GB2263209A

GB2263209A - Mobile telephone handset with locking means

Info

Publication number: GB2263209A
Application number: GB9300154A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jarmo Koponen
Original assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd
Current assignee: Nokia Oyj
Priority date: 1992-01-21
Filing date: 1993-01-06
Publication date: 1993-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-06
Also published as: GB9300154D0; DE9300451U1; FI51U1; GB2263209B; FIU920060U0

Abstract

A mobile telephone comprises a handset and a holder for releasably holding said handset. The handset comprises a movable latch or valve 5 which is biased towards the locked position and which may be moved to an unlocked position by movement of the handset with respect to the holder 1 or by the operation of a release means (20, Fig 3). <IMAGE>

Description

A Telephone The invention relates to a telephone comprising a handset and a holder for releasably holding said handset.

Generally, the locking of the handset to the holder, is provided by a magnetic holder or by placing a mechanical locking mechanism on to the holder of the handset. The problem with magnetic holders is their limited tolerance to g-forces in the event of a collision. The handsets of mobile phones equipped with a mechanical locking mechanism are, in turn, difficult to release from the holder because a release button or switch situated in the holder has to be pushed in order to release the handset. The switch is generally located under the handset, such that for a person not familiar with the use of the phone it maybe difficult to find.

A holder mechanism for the handset of a mobile phone is disclosed in U.S. Patent No 4,700,383. The mechanism comprises a release button that locks the handset to the holder and releases it therefrom. The elements used for the releasing of the handset are situated in the handset, the locking elements including a catch and a spring, instead, are situated apart in the holder itself. The mechanism comprises locking bolts 51, 52 situated perpendicular to each other in the holder and moving against the spring. Locking bolt 52 presses against the spring force against the rear end of the handset while the other bolt 51 presses against the spring force into hole 63e in the handset.

Consequently, the handset is always locked at the receiver portion and the rear end, limiting the design of the handset and making the holder larger. To realize this solution a substantial number of parts is required, making the mechanism difficult to assemble, bulky and costly.

According to the present invention there is provided a telephone comprising a handset and a holder for releasably holding said handset, the holder comprising a first portion adapted to enable location of the handset with respect to the holder when mounted and a second portion adapted to enable securing of the handset to the holder when mounted; the handset comprising a first portion adapted to cooperate with the correspondingly shaped first portion of the holder when mounted and a second portion comprising a retaining member movable between a first position wherein the retaining member secures the handset to the holder and a second position wherein the retaining member does not secure the handset to the holder, the retaining member being biased to said first position.

An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a holder which is user-friendly, and cost-effective to manufacture.

The holder mechanism of the handset in accordance with the invention provides a reliable locking mechanism. In addition, the placing of the locking device to the handset itself is ergonomically very satisfactory. The direction of release of the handset's locking mechanism and the operation of the mechanism is logical and it is also easily used by those not familiar with the use of a mobile telephone.

A telephone in accordance with the invention also facilitates the automation of production because all the components can be provided in a single part.

Because of the use of invention there is no need to perform an assembly on the holder itself, whereby the handling of the holder is completely omitted.

Consequently, there is no need for a whole automation line for the holder or for the pallets or other base solutions required by the holders in general automations.

The locking mechanism of the handset in accordance with the present invention is based on a contoured holder, whereto the handset is locked with the aid of spring force. The design of the holder is simple and it can be manufactured from one piece. The holder itself does not comprise movable parts, but all the mechanical members required by the locking mechanism are situated in the handset.

The placing of a possible release button into the handset is ergonomically a very good solution and it is easy to notice by even an inexperienced user.

Another advantage of the invention is that the holder of the handset is extremely simple and it can be produced from one piece. The mechanism is extremely reliable and durable.

The locking mechanism according to the invention can also be applied to products other than mobile phones, such as desk telephone, charging devices etc.

The locking mechanism according to the invention can be manufactured from plastic with a good friction coefficient, for instance polyoxymethylene (POM).

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the locking mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 in the locked position; and Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the locking mechanism according to a second embodiment of the invention.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the holder is formed by a piece the bottom of which is the shape of a square or a rectangle and the two opposite sides of which are straight and the upper surface is curved.

The other two opposite sides comprise axial grooves in the upper part of the sides. The locking of the handset to the holder is effected by placing the lower edge of the receiver side to the groove in the holder. Then the handset is pressed against the curved upper surface of the holder, whereby the valve situated on the handset and loaded by a torsion spring or a compression spring slides along the curved surface of the holder and presses backwards until it clicks into the other groove of the holder, locking the handset to the holder.

The handset is detached from the holder simply by pulling the handset away from the holder Thus the spring-loaded valve presses against the torsion spring and releases the valve from the groove of the holder once enough pressure is applied. The desired pressure can be adjusted by changing the stiffness of the torsion spring or the compression spring and/or the angle of the locking groove on the holder.

The locking mechanism tolerates g-forces from all directions. Its use is extremely simple and requires no pushing of buttons, etc. The result is the easy use of the magnetic holder as well as a more reliable locking mechanism. The holder is extremely advantageous, easy to install and it takes up little space.

Fig. 1 represents holder 1 with a bottom in the shape of a square or a rectangle comprising two opposite, straight sides and a curved upper surface. The other two opposite sides comprise essentially identical grooves 2, 3 in the upper part of the sides. The handset comprises, below the receiver side, an opening for the holder to go through. Edge 4 of the receiver on the receiver side of the opening is placed into groove 2 in the holder when locking it. When the handset is pressed against the curved upper surface of holder 1, cantilever 6 of valve 5 loaded by torsion spring or compression spring 7 slides along the curved surface of the holder and valve 5 is pressed backwards, until its cantilever 6 clicks into groove 3 of holder 1, locking the handset into the groove. Torsion spring 7 is attached to the pin (not shown in the figure) in valve 5. The path of valve 5 is adjusted by cavity 8 on the lower surface of the handset adjacent to the opening and/or the cavity in valve 5, both of which are so dimensioned that the path of the valve is sufficiently long. The cavity prevents the valve from moving sideways. The other function of the cavity is to facilitate the location of the valve during ultrasonic welding.

Cover 9 covering the opening and cavity 8 locks the downward and upward movement of valve 5 and prevents dust from getting inside the handset. Cover 9 is welded to ultrasonic welding brushes 10.

The handset is detached from holder 1 by pulling the handset away from the holder so that spring-loaded valve 5 is pressed against spring 7, releasing cantilever 6 of the valve from groove 3 of the holder when enough pressure is applied. The angle of locking groove 3 in the holder can be altered to a sharper or gentler one depending on the desired releasing force.

The above embodiment is presented in the locked position in Fig. 2 as viewed from the side. Fixing towers 11 are installed in holder 1 in order to screw it to the base. Lower edge 4 of the receiver of the handset is placed in groove 2 of the holder. Cantilever 6 of the valve pressing against torsion spring 7 is placed in groove 3 of holder 1. The torsion spring is secured to pin 12 of valve 5. Ultrasonic welded cover 9 is placed on top of holder 1 and valve 5. The cover thus prevents the downward and upward movement of valve 5.

In another embodiment of the invention the piece forming the holder is replaced by a pin which in principle is of a similar form and by a cavity formed in the holder to prevent the rotation of the handset.

The locking of the handset to the holder is effected by first bringing the receiver portion of the handset at an angle into the hole in the holder, whereby the cantilever on the holder projects into the hole or a groove in the upper end of the receiver portion. The cantilever also can be in the receiver portion of the handset and the hole or the groove can be in the holder. A pin with a semi-spherical head contained lower in the holder presses through the holes in the main valve situated in the lower half of the handset and inside the shell of the handset and presses aside the jockey valves connected to each other by springs.

When the pin is sufficiently deep down, i.e., the semispherical head has passed the jockey valves, the jockey valves move back to their original positions around the shank of the pin, locking the handset into the holder.

The handset is released from its holder by pressing the spring-loaded release button situated on the side of the handset, whereby the connected wedges press the jockey valves to the side releasing the locking pin and the handset can be lifted from its holder.

Another alternative embodiment of the invention does not use a release button at all. Instead the handset is released from its holder simply by pulling the handset away from the holder. The spring-loaded jockey valves move to the side and release the handset when enough pressure is applied. The desired pressure can be easily adjusted by the stiffness of the springs and by changing the angle of the lower edge of the semispherical head of the pin corresponding to the angle of the locking groove.

The device does not necessarily require two jockey valves. One jockey valve alone which moves against the spring force can be used.

In the second embodiment of the invention according to Fig. 3 block 1 forming the holder is replaced with pin la, which in principle is of similar form, and with a cavity comprising cantilever lb formed in the holder to prevent the rotation of the handset. The locking of the handset to holder 1 is effected by first bringing the receiver portion of the handset to the hole in the holder at an angle so that cantilever lb in the holder projects to hole 13 in the upper end of the receiver portion. Lower down holder 1 comprises pin la with a semi-spherical head, pressing through hole 14 in lower half 15 of the handset and through hole 16 in main valve 19a inside the shell of the handset and presses separate jockey valves 19b connected to each other by pins 18 aside by springs 17.When pin la is sufficiently deep down, i.e., the semi-spherical head has passed by jockey valves 19b, the jockey valves move back to their original positions around the shank of pin la, locking the handset to holder 1.

When the handset is released from the holder, release button 20 loaded by the spring 25 and situated on the side of the handset is pushed, whereby wedges 21 connected to it press jockey valves 19b aside releasing locking pin la and the handset can be lifted from its holder. Main valve l9a and jockey valves 19b are secured to lower part 15 of the handset with the aid of pins 24 contained therein, which fit into holes 22 of the main valve and holes 23 formed in the jockey valves. Holes 23 formed in the jockey valves are elongated, allowing a back and forth movement of the jockey valves with respect to pins 24.

The invention can also be realized in such a way that the release button is not used at all, but the handset is removed from its holder simply by pulling the handset out of the holder. Spring-loaded jockey valves 19b move aside and release the handset when enough pressure is applied. The desired pressure can be adjusted by the stiffness of the springs and by altering the angle of the lower edge of the semispherical head of the pin.

In view of the foregoing it will be clear to a person skilled in the art that modifications may be made without deporting from the scope of the present invention. For example, two jockey valves 19b are not essential. One jockey valve moving against the spring power can be used instead.

Claims

1. A telephone comprising a handset and a holder for releasably holding said handset, the holder comprising a first portion adapted to enable location of the handset with respect to the holder when mounted and a second portion adapted to enable securing of the handset to the holder when mounted; the handset comprising a first portion adapted to cooperate with the correspondingly shaped first portion of the holder when mounted and a second portion comprising a retaining member movable between a first position wherein the retaining member secures the handset to the holder and a second position wherein the retaining member does not secure the handset to the holder, the retaining member being biased to said first position.

2. A telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a block; said first portion of the holder comprising a first groove in the block and said second portion of the holder comprising a second groove in the block.

3. A telephone as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first portion of the handset comprises a ridge formed to correspond with the first portion of the holder.

4. A telephone as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the retaining member is biased into said first position by a spring.

5. A telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a second portion comprising a locking member having an elongate stock and a head the head being of larger diameter than the stock.

6. A telephone as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first portion of the handset comprises a groove formed to correspond with the first portion of the holder.

7. A telephone as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the retaining member comprises a latch member, the latch member being biased into said first position by a spring.

8. A telephone as claimed in claim 7, wherein the handset comprises a second latch member disposed on the opposite side of the locking member from said latch member when mounted.

9. A telephone as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second portion of the handset comprises a release means movable between a first location in which the retaining member is in said first position and a second location in which the release means urges the retaining member into said second position, the release means being biased into the first position.

10. A telephone as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.