Portable terminal having earphone winding device built therein

• US 20050008185A1
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Bae, Jong-Gun, Kim, Young-Chun, Jeong, Dong
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/374
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4431 Manual stop or release button
• 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 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06

Abstract

An earphone winding device in a portable terminal using an earphone is disclosed. The earphone winding device comprises a housing formed in a portable terminal body. A rotational bobbin is rotatably fit in the housing. It has, at a center thereof, a spiral spring for applying an elastic force to the rotational bobbin and thus rotating the rotational bobbin. A stopper is formed at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the rotational bobbin, for restraining the rotation of the rotational bobbin or releasing the rotational bobbin from the restraint. An earphone cord is wound around the rotational bobbin, connected to the earphone. An earphone hanger is formed at a predetermined position on an outer side surface of the body, for hanging or picking up the earphone thereover or therefrom. A connector unit is formed on the lower surface of the body, for contacting an earphone cord.

Claims

1. An earphone winding device in a portable terminal using an earphone, comprising:

a housing formed in a body of the portable terminal;

a rotational bobbin fit in the housing so that the rotational bobbin is rotatable, the rotational bobbin having, at a center thereof, a spiral spring for applying an elastic force to the rotational bobbin and thus rotating the rotational bobbin;

a stopper formed at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the rotational bobbin, for restraining the rotation of the rotational bobbin or releasing the rotational bobbin from the restraint on rotation along with the rotation of the rotational bobbin;

an earphone cord wound around the rotational bobbin, while being connected to the earphone;

an earphone hanger formed at a predetermined position on an outer side surface of the body, for hanging or picking up the earphone thereover or therefrom; and

a connector unit formed on the lower surface of the body, for coming into an electrical contact with an earphone cord.

2. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body comprises an upper case frame and a lower case frame, and the housing is formed in the lower case frame.

3. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a through hole at a predetermined position on a side surface of the body, for allowing the earphone cord to extend therethrough.

4. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a plurality of guides formed at a predetermined position within the housing, while being engaged with a locker of the stopper, for rotationally moving the locker clockwise or counterclockwise; and

a cord hole formed at a predetermined position on a side surface of the housing, for allowing the earphone cord to extend into or retract from the housing therethrough.

5. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 4, wherein the guides comprise:

a first guide rail and a second guide rail, each for rotationally moving the locker of the stopper clockwise or counter clockwise; and

a guide protrusion between the first and second guide rails, for regulating the range of the rotational movement of the locker.

6. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first guide rail is curved and longer than the second guide rail.

7. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cord cap in the vicinity of the housing, for allowing the earphone cord to extend therethrough and guiding the earphone cord to be pulled out or retracted.

8. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotational bobbin further comprises:

a spring hole formed at a center portion of the rotational bobbin, for allowing the spiral spring to be fit therein; and

a spring cap mounted on the spring hole, for protecting and supporting the spiral spring.

9. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spring coupling portion coupled to the spiral spring in the housing and the rotational bobbin.

10. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 9, wherein the spring coupling portion comprises:

a fixing member formed at a center portion of the housing, while being engaged with a central end of the spiral spring; and

an engagement member formed at a predetermined position along on the circumference of the spring hole of the rotational bobbin, while being engaged with the other end of the spiral spring.

11. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper comprises:

a pair of stopper protrusions formed on the lower surface of the rotational bobbin; and

a locker engaged with the guide protrusion of the guides, for being locked to the stopper protrusions, thereby locking the rotation of the rotational bobbin or releasing the rotational bobbin from the locked state, when the stopper protrusions are rotated together with the rotational bobbin in pulling out or retracting the earphone cord from or around the rotational bobbin.

12. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the stopper protrusions are symmetrically arranged, facing each other.

13. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the stopper protrusions has, at one surface thereof, a jaw for being engaged with the locker and, at the other surface thereof, a contact surface for coming into contact with the locker.

14. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the locker comprises:

a coupling hole formed at a center portion of the locker, for restricting, in engagement with the guide protrusion of the guides, the clockwise or counterclockwise rotational movement of the locker to a predetermined degree;

a first engagement portion formed at one lower portion of the locker, for along with the clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the rotational bobbin, coming into contact with the contact surface of one of the stopper protrusions and being pushed simultaneously, thereby rotationally moving the locker clockwise or counterclockwise; and

a second engagement portion formed at the other lower portion of the locker, for being caught in one of the stopper protrusions in a state where when the earphone cord is pulled out, the rotational bobbin rotates counterclockwise, and then the earphone cord is let go, the rotational bobbin rotates clockwise by the elastic force of the spiral spring applied thereto, and being set free from the stopper protrusion, allowing the rotational bobbin to rotate clockwise by the elastic force of the spiral spring 404 applied thereto, when the earphone cord is pulled and then let to go with the second engagement member caught in the stopper protrusion.

15. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the earphone hanger comprises:

a hanger member for allowing the earphone to be detached therefrom or be hung thereover; and

a fixing member formed at a side of the earphone hanger, while being fit in the hole formed at the side surface of the body and fixed to the hanger member.

16. The earphone winding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connector unit comprises:

an earphone terminal for bringing the earphone cord into electrical contact with a main PCB provided in the body of the portable terminal; and

a power terminal formed in the vicinity of the earphone terminal, for supplying power to the earphone cord, thereby activating the earphone.