Telephone handset holder assembly

• US 5,173,936 A
• Filed: 07/27/1990
• Issued: 12/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goeken Group Corp.
• Original Assignee: Goeken Group Corp.
• Inventors: Oldani, Jerome L., Ditzig, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US07/558,625
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 379/53, 379/58, 379/61, 379/62, 379/63, 379/91, 379/96, 379/110, 379/143, 379/144, 379/370, 379/419, 379/428, 379/433, 379/440, 379/453, 379/455, D14/138, D14/144, D14/147, D14/148, D14/240, D14/251
• US Class Current: 379/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/001 Calibrating encoders
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2449 using hard-stored calibration data

Abstract

A convenient versatile telephone handset and holder assembly are provided, which are particularly useful for business travelers in airplanes, trains, ships, and buses to link up to reservation systems and other data bases. The telephone handset preferably has one set of telephone activating keys and another set of computer control keys. The special telephone handset can also have a card-receiving slot and a recessed mouthpiece. The handset holder assembly has a sloping bottom portion and an elastomeric biasing member to facilitate quick removal fo the telephone handset. An overhead lock assembly can be provided to engage the credit card-receiving slot of the telephone handset in order to secure the handset when the handset is stored in the holder. A special reversible mount plate and bracket can also be provided to quickly and securely mount the handset to the left, right, or other portions of a chair, bulkhead, or other surface.

Claims

1. A telephone handset holder assembly, comprising:

a module having a chamber for receiving a telephone handset; and

a bracket secured to said module for mounting said assembly to a seat;

said module including a mounting plate in the absence of a face plate, said mounting plate having means for releasably engaging said bracket;

said module having sidewalls and said mounting plate is attachable to either sidewall.

2. A telephone handset holder assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said module comprises a housing defining an access opening and a compartment for receiving a telephone handset, and

said compartment has a floor with an inclined ramp sloping downwardly and communicating with said access opening for enhancing gravity discharge of said telephone handset from said compartment.

3. A telephone handset and holder assembly, comprising:

a telephone handset having an earpiece and a mouthpiece and a card-receiving and lock-engaging slot;

a module having a chamber shaped generally complementary to said telephone handset for receiving said telephone handset; and

lock means operatively associated with said module for engaging said card-receiving and lock-engaging slot of said telephone handset to lock said telephone handset in said chamber.

4. A telephone handset and holder assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lock means comprises a locking finger with a hooked portion for engaging said slot of said telephone handset and a manually depressible finger for moving said hooked portion out of said slot to unlock said telephone handset.

5. A telephone handset and holder assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lock means includes spring means seated upon said locking finger for urging said hooked portion into said slot.

6. A telephone handset and holder assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said chamber has a roof and said lock means includes an overhead lock assembly in proximity to said roof and said chamber, and said lock assembly has a latch for engaging said slot of said telephone handset.

7. A telephone handset and holder assembly in accordance with claim 3 including a bracket for securing said module to a surface.

8. A telephone handset holder assembly in accordance with claim 3 including a bracket secured to said module for mounting said assembly to a seat or chair;

said module includes a mounting plate with slotted means and said module includes a slide bar for releasably locking and securing said bracket to said slotted means of said mounting plate.

9. A telephone handset holder assembly, comprising:

a module having a chamber for receiving a telephone handset; and

a bracket secured to said module for mounting said assembly to a seat;

said module including a mounting plate in the absence of a face plate, said mounting plate having slotted means for releasably engaging said bracket;

said module includes a slide bar for releasably locking and securing said bracket to said slotted means of said maounting plate; and

said bracket comprising at least one U-shaped channel member for slidably engaging said slotted means of said mounting plate.

10. A telephone handset holder assembly, comprising:

a housing defining an access opening and a compartment for receiving a telephone handset; and

said compartment having a floor with an inclined ramp sloping downwardly and communicating with said access opening for enhancing gravity discharge of said telephone handset from said compartment; and

wherein said floor has a central portion comprising a generally triangular section extending upwardly into said compartment, said triangular section having a front portion comprising said inclined ramp.

11. A telephone handset holder assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said triangular section has a rounded apex.

12. A telephone handset holder assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said floor has a front lip section extending upwardly from said ramp.

13. A telephone handset holder assembly in accordance with claim 10 including elastomeric biasing means for enhancing discharge of said telephone handset from said compartment.

14. A telephone handset holder assembly in accordance with claim 10 including lock means for releasably locking said telephone handset in said compartment.

15. A telephone handset holder assembly, comprising:

a module comprising a substantially rectangular housing having end walls including a top wall providing a roof and a bottom wall providing a floor, said end walls having substantially parallel exterior surfaces, said floor defining a cord-receiving slot, said top wall having a substantially U-shaped finger-receiving opening said housing having an upright back wall extending downwardly from said top wall and substantially parallel sidewalls connected to said back wall and said top wall;

said housing defining a front access handset-opening and telephone handset-receiving compartment comprising an internal chamber communicating with said access opening for receiving a telephone handset, said chamber being substantially complementary to said telephone handset;

said floor having a substantially triangular section extending upwardly into said chamber, said triangular section having a rounded apex and an inclined front ramp sloping downwardly and communicating with said front access opening for enhancing egress and gravity discharge of said telephone handset from said chamber through said front access opening, said floor having a front abutment lip extending upwardly from said front ramp, and said lip having a slot aligned in registration communicating with said cord-receiving slot;

said back wall having an inwardly facing back wall-surface comprising a central intermediate portion;

an elastomeric resilient member secured to said intermediate portion of said back wall surface and extending into said chamber for engaging and enhancing discharge of said telephone handset from said chamber through said front access opening, said elastomeric resilient member comprising rubber or rubber-like plastic;

a locking assembly for locking said telephone handset in said chamber, said locking assembly comprising a pivot pin portion positioned in proximity to said roof and said chamber and pivotally connected to said sidewalls, a rearward downwardly sloping locking finger cantilevered and extending rearwardly of said pivot pin portion, said locking finger having a downwardly hooked portion and being movable from a downward locked position for lockably engaging a card-receiving and lock-engaging slot of the telephone handset to an upward unlocked open position spaced from said telephone handset, a manually depressible downwardly sloping front finger cantilevered and extending forwardly of said pivot pin portion for pivoting said locking finger to said upward unlocked open position, said front finger having an upwardly facing finger-engaging button portion aligned in registration below said U-shaped finger-receiving opening of said roof, and a spring wedged between and engaging said roof and said locking finger for urging said locking finger in said locked position;

an interchangeable reversible side mounting plate attached to one of said sidewalls, said mounting plate having a front face and a side face, said side face having a pair of substantially U-shaped slotted portions with substantially U-shaped bracket-engaging teeth;

a reversible side mounting bracket having a bifurcated pair of substantially U-shaped channel support members aligned in vertical registration for slidably engaging said U-shaped slotted portions and said teeth, each of said channel support members having a substantial horizontal slide bar-receiving slot, said mounting bracket having an intermediate bight section for positioning substantially parallel to said mounting plate, and an elongated substantially planar perforated lateral plate member extending laterally and substantially transverse to said mounting plate for attachment to a seat or chair; and

a locking safety slide bar slidably extending into said mounting plate for releasably locking and securing said U-shaped channel support members of said bracket to said bracket-engaging teeth, said slide bar having an elongated slidable portion and a manually grippable front abutment portion providing a handle extending laterally from said slidable portion, and said slide bar being moveable from a forward open position extending forwardly of said mounting plate for removal of said bracket to a rearward closed position with said front abutment portion substantially flush against the front face of said mounting plate and said slidable portion extending through one of said slide bar-receiving slots of said support channels members for securely locking said bracket to said mounting plate.

16. A telephone handset and holder assembly, comprising:

a universal telephone and computer control handset, having

substantially planar imperforate sidewalls including a left sidewall and a right sidewall, said sidewalls being substantially parallel and rectangular with rounded corners;

substantially planar and parallel end walls extending transversely between and connecting said sidewalls, said end walls including a substantially imperforate top wall providing a top and a bottom wall providing a bottom, said end walls being substantially rectangular with rounded corners, and said bottom wall defining a cord-receiving opening in proximity to one of said said sidewalls and providing a socket;

a back surface providing a back extending between and connecting said end walls and said sidewalls, said back surface having a substantially planar back portion and being substantially rectangular with rounded corners, and said back having an array of finger engageable keys;

a front surface providing a front extending between and connecting said end walls and said sidewalls, said front surface having substantially planar front portions positioned substantially parallel to said planar back portions of said back, said front having an earpiece adjacent said top, a mouthpiece in proximity to said bottom, an intermediate control section positioned between said earpiece and said mouthpiece, said intermediate control section having a set of telephone activating control keys facing opposite said finger engageable keys, and said front defining a substantially vertical elongated card-receiving slot extending through said end walls, said slot being substantially parallel and disposed adjacent another one of said sidewalls, said slot having an enlarged card-receiving inlet opening providing a mouth comprising a latch-receiving opening with a substantially triangular lower section and a substantially rectangular upper section, said mouth having a substantially straight outer side disposed substantially contiguous to said slot along said adjacent sidewall, an upright inner side along said upper section positioned substantially parallel to said outer side, and a tapered angled side providing a cam surface along said lower section diverging inwardly and upwardly;

said telephone activating control keys comprising manually engagable keys providing finger engaging controls selected from the group consisting of resilient depressible key pads and pushbuttons;

said earpiece comprising a raised earpiece extending forwardly of said planar front portions, said raised earpiece having a substantially rectangular periphery as viewed from the front with rounded corner, said earpiece having a substantially planar sloping portion extending upwardly away from said mouthpiece at an angle of inclination ranging from about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees with a substantially circular earpiece portion defining a series of apertures providing ear holes surrounded by said rectangular periphery, and said raised earpiece having an inverted U-shaped top portion positioned flush and in substantial coplanar relationship with said top wall and having rounded corners; and

said mouthpiece comprising a recessed mouthpiece with triangular upright sides and having an inclined ramped portion providing a ramp extending between and connecting said triangular sides, and said ramp sloping downwardly and away from said earpiece towards said bottom at an angle of inclination ranging from about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees and defining upright slits providing mouthpiece holes; and

a handset holder assembly for storing and holding said telephone handset, said handset holder assembly comprising

a handset holder including a module comprising a substantially rectangular housing, said housing having end walls including a top wall providing a roof and a bottom wall providing a floor, said end walls having substantially parallel exterior surfaces, said floor defining a cord-receiving slot, said top wall having a substantially U-shaped finger-receiving opening said housing having an upright back wall extending downwardly from said top wall and substantially parallel sidewalls connected to said back wall and said top wall;

said housing defining a front access handset-opening and telephone handset-receiving compartment comprising an internal chamber communicating with said access opening for receiving a telephone handset, said chamber being substantially complementary to said telephone handset;

said floor having a substantially triangular section extending upwardly into said chamber, said triangular section having a rounded apex and an inclined front ramp sloping downwardly and communicating with said front access opening for enhancing egress and gravity discharge of said telephone handset from said chamber through said front access opening, said floor having a front abutment lip extending upwardly from said front ramp, and said lip having a slot aligned in registration communicating with said cord-receiving slot;

said back wall having an inwardly facing back wall-surface comprising a central intermediate portion;

an elastomeric resilient member secured to said intermediate portion of said back wall surface and extending into said chamber for engaging and enhancing discharge of said telephone handset from said chamber through said front access opening, said elastomeric resilient member comprising rubber or rubber-like plastic;

a locking assembly for locking said telephone handset in said chamber, said locking assembly comprising a pivot pin portion positioned in proximity to said roof and said chamber and pivotally connected to said sidewalls, a rearward downwardly sloping locking finger cantilevered and extending rearwardly of said pivot pin portion, said locking finger having a downwardly hooked portion and being movable from a downward locked position for lockably engaging said latch-receiving opening of the telephone handset to an upward unlocked open position spaced from said telephone handset, a manually depressible downwardly sloping front finger cantilevered and extending forwardly of said pivot pin portion for pivoting said locking finger to said upward unlocked open position, said front finger having an upwardly facing finger-engaging button portion aligned in registration below said U-shaped finger-receiving opening of said roof, and a spring wedged between and engaging said roof and said locking finger for urging said locking finger in said locked position; and

an interchangeable reversible side mounting plate attached to one of said sidewalls, said mounting plate having a front face and a side face, said side face having a pair of substantially U-shaped slotted portions with substantially U-shaped bracket-engaging teeth;

a reversible side mounting bracket having a bifurcated pair of substantially U-shaped channel support members aligned in vertical registration for slidably engaging said U-shaped slotted portions and said teeth, each of said channel support members having a substantial horizontal slide bar-receiving slot, said mounting bracket having an intermediate bight section for positioning substantially parallel to said mounting plate, and an elongated substantially planar perforated lateral plate member extending laterally and substantially transverse to said mounting plate for attachment to a a seat or a chair; and

a locking safety slide bar slidably extending into said mounting plate for releasably locking and securing said U-shaped channel support members of said bracket to said bracket-engaging teeth, said slide bar having an elongated slidable portion and a manually grippable front abutment portion providing a handle extending laterally from said slidable portion, and said slide bar being moveable from a forward open position extending forwardly of said mounting plate for removal of said bracket to a rearward closed position with said front abutment portion substantially flush against the front face of said mounting plate and said slidable portion extending through one of said slide bar-receiving slots of said support channels members for securely locking said bracket to said mounting plate.

17. A telephone handset holder assembly, comprising:

a module comprising a substantially rectangular housing having end walls including a top wall providing a roof and a bottom wall providing a floor, said end walls having substantially parallel exterior surfaces, said floor defining a cord-receiving slot, said top wall having a substantially U-shaped finger-receiving opening said housing having an upright back wall extending downwardly from said top wall and substantially parallel sidewalls connected to said back wall and said top wall;

said housing defining a front access handset-opening and telephone handset-receiving compartment comprising an internal chamber communicating with said access opening for receiving a telephone handset, said chamber being substantially complementary to said telephone handset;

said floor having a substantially triangular section extending upwardly into said chamber, said triangular section having a rounded apex and an inclined front ramp sloping downwardly and communicating with said front access opening for enhancing egress and gravity discharge of said telephone handset from said chamber through said front access opening, said floor having a front abutment lip extending upwardly from said front ramp, and said lip having a slot aligned in registration communicating with said cord-receiving slot;

said back wall having an inwardly facing back wall-surface comprising a central intermediate portion;

a locking assembly for locking said telephone handset in said chamber, said locking assembly comprising a pivot pin portion positioned in proximity to said roof and said chamber and pivotally connected to said sidewalls, a rearwardly downwardly sloping locking finger cantilevered and extending rearwardly of said pivot pin portion, said locking finger having a downwardly hooked portion and being moveable from a downward locked position for lockably engaging a card-receiving and lock-engaging slot of the telephone handset to an upward unlocked open position spaced from said telephone handset, a manually depressible downwardly sloping front finger cantilevered and extending forwardly of said pivot pin portion for pivoting said locking finger to said upward unlocked open position, said front finger having an upwardly facing finger-engaging button portion aligned in registration below said U-shaped finger-receiving opening of said roof, and a spring wedged between and engaging said roof and said locking finger for urging said locking finger in said locked position;

a mounting plate attached to one of said sidewalls, said mounting plate having a front face and a side face, said side face having a pair of substantially U-shaped slotted portions with substantially U-shaped bracket-engaging teeth;

a bracket having a bifurcated pair of substantially U-shaped channel support members aligned in vertical registration for slidably engaging said U-shaped slotted portions and said teeth, each of said channel support members having a substantial horizontal slide bar-receiving slot, said bracket having an intermediate bight section for positioning substantially parallel to said mounting plate, and an elongated substantially planar perforated lateral plate member extending laterally and substantially transverse to said mounting plate for attachment to a seat or chair; and

a locking safety slide bar slidably extending into said mounting plate for releasably locking and securing said U-shaped channel support members of said bracket to said bracket-engaging teeth, said slide bar having an elongated slidable portion and a manually grippable front abutment portion providing a handle extending laterally from said slidable portion, and said slide bar being moveable from a forward open position extending forwardly of said mounting plate for removal of said bracket to a rearward closed position with said front abutment portion substantially flush against the front face of said mounting plate and said slidable portion extending through one of said slide bar-receiving slots of said support channels members for securely locking said bracket to said mounting plate.

18. A telephone handset and holder assembly, comprising:

a universal telephone and computer control handset, having

substantially planar imperforate sidewalls including a left sidewall and a right sidewall, said sidewalls being substantially parallel and rectangular with rounded corners;

substantially planar and parallel end walls extending transversely between and connecting said sidewalls, said end walls including a substantially imperforate top wall providing a top and a bottom wall providing a bottom, said end walls being substantially rectangular with rounded corners, and said bottom wall defining a cord-receiving opening in proximity to one of said said sidewalls and providing a socket;

a back surface providing a back extending between and connecting said end walls and said sidewalls, said back surface having a substantially planar back portion and being substantially rectangular with rounded corners, and said back having an array of finger engageable keys;

a front surface providing a front extending between and connecting said end walls and said sidewalls, said front surface having substantially planar front portions positioned substantially parallel to said planar back portions of said back, said front having an earpiece adjacent said top, a mouthpiece in proximity to said bottom, an intermediate control section positioned between said earpiece and said mouthpiece, said intermediate control section having a set of telephone activating control keys facing opposite said finger engageable keys, and said front defining a substantially vertical elongated card-receiving slot extending through said end walls, said slot being substantially parallel and disposed adjacent another one of said sidewalls, said slot having an enlarged card-receiving inlet opening providing a mouth comprising a latch-receiving opening with a substantially triangular lower section and a substantially rectangular upper section, said mouth having a substantially straight outer side disposed substantially contiguous to said slot along said adjacent sidewall, an upright inner side along said upper section positioned substantially parallel to said outer side, and a tapered angled side providing a cam surface along said lower section diverging inwardly and upwardly;

said telephone activating control keys comprising manually engagable keys providing finger engaging controls selected from the group consisting of resilient depressible key pads and pushbuttons;

said earpiece comprising a raised earpiece extending forwardly of said planar front portions, said raised earpiece having a substantially rectangular periphery as viewed from the front with rounded corner, said earpiece having a substantially planar sloping portion extending upwardly away from said mouthpiece at an angle of inclination ranging from about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees with a substantially circular earpiece portion defining a series of apertures providing ear holes surrounded by said rectangular periphery, and said raised earpiece having an inverted U-shaped top portion positioned flush and in substantial coplanar relationship with said top wall and having rounded corners; and

said mouthpiece comprising a recessed mouthpiece with triangular upright sides and having an inclined ramped portion providing a ramp extending between and connecting said triangular sides, and said ramp sloping downwardly and away from said earpiece towards said bottom at an angle of inclination ranging from about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees and defining upright slits providing mouthpiece holes; and

a handset holder assembly for storing and holding said telephone handset, said handset holder assembly comprising

a handset holder including a module comprising a substantially rectangular housing, said housing having end walls including a top wall providing a roof and a bottom wall providing a floor, said end walls having substantially parallel exterior surfaces, said floor defining a cord-receiving slot, said top wall having a substantially U-shaped finger-receiving opening said housing having an upright back wall extending downwardly from said top wall and substantially parallel sidewalls connected to said back wall and said top wall;

said housing defining a front access handset-opening and telephone handset-receiving compartment comprising an internal chamber communicating with said access opening for receiving a telephone handset, said chamber being substantially complementary to said telephone handset;

said floor having a substantially triangular section extending upwardly into said chamber, said triangular section having a rounded apex and an inclined front ramp sloping downwardly and communicating with said front access opening for enhancing egress and gravity discharge of said telephone handset from said chamber through said front access opening, said floor having a front abutment lip extending upwardly from said front ramp, and said lip having a slot aligned in registration communicating with said cord-receiving slot;

said back wall having an inwardly facing back wall-surface comprising a central intermediate portion;

a locking assembly for locking said telephone handset in said chamber, said locking assembly comprising a pivot pin portion positioned in proximity to said roof and said chamber and pivotally connected to said sidewalls, a rearward downwardly sloping locking finger cantilevered and extending rearwardly of said pivot pin portion, said locking finger having a downwardly hooked portion and being moveable from a downward locked position for lockably engaging said latch-receiving opening of said telephone handset to an upward unlocked open position spaced from said telephone handset, a manually depressible downwardly sloping front finger cantilevered and extending forwardly of said pivot pin portion for pivoting said locking finger to said upward unlocked open position, said front finger having an upwardly facing finger-engaging button portion aligned in registration below said U-shaped finger-receiving opening of said roof, and a spring wedged between and engaging said roof and said locking finger for urging said locking finger in said locking position;

a mounting plate attached to one of said side-walls, said mounting plate having a front face and a side face, said side face having a pair of substantially U-shaped slotted portions with substantially U-shaped bracket-engaging teeth;

a bracket having a bifurcated pair of substantially U-shaped channel support members aligned in vertical registration for slidably engaging said U-shaped slotted portions and said teeth, each of said channel support members having a substantial horizontal slide bar-receiving slot, said bracket having an intermediate bight section for positioning substantially parallel to said mounting plate, and an elongated substantially planar perforated lateral plate member extending laterally and substantially transverse to said mounting plate for attachment to a seat or a chair; and

a locking safety slide bar slidably extending into said mounting plate for releasably locking and securing said U-shaped channel support members of said bracket to said bracket-engaging teeth, said slide bar having an elongated slidable portion and a manually grippable front abutment portion providing a handle extending laterally from said slidable portion, and said slide bar being moveable from a forward open position extending forwardly of said mounting plate for removal of said bracket to a rearward closed position with said front abutment portion substantially flush against the front face of said mounting plate and said slidable portion extending through one of said slide bar-receiving slots of said support channels members for securely locking said bracket to said mounting plate.