Cradle for mobile telephone or other electrical device

Details Cradle for mobile telephone or other electrical device Cradle for mobile telephone or other electrical device

1997-09-08

1999-09-21

Chiang, Jack

Telephonic communications

Terminal accessory or auxiliary equipment

Telephone receiver support

379455, H04M 100

Patent

active

059563990

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates primarily to so called "hands free units", which are cradles or receptacles for receiving mobile telephones in order that the driver of a vehicle is free to drive without having to hold the mobile telephone whilst it is in use. In particular the invention relates to a carriage mechanism to facilitate alignment of the electrical pins, sockets or other contacts or terminals of the telephone with the corresponding electrical pins, sockets, contacts or other terminals of the hands free unit to avoid damage thereto. The invention also relates to means for restraining the telephone from being dislodged from the unit whilst in use.
Although the invention is especially applicable for use in mobile telephone/hands free vehicle unit combinations, it is equally applicable for use in any receptacle, cradle, cup, adaptor, base or the like designed to receive any electrical or electronic component which requires insertion therein and removal therefrom from time to time particularly where alignment is paramount. For example, the invention finds equal applicability in desk top units designed to emulate the functions of a hands free vehicle unit or equally a desk top unit designed simply for receiving the telephone and/or its batteries for the purpose of recharging. Similarly any receiving device into which an electrical or electronic component is inserted to provide either a hands free operation and/or the ability to recharge the device or its battery (for example portable vacuum cleaners, portable power tools, rechargeable torches and the like including batteries for any of the foregoing), would benefit from the inclusion of slideable carriage according to the current invention as described herein.
Thus, whilst the invention is equally applicable to many combinations where components may be inserted into a receptacle or cradle for hands free or other use and/or recharging, etc., for convenience, the following description refers to its inclusion in a hands free cradle designed to accommodate a mobile telephone in a vehicle, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Any reference to a mobile telephone or its corresponding hands free cradle is meant to encompass any receptacle and its corresponding tool or device (whether rechargeable or not) or its associated battery, where by suitable modifications to the receptacle receiving the relevant device or battery the invention may also be applied.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the advantages of modern telecommunications involving mobile telephones is of course their portability and convenience. However, the use of mobile telephones in certain conditions, such as driving a vehicle, renders their use unsafe and accordingly hands free units or cradles have been developed for fitment to the fascia or dash of a vehicle or some other convenient position about the driver in order to minimise the need for the driver to hold and therefore physically interact with the mobile telephone whilst engaged in communication on the telephone. This is generally accomplished by providing a receptacle in the form of a cup or cradle into which a mobile telephone is inserted so that the driver of the vehicle may use the telephone essentially "hands free".
As a result of providing appropriate electrical contacts between the telephone and the cradle, several functions normally handled within the mobile telephone itself are able to be transferred to external components in order to facilitate the hands free operation of the telephone by the driver. For example, a microphone is conveniently mounted in a position adjacent to the driver's head in order that he can speak into the microphone without having to have the mouthpiece of the telephone near his mouth while he speaks. Similarly, a connection is provided to an external speaker conveniently mounted for example under the dashboard which provides amplification of the other party's voice so that once again the earpiece of the mobile telephone is not required to be adjacent to the driver's ear. These

REFERENCES:
patent: 4406928 (1983-09-01), MacKenzie
patent: 4957264 (1990-09-01), Hakanen
patent: 5016851 (1991-05-01), Koskinen et al.
patent: 5040712 (1991-08-01), Pesonen et al.
patent: 5121863 (1992-06-01), Kotitalo et al.
patent: 5189698 (1993-02-01), Hakanen
patent: 5597102 (1997-01-01), Saarikko et al.

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