GB2241852A

GB2241852A - A portable radio having a magnetically actuated emergency switch

Info

Publication number: GB2241852A
Application number: GB9103229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John F Murray; Faris S Habbaba; Eduardo J Marabotto
Original assignee: Motorola Inc
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
Priority date: 1990-03-05
Filing date: 1991-02-15
Publication date: 1991-09-11
Also published as: GB9103229D0

Abstract

In a radio 100 a quick and reliable mechanism for activating a desired function is provided by magnetically actuating a switch 140 which is electrically coupled to radio circuitry 130 enclosed with the switch 140 in a housing 120. The switch 140 comprises a Hall effect device actuated by a magnet 164 carried by a movable actuator 160 fitted on the housing 120. Actuator 160 may be pulled by a cable 170 to operate switch 140, resulting in transmission of an emergency radio signal. <IMAGE>

Description

A PORTABLE RADIO HAVING A MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED EMERGENCY SWITCH Technical Field This invention relates generally to the field of portable radios in particular those radio's having capability for quickly and reliably activating a special function.

Background Today's portable two-way radios are used in variety of applications and in variety of environments. Therefore, special functional abilities are often desired which are uniquely associated with a particular use in a particular situation. One example of such functional ability comprise transmission of emergency signals by the radio when a user is positioned in a hazardous situation. Typically, such functions are activated by manually flipping an emergency switch or pressing an emergency button. The switch or the button is usually located on the exterior of the radio housing and is accessible by the user.

In some applications however there is a need for providing the user with a quicker means for activating a desired function.

For example, in extreme emergency situations, prompt activation of the emergency function may not be possible when the user has to reach out to the radio housing and actuate the switch or the button. Therefore, a more accessible emergency function activation means has to be provided. Such an activation means may comprise pulling on a lanyard or a cable which is readily accessible by the user. In a prior art approach which is disclosed by Schaefer et al. in the U.S. patent b 4,688,262 the lanyard or cable is attached to a mechanical emergency switch on the radio and pulling it activates the emergency function. In the Shaefer's arrangement, the emergency switch is located within a recess on the radio, and a plug is mechanically fitted within the recess to set the emergency switch to a first electrical condition (i.e. open).The lanyard is attached to external end of the plug, wherein pulling the lanyard sets removes the plug and sets the emergency switch to a second condition (i.e. closed). The emergency function is activated when the plug is removed.

However, utilizing a mechanical switch for activating the emergency function in accordance with the prior art arrangement creates problems associated with reliability of the mechanical switch as well as problems associated with the design and size of the the radio itself. Utilizing the mechanical switch and plug arrangement of the prior art requires creating an aperture or a recess on the housing of the radio which must be properly sealed in order to prevent corrosion of the radio circuitry. It is well known that such a sealing may be degraded by passage of time and under severe environmental conditions. The functionality of the mechanical switch itself may also be degraded due to environmental condition and excessive use such that it may become unreliable in emergency situations.Finally, manufacturing the radio utilizing the mechanical arrangement of the prior art requires extensive manual operations which may not be easily adaptable to an automated manufacturing environment.

Summarv of the Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a radio having a quick and reliable function activation mechanism which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Briefly, according to the invention, the portable radio includes a housing means for enclosing radio circuitry. At least one magnetically actuated switch is positioned inside the housing and is electrically coupled to the radio circuitry. A movable actuator means is fitted to the housing means and includes a permanent magnet attached thereto. A cable means is attached to the movable actuator means. The cable means is used for pulling the movable actuator means such that magnetic field of the magnet when within sufficiently close proximity of the magnetically actuated switch activates the switch from a first electrical condition to a second electrical condition.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a portable radio, comprising: a housing means for enclosing radio circuitry, at least one magnetically actuated switch positioned inside said housing means and electrically coupled to said radio circuit, said switch having a first electrical condition and a second electrical condition; a movable actuator means fitted to said housing and including a permanent magnet attached thereto; and a means for moving said movable actuator means such that magnetic field of said permanent magnet when within sufficiently close proximity activates said magnetically actuated switch from said first electrical condition to said second electrical condition.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1, is the exploded view of the portable radio which utilizes the function actuation mechanism in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 1, a radio 100 comprises a conventional radio, such as a SABER two-way portable radio manufactured by Motorola Inc., which is capable of transmitting an emergency radio call or the like. The radio 100 includes a frame assembly 110, which is enclosed by a housing assembly 120. The frame assembly 110 includes an antenna 112, knobs 114, and conventional control and transceiver circuitry of the radio 100, a portion of which is contained on a main printed circuit (PC) board 130. A magnetically activated switch 140, such as a Hall Effect switch, is connected to a small PC board 132 which attaches to the main PC board 130. The small PC board 132 is attached to the main PC board 130 by inserting contact pins 134 of the main PC board 130 into holes 136 of the small PC board 132.Electrical connection between the circuitry of the main PC board 130 and the magnetically actuated switch 140 may be provided via runners (not shown) on the small PC board 132. It may be appreciated that the switch 140 may altematively be an integral part of the main PC board 130. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, back side of the frame assembly 110 is covered by a conductive plate 116 so as to provide radio frequency (RF) shielding as well as protection for the main PC board. It is well known that a magnetically actuated switch is actuated when placed within a sufficiently intense magnetic field, wherein it switches from a first electrical condition, e.g. open, to a second electrical condition, e.g. closed. A microcomputer (not shown), included in the radio circuitry, continuously monitors the condition of the switch 140 in order to detect actuation of the switch 140.Accordingly, a desired function of the radio 100 is activated when the switch 140 is actuated. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the switch 140 is utilized to activate an emergency function. When the emergency function is activated, the radio 100 transmits a sequence of emergency signals which can be received by a central station (not shown) so as to identify and alert emergency situation of the transmitting radio 100. The implementation of the emergency call function responsive to a switch actuation is well known in the art. For example, a variety of emergency functions may be implemented on the SABERIM radio's manufactured by Motorola Inc. in response to an emergency switch actuation.

When the frame assembly 110 is inserted and fastened to the housing assembly 120 the circuitry of the radio 100 is enclosed and the main body of the radio 100 is formed. The radio 100 may become operational when a battery (not shown) is slided onto the bottom of the housing assembly 120. The housing assembly 120 includes on its front side apertures (not shown) for facilitating acoustical transfer of the audio power into and out of the radio 100. A retainer 150, which includes a pocket like chamber 152 formed thereon, is mounted on the back side of the housing assembly 120. The chamber 152 is formed for receiving a movable actuator piece 160. The actuator piece 160 houses a permanent magnet 164 placed in a cavity (not shown) on its front surface. The magnet 164 is secured to the actuator piece 160 by an escutcheon 166 which covers the cavity and prevents the magnet 164 from falling. The actuator piece 160 is fitted into the chamber 152 such that it is confined between the walls of the chamber and the back side of the housing assembly 120. A notch 162 formed on front surface of the actuator piece 160 limits the upward movement of the actuator piece 160 and prevents it from being separated from the radio 100 when pulled upwardly. The downward movement of the actuator piece 160 is limited by the bottom wall of the chamber 152. Accordingly, the actuator piece 160 may move upwardly and/or downwardly within the chamber 152 by exerting an upwardly or downwardly force on it. The switch 140, actuator piece 160 and the magnet 164 are situated in such a relative positions from each other that when the actuator piece is pressed to its utmost downward position the switch 140 is not situated within magnetic field of the magnet 164 has no effect on the switch 140.However, when the actuator piece is pulled to its utmost upward position the magnetic field of the magnet 164 actuates the switch 140. Accordingly, the switch 140 is switched from the first electrical condition to the second electrical condition and vice versa, by pulling the actuator piece upwardly and/or downwardly.

Operationally, quick and reliable actuation mechanism of the emergency function is provided by pulling on a cable 170 which may be readily accessible by a user. The cable 170 is attached to a release clip 174 through a hook 172. A slot 168 formed on the back side of the actuator piece 160 is provided for engagement or disengagement means to the release clip 174.

The release clip 174 may be engaged to the actuator piece 160 by insertion into the slot 168. The slot 168 and the release clip 174 are designed such that when engaged a flush surface is provided on the back side of the actuator piece 160. Accordingly, when the actuator piece 160 is inserted into the chamber 152, the cable t70 is securely engaged to the radio 100. Additionally, in this arrangement, the cable 170 is freely disengaged from the radio 100 when the actuator piece Is pulled and reached its most upwardly position.

When the cable 170 is pulled upwardly the actuator piece 160 is moved and positioned within sufficient proximity of the switch 140 such that the magnetic field generated by the magnet 164 activates the switch 140, thereby activating the emergency function of the radio. The normal operation of the radio 100 may be resumed by turning the radio off and on again. The cable 170 may be re-attached to the radio 100, by inserting the release clip 172 into the slot 168 and pressing the actuator piece 160 downwardly.

Accordingly, a mechanism for quick and reliable activation of any desired functions of the radio 100 may be provided by utilizing the principals described in the arrangement of the radio 100. This arrangement improves reliability and reduces the size of the function activation mechanism of the radio 100 by eliminating the need for mechanical switches and housing recesses. According to the invention, the magnetic actuation of the switch 140 removes the need for providing recesses or apertures on the exterior of the housing assembly. Additionally, todays technology provides extremely reliable magnetically actuated switches with superior environmental tolerances. These switches are readily available in surface mount device packages, thereby facilitating manufacturing of the radio 100 in automated environments as well as reducing the size of the radio 100.

It may be appreciated that by utilizing more than one magnetically actuated switch 140 any number of functions may be activated by pulling the cable 170. It will be appreciated that, the arrangement described in connection with radio 100 is only one of infinite number of arrangements for achieving the intended purpose of the invention. This specification is intended to include any and all of those arrangements which encompass the true scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A portable radio, comprising: a housing means for enclosing radio circuitry, at least one magnetically actuated switch positioned inside said housing means and electrically coupled to said radio circuit, said switch having a first electrical condition and a second electrical condition; a movable actuator means fitted to said housing and including a permanent magnet attached thereto; and a means for moving said movable actuator means such that magnetic field of said permanent magnet when within sufficiently close proximity activates said magnetically actuated switch from said first electrical condition to said second electrical condition.

2. The portable radio of claim 1, wherein said means for moving comprise a cable.

3. The portable radio of claim 1, wherein said magnetically actuated switch comprise a Hall Effect switch.

4. The portable radio of claim 1, wherein said cable means is detached form said movable actuator means when pulled, and said movable actuator means remains attached to said housing means.

5. The portable radio of claim 1, wherein said magnetically actuated switch comprise an emergency switch for activating an emergency function of said radio.