Mobile telephone having a folding antenna

• US 6,377,827 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson), Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Rydbeck, Nils
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, DORIS HA
• Application Number:
  US09/596,462
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575, 455/90, 455/350, 455/351, 455/349, 455/347, 455/128, 455/129, 379/428, 379/433, 343/702
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets

Abstract

A mobile telephone having a movably mounted antenna and speaker. The mobile telephone includes a housing structure having a top, a pair of sides, back and a front panel including a keypad area and a display. Formed about a top portion of the telephone is a transverse axis. Rotatably mounted in coaxial relationship to the transverse axis is an L-shaped antenna and a speaker unit. In a retracted position, both the antenna and the speaker unit assume a retracted position where the speaker is disposed adjacent the front panel of the telephone while the antenna overlies the speaker. In an extended position, both the antenna and the speaker unit are moved away from the front panel of the telephone and the speaker unit is normally disposed inwardly of the antenna.

Claims

1. A telephone, comprising:

a housing having at least a top and a front;

a first pivot axis disposed transversely across said top;

an L-shaped antenna having first and second legs coupled to the telephone and rotatably mounted for movement about said first pivot axis between a retracted position wherein said first leg lies adjacent said top of said housing and said second leg extends adjacent said front of said housing and an extended position wherein both said first and second legs are rotated away from the top and front of the telephone housing; and

a speaker unit moveably connected to said housing, said speaker unit moveable between a retracted position and an extended position.

2. The telephone of claim 1 wherein said speaker unit is movably connected to said housing for movement about said first pivot axis.

3. The telephone of claim 1 wherein said speaker unit is movably connected to said housing for rectilinear movement relative to said front between a retracted position and an extended position.

4. The telephone of claim 3 wherein said speaker unit forms an upper corner portion of the telephone in said retracted position and wherein said speaker unit projects past said top of said housing in said extended position.

5. The telephone of claim 1 wherein at least one of said legs of said antenna includes a panel that extends over said front and covers a substantial portion of said speaker unit when said antenna assumes said retracted position.

6. The telephone of claim 1 wherein the speaker unit includes a speaker frame and a speaker connected to the speaker frame, wherein said speaker frame connects said speaker unit to said housing via said first pivot axis.

7. The telephone of claim 6 wherein the speaker connects to the speaker frame about a second pivot axis that extends generally parallel to said first pivot axis.

8. The telephone of claim 7 wherein the speaker frame has a generally L-shaped configuration such that said speaker frame overlies at least a portion of both said top and said front in said retracted position.

9. A telephone, comprising:

a housing having at least a top and a front;

a first pivot axis disposed transversely across said top;

a speaker unit rotatably connected to said housing and rotatable about said first pivot axis between an extended position and a retracted position wherein the speaker unit assumes a position adjacent to and overlying at least a portion of both said top and said front;

an antenna rotatable about said first pivot axis between a retracted position relatively close to said housing and an extended position away from said housing; and

wherein at least a portion of the speaker unit assumes a generally L-shaped configuration with respect to another portion of said speaker unit.

10. The telephone of claim 9 wherein said rotatable antenna includes a first leg and a second leg and has a generally L-shaped configuration.

11. The telephone of claim 10 wherein the antenna comprises at least one panel that assumes a position overlying both the speaker unit and the front of the housing in said retracted position.

12. A telephone, comprising:

a housing having at least a top and a front;

a first pivot axis disposed transversely across said top;

a speaker unit rotatably connected to said housing and rotatable about said first pivot axis between an extended position and a retracted position wherein the speaker unit assumes a position adjacent to and overlying at least a portion of both said top and said front;

an antenna rotatable about said first pivot axis between a retracted position relatively close to said housing and an extended position away from said housing;

wherein at least a portion of the speaker unit assumes a generally L-shaped configuration with respect to another portion of said speaker unit; and

wherein said speaker unit includes an L-shaped frame and a speaker pivotally connected to the L-shaped frame about a second pivot axis, said L-shaped frame pivotally connected to said housing for movement about said first pivot axis between a retracted position where said L-shaped speaker frame overlies a portion of said housing and an extended position where the speaker extends outwardly and away from said housing, and wherein the orientation of the speaker can be adjusted relative to both the speaker frame and the housing by pivoting the same about the second pivot axis.

13. The telephone of claim 12 including an antenna that is rotatable about said first pivot axis between a retracted position relatively close to said housing and an extended position away from said housing.

14. The telephone of claim 13 wherein said rotatable antenna includes a first leg and a second leg and has a generally L-shaped configuration.

15. The telephone of claim 14 wherein the antenna comprises at least one panel that assumes a position overlying both the speaker unit and the front of the housing in said retracted position.

16. A telephone, comprising:

a housing structure having a top, a pair of sides, back, and a front including a key pad area;

a pivot axis formed on the telephone;

a speaker unit rotatably mounted on the pivot axis and rotatable between a retracted position and an extended position;

the speaker unit including a frame and a speaker pivotally connected to the frame, and wherein the frame is in turn rotatably mounted on the pivot axis;

an antenna coaxially mounted on the pivot axis with the speaker unit and movable between a retracted position where the antenna assumes a position relatively close to the telephone housing and an extended position where the antenna extends outwardly from the housing; and

wherein the antenna includes a panel that, in the retracted position, assumes a position over the front of the telephone housing while the speaker assumes a position sandwiched between the panel and the front of the telephone housing.

17. The telephone of claim 16 wherein both the antenna and speaker unit assume a generally L-shaped configuration and wherein in the retracted position both the antenna and the speaker unit overlie portions of the top and front of the telephone housing with the antenna being disposed outwardly of the speaker unit such that in the retracted position the antenna overlies the speaker unit.

18. The telephone of claim 17 wherein the pivot axis extends transversely across the top portion of the telephone.

19. The telephone of claim 18 wherein the telephone includes a top-back edge portion that lies generally between the top and back of the telephone housing and wherein the pivot axis is disposed generally along the top-back edge portion of the telephone.