User changeable mobile phone cover

• US 7,069,063 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Halkosaari, Heikke, Pirila, Juoko, Laaksonen, Mikko, Lehtonen, Jarmo, Laitinen, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks-Harold, Marsha D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniel, Jr., Willie J.
• Application Number:
  US09/884,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20020193136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.4, 455/575.8, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/128, 455/575.6, 455/100, 455/347, 455/348, 455/349, 379/433.01, 379/433.11, 379/433.12, 379/433.13, 379/437, 379/440, 379/445, 379/447, 379/428.01, D14/137, D14/138, 361/814
• US Class Current: 455/575.8
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A cordless telephone handset. The cordless telephone handset has telephone circuitry with a front side. The front side of the telephone circuitry has a top end and a bottom end. A housing is provided having a top shell and a bottom shell where the top shell and the bottom shell are disconnectable. The housing is adapted to substantially enclose the telephone circuitry when the top shell and the bottom shell are mated in a direction from the top end to the bottom end of the telephone circuitry.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

telephone circuitry having a front side, the front side of the telephone circuitry having a top end including a speaker and a bottom end including a microphone; and

a housing having a top shell including a speaker interface and a bottom shell including a microphone interface, the top shell and the bottom shell being disconnectable;

each interface including a gasket that allows sound penetration while preventing the entry of water and contaminants;

the bottom shell having a unitary keypad interface sealed to the bottom shell with conductive areas that interface with contacts on the telephone circuitry;

wherein the housing is adapted to substantially enclose the telephone circuitry when the top shell and the bottom shell are mated in a direction along a length of the telephone circuitry from the top end with the speaker to the bottom end with the microphone, at a parting line perpendicular to the mating direction and arranged such that a circumference and surface area to be sealed between the top and bottom shell is minimized.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 further comprising a user interface, the user interface usable by a mobile communication device user on the front side of the telephone circuitry.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 2 wherein the user interface comprises a display, the display viewable by the mobile communication device user through the housing.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 2 wherein the user interface comprises a touch pad, the touch pad interfaced to by the mobile communication device user through the housing.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1 further comprising a seal between the top shell and the bottom shell, the seal being adapted to isolate the telephone circuitry within the housing from water outside the housing.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the housing is adapted to be interchangeable with a second changeable housing that is changeable by a mobile communication device user.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6 wherein the second changeable housing has a different predetermined characteristic than the housing.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the housing is adapted to be interchangeable with a second changeable housing that is changeable by a mobile communication device user without the use of a tool.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1 further comprising at least one fastener, wherein the fastener is adapted to couple the top shell to the bottom shell.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9 wherein the fastener comprises a latch.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 9 wherein the fastener comprises a rotatable key.

12. A mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the device is a cordless telephone handset.

13. A waterproof mobile communication device comprising:

a housing having a first shell with a speaker interface and a second shell with a microphone interface, the first shell and the second shell being disconnectable by a mobile communication device user toward a top end of telephone circuitry within the housing having a speaker and a bottom end of the telephone circuitry having a microphone, respectively, at a parting line perpendicular to a disconnecting direction and arranged such that a circumference and surface area to be sealed between the first and second shell is minimized,

the second shell having a unitary keypad interface sealed to the second shell with conductive areas that interface with contacts on the telephone circuitry; and

a seal between the first shell and the second shell, the seal being adapted to isolate the telephone circuitry within the housing from water outside the housing;

wherein the housing is adapted to be interchangeable with a second changeable housing that is changeable by the mobile communication device user,

wherein each interface includes a gasket that allows sound penetration while preventing the entry of water and contaminants.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13 further comprising a user interface having a display, the display viewable by the mobile communication device user through the housing.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13 wherein the second changeable housing has a different predetermined characteristic than the housing.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13 wherein the housing and the second changeable housing can be changeable by the mobile communication device user without the use of a tool.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 13 further comprising at least one fastener, wherein the fastener is adapted to couple the first shell to the second shell.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17 wherein the fastener comprises a latch.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 17 wherein the fastener comprises a rotatable key.

20. A method of assembling a mobile communication device comprising the steps of:

providing telephone circuitry having a front side, the front side having a top end including a speaker and a bottom end including a microphone;

providing a housing having a top shell including a speaker interface and a bottom shell including a microphone interface, the top shell and the bottom shell being disconnectable, each interface including a gasket that allows sound penetration while preventing the entry of water and contaminants;

providing the bottom shell with a unitary keypad interface sealed to the bottom shell with conductive areas that interface with contacts on the telephone circuitry; and

mating the top shell and the bottom shell around the telephone circuitry in a direction along a length from the top end with the speaker to the bottom end of the telephone circuitry with the microphone, at a parting line perpendicular to the mating direction and arranged such that a circumference and surface area to be sealed between the top and bottom shell is minimized.

21. The method of assembling a mobile communication device according to claim 20 further comprising the step of connecting the top shell to the bottom shell with a fastener.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cordless telephone handset.