Patent ID: 6347218
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A hand held communication device comprising:at least one element for input by a user and at least one element for output to the user, each one of said elements being sufficiently exposed to allow use by a user; a housing having a housing wall with openings therethrough, comprising openings for the at least one element for input by the user and the at least one element for output to the user; a user attachable/detachable external non-planar cover attached to and at least partially covering the housing wherein the detachability provides for user interchange with another non-planar cover thereby facilitating user modification of the external appearance of the hand held communications device, the external non-planar cover being adapted to fit over the housing with the housing partially nested within the external non-planar cover, the cover comprising a main face having an upper surface which is exposed when the cover is attached to the housing and a side wall extending downwards, away from the upper surface of the main face, the main face of the cover and at least portions of the side wall of the cover defining a cavity sized to receive a portion of the housing when attached thereto, the cover having a plurality of apertures therethrough to the cavity positioned over and aligned with openings in the housing including the opening for the at least one element for input by the user and the opening for the at least one element for output to the user, whereby each one of said input and output elements is sufficiently exposed to allow use by a user; at least one user releasable retainer, holding the cover to the housing, formed by contact between the housing and the downwardly extending side wall of the cover, said retainer being releasable by the user without employing a tool, wherein the hand held device is fully functional when the cover is attached; and wherein at least portions of the side wall of the external, non-planar cover terminate at a free, downwardly pointing edge and the housing has, where the housing nests within the external non-planar cover, upwardly facing ledge-like portions which project beyond the side wall of the housing, whereby the free downwardly pointing edge portions of the external non-planar cover oppose the projecting, upwardly facing ledge-like portions of the housing and substantially follow the contours of the projecting ledge-like portions.