Holder for portable electronic equipment

• US 5,230,016 A
• Filed: 12/11/1991
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasuda, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US07/805,051
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/455, 379/426, 379/454, 455/89, 455/90, 361/384, 165/80 B, 165/104.33
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• 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: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers

Abstract

A holder for an electronic appliance includes a holding section 2 for holding a portable electronic appliance 101. A control circuit section 21 senses the temperature within the holding section 2 and, when the temperature is found to be higher than a predetermined temperature, a sirocco fan 16 is caused to be rotated for supplying outside air into the holding section 2 by a suction hole 17 and a vent hole 15 for cooling the electronic appliance 101. Since the electronic appliance 101 is cooled even under elevated environmental temperatures, the electronic appliance 101 may be protected against malfunction otherwise caused due to elevated temperatures.

Claims

1. A holder for an electronic appliance having a holding section for holding the electronic appliance, comprising temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature around the electronic appliance held by said holding section,

cooling means for cooling the electronic appliance held by said holding section, and

a control circuit for controlling an operation of said cooling means,

said control circuit actuating said cooling means based on the temperature sensed by said temperature sensing means;

wherein the operation of said control circuit provided in said holding section is controlled by a switch activated by the electronic appliance being introduced into and held by said holding section, and;

wherein said cooling means includes a fan rotationally driven by an electric motor.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holding section comprises a housing having a container section containing the electronic appliance and an opening for introducing and removing said electronic appliance.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein a holding lever is provided for holding the electronic appliance, said holding lever being rotationally biased by a spring provided within said holding section and wherein the electronic appliance introduced into said holding section is pressed and supported by said holding lever.

4. A holder as claimed in claim 3 wherein one end of said holding lever is provided with a retention member engaged in a mating hole provided in the electronic appliance introduced into and held by the holding section, and wherein said retention member is engaged in said mating hole when said electronic appliance is inserted into said holding section.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 4 wherein a spring-biased pressing member is provided within said holding section, said pressing member being adapted for pressing the electronic appliance held by said holding section upwards towards said opening of said holding section when said holding lever is rotated against the bias of said spring for releasing the retention member out of said mating hole.

6. A holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electronic appliance held by said holding section is provided with an accumulator type power source section.

7. A holder as claimed in claim 6 wherein said holding section is provided with a power source terminal adapted to be connected to a recharging terminal used for recharging said accumulator type power source section provided in the electronic appliance held by said holding section.

8. A holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control circuit and said fan are accommodated in separate container sections in said holding section delimited by a partition wall.

9. A holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electronic appliance is a radio telephone apparatus.

10. A holder for holding and recharging a hand held electronic appliance, said holder comprising:

a) a holding section including a closed bottomed enclosure with an open top for surrounding at least partially said appliance, said holding section being formed to releasably secure said appliance in a recharging position in the holder;

b) means attached to said holding section for recharging said appliance in its recharging position;

c) cooling means for cooling said holding section and said appliance when said appliance is in its recharging position;

d) a control circuit separated from said holding section for operating said cooling means;

e) temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature around said holding section and appliance; and

f) switch means for actuating said control circuit when said appliance is secured in said holding section in its recharging position so that said control circuit actuates said cooling means at a first and second temperature; and

wherein said cooling means comprises a fan which is actuated at said first temperature.

11. The holder of claim 10 wherein said cooling means further comprises a circuit breaker which is actuated at said second temperature, and wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature.

12. The holder of claim 10, wherein said appliance is a radiotelephone.