GB2463789A

GB2463789A - Retractable button on portable device suitable for attachment to belt clip

Info

Publication number: GB2463789A
Application number: GB0916825A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Duncan Wooller
Original assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
Current assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
Priority date: 2008-09-25
Filing date: 2009-09-24
Publication date: 2010-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-24
Also published as: GB0916825D0; GB2463789B; GB0817495D0

Abstract

A portable device 2 is disclosed with a fastening member or button 3 for attaching the portable device to, for example, a belt clip (4, Fig. 3). The fastening member is pivotally arranged in the casing of the portable device so that in an operative position a part of the fastening member extends outwardly from the casing of the portable device (Fig. 1c), but when rotated into a stowed position (Fig. 1d) it extends inwardly into a housing, giving the casing an even, flush exterior.

Description

Fastening arrangement for portable device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a fastening arrangement for a portable device and particularly a fastening member that can be attached to a second device.

Background to the invention and Prior art

Portable devices, in particular hand-held devices such as communication devices, music players or meters such as multimeters, are normally carried in a pocket or in a bag. Sometimes it is however more convenient to carry it in a way that makes it easier to access and also enables hands free operation of the portable device. One solution is to have a holder attached to for example a belt, and put the portable device in the holder. Description of such holders can be found in for example patent applications US2006 183518 and US2005255898.

Summary of invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a portable device having a fastening. member for fastening the device to a second device, said fastening member being pivotally arranged so that it can be rotated between a first position in which the fastening member extends generally outwardly relative the portable device and in a second position in which the fastening member extends generally inwardly relative the portable device.

This has the advantage that it reduces the risk that a user becomes irritated by the portion of the fastening member projecting out from the device, since he can easily rotate the fastening member so it extends inwardly, that is into the interior of the portable device, and then easily rotate it back so it extends outwardly when he wants to attach the portable device to another device. A further advantage is that because said fastening member is arranged to be rotated between the two positions the fastening member is durable, easy to manufacture and easy to use.

Preferably the fastening member comprises a base member having two opposite surfaces and an extending member for connecting to the second device, the extending member being arranged on one of said opposite surfaces, wherein the fastening member is arranged such that when the fastening member is in the second position the other of said opposite surfaces is substantially aligned with an exterior surface of the portable device.

This has the advantage that the portable device obtains an even and smooth exterior surface that makes it comfortable to hold the device.

Preferably the fastening member has a pair of axially extending fingers, which fingers are received in respective cut out portions provided in an internal hemispherical cover. The hemispherical cover can then conveniently serve to protect and guide the rotation of the fastening member and serve as a backing plate and to reduce the risk of dust and foreign items from entering the interior of the portable device.

The invention will now be further described, by means of example only, and with reference to following drawings in which: Figure la schematically shows a front view a portable device according to the present invention.

Figure 1 b schematically shows a rear view of the portable device.

Figure Ic schematically shows the portable device from the side, along the direction of arrow G in figure lb. with a fastening member in a first position extending outwardly.

Figure 1 d schematically shows the portable device from the side, along the direction of arrow G in figure 1 b, with the fastening member in a second position extending inwardly.

Figure 2 shows a more detailed view of a back portion of the portable device provided with a fastening member and a clip to which said fastening member can be releasably attached.

Figure 3 is a further view of the clip from a different direction.

Figure 4a shows the fastening member looking along the direction indicated by the arrow C in figure ic.

Figure 4b shows the fastening member along the direction indicated by the arrow E in figure 4a.

Figure 4c shows the fastening member along the direction indicated by arrow F in figure 4a.

Figure 5a shows a retaining member arranged behind the fastening member in the portable device along the direction indicated by arrow D in figure id.

Figure 5b shows a cross-section of the fastening and retaining members arranged in the portable device along line A -A in figure 5a.

Figure 5c shows a cross-section of the fastening and retaining members arranged in the portable device along line B -B in figure 5a.

Detailed description

An embodiment of the fastening member will now be described in relation to Figures la-Id.

Figures la -id show schematic drawings of a portable electronic device (1) having a casing, or housing, (2) and a fastening member (3). The front side of the portable electronic device can have a display, a microphone, a speaker and keys for entering numbers and other data. On the rear side of the portable device, opposite the front side, is the fastening member (3) pivotally mounted in the casing (2). The fastening member has a projecting portion in the shape of a pin or stub. In figure ic the portable device is seen from the side where the fastening member is in a first position extending outwardly from the housing of the device (1). When the fastening member is in this first, or operative, position the portable device can be releasably attached to a clip, such as the clip (4) shown in figures 2 and 3. A more detailed description of the clip is provided later in the specification. When a user wants to use the portable device he/she releases it from the clip, then pivots the fastening member so that it moves from its first position. extending outwardly, to its second, or stowed, position where it extends inwardly, as can be seen in figure id. As a result a smooth and even exterior of the casing is obtained, making it comfortable to hold the portable device.

A detailed description of the fastening member (3) will now be described in relation to figures 4a -4c. The fastening member comprises a base member (31) having a first surface (32) and a second surface (33) adjoined by a side surface (34), and a projecting member (35) in the form of a stub or pin that extends from the centre of the first surface (32) of the disk. The second surface (33) i.s preferably flat; having a relatively smooth or even surface.

The base member can be shaped in different ways, for example it can have an oval shape, a rectangular or square shape, or it can be circular, i.e. formed as a disk. In the embodiment described below the base member (31) is a disk and therefore the word "disk" will be used instead of "base member" hereafter. The base member has a diameter or width less than 25 mm and preferably ca 20 mm or less.

The projecting member (35) has a first cylindrical portion (37) and a second cylindrical portion (38) where the first portion (37) has a smaller diameter than the second portion (38), thus forming a circular recess on the stub. The first cylindrical part (37) is adjoined to the disk (31) at the centre of the first surface (32). The projecting member has a height of less than 8 mm and preferably around 5 mm and the width of the cylindrical portion (38) is preferably between 10 -15 mm.

The fastening member further has two fingers (36) joined to the circumferential side surface (34) of the disk (31). The fingers are aligned along the axis of pivot of the fastening member (3) so that the fastening member can be pivoted about these fingers. The fastening member also comprises an abutment (39) which is adjoined to the circumferential side surface (34) between the fingers (36) and projecting outwardly from the side surface (34). In a preferred embodiment the abutment is placed on the side surface (34) at an equal distance from the two fingers (36). The purpose of the abutment (39) is to hinder the fastening member (3) from pivoting more than 180 degrees.

The fastening member (3) is preferably integrally made of a plastics material and it can be made by for example moulding.

A description of how the fastening member (3) is mounted in the casing (2) of the portable device (1) will now be described in relation to figures 5a -5c.

The fastening member (3) is mounted in an aperture (50) of the casing (2) with the help of a hemispherical member (51). The hemispherical member (51) has two cut-out portions (52) in its periphery. The hemispherical member (51) is fastened to the interior side (54) of the casing (2) behind the aperture (50) in the casing. It can for example be glued or welded to the casing or the hemispherical member can be an integral part of the casing. The two cut-out portions (52) in the hemispherical member form together with the interior side of the casing (54) two apertures into which the fingers (36) on the circumferential side surface (34) of the disk (31) can be rotatably fitted. The fingers (36) then protrude through these apertures, as can be seen in figure 5a. The hemispherical member thus serves to retain the fingers (36) of the fastening member (3) in place, allowing the fastening member to be pivoted about the axis defined by the fingers (36). In addition, the hemispherical member acts as an internal cover, reducing the risk of foreign particles entering the portable device.

In the embodiment shown in figure 5a the axis of pivot is shown as the line B -B; however, depending on how the retaining member is fitted to the interior side of the casing and thus where the two apertures for the fingers (36) are created, the orientation of the axis of pivot can change. It could for example go along the line A -A in figure 5a.

If the fastening member (3) has a disk shaped base member (31) it is retained by a hemispherical member. If however the base plate (31) has another shape, for example oval or square shaped, the shape of the retaining member (51) should preferably be adapted to the shape of the base member.

There are two parallel, narrow, slits (53) in each side of the hemispherical member, extending a short distance from the periphery or edge of the hemisphere, forming a resilient tongue on each side of the hemispherical member. The resilient tongues are placed opposite each other and preferably placed at an equal distance from the cut-out portions (52) on the periphery of the hemispherical member. The free end of each tongue is further provided with an edge (55) that is slightly thicker than the rest of the tongue.

The resilient tongues cooperate with the abutment (39) on the side surface (34) of the fastening member (3), so as to form a snap fit engagement that prevents the fastening member from pivoting unless a user urges on the fastening member into rotation with sufficient force to release the snap fit.

The hemispherical member is preferably also moulded in a resilient, plastics material.

The hemispherical member further prevents dust and foreign items from entering the interior of the portable device through the aperture (50) since it also acts as a backing surface.

The aperture (50) in the casing preferably has a diameter that is only slightly larger than the diameter of the disk (31), so that there is only space enough between the two to allow the disk to pivot in the aperture. The abutment (39) on the circumferential side surface (34) extends beyond the width of the aperture in the casing, thus engaging the fastening member in the first and second positions.

A clip to which the fastening member can be attached will now be described in relation to figure 3.

The clip has two elongated members (42, 44) joined by a curved upper part (43), giving the clip the form of a narrow "n" when viewed from the side. The free end of one elongated member (44) has a u-shaped holder or receptacle (41) when viewed from the front into which the stub (35) of the fastening member (3) can be inserted.

The bottom of the "u" is closed. At the top of the "u"-formed receptacle, opposite the bottom, there is an opening directed towards the curved upper part (43) of the clip. This opening also extends into the front side of the receptacle; that is the side of the receptacle opposite the side joined to the elongated member. The front side opening is wide at the top of the receptacle from where the sides of the opening slope towards each other, forming a neck, and below the neck is the opening circular.

The fastening member (3) is inserted in the receptacle (41) so that the wider part (38) of the stub (35) is in the receptacle and the cylindrical recess formed by the cylindrical part (37) is extending through the circular portion of the front opening, which is too narrow for the wider part of the stub to pass through. The narrow neck in the receptacle prevents the fastening means from disengaging from the clip accidentally, since a slight force is needed to get the cylindrical part (37) through the neck, both when inserting and removing the fastening member (3) from the clip. This arrangement allows the fastening member to be releasably attached to the clip.

The operation of the fastening member is as follows. When the. fastening member is in its second position, extending inwardly (see figure id), and a user wants to attach the portable device to a clip, the user presses on the left side of the surface (33) on the disk (31) causing the snap-fit to release the disk which then pivots about an axis defined by the fingers (36) on the disk. The user pivots the fastening member until the abutment (39) contacts the interior side (54) of the casing and the second snap fit is engaged. The fastening member (3) is now in its first position where the stub is extending outwardly, and the stub can then be inserted into the clip (3) as detailed above and retained there. The next time the user wishes to use the portable device he removes it from the clip, presses on the right side of the surface (32) of the disk or the stub, causing the snap-fit to release the disk and the user then pivots the fastening member back to the second position where the stub extends inwardly from the casing of the device, giving the casing an even exterior. Further pivoting is once again hindered by the interaction between the abutment (39) and the interior side (54) of the casing, and the snap fit.

It would be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention can be embodied in various ways and implemented in many variations. Instead of having the fingers (36) on the side surface of the fastening member (3) the fingers could be extending from the retaining member (51) and fit into holes on the side surface (34) of the disk. A pin extending through aligned holes in the retaining member and the fastening member is also an alternative.

The fastening member and the retaining member could be made of other materials than plastics, for example metal.

It will be seen how the above described embodiment provides a mechanism for releasably securing a belt clip to a hand held portable device such as a cordless telephone handset. The belt clip releasably attaches to an upstanding stub extending from a casing section of the casing body of the handset. This casing section is pivotally mounted in an opening in the casing body, allowing the stub portion to move between an outwardly extending position in which the stub extends from the casing body, and an inwardly extending position in which the stub extends into the casing body. When in the inwardly extending position, the casing section is flush with the casing body and the stub is hidden behind the casing section, giving the handset the appearance of having a continuous casing body. A user wishing to attach a belt clip to the stub can rotate the casing section to bring the sub portion into the outwardly extending position. This arrangement allows the stub to be out of the way when not needed for the attachment of a belt clip. -9.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A portable device having a housing carrying a fastening member for fastening the device to a second device, said fastening member being pivotally arranged so that it can be rotated between an operative position in which the fastening member extends generally outwardly from the housing of the portable device, and a stowed position in which the fastening member extends generally inwardly into the housing of theportable device.
2. A portable device according to claim 1 wherein said fastening member comprises a base member having two opposite surfaces and an extending member for connecting to the second device, the extending member being arranged on one of said opposite surfaces, and wherein the fastening member is arranged such that when the fastening member is in the stowed position, the other of said opposite surfaces is substantially aligned with an exterior surface of the housing of the portable device.
3. A portable device according to claim 2 wherein the base member has at least one finger aligned along the axis of pivot of the fastening member, about which finger the fastening member is able to pivot.
4. A portable device according to claim 3 wherein the fastening member is rotatably secured to the portable device by a retaining member, said retaining member having at least one cut-out portion for receiving a finger of the base member.
5. A portable device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the fastening member comprises means for hindering it from pivoting more than 180 degrees.

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6. A portable device according to claim 5 wherein said means for hindering it from pivoting more than 180 degrees comprises an abutment arranged on the side surface of the base member.
7. A portable device according to claim 4 wherein the retaining member has two parallel slits on each side, extending a short distance from the periphery or edge of the retaining member, forming a resilient tongue on each side of the member, said tongues each forming a snap fit.
8. A portable device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the fastening member is integrally formed.
9. A portable device according to any of the preceding claims wherein said second device is a clip.
10. A portable arrangement comprising a portable device having a fastening member arranged in the portable device according to claims 1 -8 and a clip having an opening into which said extending member can be inserted.