Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
  • H04M1/15—Protecting or guiding telephone cords
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
  • H04M1/04—Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
  • H04M1/05—Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast

Definitions

• This invention relates to headsets and similar accessories for use with mobile telephones and similar equipment .
• Detachable earpieces and/or headsets which include a microphone are available for some mobile telephones. Such accessories are hereinafter referred to as detached audio units . These accessories are normally attached by means of a cable fitted to a conventional electrical connector such as a multicontact jack plug.
• the detachable audio units overcome some of the above described disadvantages of telephones with an integral microphone and earpiece however due to their small size and their ability to be easily unplugged they can easily be mislaid and the connecting flexible wire becomes knotted.
• the present invention provides a mobile telephone or attachment for a such a telephone which provides storage for a detachable audio unit .
• an accessory for remote speaking and/or listening to a mobile telephone characterised in that it comprises a unit having means for connection to an associated mobile telephone of a microphone and/or earpiece or headset on a dispensable lead electrically connected to the connection means and adapted to be housed within the unit, and a spool fitted with spring means having the lead wound on its outer surface, whereby when the microphone and/or earpiece or headset is withdrawn from the unit for use the spring is tensioned through rotation of the spool and whereby the microphone and/or earpiece or headset is rewound by the spring means by operation of a catch which releases the stored tension.
• the retraction means is preferably a spring loaded spool rotatably mounted within the unit.
• the lead of the detached audio unit is wound on the circumference of the spool when not in use .
• the audio unit When required for use the audio unit is removed from its housing within the unit and as it is withdrawn the audio lead unwinds from the spool creating tension in an associated spring mechanism.
• a ratchet or similar device is fitted which prevents rotation in the opposite sense to the spool rotation created by withdrawing the audio unit lead so that the dispensed lead is not urged back on to the spool when the withdrawal tension is released. The ratchet or other device is released when the audio unit ceases to be used and the audio lead is rewound as the spool rotates releasing the stored tension in the spring.
• Spring loaded spools of with an associated one way system and clamp to control the the return of unwound lead are well known and are widely used in tape measures and similar devices .
• Connection of a detachable audio unit to the main body of an associated mobile telephone can use a variety of methods.
• the audio lead is connected to the main body of the telephone by supplementary contacts on the main unit which mate with contacts on the telephone body.
• the unit may also contain a recharg- able battery as the power supply for the telephone with further mating contacts to connect the power supply to the electrically operated parts of the telephone .
• Such power supply and battery units tend to be unique to a particular model of mobile telephone.
• the unit can replace the detachable back of a mobile telephone which covers the battery. Such replacement back units will also be unique to a particular model of mobile telephone .
• Such independent audio unit modules may take the form of a pendant worn around the neck or a thin card-shaped pack which can easily be fitted in a pocket of wallet.
• a short supplementary lead connects them to the mobile telephone by means of a male jack plug which fits into a female socket on the surface of the telephone .
• the conductors of the leads are enclosed within a covering that forms a circular cross section.
• An auxiliary metal wire or polymeric fibre may be present to increase strength and/or stiffness.
• the case of the units is preferably fabricated from thermoplastic synthetic polymers pigmneted to match the associated mobile telephone in the embodiments containing rechargeable batteries or which are adapted to replace a battery cover.
• the case may be made in a range of colours and carry indicia showing the maker's name and/or promoting a firm associated with the product such as a mobile telephone supplier.
• Figure 1 is a schematic layout of an embodiment of the invention in which the unit is associated with a battery pack
• FIG. 2 is a schematic layout of an alternative embodiment of the battery pack unit of the invention.
• Figure 3 is a schematic front views of a further embodiment in which the unit is associated with a battery
• Figures 4a, 4b, and 4c are a schematic side views showing how the earpiece is accommodated within the unit
• Figure 5 is a schematic front views of an alternative embodiment of the unit shown in Figure 3
• Figure 6 is a schematic back view of a unit in the form of a battery cover
• Figures 7a and 7b are a schematic front and side views of a pendant unit according to the invention.
• Figures 8a and 8b are a schematic front and side views of a card unit according to the invention.
• a battery pack unit has a case 1 which houses a battery pack 2 and a handset 3.
• the pack 2 consists of a number of rechargeable cells.
• the handset includes a microphone 4 and earphone 5.
• the handset is attached to the unit by a lead 6 which is carried by a spool 7.
• the spool 7 is spring loaded so that tension is created in the spring when spool 7 rotates as the lead 6 is dispensed.
• a ratchet o other one way mechanism prevents the spool rewinding the lead 6 after it has been dispensed.
• a hand operated catch 8 releases the one way mechanism when operated causing the spool 7 to rotate and rewind the lead 6 on to its periphery.
• a switch 9 allows "hands free" operation of the telephone.
• the spool 7 is this embodiment carries a set of rotary contacts, not shown, that provide an electrical path from the lead 6 to a set of supplementary contacts which mate with a matching set of contacts on the main body of the telephone when the battery pack unit is attached to it .
• a set of rotary contacts 11 connect a supplementary lead 12 to a male jack plug 13.
• the connections and size of the plug 13 are those used with conventional detachable handsets.
• the battery pack unit shown in Figure 2 can be constructed as a direct replacement for prior battery packs which do not contain handsets .
• the handset 3 is electrically connected to the main body of the telephone by means of the plug 13 and its associated lead 12.
• an outer shell 20 houses a battery pack and spring loaded spool, not shown, having a lead 21 connected to a headpiece 22 which issues from a cavity 23.
• a first catch 24 unlocks the unit when it is to be recharged.
• a second catch 25 releases the one way mechanism which causes the spool to rotate and rewind the lead 21.
• Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show the stages of insertion of the headpiece 22 into the cavity 23 for storage. When fully inserted the outer face of the earpiece 22 is substantially flush with the outer shell 20 of the unit.
• Embodiments that can be used with any mobile telephone may take the form of a pendant 50 having a lead 51 carrying a jack plug 52 which may be fitted into a matching female socket on any mobile telephone.
• the connecting lead 51 needs to be longer than those used in the previously described embodiments as the pendant may be separated from the mobile telephone to which it is connected by up to a metre.
• the lead 51 is preferably in the form of a pre-coiled spiral so as to prevent it becoming entangled with the user's clothing.
• the pendant 50 accepts an earpiece 53 having a lead 54 the major portion of which is stored on a spring loaded spool, not shown, in the manner described with respect to other embodiments of the invention.
• the earpiece 53 can be withdrawn for use extending the available length of the lead 54. When it is no longer required pressure on a catch 55 causes the lead 54 to be rewound on to the spool within the pendant case .
• Pendant units of the type described with respect to Figure 7 may be manufactured in a compact form.
• the oval case of the pendant 50 can have a maximum dimesion of 44 mm and a minimum dimension of 38 mm with a thickness, excluding the associated headpiece, of 12 mm.
• a further embodiment that can be used with any mobile telephone may take the form of a card shaped case 60 containing a pre-coiled connecting lead 61 carrying a jack plug 62 which may be fitted into a matching female socket on any mobile telephone.
• the coiled lead 61 is attached to a spring loaded spool 63 by a set of terminals 64.
• a lead 65 has an earpiece 66 at one end and at the other end is connected to rotary contacts, not shown, that feed the terminals 64.
• the lead 65 is stored when the unit is not in use on the spool 63.
• the spool 63 has a one-way drive system fitted to prevent the tension stored in the spring returning the lead 65 to the spool 63 while the earpiece 66 is in use.
• a catch 69 releases the restraint imposed by the one-way system so that the spring tension causes the spool 63 to rotate and wind back the lead 65.
• the lead 65 carries an in-line microphone 67 close to the earpiece 66.
• the microphone 67 will be close to the mouth so that the combination acts as a conventional telephone handset.
• the earpiece 66 and microphone 67 are stored in a cavity moulded intoi the case of the unit 60.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Otolaryngology (AREA)
• Telephone Set Structure (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26315698

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (10)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2000
  • 2000-06-25 WO PCT/IB2000/000845 patent/WO2001001657A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-06-25 CN CN 00812030 patent/CN1375154A/zh active Pending
  • 2000-06-25 EP EP00938955A patent/EP1232635A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-06-25 AU AU54174/00A patent/AU5417400A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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