Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-20
2004-08-31
Vo, Nguyen T. (Department: 2685)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C379S433120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785565
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communications device and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for operating the keypad cover of the communications device.
BACKGROUND
Communication devices having sliding keypad covers may use spring loaded mechanisms to force open the keypad cover. A popular spring mechanism for sliding open a keypad cover is the cantilever design, for example the cantilever design for the communications device taught in European Patent Application EP 0 939 533. The cantilever design of EP 0 939 533 comprises a spring having one end fixedly secured to the back side mechanics of the communications device and another end attached to a sliding mechanism, which is attached to the back side mechanics of the keypad cover. The spring is in an extended state when the keypad cover is closed creating a pulling force in the direction of the fixedly secured end of the spring.
FIG. 2
illustrates a prior art spring mechanism utilizing a cantilever design for a communications device and is denoted generally as
10
. The illustration of
FIG. 1
comes from the referenced patent application and will be briefly discussed herein; any further detail required may be obtained from the referenced patent application.
Spring mechanism
10
comprises a guide rail
12
, a traveler
14
, a release mechanism
16
, and a spring
18
. Spring
18
has a looped end
20
secured to the backside mechanics of the mobile communications device and an opposite looped end attached to a lip of traveler
14
. Traveler
14
may be secured to guide rail
12
through a slot
22
, allowing traveler
14
to slide up and down slot
22
. Traveler
14
may be secured to a clamp
24
fixed to backside mechanics of the keypad cover of the mobile communications device. Release mechanism
16
may comprise a push button
26
and a lever
28
for holding the position of the traveler when the keypad cover is in a closed position and releasing the traveler when the push button is activated. Lever
28
may be positioned over a beam of traveler
14
to secure the position of the traveler when the keypad cover is in a closed position. Push button
26
may force a rounded pin through an opening of a base, situated between the push button and lever, to lift lever
28
over the beam of traveler
14
when activated.
In the cantilever design of
FIG. 2
, spring
18
remains extended while the keypad cover is in a closed position. Therefore, while the spring is in an extended state, spring
16
produces a constant pulling force against traveler
14
in the direction of looped end
20
. Upon activation of pushbutton
26
, latch
28
is lifted up over the lip and traveler
14
is forced in the direction of the retracting spring. The spring mechanism applies a tension force against the spring creating a pulling force against the keypad cover when the keypad cover is closed. In the cantilever design, the spring mechanism contains many mechanical parts, such as the guide rail and the traveler, that may bind or become corroded over time and with use. For example, mechanical parts may bind from, for example, extensive use, or condensation may cause corrosion and, therefore, increase frictional forces thereby reducing force used to open the keypad cover. In addition, applying a tension force to the spring when the keypad cover is closed may eventually reduce the resiliency of the spring. The mechanical parts and the application of the spring in the cantilever design may reduce the force necessary to open the keypad cover and, therefore, affect the reliability of the device.
As may be seen, a more reliable spring mechanism for a communications device utilizing a sliding keypad cover could prove a useful article of manufacture.
SUMMARY
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for opening a sliding keypad cover of a communications device.
The invention provides a communications device having an improved spring mechanism for opening a sliding keypad cover. The communications device utilizes a spring mechanism constructed and utilized in such a way that the mechanics act to compress a spring when the keypad cover is closed. Therefore, a pushing force is applied against the keypad cover so that when a release mechanism is activated the keypad cover is forced open. The spring mechanism uses the force of a compressed spring to open the keypad cover with minimal mechanical parts; therefore providing a communications device having more reliable operation of the sliding keypad cover.
In an embodiment, the improved spring mechanism comprises at least one guide rod, an end of each guide rod attached to the backside mechanics of the sliding keypad cover, each guide rod having a travel limit. The improved spring mechanism further comprising a guide frame having at least one guide hole, the at least one guide hole for receiving the at least one guide rod. The improved spring mechanism further comprises a spring positioned around the guide rod and between the at least one guide hole and the travel limit. The spring having a compressed state when the sliding keypad cover is closed. The spring mechanism further comprising a release mechanism coupled with the at least one guide rod when the sliding keypad cover is in the closed position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6370362 (2002-04-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 6463262 (2002-10-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 6647249 (2003-11-01), Crisp
patent: 6647274 (2003-11-01), Alanen et al.
Hayes Thomas B.
Le Nhan T.
Vo Nguyen T.
Weber Thomas R.
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