Releasable coupling for a suspension stud on a wall of a mobile telephone

• US 6,305,588 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Melco Mobile Communications Europe
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Lamballais, Laurent Paul Joseph, Renard, Jean-Yves Raymond, Belaïche, Vincent Antoine Victor, Michel, Stéphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin, Stephen K.
• Application Number:
  US09/526,552
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 224/191, 224/195, 224/197, 224/242, 224/269, 224/271, 224/272, 224/930, 24/31, 24/31.2, 245/90, 246/15, 248/220.21, 455/90, 455/100, 455/351, 455/575
• US Class Current: 224/271
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/026 with a pin having an enlarged head detachably connected to a fastening device, e.g. to a pin receiving slot
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3855 carried in a belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/93 Attached to animate bearer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1394 Article held by clip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage

Abstract

A releasable coupling for a suspension stud on a first face wall, especially of a mobile telephone. The coupling includes an orifice made in the wall and a device for axial retention of the stud, a coupling end of which is accommodated in the orifice in order to perform the coupling. The retention device includes a rod which passes through the orifice and is provided at its free end with a device for bearing axially on the perimeter of the orifice. The retention device can move, along a coupling path, between a coupling position in which the bearing device is applied against the wall and an uncoupled position in which the axial bearing device is disengaged from the wall. A device is furthermore provided for immobilizing the retention device with respect to the wall in its coupling position.

Claims

1. Releasable coupling for a suspension stud on a first face of a wall, especially of a casing of a mobile item of telecommunication, of the type comprising:

an orifice made in the wall and emerging on said first face of the wall; and

a device for axial retention of the stud, a coupling end of which is accommodated in said orifice in order to perform the coupling,

characterized in that said orifice emerges on the second face of the wall opposite said first face and said retention device includes a rod which passes through the orifice and is provided at its free end with means for bearing axially around the perimeter of the orifice on the second face of the wall, which retention device can move, along a coupling path, between a coupling position in which the axial bearing means are applied against the second face of the wall, the wall lying between the stud and the axial bearing means, and an uncoupled position in which the axial bearing means are disengaged from said wall, and in that means are provided for immobilizing the retention device with respect to the wall in its coupling position.

2. Coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that said coupling path is defined by a rotational movement about the axis of the rod.

3. Coupling according to claim 2, characterized in that said bearing means include at least one protuberance extending transversely at the free end of the rod and in said orifice has, for the or each protuberance, a notch emerging in that region of the orifice which is intended for passage of the rod.

4. Coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that said immobilizing means include a lock linked in rotation with said retention device, which lock can move between an unlocked position in which the retention device can be rotated and a locking position in which the retention device is prevented from rotating with respect to the wall.

5. Coupling according to claim 4, characterized in that a device is provided for reinforcing the retention of the lock in its locking position.

6. Coupling according to claim 5, characterized in that said retention-reinforcing device is either a plug for closing off the orifice in the absence of the suspension stud, or a projection made on a support having a profile suitable for retaining said stud.

7. Coupling according to claim 4, characterized in that the lock is disengaged from the notches in its unlocked position and is engaged in at least one notch in its locking position.

8. Coupling according to claim 7, characterized in that a device is provided for reinforcing the retention of the lock in its locking position.

9. Coupling according to claim 8, characterized in that said retention-reinforcing device is either a plug for closing off the orifice in the absence of the suspension stud, or a projection made on a support having a profile suitable for retaining said stud.

10. Coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that said immobilizing means include, on the one hand, a pair of stops distributed around the orifice and integral with the wall, delimiting between them a cradle for accommodating a protuberance for lateral blocking of the retention device and, on the other hand, means of applying axial stress to the or each protuberance towards the bottom of the cradle.

11. Coupling according to claim 10, characterized in that one of the stops is provided at the end of a cam surface suitable for engaging with a protuberance against the elastic means of applying stress while the retention device is passing from the uncoupled position to the coupling position.

12. Coupling according to claim 10, characterized in that the means of applying stress include corresponding threads made on the rod and the stud.

13. Coupling according to claim 10, characterized in that the rod is mounted so as to be able to move at least axially with respect to said stud.

14. Coupling according to claim 13, characterized in that one of the stops is provided at the end of a cam surface suitable for engaging with a protuberance against the elastic means of applying stress while the retention device is passing from the uncoupled position to the coupling position.

15. Coupling according to claim 13, characterized in that said means of applying stress comprise elastic means of applying stress to the or each protuberance, which elastic means are placed between the stud and the rod.

16. Coupling according to claim 15, characterized in that one of the stops is provided at the end of a cam surface suitable for engaging with a protuberance against the elastic means of applying stress while the retention device is passing from the uncoupled position to the coupling position.

17. Coupling according to claim 15, characterized in that it includes a manually actuable knob for driving the rod against the action of the elastic means of applying stress.

18. Coupling according to claim 17, characterized in that one of the stops is provided at the end of a cam surface suitable for engaging with a protuberance against the elastic means of applying stress while the retention device is passing from the uncoupled position to the coupling position.