Adaptable charging cradle with speaker for portable communication devices

• US 20050255895A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Beom-Ku, Lee, Woo-Seok, Lee, Yang-Jic, Lee, Jong-Seong
• Application Number:
  US11/005,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20050255895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an adaptable charging cradle with a speaker usable with a variety of types of portable communication devices. The charging cradle includes a cradle body having a box-shaped receiving space with a front and an upper end opened, at least one speaker unit mounted to the cradle body for emitting sound, and a replaceable sliding cradle housing having fitting means for fitting a portable communication device in the replaceable sliding cradle housing. The replaceable sliding cradle housing is slidably guided in the receiving space of the cradle body such that the portable communication device fitted in the cradle housing can be held in the cradle body. The charging cradle further comprises a connection member mounted to a predetermined position of the receiving space for charging the portable communication device fitted in the cradle housing and holding the cradle housing.

Claims

1. An adaptable charging cradle for portable communication devices, comprising:

a cradle body having a box-shaped receiving space with a front and an open space formed in an upper end thereof;

at least one speaker unit mounted to the cradle body for emitting sound;

a replaceable sliding cradle housing having fitting means for fitting a portable communication device in the replaceable sliding cradle housing, the replaceable sliding cradle housing being slidably guided in the receiving space of the cradle body such that the portable communication device fitted in the cradle housing can be held in the cradle body; and

a connection member mounted in a predetermined position of the receiving space for charging the portable communication device fitted in the cradle housing and for holding the cradle housing.

2. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cradle housing has guiding sides and a lower stop end connected between lower ends of the guiding sides to facilitate stability fitting the portable communication device can be stably fitted in the cradle housing, and the cradle housing is provided at the lower stop end thereof with a through-hole communicating with the fitting means so that the connection member is inserted through the through-hole, and is then connected to an interface connector of a portable communication device fitted in the fitting means of the cradle housing.

3. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fitting means is a slot, and the slot is formed with a front and an upper end thereof opened such that the portable communication device can be easily and conveniently fitted in the slot.

4. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one speaker unit comprises two speaker units symmetrically disposed at both sides of the receiving space of the cradle body for emitting stereophonic sound towards the front of the cradle body.

5. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the receiving space is disposed at the cradle body while being inclined to the cradle body such that the cradle housing can be held in the receiving space of the cradle body while being inclined to the cradle body.

6. An adaptable charging cradle for portable communication devices, comprising:

a cradle body having a box-shaped receiving space;

at least one speaker housing attached to the cradle body for emitting sound;

a supporting stand disposed in the receiving space of the cradle body such that the supporting stand can be rotated about a hinge axis extending in the direction where the at least one speaker housing is attached to the cradle body, the supporting stand having first fitting means;

a replaceable sliding cradle housing having a second rectangular fitting means for fitting a portable communication device in the replaceable sliding cradle housing, the cradle housing being slidably guided in the supporting stand such that the portable communication device fitted in the cradle housing can be held in the cradle body; and

a connection member mounted to the supporting stand for charging the portable communication device fitted in the cradle housing and holding the cradle housing.

7. The cradle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the at least one speaker housing comprises two speaker housings symmetrically disposed at both sides of the cradle body and each formed in the shape of a truncated cone, wherein the speaker housings are provided at the outer sides thereof with speaker units for emitting stereophonic sound outwardly from the speaker housings.

8. The cradle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the at least one speaker housing comprises two speaker housings symmetrically disposed at both sides of the cradle body while being formed in shapes suitable to emit stereophonic sound from the speaker units attached to the outer ends of corresponding speaker housings.

9. The cradle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the receiving space is formed with open front, rear and upper parts thereof, and the first and second slot are each formed with open front and upper ends thereof.

10. The cradle as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first fitting means comprises a first slot, and the second fitting means comprises a second slot.