Portable radiotelephone apparatus

• US 20030060241A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph A. Loprete
• Original Assignee: Joseph A. Loprete
• Inventors: Loprete, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use

Abstract

A portable radiotelephone apparatus having a microphone and an earpiece electrically connected individually to respective wires of a two-wire electrical line, and a retraction mechanism with a one-way lock device for the line.

Claims

1. A portable radiotelephone apparatus comprising:

a portable housing;

a line retraction mechanism in said housing;

a two-wire electrical line operatively coupled to said line retraction mechanism inside said housing and presenting respective outer ends of its two wires outside said housing, said line being extensible from said housing;

an earpiece containing a speaker on the outer end of one wire of said line;

a small microphone on the outer end of the other wire of said line, said microphone being physically disconnected from said earpiece except by said line when the line is extended from said housing;

said line when extended from said housing enabling the positioning of said microphone to receive the user'"'"'s voice during use of the radiotelephone and the separate positioning of said earpiece in the user'"'"'s ear;

and said retraction mechanism being selectively operable to retract said line into said housing and position said earpiece and said microphone in proximity to said housing when the radiotelephone is not in use.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:

a one-way lock device for said line retraction mechanism operable automatically to lock said retraction mechanism against retracting said line from the position to which it has been extended, said lock device being operable in response to a pull on the extended line to unlock said retraction mechanism for automatic retraction of the line into said housing.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein;

said line retraction mechanism comprises a rotatable takeup reel on which said line is wound, and spring means biasing said takeup reel in the rotational direction to retract the line;

and said lock device comprises a ratchet wheel coupled to said takeup reel to rotate in unison therewith, a pawl, a pawl spring biasing said pawl against said ratchet wheel to normally prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel wheel and takeup reel in said one direction, and means positioning said pawl to disengage from the ratchet wheel and permit rotation of the ratchet wheel and the takeup reel in said one direction in response to an outward pull on the line.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one wire extends directly from said earpiece to said housing.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 and further comprising:

a one-way lock device for said line retraction mechanism operable automatically to lock said retraction mechanism against retracting said line from the position to which it has been extended, said lock device being operable in response to a pull on the extended line to unlock said retraction mechanism for automatic retraction of the line into said housing.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said housing has an open-topped recess therein for seating said microphone and said earpiece when said line is fully retracted.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 and further comprising:

an antenna projecting up from said housing;

and means for releasably attaching said microphone and said earphone together on said antenna when said line is fully retracted.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein;

said line retraction mechanism comprises a rotatable takeup reel on which said line is wound, and spring means biasing said takeup reel in the rotational direction to retract the line;

and said lock device comprises a ratchet wheel wheel coupled to said takeup reel to rotate in unison therewith, a pawl, a pawl spring biasing said pawl against said ratchet wheel wheel to normally prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel wheel and takeup reel in said one direction, and means positioning said pawl to disengage from the ratchet wheel and permit rotation of the ratchet wheel and the takeup reel in said one direction in response to an outward pull on the line.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said microphone has a casing, said two-wire line extends from said housing to said microphone casing, and said one wire of said line extends through the microphone casing to the earpiece;

and further comprising a wire retraction mechanism for said one wire inside said microphone casing.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 and further comprising:

a one-way lock device for said line retraction mechanism in said housing operable automatically to lock said retraction mechanism against retracting said line from the position to which it has been extended, said lock device being operable in response to a pull on the extended line to unlock said retraction mechanism for automatic retraction of the line into said housing;

and a one-way lock device for said wire retraction mechanism in said microphone casing operable automatically to lock said wire retraction mechanism against retracting said one wire from the position to which it has been extended, said last-mentioned lock device being operable in response to a pull on the extended wire to unlock said wire retraction mechanism for automatic retraction of the wire into the microphone casing.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein:

each of said retraction mechanisms comprises a rotatable takeup reel, and spring means biasing said takeup reel in the retracting direction;

and said lock device for each of said retraction mechanisms comprises a ratchet wheel coupled to the corresponding takeup reel to rotate in unison therewith, a pawl, a pawl spring biasing said pawl against said ratchet wheel to normally prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel and takeup reel in said one direction, and means positioning said pawl to disengage from the ratchet wheel and permit rotation of the ratchet wheel and the takeup reel in said one direction in response to a pull applied to the corresponding takeup reel in the opposite direction.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10 and further comprising:

a spring clip on said microphone casing for attaching it to the user'"'"'s apparel.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10 and further comprising:

an antenna projecting up from said housing;

and a spring clip on said microphone casing for attaching it either to the user'"'"'s apparel when said line is extended from the housing or to said antenna when said line is fully retracted into the housing.