Cell phone and holder

• US 20050255898A1
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neotrends Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neotrends Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Robert Ing-Jong
• Application Number:
  US11/084,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20050255898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.800
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• 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: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

A cell phone and holder system. The cell phone device includes a cell phone holder that has a backing plate and a cover forming a pocket for holding a cell phone. A cable retainer on the holder helps to retain a cable, such as portion of an earphone to the backing plate. In a preferred embodiment, an earphone is retractable held at the cell phone holder such that the earphone can be pulled out and place in an ear for hands-free operation of the cell phone.

Claims

1. A cell phone device, comprising:

(a) cell phone holder having a backing plate and a cover forming a pocket for holding a cell phone; and

(b) a cable retainer associated with the holder proximate the backing plate for retaining a cable near to the backing plate, allowing substantially frictionless motion of the cable in a first direction and constraining motion of the cable in a second direction about perpendicular to the first direction.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cable retainer is not a belt clip and the device further comprising a first clip operatively connected to the holder, the first clip being suitable for securing the holder to a piece of clothing on a person.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cover includes a front face piece, at least one side face piece and a bottom, the at least one side face piece being formed of a material that is stretchable.

4. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an earphone with a cable portion, the earphone having a part being constrained substantially in all lateral movements by one or more edges in the cable retainer yet allowing longitudinal motion.

5. A device according to claim 4 further comprising a windable cable in electrical communication with the cable portion of the earphone, and further comprising a retractor for retracting at least a portion of the windable cable from an uncoiled position into a coiled position.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the retractor includes a spring that urges a rotation of a spool to retract at least a portion of the windable cable into a coiled position and an arrester to arrest retraction of the windable cable to hold the extension position of the cable from the spool, the retractor further comprising a housing for housing the spool and the coiled cable, the arrester being actionable to release the windable cable allowing the spring to cause the spool to rotate to retract the windable cable.

7. A device according to claim 6 further comprising a connector cable in electrical communication with the windable cable in the coil for connecting to a cell phone.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cable retainer includes a loop in the cell phone holder, the device further comprising an earphone with cable portion extendable through the loop generally in a longitudinal orientation, a windable cable in electrical communication with the cable portion of the earphone, a retractor for retracting at least a portion of the windable cable from an uncoiled position into a coiled position, the retractor including a spring that urges a rotation of a spool to retract the cable into a coil and an arrester to arrest retraction of the coil to hold the extension of the cable from the spool, the retractor further comprising a housing for housing the spool and the coil, the arrester being actionable to release the cable allowing the spring to cause the spool to rotate to retract the cable, a connector cable in electrical communication with the cable in the coil for connecting to a cell phone.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the device has an exposed release switch that can be activated by a user to release the arrester from arresting the cable.

10. A device according to claim 8 wherein the device has no exposed release switch that releases the arrester from arresting the cable.

11. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a first clip and a second clip, the first clip being operatively connected to the holder and suitable for securing the holder to a piece of clothing on a person, the second clip being pivotable relative the holder and adapted to secure to one of the plates of an automobile interior ventilation grill.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein the pivotable clip is pivotable from a collapsed position in a cavity in the first clip to an extended position extending about laterally out of the cavity from the first clip.

13. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a strap for retaining a cell phone in position in the pocket.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein the strap comprises a fastener to removably fasten at least one end of the strap with the cell phone holder.

15. A device according to claim 13 wherein the strap includes two ends each having fastener to removably attach to the cell phone holder such that the strap can loop around an antenna of the cell phone for securing the cell phone.

16. A device according to claim 13 wherein the strap includes two ends each having fastener to removably attach to the cell phone holder such that the strap can loop around an antenna of the cell phone for security, at least one of the two ends having two fasteners, one of said two fasteners can fasten to the cell phone holder and another of said two fasteners can fasten to the other of the two ends.

17. A device according to claim 13 wherein the strap includes two ends each having fastener to removably attach to the cell phone holder such that the strap can loop around an antenna of the cell phone for security, wherein the fastener is one of a Velcro pad and a button.

18. A method of making a cell phone device, comprising:

attaching a cable retainer to a cell phone holder, the cable retainer having an edge that restrains a cable from motion in a first direction, the cell phone holder having a backing plate and a cover forming a pocket for holding a cell phone.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising connecting a body clip operatively to the cell phone holder.

20. A method according to claim 18 further comprising forming the cover to include a front face piece, at least one side face piece and a bottom, the at least one side face piece being formed of a material that is stretchable.

21. A method according to claim 18 further comprising forming a retractor using a spring that urges a rotation of a spool to retract cable into a coil and with an arrestor to arrest retraction of the coil to hold the extension position of the cable from the spool, housing the spool and the coil in a housing, the arrester being actionable to release the cable allowing the spring to cause the spool to rotate to retract the cable.

22. A method according to claim 18 further comprising installing fasteners on the cell phone holder, the fasteners being removably attachable to a strap that can secure a cell phone in the cell phone holder.

23. A method of using a cell phone, comprising:

securing a cell phone in a pocket of a cell phone holder, the cell phone holder having a backing plate and a cover forming the pocket;

retaining an earphone in a cable retainer on the cell phone holder, allowing substantially frictionless motion of the earphone in a first direction and constraining motion of the earphone in a second direction about perpendicular to the first direction, connecting electrical connection between the cell phone and the earphone.

24. A method according to claim 23 comprising connecting a coil of cable electrically with a cable of the earphone, and using a spring retractor for urging the cable in the coil of cable into a coiled position.

25. A method according to claim 24 comprising taking the cell phone with the holder, lifting a bill-shaped clip with a slit from a body clip of the cell phone holder into a locked position, pushing the bill-shaped clip to secure the slit over a leaf of an automobile interior ventilation grill, and pulling the earphone from the cable retainer to a desired extension, allowing the retractor to lock to stop retraction of the earphone.