Portable telephone handset construction

Details Portable telephone handset construction Portable telephone handset construction

1998-09-28

2001-03-13

Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)

Telephonic communications

Terminal

Housing or housing component

Reexamination Certificate

active

06201868

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Technical Field
The present invention is directed to portable battery-powered telephone handset constructions, in particular, those handset constructions which are articulable from a closed configuration to an open configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a construction for a portable cellular telephone, though the concepts may be incorporated into virtually any portable telephone handset, which is articulable from a closed configuration to an open configuration.
In particular, the handset construction includes a movable cover, or tambour, which substantially encircles the inner workings of the handset, when the cover is in its closed configuration.
A portion of the tambour is substantially rigid, and forms a simulative microphone mouthpiece portion, though the microphone may be functional. Various controls for the telephone handset may also be located in the rigid mouthpiece portion and become exposed and functional upon deployment of the tambour.
A second portion of the tambour is substantially flexible, and is capable of furling and unfurling around the portion of the handset containing the principal inner workings of the handset. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the tambour may be entirely flexible.
Side portions of the housing of the handset are provided with guide track structures for directing the path of movement of the tambour during the furling and unfurling movements.
When the tambour is in its closed configuration, the flexible portion substantially covers the earpiece and the portion of the main body of the handset which faces the operator during use. The rigid portion of the handset substantially covers the back of the main body of the telephone when the tambour is in its closed configuration.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one or more guide wheels are in operable driving/driven engagement with the tambour, in order to facilitate refurling of the tambour from the extended (open) configuration to the retracted (closed) configuration. Preferably, opening of the telephone simply involves grasping the bottom end of the rigid portion of the tambour and pulling downward, to extend the rigid portion, and cause the flexible portion to be moved to a position substantially covering the back of the main body of the telephone.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4005279 (1977-01-01), Richter
patent: 0 536 578 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 0 536 578 A2 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 0 414 365 B1 (1996-12-01), None
patent: 0 846 999 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 6-334778 (1994-12-01), None
patent: WO 97/03511 (1995-07-01), None
patent: WO 97/03511 (1997-01-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Portable telephone handset construction does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Portable telephone handset construction, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Portable telephone handset construction will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2494428