Wristwatch type wireless telephone

• US 6,757,390 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Kouichi, Ito, Takashi, Iguchi, Katsunobu, Bito, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ubiles, Marie C.
• Application Number:
  US09/814,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433.1, 379/433.02, 379/433.03, 379/451, 379/355-6-3, 455/344, 455/350, 455/317, 455/456--45, 381/189, 381/391, 381/361-364
• US Class Current: 379/433.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

To provide a wristwatch type wireless telephone improved in terms of handling in that there is no need to change the holding state of the wristwatch type wireless telephone when the wristwatch type wireless telephone is used for telephone conversation by being removed from an arm and held in a hand. In a wristwatch type wireless telephone carried by being worn on an arm by binding with an arm band, a sound radiating hole of a mouthpiece and a sound receiving hole of an ear piece are formed in a surface at a back surface, at the arm side in a state of being worn on an arm.

Claims

1. A wristwatch type wireless telephone comprising:

a housing having an arm band; and

a wireless telephone having a mouthpiece and an earpiece disposed in the housing, the mouthpiece having a sound hole provided in a rear surface of the housing confronting a user'"'"'s wrist when the wristwatch type wireless telephone is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist, and the earpiece having a sound hole provided in the rear surface of the housing;

wherein the housing comprises a holder portion attached to the arm band and having a recess in which a body of the wireless telephone is removably disposed so that the wireless telephone body can be inserted and removed from the recess by a one-hand operation, the sound hole of the mouthpiece and the sound hole of the earpiece are provided in a rear surface of the wireless telephone body facing the user'"'"'s wrist when the wristwatch type wireless telephone is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist, and the body of the wireless telephone has a flexible structure at an intermediate portion thereof to enable the body to be deformed between a curved shape and a flat shape by bending the flexible structure.

2. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 1;

further comprising a display portion provided in a front surface of the body of the wireless telephone opposing the user'"'"'s arm when the wristwatch type wireless telephone is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist; and

operating buttons for controlling the wireless telephone device provided in the front surface of the body of the wireless telephone.

5. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 1;

further comprising a waterproof sheet covering a portion of at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece, and an obstacle body provided between a sound hole and the waterproof sheet.

8. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 5;

further comprising a second sound hole formed in a front surface of the body of the wireless telephone opposite the rear surface; and

a second waterproof sheet provided in the body of the wireless telephone between the second sound hole and at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein the second sound hole and the second waterproof sheet are shifted in position so that an object extended through the second sound hole does not come into contact with the second waterproof sheet.

9. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 1;

wherein the arm band has a pair of substantially C-shaped strap members connected at first ends to opposite sides a body of the wireless telephone.

10. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 2;

wherein the operating buttons are connected to the wireless telephone to control dialing of a telephone number.

11. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 1;

further comprising a waterproof layer disposed between a sound hole and at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein the sound hole extends in a direction perpendicular from a plane of the waterproof layer so that an object passed into the sound hole does not damage the waterproof layer.

19. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 1;

wherein the mouthpiece and the earpiece each comprise a sound converting device provided in the wireless telephone body, a resonance space provided between the sound converting device and the sound hole, and a waterproof sheet mounted between the sound converting device and the resonance space.

20. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 19;

wherein the mouthpiece and the earpiece each further comprises a second sound hole provided at a front surface of the wireless telephone body opposite the rear surface, and a second waterproof sheet provided between the sound converting device and the second sound hole.

21. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 20;

wherein the sound converting device of each of the mouthpiece and the earpiece is mounted to a lip formed in the wireless telephone body, and the second waterproof sheet covers a hole formed in the lip for projecting sound between the second sound hole and the sound converting device.

22. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 21;

wherein a position of the second waterproof sheet is shifted from that of the second sound hole so that an object inserted into the second sound hole does not come into contact with the second waterproof sheet.

3. A wristwatch type wireless telephone comprising:

a housing having an arm band;

a wireless telephone having a mouthpiece and an earpiece disposed in the housing, the mouthpiece having a sound hole provided in a rear surface of the housing confronting a user'"'"'s wrist when the wristwatch type wireless telephone is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist, and the earpiece having a sound hole provided in the rear surface of the housing; and

a waterproof sheet covering a portion of at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein hole boring directions of the sound hole of the mouthpiece and the sound hole of the earpiece, and a vertical direction with respect to a face of the waterproof sheet, are substantially at right angles with each other.

6. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 3;

further comprising a second sound hole formed in a front surface of the body of the wireless telephone opposite the rear surface; and

a second waterproof sheet provided in the body of the wireless telephone between the second sound hole and one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein the second sound hole and the second waterproof sheet are shifted in position so that an object extended through the second sound hole does not come into contact with the second waterproof sheet.

4. A wristwatch type wireless telephone comprising:

a housing having an arm band;

a wireless telephone having a mouthpiece and an earpiece disposed in the housing; and

a waterproof sheet covering a portion of at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein sound holes of the mouthpiece and the earpiece are formed in the housing directly in front of the waterproof sheet and have hole boring directions oriented so that an object extended therethrough does not come in contact with the waterproof sheet.

7. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 4;

further comprising a second sound hole formed in a front surface of the housing opposite the surface confronting the user'"'"'s wrist when the wristwatch type wireless telephone is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist; and

a second waterproof sheet provided in the housing between the second sound hole and at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein the second sound hole and the second waterproof sheet are shifted in position so that an object extended through the second sound hole does not come into contact with the second waterproof sheet.

23. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 4;

wherein the mouthpiece and the earpiece each comprise a sound converting device provided in the housing, a resonance space provided between the sound converting device and the sound hole, and the waterproof sheet, the waterproof sheet being mounted between the sound converting device and the resonance space.

24. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 23;

wherein the mouthpiece and the earpiece each further comprises a second sound hole provided in the housing, and a second waterproof sheet provided between the sound converting device and the second sound hole.

25. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 24;

wherein the sound converting device of each of the mouthpiece and the earpiece is mounted to a lip formed in the housing, and the second waterproof sheet covers a hole formed in the lip for projecting sound between the second sound hole and the sound converting device.

26. A wristwatch type wireless telephone according to claim 25;

wherein a position of the second waterproof sheet is shifted from that of the second sound hole so that an object inserted into the second sound hole does not come into contact with the second waterproof sheet.

12. A wrist-wearable communication device comprising:

a housing having a wrist band;

a communication device disposed in the housing and having a mouthpiece and an earpiece each having sound holes formed in a side surface of the housing that does not confront a user'"'"'s wrist when the communication device is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist; and

a waterproof sheet covering a portion of at least one of the mouthpiece and the earpiece;

wherein the sound holes of the mouthpiece and the earpiece are oriented so that an object extended therethrough does not come in contact with the waterproof sheet.

13. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 12;

wherein the communication device comprises a wireless telephone.

14. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 12;

further comprising a display, and operating buttons for controlling the communication device provided in a front surface of the housing that does not confront a user'"'"'s wrist when the communication device is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist.

15. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 12;

wherein the housing comprises a holder portion for detachably holding a body of the communication device, the arm band is attached to the holder portion, and the sound holes of the mouthpiece and the earpiece are provided in a side surface of the body that does not face the user'"'"'s wrist when the communication device is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist.

16. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 15;

wherein the holder portion and body are configured so that the body can be removed from the holder portion in a one-hand operation.

17. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 15;

wherein the body has a flexible structure at an intermediate portion thereof to enable the body to be deformed between a curved shape and a flat shape.

18. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 12;

further comprising an obstacle member provided between the respective sound holes and the waterproof sheet.

27. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 12;

wherein the mouthpiece and the earpiece each comprise a sound converting device provided in the housing, a resonance space provided between the sound converting device and the sound hole, and the waterproof sheet, the waterproof sheet being mounted between the sound converting device and the resonance space.

28. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 27;

wherein each of the mouthpiece and the earpiece further comprises a second sound hole provided in the housing, and a second waterproof sheet provided between the sound converting device and the second sound hole.

29. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 28;

wherein the sound converting device of each of the mouthpiece and the earpiece is mounted to a lip formed in the housing, and the second waterproof sheet covers a hole formed in the lip for projecting sound between the second sound hole and the sound converting device.

30. A wrist-wearable communication device according to claim 29;

wherein a position of the second waterproof sheet is shifted from that of the second sound hole so that an object inserted into the second sound hole does not come into contact with the second waterproof sheet.