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
  • H04M1/03—Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/725—Cordless telephones
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
  • H04R2499/00—Aspects covered by H04R or H04S not otherwise provided for in their subgroups
  • H04R2499/10—General applications
  • H04R2499/11—Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Definitions

• the present invention relates to handheld telephones, and more particularly to electromechanical speaker connections in handheld telephones.
• the speaker unit is inserted into the telephone, fixedly surface mounted to the PCB, and provided with a rigid electrical connection to the PCB in a fully automatable procedure, without requiring the addition of subcomponents to the front cover of the phone.
• surface mounting the speaker to the PCB access to the PCB is greatly enhanced in the event that repairs are necessary, while at the same time providing the flexibility of permitting the consumer to change front covers without having to remount the speaker.
• a telephone handset in accordance with the present invention facilitates the use of an inexpensive front cover that can be replaced by the customer with a front cover of another design aesthetic, and that allows scrapping the inexpensive front cover during production if the phone is opened for repair purposes and the front cover is damaged.
• straight z-assembly (assembly in the vertical direction only, with no rotational reorientation necessary) can be more readily achieved with the present invention when the telephone is being produced, i.e., all of the components can be assembled in vertical layers with the back cover (also referred to as a rear cover or frame) as a base for telephone assembly.
• a small carrier for the speaker is surface mounted onto the PCB.
• the carrier is constructed of a of a heat-resistant plastic material (e.g., PPS) including metal elements from which the mechanical connection to the PCB is made by surface mounting.
• PPS heat-resistant plastic material
• the speaker carrier can also serve as an electrical connector between the speaker and the PCB.
• the speaker is press-fit into an elastomeric, rubber-like gasket, which in turn is press- fit into the speaker carrier.
• the size, shape, and the nature of the gasket and carrier make them suitable to be assembled at the supplier, and assembled as a unit to the PCB.
• the present invention facilitates reduction in cost of the front cover, which in turn enhances the marketability and general economic feasability of exchangeable front covers, due to which the telephone can be more attractive on the market, improved cost-effectiveness when repairing the phone during production, given that the repair requires that the front cover be scrapped during production, and straight z- assembly (assembly in vertical direction only, with no reorientation) and immediate access to the PCB when the front cover is removed.
• time-efficient production is also enhanced by requiring fewer disassembly steps than prior telephones, and allows for vertical, Z-axis assembly.
• FIG. 1 is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of portions of a telephone in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of portions of a telephone in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 3 is an illustration of a flow chart for a first exemplary embodiment of a process of assembly in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig. 4 is an illustration of a flow chart for a second exemplary embodiment of a process of assembly in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of portions of a telephone in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• An assembly 100 includes a PCB 102 and a front cover 104, in which at least one, and preferably a plurality of holes 106 are formed for allowing sound waves 108 to pass through the front cover.
• a back cover (not illustrated) is positioned below PCB 102, as seen in Figure 1.
• a speaker carrier 110, a gasket 112, and a speaker unit 1 14 are positioned between front cover 104 and PCB 102, with the gasket being positioned immediately adjacent to the front cover, the speaker carrier being surface mounted to the PCB, and the speaker unit being held between the gasket and the speaker carrier.
• Figure 1 illustrates a significant amount of clearance between gasket 112, speaker unit 114, and speaker carrier 112, it should be understood that the gasket receives the speaker unit in a press-fit manner, and that the gasket-speaker unit combination is similarly press-fit into the speaker carrier, with little or no gaps between these elements. Familiarity with the details of speaker 114 are assumed, and therefore no further details of the speaker will be given for the sake of brevity.
• Speaker carrier 110 is a generally cup-shaped element, including a cylindrical, upstanding, peripheral wall 116 and a base 118 connected to the wall at a bottom portion thereof. As described above, speaker unit 114 and portions of gasket 112 are received in the interior space delimited by upstanding wall 116. A tab, stop, or the like 120 extends upwardly from base 118, and limits the downward position of speaker unit 114. Although tab 120 is illustrated as being transversely positioned to abut against speaker unit 114, tab 120 can alternatively be positioned to abut against gasket 112, or a plurality of such tabs 120 can be provided on speaker carrier 110 to limit the speaker unit's downward position. In the event a plurality of tabs 120 are incorporated, at least three equally spaced tabs ensure that speaker unit 114 is evenly pressed into speaker carrier 110.
• Speaker carrier 1 10 also includes a resilient, spring-like electrical connector 122 which extends from the top of base 118 and into electrical contact with speaker unit 1 14. Portions of connector 122 extend into base 1 18, and are in electrical communication with PCB 102.
• base 118 can include an electrical contact portion 124 which is in electrical communication with PCB 102.
• electrical contact portion 124 is merely exemplary of electrical connections between speaker carrier 110 and PCB 102 in accordance with the present invention.
• an electrical communication pathway is formed from speaker unit 114, through connector 122, through conductors in speaker carrier 110 (not illustrated), through portion 124, and to PCB 102, which allows electrical signals to be transmitted from the PCB to the speaker unit.
• Speaker carrier 110 is preferably formed of a heat-resistant, electrically insulating material, other than the electric conductors which extend through the speaker carrier described above. Speaker carrier 110 is preferably soldered to PCB 102.
• Gasket 112 is a generally cylindrical element formed of a resilient, deformable, and elastic material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, or the like, and is electrically non-conductive.
• Gasket 112 includes a cylindrical, downwardly extending portion 126, which delimits a space in which speaker unit 114 can be received, a cylindrical, inwardly extending portion 128 attached to the portion 126 near an upper end of the downwardly extending portion 126, and an upwardly extending stop 130 at the upper end of the downwardly extending portion.
• Inwardly extending portion 128 can take the form of a disk, and includes a hole or space 132 therein which, when assembled with front cover 104, is adjacent hole or holes 106, so that sound waves emanating from speaker unit 114 can travel through space 132 and through the hole(s).
• Inwardly extending portion 128 acts to restrain speaker unit 1 14 from moving upwardly, as illustrated in Figure 1 , and, because of its resilient nature, cooperates with spring-like connector 122 to secure the speaker unit in electrical contact with connector 122.
• Stop 130 when assembled with front cover 104, presses against a bottom surface of the front cover, and causes gasket 112 and speaker unit 114 to be further urged into speaker carrier 1 10.
• the elastic nature of gasket 1 12 allows the gasket to be oversized relative to, and compressed in, the space between front cover 104 and PCB 102, and therefore aids in eliminating the need for extremely close tolerances during manufacture of the front cover and the PCB.
• FIG. 1 Exemplary embodiments of processes for assembling the assembly illustrated in Figure 1 will now be described with reference thereto and to Figures 3 and 4. Because gasket 112, speaker unit 114, and speaker carrier 1 10 are vertically arranged along the Z-axis, these three components can be easily surface mounted to PCB 102 without the need for any reorientation during the assembly process. Thus, as illustrated in Figure 3, speaker carrier 110 is soldered or otherwise firmly mounted to PCB 102, with wall 116 extending away from the PCB. Speaker unit 114 is press fit into gasket 112, preferably unit the top of the speaker unit abuts inwardly extending portion or disk 128.
• Gasket 112 while holding speaker unit 114, is then press-fit into speaker carrier 110, at least until the bottom of the speaker unit is in electrical contact with connector 122, but no further than permitted by stop(s) 120. Front cover 104 can then be attached so as to be positioned above, and possibly in engagement with and compressing, gasket 112.
• gasket 112, speaker unit 114, and speaker carrier 110 alternatively can be preassembled as a speaker subassembly separate from and prior to assembly of the entire telephone, and then later surface mounted directly to PCB 102.
• speaker carrier 1 10, gasket 112, and speaker unit 114 are assembled together as described above, after which the speaker carrier is soldered or otherwise firmly joined to PCB 102.
• Front cover 104 is then added, as described above.
• FIG 2 the drawing illustrates a cross-sectional view of portions of a telephone in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
• Assembly 200 is similar in some respects to assembly 100, illustrated in Figure 1 and described above, in that it includes structures which hold a speaker unit in a space between a PCB and a front cover of a telephone handset.
• Assembly 200 includes a carrier 210, a gasket 212, and a speaker unit 214.
• Speaker unit 214 can be the same type as speaker unit 114, described above, or can be of a different type.
• Carrier 210 is a cylindrically shaped member, and is surface mounted to PCB
• Carrier 210 delimits an interior space which receives gasket 212, which in turn receives speaker unit 214.
• gasket 212 and the inner diameter of carrier 210 are mutually sized so that gasket 212 must be press-fit into carrier 212.
• Carrier 210 is preferably formed of a heat resistant, electrically non-conductive material that can be surface mounted to
• Gasket 212 is a cup-shaped member, and includes a cylindrical, upwardly extending and upstanding wall 216, and a lower base 218 positioned on the lower end of the upstanding wall. Cylindrical upstanding wall 216 delimits a space in its interior which is sized to receive speaker unit 214 therein; as with the relationship between gasket 212 and carrier 210, the internal diameter of the gasket and the external diameter of speaker unit 214 are mutually sized so that the speaker unit is press-fit into the gasket when the two components are assembled together.
• Base 218 of gasket 212 includes a resilient electrical connector 220 therein, which extends between the upper and lower sides of the base. If necessary to complete an electrical circuit with PCB 202, connector 220 can include portions 222 which extend downwardly from base 218 to contact select portions of the PCB. Connector 220 is formed as part of gasket 212, and provides an electrical signal pathway from PCB 202, through the gasket, and to the lower surface of speaker unit 214.
• front cover 204 is provided with downwardly extending structures which, when the front cover is assembled or positioned over assembly 200, further aid in assuring that speaker unit 214 remains in electrical contact with connector 220.
• front cover 204 includes a first shoulder 224 which extends down from the front cover around hole(s) 206, and is sized to abut cylindrical wall 216 of gasket 212.
• First shoulder 224 can be a continuous or discontinuous element, that is, it may be formed as a continuous bead that engages all of the top of gasket 212, or a discontinuous series of downwardly extending tabs.
• Front cover 204 can optionally further be provided with an additional, second, downwardly extending shoulder 226, radially inside of first shoulder 224, which is sized to abut against speaker unit 214. Second shoulder 226 maintains a space 228 above speaker unit 214 through which sound waves 208 can travel, to exit front cover
• Exemplary embodiments of processes for assembling the assembly illustrated in Figure 2 will now be described with reference thereto, and again with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Because gasket 212, speaker unit 214, and speaker carrier 210 are vertically arranged along the Z-axis, these three components can be easily mounted to PCB 202 without the need for any reorientation during the assembly process.
• carrier 210 is surface mounted, soldered, or otherwise firmly mounted to PCB 202.
• Speaker unit 214 is press fit into gasket 212, preferably with the bottom of the speaker unit abutting connector 220. Gasket 212, while holding speaker unit 214, is then press-fit into speaker carrier 210, until the bottom of connector 220 is in electrical contact with PCB 202. Front cover 204 can then be attached so as to be positioned above, and possibly in engagement with and compressing, gasket 112 with shoulders 224, 226.
• gasket 212, speaker unit 214, and carrier 210 alternatively can be preassembled as a speaker subassembly separate from and prior to assembly of the entire telephone, and then later surface mounted directly to PCB 202.
• carrier 210, gasket 212, and speaker unit 214 are assembled together as described above, after which the carrier is soldered or otherwise firmly joined to PCB 202.
• Front cover 204 is then added, as described above.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
• Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=23265277

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (10)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-29 JP JP2001502335A patent/JP2003501962A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-05-29 WO PCT/EP2000/004864 patent/WO2000076183A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2000-05-29 DE DE10084646T patent/DE10084646T1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-05-29 AU AU56764/00A patent/AU5676400A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-05-29 CN CNB00810722XA patent/CN1145339C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (4)

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