Flexible cover for a mobile telephone

• US 7,558,594 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. (Vivo Communication Technology Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Pérez-Gutiérrez; Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez; Amancio
• Application Number:
  US10/521,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20060128417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,268 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/90.1
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate

Abstract

A mobile telephone comprising: an engine assembly comprising a display and a plurality of switches; and a flexible cover overlying, without an intermediate rigid cover, and snugly fitting the engine assembly and comprising an aperture aligned with the display and an integrated keypad, for user input, aligned with the plurality of switches.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone comprising:

an engine assembly comprising a display and a plurality of switches; and

a substantially fabric, leather or elastically deformable material flexible cover overlying, without an intermediate rigid cover, and snugly fitting the engine assembly and comprising an integrated keypad, for user input, aligned with the plurality of switches, and

wherein the flexible cover defines a cavity for receiving the engine assembly and has an insertion aperture through the material of the flexible cover to the cavity through which the engine assembly can fit.

2. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for closing or restricting the insertion aperture after the engine assembly has been inserted.

3. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible cover comprises an aperture aligned with the display.

4. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of fabric or leather portions attached to the substantially elastically deformable material flexible cover and/or each other.

5. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 4, wherein portions of the plurality of leather or fabric portions overlap.

6. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 5, wherein portions of the substantially elastically deformable material flexible cover are exposed.

7. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flexible cover has sides and wherein the at least one leather or fabric portion of the flexible cover comprises a rear portion with limbs that extend around the sides of the flexible cover and side portions attached to the sides of the flexible cover.

8. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integrated keypad has a plurality of key portions on an exterior surface of the flexible cover and a plurality of corresponding projections on the interior surface of the flexible cover, each of said projections being arranged to actuate one of the plurality of switches of the engine assembly.

9. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible cover and the engine assembly have corresponding projections and receptacles for aligning the flexible cover correctly with the engine assembly.

10. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible cover is substantially formed from one-piece of material.

11. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible cover has an elastic and waterproof substrate adjacent the engine assembly.

12. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible cover has a molded elastomer substrate adjacent the engine assembly.

13. A mobile telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible cover is user replaceable.

14. The mobile telephone of claim 1, without a non-rigid intermediate cover.

15. A user replaceable flexible cover for a mobile phone having an engine assembly comprising a display and a plurality of switches, wherein the user replaceable flexible cover comprises:

a substantially fabric, leather or elastically deformable material flexible cover overlying, without an intermediate rigid cover, and snugly fitting the engine assembly;

an integrated keypad, for user input, aligned with the plurality of switches and wherein the flexible cover defines a cavity for receiving the engine assembly and has an insertion aperture through the material of the flexible cover to the cavity through which the engine assembly can fit.

16. A mobile telephone comprising:

an engine assembly comprising a display and a plurality of switches and a leather/fabric cover overlying, without an intermediate rigid cover, and snugly fitting the engine assembly and comprising an integrated keypad, for user input, aligned with the plurality of switches, wherein the flexible cover comprises a flexible substrate and at least one leather fabric portion attached to the substrate and wherein the flexible cover defines a cavity for receiving the engine assembly and has an insertion aperture through the material of the flexible cover to the cavity through which the engine assembly can fit.