Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Including movement of coupling part about axis
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-16
2001-01-09
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Including movement of coupling part about axis
C439S929000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171127
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
In a general sense, the present invention relates to a holder for a portable electronic device. More specifically, the invention has been devised in the context of a so-called deskstand for a radio telephone handset and a battery pack therefor.
A common accessory for a radio telephone handset is a deskstand. A deskstand is designed to serve any one or all of a number functions: It primarily holds the handset or battery pack, usually in an upstanding position, for example simply for storage. It can have electrical connectors for delivering electrical current for recharging a battery pack, the battery pack being either connected to or detached from the handset. It may also provide electronic communication links to and from the radio telephone handset, for example for effecting data transfer.
A deskstand typically consists of a body having a flat base for sitting on a desk top and one or more recesses, or slots, provided in the body for receiving a handset and/or a battery pack. The recesses are dimensioned such that when a handset or battery pack is in situ, the lower region of the handset/battery pack is cradled by the deskstand and the handset/battery pack extends substantially vertically. In the case of a handset, respective sets of electrical connectors, for example in the form of contact pads, or male/female interface connectors, are provided between the handset and the deskstand to effect data transfer to and from an inserted handset; in the case of a battery pack, spring loaded connectors are provided for power charge-up. The typical deskstand, relies on the combination of the frictional fit between the outer surfaces of the handset/battery pack and the walls of the deskstand forming the recess, and gravitational forces acting on the handset/battery (i.e. its weight) to retain the handset/battery in place in the deskstand thereby maintaining the requisite electrical connections.
Certain shortcomings with this way of retaining a handset/battery pack in situ in the deskstand are becoming apparent. With the trend continuing towards ever smaller and lighter handsets—and hence battery packs—the weight of the handset/battery pack in itself is proving to be insufficient for retaining the handset/battery pack in satisfactory electrical communication with the deskstand. This problem is becoming more acute as handsets are being equipped with wide-ranging and complex telecommunication facilities, and the number of data transfer pins is expanding.
One attempt to solve this problem has been to use electrical connectors having relatively high contact spring forces in order to overcome the contact resistance and ensure electrical communication. However, with deskstands becoming smaller along with handsets, there is a limit to the extent of spring contacts that can viably be housed, so this solution is found to be less than satisfactory.
Other solutions have proposed using formations between the deskstand and handset/battery pack to interconnect the two. For example international application published under WO 95/08847 discloses a battery pack retention system for a battery recharging unit consisting of rails provided on opposite side walls of the charger retention area (recess) and corresponding length wise channels formed in the opposite sides of the battery pack. In addition the channels are provided with small compliant ‘bumps’ which when the battery pack is in situ are flexed inwards and so resiliently push outwards against the rails. Apart from the inherent awkwardness of aligning the rails in relation to the channels when inserting a battery pack, the compliant bumps gradually wear away consequently reducing the effective force which they can exert against the rails. More significantly however is that the disclosed retention system is dependent on the weight of the battery pack to induce sufficient frictional contact force to hold it in place in the retention area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Against this background, the present invention resides in a holder for a portable electronic device having a retention mechanism therefor, the retention mechanism comprising complementary formations provided respectively on the holder and the device, pivot members adapted to locate the device with respect to the holder and cooperable to allow pivotting of the device in relation to the holder between an unlocked condition and a locked condition in which the complementary formations interengage.
By allowing the complementary formations to tilt into engagement with one another and effectively wedging the device to the holder, the pivot members ensure that respective electrical contact elements on the device and the holder are positively interconnected. The overall effect achieved is improved retention of the device in the holder and better electrical connections as compared to prior art solutions.
The pivot members may comprise a projection rotatably coupled to a socket. Conveniently, the projection comprises a convex rib and the socket comprises a concave channel, and in a preferred embodiment the convex rib extends from the base of the device and the concave channel is provided in the holder.
Optionally the retention mechanism may include a resiliently biased member arranged to pivot the device from the unlocked condition to the locked condition. It is preferred that the resiliently biased member is arranged to urge against an opposite side of the device to that carrying the formations. In this way, the complementary formations are kept pressed together so that retention of the device in the holder is still firmer. Advantageously, the resiliently biased member acts to guide the device on its insertion in such a manner that the pivot members provided on the device and holder interconnect.
In a preferred embodiment, the resiliently biased member is pivotally mounted with respect to the body and is biased to close a recess opening of the holder in which the device is inserted. This conveniently shuts off the recess opening when the holder is not in use, i.e. when there is no device in situ in the holder. Dust and dirt is thus prevented from entering the recess which protects the electrical connectors. The resiliently biased member also performs an aesthetic role by streamlining the surface of the holder and providing continuity of the styling contours of the holder
Additionally, there may be provided resilient means so disposed as to urge the device into the locked condition. In the preferred embodiment the resilient means comprises a spring arm and acts on the base of the device.
In a complementary aspect of the invention, the holder is provided with indicator means which in response to a device being inserted in the holder and electronic communication links being successfully established therebetween, outputs an indication confirming the same. Preferably, the output indication is provided by a light indicator disposed on the holder.
REFERENCES:
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.
patent: 5598319 (1997-01-01), Lee
patent: 5621618 (1997-04-01), Komiyama
patent: 5708707 (1998-01-01), Halttunen et al.
patent: 5825874 (1998-10-01), Humphreys et al.
patent: 5828750 (1998-10-01), Perala
patent: 0 545 670 A2 (1993-06-01), None
patent: 0 585 011 A1 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 2 293 718 (1996-04-01), None
patent: WO 95/08847 (1995-03-01), None
United Kingdom Search Report.
Gartrell Andrew J.
Hebblewhite Malcolm R.
Ward Isaac
Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
Perman & Green LLP
Prasad Chandrika
Sircus Brian
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