Telephonic communications – Terminal – Having loudspeaking conversation capability
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-07
2003-01-28
Mei, Xu (Department: 2644)
Telephonic communications
Terminal
Having loudspeaking conversation capability
C379S420010, C379S420020, C381S334000, CD14S253000, C455S569200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06512826
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand-free kit for a mobile wireless communication device, and more particularly to a hand-free kit having a speaker, a microphone and an earphone which can be freely directed toward a listener or a speaker and is designed to be installed to any types of vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One necessary for using a mobile telephone inside a car is known as a hand-free accessory. When the hand-free accessory is provided in a car and a mobile telephone is connected to this hand-free accessory, it is possible to switch between a microphone and a speaker built into the mobile telephone or mounted inside the car, so that it is possible to have hand-free telephone conversations.
FIG. 1
shows an exterior of an ordinary mobile telephone
100
and a conventional hand-free kit
200
. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a flat rectangular boxlike plastic case
141
constitutes a main body of mobile telephone
100
. An antenna
105
for transmission and reception is mounted on a top of case
141
. A speaker
102
, a microphone
151
, and operating keys
112
such as dialing keys are provided on a front of case
141
.
A main unit
210
of hand-free kit
200
is disposed, for example, in a vehicle between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat or under a dashboard. A connector plug
213
for being connected to a connector jack
113
of mobile telephone
100
is connected to main unit
210
by a curl cord
212
.
A microphone
201
and a speaker
202
for hand-free use are connected to main unit
210
by cords and may be mounted somewhere in the vehicle. Also, an external antenna
205
is connected to main unit
210
by a coaxial cable
206
.
Meanwhile, a sound, particularly a high frequency sound has a narrow dispersion bandwidth and is thus very directional. In order to optimize sound imaging, the high frequency sound must be directed at the listener. Therefore, a speaker placement is critical to the quality of an automobile sound system. Unfortunately, conventional audio speakers mounted in vehicle passenger compartments can not custom-aim to the listener.
Also, every vehicle has a different model in terms of layout and dimension, and thus, no stationary speaker is perfectly suited for every vehicle. Moreover, the conventional positioning of speakers within the passenger compartment further inhibits the ability to custom-aim sound at the listener. In addition, cigar portions equipped in various vehicles for supplying a power to the hand-free kit are different in shape and structure thereof, which results in that the conventional fixed type hand-free kit may interfere with the cigar portions in some models of vehicles, so in some cases, the kit can not be connected to some of the cigar portions.
Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,285 discloses an earphone type speaker assembly. The speaker assembly is slideably mounted around a glass frame, thereby transmitting a sound directly toward the ears of a listener. However, there is needed a separate mounting frame, that is the frame of an eye glasses, and even if a driver wears the eye glass, the speaker assembly is not available in every model of the eye glasses. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,313,514 and 5,490,213 disclose hand-free kits. However, they also do not teach a rotatable speaker system, so they can not overcome the above described problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to provide a hand-free kit, whose structure is simple, having a rotatable main body equipped with a speaker section, a microphone socket, earphone socket and an LED.
In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, there is provided a hand-free kit for a wireless communication device, the kit comprises: a main body receiving a printed circuit board therein for controlling audio signal sending and receiving incorporated with the communication device, and formed at one side thereof with a first oblique portion; a connector member connected to an external power source so as to electrically communicate with the printed circuit board, the connector member being formed at a portion thereof facing the first oblique portion with a second oblique portion inclined by a substantially identical angle to the first oblique portion, the second oblique portion frictionally making contact with the first oblique portion; and a shaft member for connecting the main body and the connector member in such a manner that the main body and the connector member are obliquely rotatable to each other.
The main body includes first and second housing which are detachable from each other and a speaker portion for forwardly propagating a sound wave, the speaker portion being electrically communicated with the printed circuit board.
The main body includes at outer sides thereof with a microphone socket, a earphone socket, a light emitting diode for indicating operational modes of the printed circuit board and a volume knob for controlling a volume of the audio signal propagating outwardly from the speaker portion, each of which is electrically communicated with the printed circuit board.
The speaker portion, the microphone socket, the earphone socket and the light emitting diode turn with respect to the shaft member when the main body rotates.
The connector member includes third and fourth housing extending in one direction and detachable from each other, and includes at a first portion thereof connected to the external power source with a pin which is made of a conductive material and extends outwardly toward the external power source, the connector member receiving a fuse therein for preventing over-current.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a compression spring is disposed between the pin and the fuse so as to urge the pin toward the external power source.
The first portion of the connector member is inserted into a holder having a ring shape, and a cap is engaged with the first portion, thereby assembling the third and fourth housing together in corporation with the holder.
The connector member is provided at both sides with a couple of plate springs bent outwardly by a predetermined thickness so as to be stably inserted into the external power source.
The shaft member has a substantially cylindrical shape, is formed at a first end portion thereof with first and second flanges and is formed at a second end portion thereof with an annular groove, the first and second flanges being slidably engaged with the second oblique portion of the connector member, the annular groove being inserted through the first oblique portion of the main body by a predetermined depth.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an axial direction of the shaft member is orthogonal to the first and second oblique portions.
The first and second flanges are spaced apart from each other by a substantially identical interval to a thickness of the second oblique portion so as to be inserted into an opening formed at the second oblique portion, thereby rotatably supporting the second oblique portion.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an E-ring is disposed around the annular groove of the shaft member and makes contact with an inner wall around an opening formed at the first oblique portion so as to prevent the main body from being separated therefrom.
The printed circuit board in the main body and the first portion of the connector member are electrically communicated with each other by electric lines extending through a core of the shaft member.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an O-ring is disposed around the shaft member between the main body and the connector member, thereby rendering the main body smoothly to slide with respect to the connector body.
The multi-directional hand-free kit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be adjustable in the sound propagation direction thereof to pace with the listener. That is, the positions of the speaker portion, the
Cole Thomas W.
Mei Xu
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Westech Korea Inc.
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