Radiotelephone

• US 6,847,806 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Andersen, Jesper, Kristensen, Jakob, Nicolaisen, Claus, Primdahl, Anne, Curtis, Alastair, Plenge, Gert, Poulsen, Bent Ole, Kristensen, Allan Moeller, McKay, Michael, Pontoppidan, Morten
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/447,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.1, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/569.1, 379/433.13, 379/433.12, 379/428.01, 379/428.02, 379/432, 379/434, 379/433.01, 379/433.11
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate

Abstract

An electronic radiotelephone comprising a first housing, a second housing, and an inner housing having retaining means for retaining to the inner housing the electronic components of the radiotelephone; and first releasable attaching means for releasable attaching the first housing to the inner housing, wherein the first housing, when attached to the inner housing, is presented towards a user during operation of the radiotelephone; and second releasably attaching means for releasable attaching the second housing to the inner housing, wherein the second housing, when attached to the inner housing, faces away from the user during operation of the radiotelephone.

Claims

1. An electronic radiotelephone comprising:

a first user exchangeable non-planer cover part for changing the appearance of the radiotelephone wherein the cover part having a plurality of contours;

a second user exchangeable non-planer cover part for changing the appearance of the radiotelephone;

an inner housing for retaining and protecting the electronic components of the radio telephone while user is exchanging the user exchangeable non-planer cover parts and the inner housing having contours matching the plurality of contours of the first user exchangeable non-planer cover part so that the first user exchangeable non-planer cover part and the inner housing can fit snugly together;

first user-releasable attaching means for releasable attaching the first cover part to the inner housing, wherein the first cover part, when attached to the inner housing, is presented towards a user during operation of the radiotelephone; and

second user-releasable attaching means for releasably attaching the second user exchangeable non-planer cover part to the inner housing, wherein the second user exchangeable non-planer cover part, when attached to the inner housing, faces away from the user during operation of the radiotelephone.

2. A radiotelephone according to claim 1, wherein the inner housing has an external surface to allow a user to grip the inner housing to aid the user in releasing and/or attaching the first or second user exchangeable cover part from/to the inner housing.

3. A radiotelephone according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first attaching means includes a latching member disposed on the first user exchangeable cover part for engagement with a complementary latching member disposed on the inner housing.

4. A radiotelephone according to claim 3, wherein the latching member disposed on the first user exchangeable cover part is a lug formed on a resilient part of the first user exchangeable cover part and the complementary latching member on the inner housing is a slot to allow the first user exchangeable cover part to be push-fitted onto the first user exchangeable cover part.

5. A radiotelephone according to claim 1, wherein the second attaching means includes a latching member disposed on the second user exchangeable cover part for engagement with a complementary latching member disposed on the inner housing.

6. A radiotelephone according to claim 5, wherein the second attaching means allows the second user exchangeable cover part and inner housing to be slidably coupled.

7. A radiotelephone according to claim 1, wherein the first user exchangeable cover part and second user exchangeable cover part have interlocking means which are arranged to interlock the first user exchangeable cover part and second user exchangeable cover part when the first user exchangeable cover part and second user exchangeable cover part are attached to inner housing.

8. A radiotelephone according to claim 1, wherein the first user exchangeable cover part has a user interface, which in use, co-operates with the inner housing to operate the radiotelephone.

9. A radiotelephone according to claim 1, further comprising a key mat mounted within the first user exchangeable cover part, which in use, co-operates with the inner housing to operate the radiotelephone.

10. A radiotelephone according to claim 1, wherein the second user exchangeable cover part overlays a battery retained by the inner housing.

11. A first user exchangeable non-planer cover part having a plurality of contours and a second user exchangeable cover part for an inner electronic radiotelephone housing having a plurality of contours and retaining means for retaining to the inner housing the electronic components of the radiotelephone, the first user exchangeable cover part and the second user exchangeable cover part having releasable attaching means for releasable attaching to the inner housing so that the first user exchangeable cover part is presented to a user during operation of the radiotelephone when the first user exchangeable cover part is releasable attached to the inner housing and the second user exchangeable cover part faces away from the user during operation of the radiotelephone when the second user exchangeable cover part is releasable attached to the inner housing, and wherein the plurality of contours of the first user exchangeable cover match the plurality of contours of the inner electronic radiotelephone housing so that the first user exchangeable non-planer cover part and the inner electronic radiotelephone housing can fit snugly together.

12. An electronic radiotelephone comprising:

a first user exchangeable cover part having a plurality of contours,

a second user exchangeable cover part, and

an inner housing retaining the electronic components of the radiotelephone while user is exchanging the user exchangeable non-planer cover parts and having contours matching the plurality of contours of the first user exchangeable non-planer cover part so that the first user exchangeable non-planer cover part and the inner housing can fit snugly together; and

first releasable attaching means for releasable attaching the first user exchangeable cover part to the inner housing, wherein the first cover part, when attached to the inner housing, is presented towards a user during operation of the radiotelephone; and

second releasable attaching means for releasable attaching the second cover part to the inner housing, wherein the second user exchangeable cover part, when attached to the inner housing, faces away from the user during operation of the radiotelephone;

wherein the first and second user exchangeable cover parts have interlocking means which are arranged to interlock the first and second user exchangeable cover parts when the first and second user exchangeable cover parts are attached to the inner housing.

13. The electronic radiotelephone of claim 12, wherein the second user exchangeable cover part has locking means for interacting with locking means on the inner housing in order to lock the second cover part relatively to the inner housing and prohibit a release of the first user exchangeable cover part, and said locking means are releasable by means of a user operated release button.

14. A set of exchangeable cover parts for enclosing a radiotelephone body containing the electronic components of the radiotelephone, said set of user exchangeable cover parts includes:

an user exchangeable front cover and

an user exchangeable rear cover,

a first one of said set of user exchangeable cover parts includes;

gripping means for interacting with complementary means provided on the radiophone body, and

resilient locking means for engaging with complementary locking means provided on the radiophone body, whereby said first one of said set of user exchangeable cover parts may be snapped-on to the radiophone body,

said second one of said set of user exchangeable cover parts includes;

gripping means for interacting with complementary means provided on the radiophone body,

locking means for engaging said resilient locking means of said first user exchangeable cover part in order to prohibit a release of said snap-on connection when the set of user exchangeable cover parts are assembled with the radiophone body sandwiched in between, and

locking and release means for interacting with locking means on the radiophone body in order to block the slidability of said second one of said set of user exchangeable cover parts relatively to the radiophone body, and said locking and release means are releasable by means of a user operated release button.