Telecommunication device holster having a retractable earpiece assembly integrated with the holster

• US 6,633,770 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Charlier, Michael L., Gitzinger, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Danh C
• Application Number:
  US09/502,583
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/575, 455/568, 455/550, 379/430, 379/431, 379/433.03, 379/440, 379/446, 379/438, 379/455, 224/196, 224/667, 224/191, 224/929, 224/930, 248/316.1, 248/316.7
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/004 with an automatic spring reel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/929 Article carrier for electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/93 Attached to animate bearer

Abstract

A holster (10) for a telecommunication device (12), such as a cellular telephone or wireless telephone, includes a housing (14) adapted to removably support the telecommunication device (12). The holster (10) also includes an earpiece assembly (52) including at least one transducer, such as an earbud (53) or a microphone (54), and a cord (56) depending from the at least one transducer (53, 54). The earpiece assembly (52) is extendable and retractable relative to the housing (14). The holster (10) further includes an extension/retraction assembly (32) having a spool (34) for taking up at least a portion of the cord (56) when the earpiece assembly (52) is retracted relative to the housing (14), and at least one coil spring (35) adapted to rotate the spool (34). The at least one coil spring (35) can electrically couple the at least one transducer (53, 54) to the telecommunication device (12).

Claims

1. A holster for a telecommunication device, the holster comprising:

a housing adapted to receive the telecommunication device;

an earpiece assembly including at least one transducer and a cord depending from the at least one transducer, the earpiece assembly being extendable and retractable relative to the housing; and

an extension/retraction assembly including a spool for taking up at least a portion of the cord when the earpiece assembly is retracted relative to the housing, and at least one coil spring adapted to rotate the spool, the at least one coil spring electrically coupling the at least one transducer of the earpiece assembly to the telecommunication device, when the telecommunication device is received by said housing.

2. The holster of claim 1, wherein the earpiece assembly includes at least one transducer from the group consisting of an earbud and a microphone.

3. The holster of claim 1, wherein

the extension/retraction assembly includes a first coil spring, a second coil spring, and a third coil spring; and

the cord includes a ground wire electrically coupled to the first coil spring, an earbud wire electrically coupled to the second coil spring, and a microphone wire electrically coupled to the third coil spring.

4. The holster of claim 3, wherein the housing includes a first contact electrically coupled to the first coil spring, a second contact electrically coupled to the second coil spring, and a third contact electrically coupled to the third coil spring, the first, second, and third electrical contacts electrically mating with corresponding electrical contacts associated with the telecommunication device when mounted to the housing.

5. The holster of claim 1, wherein

the spool includes a plurality of ratchet teeth positioned around a periphery thereof;

and

the extension/retraction assembly further includes a pivotal control arm having at least one finger adapted to engage one of the plurality of ratchet teeth in an extended position of the earpiece assembly.

6. The holster of claim 1, wherein

the spool includes a spring contact electrically coupled to the cord;

and

the extension/retraction assembly further includes a pivotal control arm having at least one contact electrically coupled to the telecommunication device, the spring contact engaging the at least one control arm contact in an extended position of the earpiece assembly to further electrically couple the at least one transducer to the telecommunication device.

7. The holster of claim 6, wherein the spring contact is associated with one of a plurality of ratchet teeth positioned around a periphery of the spool, and the at least one control arm contact is associated with a control arm finger adapted to engage the one of the plurality of ratchet teeth in the extended position of the earpiece assembly.

8. The holster of claim 1, wherein the extension/retraction assembly further includes a control arm that prevents rotation of the spool in an extended position of the earpiece assembly, the control arm adapted to selectively pivot out of engagement with the spool to facilitate retraction of the earpiece assembly relative to the housing.

9. The holster of claim 8, where the control arm is spring-biased into engagement with the spool.

10. The holster of claim 1, wherein

the earpiece assembly includes an earbud and a microphone;

the cord includes an earbud wire depending from the earbud, and a microphone wire depending from the microphone;

the spool includes a first spring contact electrically coupled to the earbud wire, and a second spring contact electrically coupled to the microphone wire; and

the extension/retraction assembly further includes a control arm having first and second contacts electrically coupled to the telecommunication device wherein the first spring contact engages the first control arm contact, and the second spring contact engages the second control arm contact in an extended position of the earpiece assembly.

11. A holster for a telecommunication device, the holster comprising:

a housing having an internal cavity and means adapted to receive the telecommunication device;

an earpiece assembly including at least one transducer and a cord depending from the at least one transducer, the earpiece assembly being extendable and retractable relative to the housing; and

an extension/retraction assembly including a spool positioned within the internal cavity for taking up at least a portion of the cord when the earpiece assembly is retracted relative to the housing, and means for rotating the spool to retract the earpiece assembly relative to the housing, including at least one coil spring, the at least one coil spring electrically coupling the at least one transducer of the earpiece assembly to the telecommunication device, when the telecommunication device is received by said housing.

12. The holster of claim 11, wherein

the spool rotating means includes a first coil spring, a second coil spring, and a third coil spring; and

the cord includes a ground wire electrically coupled to the first coil spring, an earbud wire electrically coupled to the second coil spring, and a microphone wire electrically coupled to the third coil spring.

13. The holster of claim 12, wherein the housing includes a first contact electrically coupled to the first coil spring, a second contact electrically coupled to the second coil spring, and a third contact electrically coupled to the third coil spring, the first, second, and third electrical contacts electrically mating with corresponding electrical contacts associated with the telecommunication device when mounted to the housing.

14. The holster of claim 11, wherein

the earpiece assembly includes an earbud and a microphone;

the cord includes an earbud wire depending from the earbud, and a microphone wire depending from the microphone;

the spool includes a first spring contact electrically coupled to the earbud wire, and a second spring contact electrically coupled to the microphone wire; and

the extension/retraction assembly further includes a control arm having first and second contacts electrically coupled to the telecommunication device wherein the first spring contact engages the first control arm contact, and the second spring contact engages the second control arm contact in an extended position of the earpiece assembly.

15. The holster of claim 11, wherein

the spool includes a spring contact electrically coupled to the cord;

and

the extension/retraction assembly further includes a pivotal control arm having at least one contact electrically coupled to the telecommunication device, the spring contact engaging the at least one control arm contact in an extended position of the earpiece assembly to further electrically couple the at least one transducer to the telecommunication device.

16. The holster of claim 15, wherein the spring contact is associated with one of a plurality of ratchet teeth positioned around a periphery of the spool, and the at least one control arm contact is associated with a control arm finger adapted to engage the one of the plurality of ratchet teeth in the extended position of the earpiece assembly.

17. The holster of claim 11, wherein the earpiece assembly includes at least one transducer from the group consisting of an earbud and a microphone.

18. The holster of claim 11, wherein

the spool includes a plurality of ratchet teeth positioned around a periphery thereof;

and

the extension/retraction assembly further includes a pivotal control arm having at least one finger adapted to engage one of the plurality of ratchet teeth in an extended position of the earpiece assembly.

19. The holster of claim 11, wherein the extension/retraction assembly further includes a spring-biased control arm that prevents rotation of the spool in an extended position of the earpiece assembly, the control arm adapted to selectively pivot out of engagement with the spool to facilitate retraction of the earpiece assembly relative to the housing.