Cradle For Mobile Phones

• US 20090117946A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: 2011 Intellectual Property Asset Trust (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Schvetz, Yossef, Tomasini, Ralf, Kettula, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

The invention relates to a cradle for a mobile phone, comprising a rear bearing surface; left and right side walls; two guide rails being located on the front side of said left and right side walls and protruding laterally from said side walls; a bottom part comprising a connector element for mechanically and electrically engaging a bottom connector of said mobile phone, said rear bearing surface, said side walls and said guide rails define left and right slots extending parallel to said side walls for receiving left and right side sections of a mobile phone; guiding a phone being inserted into said cradle to said bottom part; and retaining a mobile phone received in said cradle against forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to said slots; and said connector element comprises means for locking onto a bottom connector of a mobile phone received in said cradle for retaining said mobile phone inside said cradle.

Claims

1. Cradle for a mobile phone, comprising:

a rear bearing surface;

left and right side walls;

two guide rails being located on the front side of said left and right side walls and protruding laterally from said side walls;

a bottom part comprising a connector element for mechanically and electrically engaging a bottom connector of said mobile phone;

wherein

said rear bearing surface, said side walls and said guide rails define left and right slots extending parallel to said side walls for

receiving left and right side sections of a mobile phone;

guiding a phone being inserted into said cradle to said bottom part; and

retaining a mobile phone received in said cradle against forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to said slots;

and

said connector element configured to lock onto a bottom connector of a mobile phone received in said cradle for retaining said mobile phone inside said cradle.

2. Cradle according to claim 1, wherein said rail guide rails are tapering from said bottom part towards their upper ends.

3. Cradle according to claim 1, wherein said guide rails comprise a step defining upper and lower sections in said slots for receiving corresponding upper and lower sections of a mobile phone of the slide type in its open configuration.

4. Cradle according to claim 1, wherein said connector element is fitted in said bottom part in an exchangeable manner.

5. Cradle according to claim 1, further comprising at least one release element, said release element, upon being actuated, disengaging the locking between said connector element and said bottom connector of said mobile phone.

6. Cradle according to claim 5, wherein said release element, upon being actuated, further pushes a mobile phone received in said cradle upwards to assist in removing said phone from sad cradle.

7. Cradle according to claim 5, wherein said at least one release element is spring-loaded for assisting in disengaging said mobile phone from said connector element and pushing said mobile phone upwards.

8. Cradle according to claim 5, wherein said release element is formed integrally with said connector element.

9. Cradle according to claim 1, further comprising an interface for electrically connecting said connector element with accessory devices.

10. Cradle according to claim 1, wherein said rear bearing surface, said side walls and said guide rails are formed integrally.

11. Cradle according to claim 1, wherein said connector element comprises a USB connector.

12. Cradle according to claim 1, wherein said guide rails are spring-biased for applying a force to a mobile phone received in said cradle in a direction perpendicular to said slots.

13. Cradle according to claim 1, further comprising mounting means for installing said cradle in a vehicle.