Phone holder

• US 5,940,502 A
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirai, Hiroki, Sakai, Shigeki, Tanaka, Tetsuji, Sakai, Yoshito, Sugimoto, Masashi, Tsutsumi, Yuichiro, Inoue, Nori
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US08/986,786
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 379/446, 379/455, 379/454, 379/426, 379/449, 455/90, 455/575
• 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 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A phone holder for detachably holding a mobile phone in an automotive vehicle is provided with a holder main body including an inner casing having a phone accommodating portion, a phone urging device having a phone actuating roller and the like for urging the mobile phone being inserted into the phone accommodating portion in a direction opposite from an inserting direction of the mobile phone, and a phone locking device which can be switched between a locking state where the mobile phone is locked in a specified accommodation position in the phone accommodating portion against a urging force of the phone urger and an unlocking state where the locking is released. The phone locking device is switched to the locking state as the mobile phone is inserted into the phone accommodating portion. The above locking is releasable by moving the mobile phone in its locked state in the inserting direction.

Claims

1. A phone holder comprising:

a holder main body having a phone accommodating portion into which a mobile phone is insertable;

a phone urger which urges the mobile phone being inserted into the phone accommodating portion in a direction opposite from an inserting direction of the mobile phone; and

a phone lock device which is switchable between a locking state where the mobile phone is locked in a specified accommodation position in the phone accommodating portion against a urging force of the phone urger and an unlocking state where the locking is released, the phone lock device being switched to the locking state as the mobile phone is inserted into the phone accommodating portion, and the locking being released by moving the mobile phone in its locked state in the inserting direction.

2. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the phone lock device includes an engaging portion provided on the mobile phone, and a locking member provided on the holder main body for detachably locking the engaging portion.

3. A phone holder according to claim 2, wherein the engaging portion includes a guide groove surrounding a substantially heart-shaped cam, and the locking member includes a pivotal member which is pivotally provided on the holder main body and locks the mobile phone by the engagement of a pivotal end thereof fitted in the guide groove with a dented portion of the cam.

4. A phone holder according to claim 2, wherein the engaging portion is directly provided on the mobile phone.

5. A phone holder according to claim 4, wherein the mobile phone includes a phone main body and a charging unit having a battery casing, and the engaging portion is provided on the battery casing.

6. A phone holder according to claim 2, further comprising a phone pushing member which is movably provided on the holder main body in the inserting direction of the mobile phone and comes into contact with the mobile phone being inserted into the phone accommodating portion from the back side with respect to the inserting direction, wherein the phone urger is so constructed as to urge the phone pushing member in a direction opposite from the inserting direction of the mobile phone and the engaging portion is provided on the phone pushing member.

7. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the phone urger includes a phone actuating roller which is so provided on the holder main body as to be brought into contact with a side surface of the mobile phone and is rotated as the mobile phone is moved, and a roller urger for urging the phone actuating roller in the same direction as the phone actuating roller when the mobile phone is moved in a direction opposite from its inserting direction.

8. A phone holder according to claim 7, wherein the roller urger includes a gear provided on a shaft of the phone actuating roller, a urging gear meshable with the gear, and a turnup spring coupled with the urging gear.

9. A phone holder according to claim 1, further comprising a phone pushing member which is movably provided on the holder main body in the inserting direction of the mobile phone and comes into contact with the mobile phone being inserted into the phone accommodating portion from the back side with respect to the inserting direction, wherein the phone urger is so constructed as to urge the phone pushing member in a direction opposite from the inserting direction of the mobile phone.

10. A phone holder according to claim 1, further comprising a decelerator which gives a resistance to the mobile phone moving in a direction opposite from the inserting direction thereof by the urging force of the phone urger when the locking by the phone lock device is released, thereby decelerating a moving speed of the mobile phone.

11. A phone holder according to claim 10, wherein the phone urger includes a phone actuating roller which is so provided on the holder main body as to be brought into contact with a side surface of the mobile phone and is rotated as the mobile phone is moved, and a roller urger for urging the phone actuating roller in the same direction as the phone actuating roller when the mobile phone is moved in a direction opposite from its inserting direction and the decelerator is so constructed as to give a resistance by fluid to a shaft of the phone actuating roller.

12. A phone holder according to claim 11, wherein the phone actuating roller and an idle roller are so arranged as to be in contact with the opposite side surfaces of the mobile phone in the phone accommodating portion.

13. A phone holder according to claim 12, wherein the holder main body includes an outer casing, and an inner casing which is detachably fittable into the outer casing and has the phone accommodating portion of such a shape in conformity with the mobile phone to be accommodated, and the phone actuating roller and the idle roller are provided on the outer casing, and notches are formed in the opposite side walls of the inner casing so that the phone actuating roller and the idle roller face the phone accommodating portion.

14. A phone holder according to claim 12, wherein the phone actuating roller and the idle roller are movable in directions toward and away from each other, and a position adjustment urger is provided to urge these rollers inwardly, respectively.

15. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein a holder connector is provided at the back of the phone accommodating portion of the holder main body with respect to the inserting direction of the mobile phone, and is connected with a phone side connector provided in the mobile phone when the mobile phone is inserted to the specified accommodation position.

16. A phone holder according to claim 15, further comprising a connector lock device which is switchable between a locking state where the phone side connector and the holder connector are lockingly connected and an unlocking state where the locking of the connectors is released, wherein the connector lock device is so constructed as to be brought into its locked state during the insertion of the mobile phone into the phone accommodating portion and to be switched to its unlocked state during the ejection of the mobile phone.

17. A phone holder according to claim 16, wherein the holder connector is a connector provided with a locking function which has a locking portion for locking the connection with a mating connector and an operable portion subjected to an external pressing operation and in which the locking portion is switched between a lock position and an unlock position;

the holder connector is movably provided in the same direction as a connecting direction with the phone side connector;

a connector urger is provided to urge the holder connector toward the phone side connector; and

a connector operating portion is provided on the holder main body to bring the locking portion to the unlock position when the holder connector is pushed toward the phone side connector by a urging force of the connector urger and to operate the operable portion of the holder connector so as to switch the locking portion to the lock position when the holder connector is pushed into a connector casing against the urging force of the connector urger.

18. A phone holder according to claim 17, wherein the connector casing for movably holding the holder connector in the connecting direction with the phone side connector is assembled into the holder main body and is provided with the connector urger and the connector operating portion.

19. A phone holder according to claim 18, wherein the urging force of the connector urger is larger than a connecting force of the phone side connector and the holder connector.

20. A phone holder according to claim 15, further comprising a decelerator for reducing a feeding speed of the mobile phone by giving a resistance thereto at a moment later than the disconnection of the phone side connector and the holder connector when the locking of the mobile phone by the phone lock device is released.

21. A phone holder according to claim 20, further comprising a phone pushing member which is movably provided on the holder main body in the inserting direction of the mobile phone and comes into contact with the mobile phone being inserted into the phone accommodating portion from the back side with respect to the inserting direction, wherein the phone urger is so constructed as to urge the phone pushing member in a direction opposite from the inserting direction of the mobile phone and the decelerator is so constructed as to give a resistance to the phone pushing member.

22. A phone holder according to claim 20, further comprising a rack extending along the inserting direction of the mobile phone which is provided on either one of the holder main body and the mobile phone, a pinion meshable with the rack and rotatably provided on the other of the holder main body and the mobile phone;

a rotational resistance member for giving a rotational resistance to the pinion, wherein the pinion is so constructed as to start rotating at a moment later than the disconnection of the connectors.

23. A phone holder according to claim 22, wherein the pinion and the rack are positioned with respect to each other such that the pinion starts meshing with the rack at the moment later than the disconnection of the connectors.

24. A phone holder according to claim 22, wherein the rack and the pinion are mounted on the holder main body or the mobile phone so as to move in parallel by a specified stroke while being held in mesh with each other, and the stroke is set such that the rotation of the pinion is started by restricting the parallel movement of the pinion and the rack at the moment later than the disconnection of the connectors.

25. A phone holder according to claim 15, further comprising an auxiliary urger which gives a urging force to the mobile phone in the feeding direction of the mobile phone separately from the phone urger only during a time up to the substantially same moment as the disconnection of the phone side connector and the holder connector when the locking of the mobile phone by the phone lock device is released.

26. A phone holder according to claim 25, further comprising an auxiliary urging spring which is provided at the back of the holder main body to urge the mobile phone in the direction opposite from the inserting direction by an elastic force thereof by being compressed during the insertion of the mobile phone, wherein the entire length of the auxiliary urging spring is set such that the auxiliary urging spring undergoes no compressive deformation substantially simultaneously with the disconnection the connectors.

27. A phone holder according to claim 25, further comprising a decelerator for reducing a feeding speed of the mobile phone by giving a resistance thereto at a moment later than the disconnection of the connectors.

28. A phone holder according to claim 15, further comprising a connector urger which urges the holder connector toward the phone side connector and an interactant for interacting with the mobile phone during the connection and disconnection of the phone side connector and the holder connector to move the holder connector in the same direction as the moving direction of the mobile phone and at a speed slower than a moving speed of the mobile phone, wherein the holder connector is movably provided on the holder main body in the same direction as a connecting direction with the phone side connector, and the connectors are connected and disconnected by a difference between the moving speed of the mobile phone and that of the holder connector.

29. A phone holder according to claim 28, further comprising an operating member for moving together with the mobile phone by coming into contact with the mobile phone during the connection and disconnection of the mobile phone and the holder connector, wherein the interactant is so constructed as to cause the operating member and the holder connector to interact with each other.

30. A phone holder according to claim 29, wherein a fixed rack extending in the moving direction of the mobile phone is provided on the holder main body;

a movable rack extending in the moving direction of the mobile phone is provided on the operating member; and

a pinion between the fixed and movable racks is rotatably mounted on the holder connector.

31. A phone holder according to claim 29, wherein a contact surface operable to come into surface contact with the mobile phone is provided at an end of the operating member toward the mobile phone, and is formed with a through hole for allowing the passage of the holder connector so that the holder connector and the mobile phone are connected through the through hole.