Telephone holder

• US 5,708,707 A
• Filed: 01/17/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sofield, Paul, Halttunen, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIANG, JACK
• Application Number:
  US08/588,001
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 379/446, 379/449, 379/426, 379/454, 379/455, 379/428
• US Class Current: 379/446
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0078 Quick-disconnect two-parts mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A telephone holder according to the present invention includes a carrier (101) and a body (102), which are able to move vertically in relation to each other between two extreme positions. In the first extreme position an electrical connector of the telephone (111) is galvanically connected to a counterpart (109) of the connector in the holder. In the second extreme position the connector is disconnected from the counterpart. The carrier is joined to the body by means of slide surfaces (103, 104), which permit the carrier to move back and forth vertically in relation to the body between said extreme positions. The movement and its extent are governed by springs (106), for example. The holder according to the present invention can be accurately formed according to the contours of the telephone (111), preventing the telephone from moving laterally while in the holder, facilitating alignment of the connector with the counterpart (109).

Claims

1. A telephone holder that consists of at least two parts, one part being at least partly within the other;

the holder comprising a carrier (101,

     203) and a body (102, 201,

     202), the carrier and the body can be moved in relation to each other between two extreme positions, in a first position the telephone is locked to the holder and the carrier is locked to the body, and in a second position locking is released, and the holder has locking means (112, 113, 114, 213, 214,

     215) for performing said locking and releasing, characterized in that,

the carrier (101,

     203) has a plane supporting part (108,

     204) that supports the telephone by at least one of its surfaces which includes an electrical connector of the telephone, and

the body (102, 201,

     202) has a counterpart (109,

     211) for the electrical connector of the telephone, and

the holder has slide surfaces (103, 104, 207,

     208) which restrict the carrier to move back and forth vertically in relation to the body between said extreme positions, in which said first position the electrical connector is galvanically connected to the counterpart, and the carrier and the telephone are locked to the body by said locking means in which said second position the connector is disconnected from the counterpart.

2. The holder according to claim 1, characterized in that, the supporting part (108) of the carrier consists of a continuous surface which has an opening (110) for the electrical connector.

3. The holder according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening (110) has borders which function as guides that align the connector with the counterpart.

4. The holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide surfaces at least partly consist of a slide rail (103) and a groove (104) which are formed in the sides of the body and the carrier respectively, and said slide rail and said groove intermesh with each other.

5. The holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the body consists of two parts (201, 202) between which the carrier (203) is at least partly situated.

6. The holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the slide surfaces at least partly consist of pins (207) joining parts of the body and oblong slots (208) in the carrier, said pins being located within said oblong slots and said slots being oriented in the direction of movement.

7. The holder according to claim 1 characterized in that the holder includes at least one spring (209), the spring having one end supported by the top surface of the bottom side (210) of the body, and having another end supported by the bottom surface of the supporting part (204) of the carrier located above the body, the spring, is compressed when the carrier is locked in a first extreme position.

8. The holder according to claim 7, characterized in that the holder includes at least two springs (106) that are located symmetrically in relation to the counterpart that is fastened to the body.

9. The holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means consist of at least a tab (112, 215) that locks into notches in the telephone when the telephone is pressed into the holder, and a latch (113, 213) that frees the locking when pressed.

10. The holder according to claim 1, characterized in that when the locking is released, the counterpart (109, 211) is protected between the carrier (101, 203) and the body (102, 201, 202).