Wristwatch radiotelephone

• US 5,260,915 A
• Filed: 10/16/1992
• Issued: 11/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timex Corporation (Tanager Group BV)
• Original Assignee: Timex Corporation (Tanager Group BV)
• Inventors: Houlihan, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/963,411
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/276, 368/277, 368/278, 368/281-282, 63/1 R, 63/3, 63/9, 63/21, 24/265 WS, 224/164, 224/165, 224/174, 59/79.1, 59/80, 319/90, 319/428, 319/430
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0007 Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/931 Carrier for ammunition

Abstract

A combined wristwatch and radiotelephone has a plurality of substantially rigid segment members arranged end to end in a series with pivotable connections between each adjacent pair of members in the series. The pivotal axes of these connections are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the user'"'"'s wrist when the apparatus is worn on the wrist as a wristwatch. The pivotable connections allow the apparatus to be curved into a shape which fits around the user'"'"'s wrist when the apparatus is to be used as a wristwatch. Alternatively, the pivotable connections allow the apparatus to form a more elongated structure suitable for use as a hand-held radiotelephone when such use is desired.

Claims

1. Apparatus which is convertible between a curved shape suitable for wearing around the wrist as a wristwatch and an elongated form suitable for use as a hand-held radiotelephone with a microphone and speaker adjacent respective opposite ends of said elongated form comprising:

a plurality of substantially rigid segment members disposed end to end in a series;

a plurality of pivotable connection mechanisms, each of said connection mechanisms pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of an adjacent pair of said segment members in said series, each of said connection mechanisms having a pivotal axis, all of said pivotal axes being substantially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the wrist around which said apparatus is worn as a wristwatch; and

second means for releasably holding said apparatus in said elongated form, so that said microphone and said speaker may be simultaneously placed adjacent to a user'"'"'s mouth and ear, respectively.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising first means for releasably holding said apparatus in said curved shaped.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said first means comprises spring means for resiliently urging each of said connection mechanisms to pivot the segment members connected by said connection mechanism toward one another.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein each of said connection mechanisms comprises stop means for preventing the segment members connected by said connection mechanism from pivoting toward one another by more than a predetermined amount.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said second means comprises detent means associated with each of said connection mechanisms for releasably holding the segment members connected by said connection mechanism in the relative positions in which said segment members are pivoted away from one another.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising stop means associated with each of said connection mechanisms for limiting the amount by which the segment members connected by said connection mechanism can pivot relative to one another about the pivotal axis of said connection mechanism.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein each of said stop means limits pivoting of the segment members connected by the associated connection mechanism to approximately 90°

.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said microphone is disposed in a first segment member which is at one end of said series, and wherein said speaker is disposed in a second segment member which is at the end of said series remote from said first segment member.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising:

display means disposed in one of said segment members;

telephone dialing means disposed in one of said segment members; and

timekeeping control means disposed in one of said segment members.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said display means, said telephone dialing means, and said timekeeping control means, are all disposed in a first of said segment members.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said first segment member is an intermediate segment member in said series.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said microphone is disposed in a second segment member adjacent one end of said first segment member, and wherein said speaker is disposed in a third segment member adjacent the end of said first segment member which is remote from said second segment member.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein each of said segment members is curved, and wherein all of said segment members curve in the same direction when said apparatus is in said curved shape.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said curved shaped is C-shaped.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising:

padding means on the surface of each of said segment members which is in contact with the wrist when said apparatus is worn on the wrist.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said microphone and said speaker are both directed inwardly toward the center of the curved shape when said apparatus is in said curved shape.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 16 further comprising:

acoustically transparent padding means covering said microphone and speaker means.