Retractable cord for a mobile phone or other wireless device

• US 6,731,956 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher T. Long, Tania W. Hanna
• Original Assignee: Christopher T. Long, Tania W. Hanna
• Inventors: Long, Christopher T., Hanna, Tania W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M.
• Application Number:
  US09/816,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20020137554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/575, 455/569, 455/346, 455/347, 455/348, 455/350, 379/420.02, 379/420.03, 379/420.04, 379/433.02, 379/433.03, 379/433.05, 379/388.02, 381/370, 381/384
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords

Abstract

A retractable cord for mobile phones or other wireless devices. The cord includes an ear piece having a speaker for delivering sound to a user and possibly having a microphone. The retractable cord can be contained within a separate unit with a connector for attachment to a connector on the mobile phone or other wireless device, such as a jack or other receptacle, or it can be contained internally within those devices. The cord can retract onto a spring-loaded spool, or via other retractable mechanisms, and be held at various extended positions with a stop mechanism that prevents retraction of the cord.

Claims

1. A mobile phone having a retractable cord, comprising:

a mobile phone contained within a housing, the mobile phone having an internal microphone contained within the housing and an internal speaker contained within the housing;

a retractable mechanism in the mobile phone and containing a cord capable of transmitting an electrical signal, the retractable mechanism operating to permit extension of the cord from the mobile phone through an aperture and retract at least a portion of the cord into the mobile phone through the aperture, wherein the cord is operable independent from an antenna in the mobile phone, and wherein the retractable mechanism is contained within the housing and not within a separate housing detachable from the housing; and

an ear piece attached to the cord extending from the aperture, wherein the ear piece is electrically connected with the mobile phone via the cord, the ear piece including a speaker and having an associated external microphone,

wherein a user can selectively receive an output of the mobile phone from the internal speaker and from the ear piece, and wherein the user can selectively provide an input to the mobile phone via the internal microphone and via the microphone associated with the ear piece.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the retractable mechanism includes a spring-loaded spool.

3. The mobile phone of claim 1, further including a stop mechanism in the mobile phone and operatively connected to the retractable mechanism for holding the cord when extracted from the housing at selected positions.

4. The mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the ear piece includes at least one of the following:

an ear plug to be inserted into a user'"'"'s ear or a headset to placed against or proximate the users ear.

5. The mobile phone of claim 1, further including a stopper on the cord to prevent retraction of a portion of the cord through the aperture.

6. The mobile phone of claim 1 wherein the cord is retractable through the aperture in a top of the mobile phone.

7. The mobile phone of claim 1 wherein the cord is retractable through the aperture in a side of the mobile phone.

8. A wireless device having a retractable cord, comprising:

a wireless device contained within a housing and capable of receiving and processing wireless signals to provide an output, the wireless device having an internal speaker contained within the housing;

a retractable mechanism in the wireless device and containing a cord capable of transmitting an electrical signal, to retractable mechanism operating to permit extension of the cord from the wireless device through an aperture and retract at least a portion of the cord into the wireless device through the aperture, wherein the cord is operable independent from an antenna in the wireless device, and wherein the retractable mechanism is contained within the housing and not within a separate housing detachable from the housing; and

an ear piece attached to the cord extending from the aperture, wherein the ear piece includes a speaker capable of providing the output and is electrically connected with the wireless device via the cord,

wherein a user can selectively receive the output of the wireless device from the internal speaker and from the ear piece.

9. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the retractable mechanism includes a spring-loaded spool.

10. The wireless device of claim 8, further including a stop mechanism in the wireless device and operatively connected to the retractable mechanism for holding the cord when extracted from the housing at selected positions.

11. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the ear piece includes at least one of the following:

an ear plug to be inserted into a user'"'"'s ear;

or a headset to placed against or proximate the user'"'"'s car.

12. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the ear piece includes a speaker and a microphone.

13. The wireless device of claim 8, further including a stopper on the cord to prevent retraction of a portion of the cord through the aperture.

14. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the wireless device comprises one of the following:

a personal digital assistant;

an Internet appliance;

an MP3 player;

or a personal stereo.