Phone retractor carrying case

• US 9,179,762 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Coast Chain Mfg. Co.
• Original Assignee: West Coast Chain Mfg. Co.
• Inventors: Paugh, Boake, Buesseler, Joshua R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pickett, J. Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNURLEN, SCOTT THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US13/725,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20140175135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 224/162, 224929-930, 24 311- 313, 24/39, 24615-616, 24619-620, 24624-625, 245/941, 245/941.1, 455/575.6, 235/462.44, D32/18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/004 with an automatic spring reel
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• 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: Y10S 224/93 Attached to animate bearer

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for detachably tethering a phone to a user'"'"'s person, such as a belt or strap worn by the user. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a case configured to receive the phone, a holster configured to detachably receive the case, a retractable tether having a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, the proximal end connected to the holster, and the distal end detachably connected to the case, wherein a portion of the tether is housed in the holster, the tether configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position, and a spring coupled to the tether, the spring configured to bias the tether into the retracted position.

Claims

1. An apparatus for securing a phone to an article on a person, comprising:

a case configured to receive the phone;

a holster configured to detachably receive the case;

a retractable tether having a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, the proximal end connected to the holster, and the distal end configured to be detachably coupled to the case, wherein a portion of the tether is housed in the holster, the tether configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position;

a spring coupled to the tether, the spring configured to bias the tether into the retracted position;

a quick-release connector attached to the distal end of the tether, the quick-release connector comprising two opposing compressible legs diverging from a common tapered head and a flange extending peripherally along at least a portion of each of the two opposing compressible legs and the common tapered head, wherein the common tapered head tapers from a narrower first end to a wider second end, and wherein the two opposing compressible legs extend from the wider second end of the common tapered head, wherein the distal end of the tether is connected to the quick-release connector by engaging a hole formed in the common tapered head;

an open U-shaped channel defined between the two opposing compressible legs, wherein no material is present between the opposing compressible legs, the open U-shaped channel being concave at a junction between the two opposing compressible legs; and

at least one receptacle on the case, the at least one receptacle defining a tapered channel for receiving at least a portion of the two opposing compressible legs and the common tapered head of the quick-release connector, and a groove to receive the flange of the quick-release connector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case comprises a first housing and a second housing slidably engageable with the first housing, the first and second housings cooperating to receive the phone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of the first and second housings includes a catch configured to engage a latch on the other housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of the first and second housings includes a tongue configured to slidably engage a groove on the other housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a clip connected to the holster, the clip configured to attach the apparatus to the article.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the clip further comprises a reversed keyway configured to be received in a recess in the holster.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case further comprises first and second opposing receptacles for receiving the quick-release connector.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quick-release connector further comprises teeth configured to detachably engage notches in the receptacle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stop connected to the tether at a first length from the distal end of the tether such that the first length of the tether is slack when the case is attached to the holster.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spool rotatably housed within the holster, and wherein a portion of the tether is wound around the spool.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holster further comprises opposing first and second arms extending in a first direction, the arms configured to engage a portion of the case.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the holster further comprises opposing first and second fingers extending in a second direction, the fingers configured to laterally support the case.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first direction is generally orthogonal to the second direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the case further comprises first and second depressions configured to receive the first and second arms, the depressions configured to provide auditory and tactile indication to the user that the case is properly aligned and secured to the holster.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holster is configured to receive the case in a horizontal orientation when the holster is attached to the article.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holster further comprises a circular flange, wherein the tether is rotatably disposed within the circular flange.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a shell configured to connect to the circular flange, the shell and circular flange cooperating to define an interior cavity configured to house at least a portion of the tether and an aperture through which a portion of the tether extends.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the tether is connected to the quick-release connector by a knot formed in the distal end of the tether engaging the hole formed in the common tapered head of the quick-release connector.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a rear surface of the case further comprises a plurality of feet configured to support the case on a level surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first compressible leg and a second compressible leg of the two opposing compressible legs each include a free distal end and a proximal end at the common tapered head, and wherein the open U-shaped channel extends continuously from the proximal end of the first compressible leg to the proximal end of the second compressible leg.

21. An apparatus for securing a phone to a user'"'"'s wrist, comprising:

a case configured to receive the phone;

a quick-release connector configured to be detachably connected to the case, the quick-release connector comprising two opposing compressible legs diverging from a common tapered head and a flange extending peripherally along at least a portion of each of the two opposing compressible legs and the common tapered head, wherein the common tapered head tapers from a narrower first end to a wider second end, and wherein the two opposing compressible legs extend from the wider second end of the common tapered head;

an open U-shaped channel defined between the two opposing compressible legs, wherein no material is present between the opposing compressible legs, the open U-shaped channel being concave at a junction between the two opposing compressible legs;

at least one receptacle on the case, the at least one receptacle defining a tapered channel for receiving at least a portion of the two opposing compressible legs and the common tapered head of the quick-release connector, and a groove to receive the flange of the quick-release connector; and

a wrist strap connected to the quick-release connector, the wrist strap extending through an opening in the common tapered head.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the case comprises a first housing and a second housing slidably engageable with the first housing, the first and second housings cooperating to receive the phone.