Belt clip device for mobile communication terminal unit

• US 7,110,802 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2000
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Information & Communications Ltd. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Information & Communications Ltd. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Hae Seock, Kim, Hong Joo
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US09/639,120
• Time in Patent Office: 2,225 Days
• Field of Search: 4555681-5687, 455/569, 455/515.1, 455/90.1, 455/95, 455346-348, 455/351, 455/575.1, 455/575, 455/90.3, 455/569.1, 224/269, 224/249, 224665-670, 224/197, 224/930, 224/11, 24/31, 24507-509, 245/00, 24 37- 39, 411/81, 411/191, 411/314, 411/366, 411/369, 248/188.8, 248/188.9, 248/188, 220/630, 220/636, 403/259, 403/324
• US Class Current: 455/575.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3855 carried in a belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/13 Article holder attachable to apparel or body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1388 Open-ended holster type holder

Abstract

A belt clip device is provided for a mobile communication terminal unit. The belt clip device includes a terminal unit holder for receiving and holding the terminal unit, a clamp provided on one side of the terminal unit holder and adapted to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user, thereby allowing the belt clip device to be mounted to the belt, and a connector for rotatably connecting the clamp to the terminal unit holder. The clamp includes a base portion, a panel portion hingably coupled at one end thereof to the base portion and spaced apart from the base portion to define a gap for receiving the belt therebetween, a spring adapted to urge the base portion and the panel portion in such a fashion that the gap is resiliently maintained, and a stopper provided at the other end of the panel portion and adapted to prevent the clamp from being separated from the belt. The connector includes a hinging member hingably coupled to the base portion of the clamp to hinge about a hinge shaft with respect to the clamp, and a rotating shaft for rotatably coupling the terminal unit holder to the hinging member in such a fashion that the terminal unit holder rotates about the rotating shaft with respect to the hinging member. By this configuration, the user can conveniently view a display window of the terminal unit without separating the terminal unit from the terminal unit holder.

Claims

1. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit comprising:

a terminal unit holder for receiving and holding the terminal unit;

a clamp provided on one side of the terminal unit holder and adapted to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user between first and second clamp arms of the clamp, thereby allowing the belt clip device to be mounted to the belt; and

a connector to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder such that the terminal unit holder is rotatable in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the clamp, wherein a first end of the second clamp arm moves in a first direction relative to the first clamp arm when a force is applied in a second opposing direction to a depressing portion located on a second end of the second clamp arm said force increasing a distance between the first and second clamp arms.

2. The belt clip device according to claim 1, wherein the first clamp arm comprises a base portion and the second clamp arm comprises a panel portion hingably coupled at one end thereof to the base portion and spaced apart from the base portion to define a gap for receiving the belt therebetween, and wherein the clamp further comprises a spring adapted to urge the base portion and the panel portion in such a fashion that the gap is resiliently maintained.

3. The belt clip device according to claim 2, wherein the clamp further comprises a stopper provided at the other end of the panel portion and adapted to prevent the clamp from being separated from the belt.

4. The belt clip device according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises:

a hinging member arranged between the terminal unit adapter and the clamp, the hinging member being hingably coupled to the first clamp arm of the clamp in such a fashion that it hinges about a hinge shaft with respect to the clamp while being rotatably coupled to the terminal unit holder; and

a rotating shaft for rotatably coupling the terminal unit holder to the hinging member in such a fashion that the terminal unit holder rotates about the rotating shaft with respect to the hinging member.

5. The belt clip device according to claim 4, further comprising:

angular position holding means for holding an angular position of the terminal unit holder with respect to the hinging member.

6. The belt clip device according to claim 5, wherein the angular position holding means comprises:

a hole formed in a surface of the terminal unit holder facing the clamp;

a spring-loaded ball received in the hole in such a fashion that it is in contact with a surface of the hinging member contacting the surface of the terminal unit holder so as to be urged against the surface of the hinging member; and

a plurality of engagement grooves formed in the surface of the hinging member and adapted to allow the spring-loaded ball to be resiliently held at a desired position along a rotating circumference of the spring-loaded ball, whereby the terminal unit holder is resiliently held at an angular position corresponding to a position of the spring-loaded ball received in a selected one of the engagement grooves.

7. The belt clip of claim 1, wherein the first and second directions are parallel to the plane extending substantially perpendicular to the front surface of the clamp.

8. The belt clip of claim 1, wherein the clamp further comprises:

a spring member adapted to bias the second clamp arm towards the first clamp arm to hold the belt therebetween when said force is released from the depressing portion.

9. The belt clip of claim 1, further comprising:

a stopper located on the first end of the second clamp arm to prevent the clamp from being separated from the belt.

10. The belt clip of claim 9, wherein the stopper includes a hook-shaped portion.

11. The belt clip of claim 10, wherein a terminating end of the hook-shaped portion is substantially even with a surface of the first clamp arm.

30. The belt clip of claim 1, wherein the connector rotates in a plane which is at least substantially perpendicular to the plane extending substantially perpendicular to the front surface of the clamp.

12. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit, comprising:

a terminal unit holder for receiving and holding the terminal unit;

a clamp provided on one side of the terminal unit holder and adapted to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user between first and second clamp arms of the clamp, thereby allowing the belt clip device to be mounted to the belt; and

a connector to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder such that the terminal unit holder is rotatable in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the clamp,

wherein the first clamp arm comprises a base portion and the second clamp arm comprises a tension panel portion connected at one end thereof to the base portion in such a fashion that tension panel portion is resiliently supported by the base portion, the tension panel portion serving to resiliently clip the belt, and wherein the clamp further comprises a stopper provided at another end of the tension panel portion and adapted to prevent the clamp from being separated from the belt.

13. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit, comprising:

a terminal unit holder for receiving and holding the terminal unit;

a clamp provided on one side of the terminal unit holder and adapted to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user between first and second clamp arms of the clamp, thereby allowing the belt clip device to be mounted to the belt; and

a connector to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder such that the terminal unit holder is rotatable in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the clamp, wherein the connector comprises;

a cylindrical rotating shaft holding member provided at one end of the clamp;

a spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member;

a pair of rotating shaft supporting members formed on the terminal unit holder, each of the rotating shaft supporting members being provided with a plurality of radially extending engagement grooves in an inner surface thereof; and

a pair of rotating shafts respectively adapted to rotatably couple the rotating shaft holding member to the rotating shaft supporting members and fitted in the rotating shaft holding member at opposite sides of the spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member in such a fashion that they are axially slidable while being prevented from rotating with respect to the rotating shaft holding member, each of the rotating shafts being engaged with a selected one of the engagement grooves formed in an associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members.

14. The belt clip device according to claim 13, wherein each of the rotating shaft supporting members has a recessed structure for receiving and holding one end of an associated one of the rotating shafts, the rotating shaft end being protruded from the rotating shaft holding member, and each of the rotating shafts is provided with an engagement protrusion at one end thereof adapted to engage with a selected one of the engagement grooves formed in an associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members, thereby causing the terminal unit holder to be held at a position with respect to the clamp by the respective engagement groove engaged with the respective engagement protrusion.

15. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit comprising:

a terminal unit holder configured to hold a terminal unit;

a clamp provided adjacent to the terminal unit holder and configured to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user, between first and second clamp arms of the clamp; and

a connecting device configured to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder such that the terminal unit holder is rotatable in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the clamp, wherein the first clamp arm comprises a base portion and the second clamp arm comprises a panel portion coupled at one end to the base portion, and wherein the clamp further comprises a spring member disposed between the first and second claim arms to urge the base portion and the panel portion towards one another so as to hold a belt therebetween.

16. The belt clip device according to claim 15, wherein the clamp further comprises a stopper provided at the other end of the panel portion and configured to prevent the clamp from being separated from the belt.

17. The belt clip device according to claim 15, wherein the connecting device comprises:

a hinging member arranged between the terminal unit adapter and the clamp, the hinging member being configured to be hingably coupled to the first clamp arm of the clamp such that it is rotatable with respect to the clamp about a hinge shaft while being coupled to the terminal unit holder.

18. The belt clip device according to claim 17, wherein the connecting device further comprises a rotating shaft for rotatably coupling the terminal unit holder to the hinging member such that the terminal unit holder rotates about the rotating shaft with respect to the hinging member.

19. The belt clip device according to claim 18, further comprising:

an angular position holding device configured to hold an angular position of the terminal unit holder with respect to the hinging member.

20. The belt clip device according to claim 19, wherein the angular position holding device comprises:

a hole formed in a surface of the terminal unit holder facing the clamp;

a spring-loaded ball received in the hole such that it contacts with and is urged against a surface of the hinging member; and

a plurality of engagement grooves formed in the surface of the hinging member and configured to receive and hold the spring-loaded ball, whereby the terminal unit holder is resiliently held at an angular position corresponding to a position of the spring-loaded ball received in a selected one of the engagement grooves.

21. The belt clip device according to claim 15, wherein the connecting device comprises:

a cylindrical rotating shaft holding member provided at one end of the clamp;

a spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member;

a pair of rotating shaft supporting members formed on the terminal unit holder, each of the rotating shaft supporting members being provided with a plurality of radially extending engagement grooves in an inner surface thereof; and

a pair of rotating shafts respectively configured to rotatably couple the rotating shaft holding member to the rotating shaft supporting members and fitted in the rotating shaft holding member at opposite sides of the spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member such that they are axially slidable while being prevented from rotating with respect to the rotating shaft holding member, each of the rotating shafts being engaged with a selected one of the engagement grooves formed in an associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members.

22. The belt clip device according to claim 21, wherein each of the rotating shaft supporting members has a recessed structure configured to receive and hold one end of an associated one of the rotating shafts, the rotating shaft end configured to protrude from the rotating shaft holding member, wherein each of the rotating shafts is provided with an engagement protrusion at one end thereof configured to engage with a selected one of the engagement grooves formed in an associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members, thereby causing the terminal unit holder to be held at a position with respect to the clamp.

23. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit, comprising:

a terminal unit holder configured to hold a terminal unit;

a clamp provided adjacent to the terminal unit holder and configured to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user, between first and second clamp arms of the clamp; and

a connecting device configured to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder such that the terminal unit holder is rotatable in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to a front surface of the clamp, wherein;

the first clamp arm comprises a base portion and the second clamp arm comprises a tension panel portion connected at one end thereof to the base portion so as to be resiliently supported thereby, the tension panel portion serving to resiliently clip a belt, and

the clamp further comprises a stopper provided at another end of the tension panel portion and adapted to prevent the clamp from being separated from a belt.

24. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit comprising:

a terminal unit holder for receiving and holding the terminal unit;

a clamp provided on one side of the terminal unit holder and adapted to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user between first and second clamp arms of the clamp, thereby allowing the belt clip device to be mounted to the belt;

connecting means for rotatably connecting the clamp to the terminal unit holder, wherein the connecting means comprises;

a hinging member arranged between the terminal unit adapter, and the clamp, the hinge member being hingeably coupled to the first clamp arm of the clamp in such a fashion that the hinges abut a hinge shaft with respect to the clamp while being rotatably coupled to the terminal unit holder; and

a rotating shaft rotatably coupling the terminal unit holder to the hinging member in such a fashion that the terminal unit further rotates about the rotating shaft with respect to the hinge member; and

angular position holding means for holding an angular position of the terminal holder with respect to the hinge member, wherein the angular position holding means comprises;

a hole formed in a surface of the terminal unit holder facing the clamp;

a spring-loaded ball received in the hole in such a fashion that it is in contact with a surface of the hinging member contacting the surface of the terminal unit holder so as to be urged against the surface of the hinging member; and

a plurality of engagement grooves formed in the surface of the hinging member and adapted to allow the spring-loaded ball to be resiliently held at a desired position along a rotating circumference of the spring-loaded ball, whereby the terminal unit holder is resiliently held at an angular position corresponding to a position of the spring-loaded ball received in a selected one of the engagement grooves.

25. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit comprising:

a terminal unit holder for receiving and holding the terminal unit;

a clamp provided on one side of the terminal unit holder and adapted to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user between first and second clamp arms of the clamp, thereby allowing the belt clip device to be mounted to the belt; and

connecting means for rotatably connecting the clamp to the terminal unit holder, wherein the connecting means comprises;

a cylindrical rotating shaft holding member provided at one end of the clamp;

a spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member;

a pair of rotating shaft supporting members formed on the terminal unit holder, each of the rotating shaft supporting members being provided with a plurality of radially extending engagement grooves in an inner surface thereof; and

a pair of rotating shafts respectively adapted to rotatably couple the rotating shaft holding member to the rotating shaft supporting members and fitted in the rotating shaft holding member at opposite sides of the spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member in such a fashion that they are axially slidable while being prevented from rotating with respect to the rotating shaft holding member, each of the rotating shafts being engaged with a selected one of the engagement grooves formed in an associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members.

26. The belt clip device according to claim 25, wherein each of the rotating shaft supporting members has a recessed structure for receiving and holding one end of an associated one of the rotating shafts, the rotating shaft end being protruded from the rotating shaft holding member, and each of the rotating shafts is provided with an engagement protrusion at one end thereof adapted to engage with a selected one of the engagement grooves formed in an associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members, thereby causing the terminal unit holder to be held at a position with respect to the clamp by the respective engagement groove engaged with the respective engagement protrusion.

27. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit comprising:

a terminal unit holder configured to hold a terminal unit;

a clamp provided adjacent to the terminal unit holder and configured to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user, between first and second clamp arms of the clamp;

a connecting device configured to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder, wherein the connecting device comprises;

a hinging member arranged through the terminal unit adapter and the clamp, the hinging member being configured to be hingeably coupled to the first clamp arm of the clamp such that it is rotatable with respect to the clamp about a hinge shaft while being coupled to the terminal unit holder; and

a rotating shaft for rotatably coupling a terminal unit holder to the hinging member such that the terminal unit holder rotates about the rotating shaft with respect to the hinging member; and

an angular position holding device configured to hold an angular position of the terminal unit holder with respect to the hinging member, wherein the angular position holding device comprises;

a hole formed in a surface of the terminal unit holder facing the clamp;

a spring-loaded ball received in the hole such that it contacts with and is urged against a surface of the hinging member; and

a plurality of engagement grooves formed in the surface of the hinging member and configured to receive and hold the spring-loaded ball, whereby the terminal unit holder is resiliently held at an angular position corresponding to a position of the spring-loaded ball received in a selected one of the engagement grooves.

28. A belt clip device for a mobile communication terminal unit comprising:

a terminal unit holder configured to hold a terminal unit;

a clamp provided adjacent to the terminal unit holder and configured to resiliently clip a belt worn by a user, between first and second clamp arms of the clamp; and

a connecting device configured to rotatably connect the clamp to the terminal unit holder, wherein the connecting device comprises;

a cylindrical rotating shaft holding member provided at one end of the clamp;

a spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member;

a pair or rotating shaft support members formed on the terminal holding unit, each of the rotating shaft supporting members being provided with a plurality of radially extending engagement grooves and an inner surface thereof; and

a pair of rotating shaft respectively configured to rotatably couple the rotating shaft holding member to the rotating shaft supporting members inserted in the rotating shaft holding member at opposite sides of the spring inserted in the rotating shaft holding member such that they are axially slidable while being prevented from rotating respective to the shaft holding member, each of the rotating shafts being engaged to a selective one of the engagement grooves formed in the associated one of the rotating shaft supporting members.

29. The belt clip device according to claim 28, wherein each of the rotating shaft supporting have a recessed structure configured to receive and hold one end of an associated one of the rotating shafts, the rotating shafts being configured to protrude from the rotating shaft holding member, wherein each of the rotating shafts is provided an engagement protrusion at one end thereof configured to engage the selective one of the engagement group formed in an associate one of rotating shaft supporting members, thereby causing the terminal unit holder to be held at a position with respect to the clamp.