Mobile phone with a replaceable face panel

• US 20040198243A1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Compal Communications Incorporated (Compal Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Compal Communications Incorporated (Compal Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, James, Tasy, Tony
• Application Number:
  US10/216,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A mobile phone includes a mobile phone body, a face panel, an interlocking unit and a stop mechanism. The stop mechanism is provided on at least one of the face panel and the mobile phone body and functions so as to arrest movement of the face panel relative to the mobile phone body.

Claims

1. A mobile phone comprising:

a mobile phone body having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to said top surface in a vertical direction;

a face panel having a bottom side to be superimposed removably on said top surface of said mobile phone body so as to cover said top surface of said mobile phone body;

an interlocking unit including a set of engaging hooks provided on one of said top surface of said mobile phone body and said bottom side of said face panel, and a set of engaging grooves provided on the other of said top surface of said mobile phone body and said bottom side of said face panel, each of said engaging grooves being configured with an access portion and a restraining portion that extends from said access portion in a first direction transverse to the vertical direction, said access portion permitting unrestrained movement of a respective one of said engaging hooks in the vertical direction into and out of said engaging groove such that said face panel is removably disposed on said mobile phone body, said face panel being movable relative to said mobile phone body in the first direction to move each of said engaging hooks from said access portion to said restraining portion of the respective one of said engaging grooves, said restraining portion preventing movement of the respective one of said engaging hooks in the vertical direction to fasten said face panel on said mobile phone body; and

a stop mechanism provided on at least one of said face panel and said mobile phone body and functioning so as to arrest movement of said face panel in a second direction opposite to the first direction relative to said mobile phone body.

2. The mobile phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mobile phone body is formed with a guide slot that extends in the vertical direction from said top surface through said bottom surface, said guide slot having a first slot portion and a second slot portion opposite to said first slot portion in the first direction, said stop mechanism including:

a limiting arm extending downwardly from said bottom side of said face panel and through said guide slot, said limiting arm being movable in said guide slot so as to be disposed in said first slot portion of said guide slot when said engaging hooks are disposed in said access portions of said engaging grooves, and so as to be disposed in said second slot portion of said guide slot when said engaging hooks are disposed in said restraining portions of said engaging grooves; and

a blocking member mounted movably on said bottom surface of said mobile phone body and movable from a blocking position, where said blocking member abuts against and prevents movement of said limiting arm in the second direction from said second slot portion to said first slot portion, and an unblocking position, where said blocking member is disengaged from and permits movement of said limiting arm between said first and second slot portions.

3. The mobile phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said blocking member is mounted slidably on said bottom surface of said mobile phone body and is slidable in a transverse direction transverse to the vertical, first and second directions.

4. The mobile phone as claimed in claim 3, wherein said stop mechanism further includes a positioning unit provided on said blocking member and said bottom surface of said mobile phone body for retaining releasably said blocking member in a selected one of the blocking and unblocking positions.

5. The mobile phone as claimed in claim 4, wherein said positioning unit includes at least one rounded protrusion provided on one of said blocking member and said bottom surface of said mobile phone body, and at least one concave recess provided on the other of said blocking member and said bottom surface of said mobile phone body to engage removably said rounded protrusion.

6. The mobile phone as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a back cover mounted removably on said bottom surface of said mobile phone body to conceal said stop mechanism.