder according to any one of the preceding claims, **wherein a single continuous strip forms the belt and side wall together to thereby support for a phone.
5. A mobile phone holder according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the mesh material is a woven mesh of knitted yarn and is sufficiently 2 0 flexible to allow easy pressing of a phone key pad and has a high proportion of open area which allows clear communications between the microphone. and speaker of the phone to enable use of the phone without moving the phone from the case.
6. A mobile phone holder according to any one of the preceding claims, 2 5 characterised in that the, the phone is secured in the housing by means of a drawstring formed around the upper open mouth of the housing.
7. A mobile phone holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder includes one mesh face adapted to lie on an outer face of the holder when attached to a wearer and one face of solid material.
8. A mobile phone holder according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. SEC Dated this 28th day of May 1998 l 113 *MICHELLE ELIZABETH KRAMMER c. By her Patent Attorneys, COLLISON CO. DOREEN PERRIN