Latching mechanisms for rotatable and/or translatable members on portable communication devices
First Claim
1. A rotational latch for a radiotelephone with a rotating cover, comprising:
- a housing;
a rotating member pivotably attached to said housing, said rotating member having a stow position overlying said housing and an open position away from said housing and wherein said rotating member is operably associated with a body portion having a slotted opening formed therein;
a laterally extending arm having opposing first and second ends, said second end including a protrusion member extending upwardly therefrom positioned proximate to said body portion and configured to be received in said slotted opening and said first end transversely extends a distance out of said housing, wherein said arm is configured to laterally translate from a depressed position to a non-depressed position within said housing; and
a magneto-rheological latch operably associated with said rotating member and said arm;
wherein when said rotating member is in said stow position, said slotted opening aligns with said arm protrusion member and said protrusion member advances therein to transversely return said first end to an outwardly extending position and lock said rotating member in the stow position, and wherein upon depression of said first end arm, said second end translates out of said slotted opening and said rotating member is free to rotate relative to said housing.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable communication device includes a rotating member and a latching mechanism which employs a magnet means and a quantity of magneto-rheological fluid (“MR” fluid) or electro-rheological (“ER”) fluid therein to latch the rotatable member against the primary body of the portable communication device when a magnetic or electric field is positioned proximate to the MR or ER fluid. The rotating member can be a low-profile flip and/or antenna. The magnet means can be an electromagnetic field or at least one translatable permanent magnet. Additionally, a portable communication device with a translating antenna and an antenna receptacle and elbow also includes a quantity of magneto-rheological fluid therein. The device can also include an externally accessible latch release which controls the application of the magnetic field to the MR fluid (or electric filed to the ER fluid). Associated latching mechanisms employ rheological fluid and a magnetic or electric field source.
59 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A rotational latch for a radiotelephone with a rotating cover, comprising:
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a housing;
a rotating member pivotably attached to said housing, said rotating member having a stow position overlying said housing and an open position away from said housing and wherein said rotating member is operably associated with a body portion having a slotted opening formed therein;
a laterally extending arm having opposing first and second ends, said second end including a protrusion member extending upwardly therefrom positioned proximate to said body portion and configured to be received in said slotted opening and said first end transversely extends a distance out of said housing, wherein said arm is configured to laterally translate from a depressed position to a non-depressed position within said housing; and
a magneto-rheological latch operably associated with said rotating member and said arm;
wherein when said rotating member is in said stow position, said slotted opening aligns with said arm protrusion member and said protrusion member advances therein to transversely return said first end to an outwardly extending position and lock said rotating member in the stow position, and wherein upon depression of said first end arm, said second end translates out of said slotted opening and said rotating member is free to rotate relative to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An antenna latching mechanism for a linearly translatable antenna translatable between a retracted position and an extended position, comprising:
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an antenna configured to linearly translate between retracted and extended positions;
an antenna receptacle, said receptacle defining a fluid chamber and being sized and configured to receive a major portion of said antenna therein when said antenna is in a retracted position;
a damper having an external surface in fluid communication with said antenna receptacle, wherein said damper has a biased first position corresponding to the substantial absence of external forces acting thereon, and wherein said damper travels inward away from said biased first position in response to forces introduced onto said external surface upon retraction of said antenna into said antenna receptacle;
a quantity of rheological fluid disposed in said receptacle; and
field generating means operably associated with said rheological fluid configured to generate a field proximate to said rheological fluid, wherein said translatable antenna is latched in said retracted position in response to the field applied proximate to said rheological fluid in said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
an antenna contact member having opposing first and second ends with a longitudinal length, said first end configured to contact said antenna when said antenna is retracted into said receptacle; and
a spring-loaded magnet stop operably associated with said antenna contact member second end and configured to contact said magnet to prevent lateral movement of said magnet in the direction of said release.
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7. An antenna latching mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said antenna is automatically deployed upward toward said extended position upon removal of the magnetic field from the proximity of said receptacle, and wherein said automatic deployment is facilitated by the return of said damper to said biased first position.
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8. A latching mechanism for a linearly translatable member moveable between an a retracted position and an extended position, comprising:
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a translatable member configured to linearly translate between retracted and extended positions;
a translatable member receptacle, said receptacle defining a fluid chamber and being sized and configured to receive at least a major portion of the length of said translatable member therein when said translatable member is in a retracted position, wherein said receptacle includes a flow channel in fluid communication with said fluid chamber;
a quantity of rheological fluid disposed in said receptacle; and
field generating means operably associated with said rheological fluid configured to generate a field proximate to said rheological fluid, wherein said translatable member is latched in said retracted position in response to the field applied proximate to said rheological fluid in said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. An antenna deployment and latching mechanism, comprising:
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a first rotatable gear having circumferentially extending gear teeth thereon;
a longitudinally retractable and extendable antenna positioned proximate to said first rotatable gear, said antenna including a surface which is configured to matably receive said gear teeth;
a latching mechanism operably associated with said rotatable gear, said latching mechanism having a cavity;
a quantity of rheological material disposed in said cavity; and
a field source operably associated with said rheological material, wherein said rotatable gear is inhibited from rotating in response to one or more of a magnetic and electric field generated proximate to said rheological material in said cavity, and wherein said rotatable gear is free to rotate in the absence of the field introduced proximate to said rheological material in said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A portable communication device with a latching mechanism, comprising:
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a primary housing;
a translating antenna having a stowed position and an extended position;
an antenna receptacle positioned in said housing, said receptacle defining a fluid chamber and being sized and configured to receive a major portion of said antenna therein when said antenna is in a stowed position, wherein said receptacle includes an overflow channel in fluid communication with said fluid chamber;
a quantity of rheological fluid disposed in said receptacle; and
field generating means operably associated with said rheological fluid configured to generate a field proximate to said rheological fluid, wherein said antenna is latched in said stowed position in response to the field applied proximate to said rheological fluid in said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A portable communication device with a latching mechanism, comprising:
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a housing;
a rotating member pivotably attached to said housing, said rotating member having a first closed position and a second open position;
a latching mechanism operably associated with said rotating member, said latching mechanism having a cavity;
a quantity of rheological material disposed in said cavity; and
a field source operably associated with said rheological material, wherein said rotating member is inhibited from rotation in response to a field generated proximate to said rheological material in said cavity, and wherein said rotating member is free to rotate in the absence of the field introduced proximate to said rheological material in said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
a rotatable shaft having opposing first and second end portions, said first end portion laterally extending a distance out of said cavity, and said second end portion disposed in said cavity; and
an internal cavity member having frictional surfaces attached to said rotatable shaft second end portion wherein the field source is a magnetic field source, and, wherein in response to the generation of the magnetic field, a magneto-rheological fluid contacts said frictional surfaces and inhibits said rotatable shaft from rotating.
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28. A portable communication device according to claim 26, wherein said magnetic field source is a permanent magnet positioned in said housing, and wherein said permanent magnet is translatable between a first position proximate to said cavity and a second position away from said cavity.
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29. A portable communication device according to claim 28, wherein said device further comprises an externally accessible laterally extending release operably associated with said magnet.
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30. A portable communication device according to claim 29, wherein said release is configured in said housing such that said release is automatically repositioned from an inward depressed position to an outward non-depressed position in response to the translation of said rotating member toward said closed position.
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31. A portable communication device according to claim 26, wherein in response to generation of a magnetic field proximate to said cavity, said latching mechanism precludes rotation of said rotatable member from both said first and second positions.
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32. A portable communication device according to claim 26, wherein said rotating member is a low-profile flip and wherein said flip overlays said housing in said closed position.
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33. A portable communication device according to claim 32, further comprising a blade antenna attached to said housing, said antenna having a closed position wherein said antenna substantially overlies said housing and an open position, and wherein said latching mechanism is configured to latch both said antenna and said low-profile flip in the closed position.
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34. A portable communication device according to claim 33, wherein the field source is a magnetic field source comprising a pair of translatable permanent magnets positioned in said housing.
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35. A portable communication device according to claim 34, wherein said pair of translatable magnets are operably associated with an externally accessible laterally extending release.
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36. A portable communication device according to claim 26, wherein said rotating member is a rotatable antenna.
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37. A portable communication device according to claim 36, wherein the field source is a magnetic field source is at least one permanent magnet, and said device further comprises a longitudinally extending externally accessible release positioned proximate to said magnet and configured to extend out from one edge of said device, and wherein upon depression of said release, said permanent magnet is relocated and said antenna is free to rotate.
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38. A latching mechanism, comprising:
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a rotating shaft having opposing first and second end portions;
an internal cavity member having a plurality of exposed frictional surfaces attached to said rotating shaft second end portion, wherein said rotating shaft first end portion laterally extends a distance out of said cavity and said second end portion is disposed within said cavity;
a quantity of rheological fluid disposed in said internal cavity; and
a field source configured to supply and remove one or more of an electric and magnetic field proximate to said rheological fluid, wherein in response to the application of the field said rheological fluid contacts said frictional surfaces and inhibits said rotatable shaft from rotating. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification