GB2365654A

GB2365654A - R.F. isolator for mobile telephones uses an acoustic tube

Info

Publication number: GB2365654A
Application number: GB0008740A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Benjamin Edginton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-04-11
Filing date: 2000-04-11
Publication date: 2002-02-20
Also published as: GB0008740D0

Abstract

The Acoustic R.F. Isolator consists of a combination of an acoustic coupler 1, 4 an electrically non conductive flexible tubing 2, and a none conductive plastic ear piece 3. The acoustic coupler 1, 4 is attached to the Mobile Phone speaker and also provides a socket into which the tubing 2 can be plugged. The other end of the tubing 2, is plugged into the ear piece 3, this forms an enclosed air channel which will carry sound waves from the Mobile Phone speaker through the tubing to the plastic ear piece. This makes it possible for the phone operator to hear the audio sounds that are present at the speaker of the mobile phone while keeping the mobile phone at a good distance away from the head thus avoiding the harmful microwave radiation. The acoustic coupler 1, 4 may be attached directly to the body of the radiotelephone by various means, or it may engage a hands-free earpiece.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> Acoustic Radio Frequency Isolator. This invention relates to Mobile Phones of the pocket variety where the radiation of radio frequency at UHF is considered to be a danger to health.

It has recently been suggested that this radiation can possibly cause damage to both the brain and the eyes because the Phone is usually held very close to the head when the operator is listening to the phone in a noisy environment such as a Car or Train. When the Phone Handset is used with a device called a Hands Free Kit that consists of a Microphone and a small dynamic ear piece that connects to the handset via a lead consisting of wire, the problem is still present because the UHF Radio Waves are now picked up by the lead and taken to the operators ear through the wire in the lead once again causing danger to the brain and the eyes. According to the present invention the dangers from RF radiation when using a mobile Phone have been eliminated by replacing the wire lead and the dynamic earpiece with a flexible tubing and a passive ear piece made from a material with a high electrical insulating property such as plastic or rubber.

This then allows the phone Antenna to be held well away from the head when using the phone and there is no wire for the UHF radio wave to travel along. Because the sound will no longer be able to travel as an electrical waveform to the operators earphone it is taken as an acoustic wave from the dynamic earphone of the hands free kit.

Or alternatively from the speaker of the phone handset and allowed to travel as an audible sound wave through the air channel that is formed by the acoustic coupler and the flexible rubber tube and presented to the ear via a hollow passive ear piece that is either placed into the ear or held to the ear by a conventional head band made from a nonconductive material. One embodiment of this invention provides a solution by allowing the Phone 9, to be used while holding it away from the head and in its present form it consists of an acoustic coupler 1, that is made from a nonconductive plastic to which is attached to a length of flexible tubing 2, the tubing is then terminated by a hollow passive ear piece 3, The acoustic coupler 1, is a hollow moulding that has a short rigid connecting tube to alow the flexible acoustic tubing 2, to be attached.

On the face of the moulding is cemented a thin disk of magnetised material 7, A Docking device using a piece of thin iron perforated with holes to alow sound through and with one adhesive surface so that it can be attached to the phone speaker grill in a way that it does not block off the audible sounds from the phone. 8,

This allows the operator to quickly attach the acoustic coupling head to the phone 9, and then place the passive acoustic earphone 3, into the ear.

Alternative methods of fixing the Acoustic coupler 1, to the phone speaker are by spring clips or elastic webbing type material in the form of a strap. The Acoustic RF Isolator will actually help to improve the audibility of the phone without carrying the hazardous RF to the head of the operator.

In this manner a conversation on the phone can be held safely while holding the phone antenna away from the more vulnerable part of the head. A second embodiment of the invention is designed to alow the use of a Hands Free Kit 12, of the type that is used by car drivers and at the same time remove the UHF, RF, Radiation danger at the same time. This is achieved by replacing the acoustic coupler 1, with an acoustic coupler 4, designed to alow the dynamic ear piece 5, of the hands free kit 12, to be inserted into it thus allowing the sound waves that are emitted from the dynamic headphone of the hands free kit to be sent through the air in the tubing 2, and finally into the passive ear piece 3, As the microphone 10, of the Hands free kit is normally attached with a clip to the collar or the clothing of the operator, so the dynamic ear piece 5, can also be allowed to hang down away from the operators head . This means that there will be no conductive material close to the head and the UHF RF Radiation is no longer a problem.

The Acoustic RF Isolator. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure 1, Is the standard Mobile Phone 9, and the Hands Free Adapter 12, without the Acoustic Radio Frequency Isolator.

Figure 2, Illustrates how the mobile dynamic ear phone 5, is attached to the Acoustic RF Isolator 4, Figure 3, Shows the Acoustic RF Isolator 6, attached to a Mobile Phone using the magnetic acoustic coupler 1, attached to the iron docking plate 8, Figure 4, Is a sketch of the Acoustic RF Isolator 6, together with enlarged drawings of the magnetic acoustic coupler 1, and the passive ear piece 3, Referring to the drawings the acoustic RF isolator comprising an acoustic coupling device 1, or 4, a flexible rubber tube 2, and a passive ear piece 3,.

The rubber tube 2, is attached to the acoustic coupling device 1, and the passive ear piece 3, to make a device that will pick up the audio output from the speaker of the mobile phone 9, or it can be connected to the hands free dynamic earphone 5, using the alternative acoustic coupler 4, . The acoustic coupler 1, has a magnetic ring cemented to it this allows it to be quickly attached to the perforated iron Docking plate 8, that is attached to the mobile phone speaker 9, with an adhesive pad.

The passive ear peace 3, is then placed in the ear and this will alow a conversation to be safely conducted on the mobile phone 9, with the antenna held well away from the head and the eyes. And without any danger from the RF Radiation that is emitted from the antenna.

If the hands free set is to be used in a car then the alternative acoustic coupler 4, is placed on to the tube this will alow the dynamic head phone 5, of the hands free set 12, to be attached instead of the mobile phone speaker 9, the mobile phone can then be placed into a holder while a conversation is taking place.

The rubber tube 2, prevents any UHF RF that is picked up by the Hands Free Set connecting wire lead 12, from reaching the ear head or eyes of the operator.

Claims

CLAIMS. 1 / An acoustic radio frequency Isolator comprising an acoustic coupling connected to a nonconductive tube that will carry sound from the speaker of a mobile phone to an ear piece and so electrically isolate the operator of the mobile phone from the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from the mobile phone and remove the danger from the microwave radiation that is emited from the antenna of the mobile phone. 2/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as in claim 1. where the acoustic coupler is attached to the mobile phone by using a double sided adhesive washer between the acoustic coupler and the speaker of the phone making it possible to attache and detache the flexible tube by means of a hollow plastic plug. 3/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as in claim 1. where the acoustic coupler 1. can be attached to a mobile phone case that is fitted with a pocket allowing the tubing and ear piece to be stored when not in use. 4/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as in claim 1. Where the acoustic coupler is moulded or attached to a band of plastic or rubber that can be stretched around the phone in order to hold the acoustic coupler in close contact with the speaker of the phone. S/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as in claims 1. to 7. where the ear piece can be moulded with a cavity that will help the sound to be more audible. 6/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as claims 1. to 7. where the ear piece is moulded in such a way that disposable ear plugs can be easily removed and replaced for the sake of hygiene 7/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as in claim 1. to 6. where the flexible connecting tube is preformed so that when it is released it will return to a coil for easy storage when not in use 8/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator as in claim 1. where a magnetic disc is used to attach the acoustic coupler to the mobile phone speaker. 9/ An acoustic radio frequency Isolator substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-4 of the accompanying drawings.