Detachable flip cover assembly for a portable phone

• US 6,430,400 B1
• Filed: 01/16/1996
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Ma, Yawei, MacDonald, James D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US08/586,434
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/89, 455/90, 455/129, 455/347, 455/575, 455/550, 379/58, 379/59, 379/429, 379/433, 379/440, 343/700.MS, 163/56, 163/57
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules

Abstract

A portable phone is disclosed as including a main housing, circuitry located within the main housing for operating the portable phone in a designated mode of communication, a support bracket assembly detachably coupled to the main housing, a flip cover rotatably secured to the support bracket assembly about a first axis, and an antenna coupled to the circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals in the designated communication mode associated with the flip cover. The flip cover is also rotatable about a second axis with respect to the support bracket assembly, which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The support bracket assembly includes a support bracket having a slotted portion at one end sized to receive an end of the main housing, a latching mechanism for coupling the support bracket to the main housing, a hinge mechanism located at the other end of the support bracket to rotatably couple the support bracket to the flip cover about the first axis, and a yoke having an annular step which captures the flip cover so it can rotate about the second axis. The designated mode of communication may be cellular and/or satellite.

Claims

1. A portable phone, comprising:

(a) a main housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, a front portion, and a rear portion;

(b) circuitry located within said main housing for operating said portable phone in a designated communication mode;

(c) a support bracket assembly slidably and detachably coupled over and to said top portion of said main housing;

(d) a flip cover rotatably secured to said support bracket assembly about a first axis; and

(e) an antenna coupled to said circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals in said designated communication mode, said antenna being integrated with said flip cover.

2. The portable phone of claim 1, said circuitry being operable in a cellular communication mode.

3. The portable phone of claim 2, said antenna further comprising a printed circuit antenna located on an interior surface of said flip cover.

4. The portable phone of claim 2, said antenna further comprising a monopole antenna housed within said flip cover.

5. The portable phone of claim 2, wherein said cellular circuitry operates at a frequency of approximately 900 Megahertz.

6. The portable phone of claim 1, said circuitry being operable in a satellite communication mode.

7. The portable phone of claim 6, said antenna further comprising a single patch antenna element for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to a satellite.

8. The portable phone of claim 6, said antenna further comprising:

(a) a first patch antenna element for receiving signals from a satellite; and

(b) a second patch antenna element for transmitting signals to a satellite.

9. The portable phone of claim 8, wherein said first patch antenna element transmits signals within a frequency bandwidth of approximately 1.525 to approximately 1.560 Gigahertz.

10. The portable phone of claim 8, wherein said second patch antenna element receives signals within a frequency bandwidth of approximately 1.626 to approximately 1.661 Gigahertz.

11. The portable phone of claim 6, wherein said satellite circuitry operates within a frequency bandwidth of approximately 1.0-30.0 Gigahertz.

12. The portable phone of claim 1, said flip cover also being rotatable about a second axis with respect to said support bracket assembly.

13. The portable phone of claim 12, wherein said first axis is oriented substantially perpendicular to said second axis.

14. The portable phone of claim 12, wherein said flip cover is rotatable about said second axis in a range of 0°

to 180°

.

15. The portable phone of claim 12, wherein rotation about said second axis cannot occur until said flip cover has been rotated about said first axis a minimum amount.

16. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein said flip cover is rotatable about said first axis in a range of 0°

-180°

.

17. The portable phone of claim 1, said flip cover being sized to lie over substantially all of said main housing front portion when in a closed position.

18. The portable phone of claim 1, said support bracket assembly further comprising:

(a) a support bracket; and

(b) a hinge mechanism coupling said flip cover and said support bracket.

19. The portable phone of claim 18, said flip cover being rotatable about a second axis substantially perpendicular to said first axis.

20. The portable phone of claim 19, said support bracket assembly further comprising:

(a) a yoke having a first bearing at one end, a second bearing at the other end, and a middle portion connecting said first and second bearings, said middle portion including an annular step thereon; and

(b) a collar attached to said middle portion of said yoke, said collar having an opening therethrough aligned with said annular step on said middle portion opening;

wherein said flip cover is retained between said collar and said yoke to rotate about said annular step.

21. The portable phone of claim 20, further comprising a stop associated with said collar to prevent said flip cover from rotating more than a maximum angle about said second axis.

22. The portable phone of claim 20, said collar and said annular step having openings therethrough so that means for coupling said antenna to said circuitry is able to traverse said hinge mechanism.

23. The portable phone of claim 19, said support bracket including a slotted portion adjacent said flip cover, wherein said slotted portion is sized to accommodate rotation of said flip cover about said second axis.

24. The portable phone of claim 18, further comprising a stop associated with said hinge mechanism to prevent said flip cover from rotating more than a maximum angle about said first axis.

25. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein said flip cover is substantially planar in configuration.

26. The portable phone of claim 25, said flip cover including a flange extending from at least a portion of the perimeter thereof, wherein said flange wraps around corresponding side portions of said main housing.

27. The portable phone of claim 1, said flip cover further comprising:

(a) a first substantially planar section coupled to said support bracket assembly; and

(b) a second substantially planar section oriented at an angle to said flip cover first section, said flip cover second section lying over said main housing when in a closed position.

28. The portable phone of claim 27, said flip cover second section including a flange extending from the perimeter thereof, wherein said flange wraps around corresponding side portions of said main housing.

29. The portable phone of claim 1, said support bracket assembly further comprising:

(a) a support bracket having a slotted portion sized to receive an end of said main housing; and

(b) a latching mechanism for coupling said support bracket to said main housing.

30. The portable phone of claim 29, said support bracket assembly further comprising at least one guide pin positioned within said support bracket slotted portion and said main housing including a corresponding opening in a top surface thereof for receiving each said guide pin.

31. The portable phone of claim 30, wherein said support bracket and said main housing connectors are blind mate coaxial cable connectors.

32. The portable phone of claim 29, said support bracket assembly further comprising at least one male member of a dovetail guide positioned within said support bracket slotted portion and said main housing including a corresponding female member of said dovetail guide for receiving each said dovetail guide male member substantially parallel to a front portion of said main housing.

33. The portable phone of claim 29, said support bracket assembly further comprising at least one connector positioned within said support bracket slotted portion coupled to said antenna and said main housing including a corresponding connector for each said support bracket connector along a top surface thereof, wherein coupling of said support bracket and said main housing connectors provide coupling of said antenna to said circuitry.

34. The portable phone of claim 1, said main housing including a switch mechanism for disconnecting said circuitry from said antenna when said main housing is decoupled from said support bracket assembly, wherein said main housing can be connected to a separate antenna associated with a docking station.

35. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein said circuitry is operable in both a cellular communication mode and a satellite communication mode, said portable phone further comprising:

(a) a first antenna coupled to said cellular circuitry for receiving and transmitting signals within a cellular frequency bandwidth; and

(b) a second antenna coupled to said satellite circuitry for receiving and transmitting signals within a satellite frequency bandwidth;

wherein at least one of said first and second antennas is located within said flip cover.

36. A support bracket assembly for indirectly and detachably coupling a flip cover and a main housing of a portable phone, comprising:

(a) a support bracket having a first end with a slotted portion sized to slidably couple over and to a top portion of said main housing;

(b) a latching mechanism for detachably coupling said support bracket and said main housing top portion; and

(c) a hinge mechanism rotatably coupling said flip cover and a second end of said support bracket about a first axis.

37. The support bracket assembly of claim 36, said hinge mechanism being rotatable about a second axis substantially perpendicular to said first axis.

38. The support bracket assembly of claim 37, wherein said flip cover is rotatable about said second axis in a range of 0°

to 180°

.

39. The support bracket assembly of claim 37, further comprising:

(a) a yoke having a first bearing at one end, a second bearing at the other end, and a middle portion connecting said first and second bearings, said middle portion including an annular step; and

(b) a collar attached to said middle portion of said yoke, said collar having an opening aligned with said annular step on said middle portion;

wherein an annular surface is provided at said annular step about which said flip cover can rotate about said second axis.

40. The support bracket assembly of claim 39, further comprising a stop associated with said collar to prevent said flip cover from rotating more than a maximum angle in each direction about said second axis.

41. The support bracket assembly of claim 39, said collar and said annular step having openings therethrough so that means for coupling an antenna to said circuitry is able to traverse said hinge mechanism.

42. The support bracket assembly of claim 37, said support bracket including a second slotted portion adjacent said flip cover at a second end, wherein said second slotted portion is sized to accommodate rotation of said flip cover about said second axis.

43. The support bracket assembly of claim 37, wherein rotation about said second axis cannot occur until said flip cover has been rotated about said first axis a minimum amount.

44. The support bracket assembly of claim 36, wherein said flip cover is rotatable about said first axis in a range of 0°

-180°

.

45. The support bracket assembly of claim 36, further comprising a stop associated with said hinge mechanism to prevent said flip cover from rotating more than a maximum angle about said first axis.

46. The support bracket assembly of claim 36, further comprising at least one guide pin positioned within said support bracket slotted portion and said main housing including a corresponding opening in a top surface thereof for receiving each said guide pin.

47. The support bracket assembly of claim 36, further comprising at least one male member of a dovetail guide positioned within said support bracket slotted portion and said main housing including a corresponding female member of said dovetail guide for receiving said dovetail guide male member substantially parallel to a front portion of said main housing.

48. The support bracket assembly of claim 36, further comprising at least one connector positioned within said support bracket slotted portion and said main housing including a corresponding connector for each said support bracket connector along a top surface thereof, wherein coupling of said support bracket and said main housing connectors provide coupling of an antenna located within said flip cover and circuitry for operating said portable phone located within said main housing.