Abstract:
A retractable tether is disclosed which may be used in conjunction with personal communication devices (such as a Cell Phone, Pager or PDA) mounting system for the prevention of loss or damage. The retracting tether may be clipped to a belt, pants or purse next to the location in which the device is being held or stored. The retractable tether allows the device to be easily used while connected to the retracting tether. Should the device be dropped or dislodged from it&#39;s clip mount, holster or storage pocket, the retracting tether prevents the device from hitting the ground thereby preventing loss or damage to the device. A separation mechanism is also incorporated to allow the device to be easily removed from the retractable tether.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/311,526 to Salentine et al., which was filed on Aug. 10, 2001, and provisional application No. 60/388.462 to Salentine et al., which was filed on Jun. 13, 2002. This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/216,043 to Salentine et al., which was filed on Aug. 9, 2002. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to devices for tethering gear and personal articles and more particularly for tethering personal communication devices such as cell phones, pagers and PDA&#39;s. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Tethering devices have been developed that have extendable and retractable cables or lines (“cables”), with many of the cables being automatically retracted under the bias of an internal spring arrangement. Some of the applications for these tethers include ski ropes, surf board leashes, boat moorings and scuba equipment. [See U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,610 to Taylor et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,460 to Khudaverdian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,805 to Bredesen, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,572 to Salentine]. 
         [0006]    Retracting devices have also been developed for housing cables and cords such as those used for telephones, hose reels and cellular phone earpieces. [See U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,396 to Burke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,446 to Ditzig and U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,010 to DiBono]. Retracting devices have also been developed having a means for removing the tethered article from the tethering device such as in the case of keys, SCUBA gear and microphones. 
         [0007]    Personal communication devices such as pagers and cell phones can be attached or mounted to a person using different devices. In the case of cell phones some of these mounting devices include leather cases with belt clips for attaching to a belt, or a plastic holster which attaches to a belt or purse. One of the more popular cell phone mounts includes a pivoting ball type mount, which is attached to the phone and clips into a belt clip that has a slot to mate with the ball. 
         [0008]    One of the advantages of these holstering devices is that they allow for easy access and retrieval of a cell phone, pager or PDA (“personal device”). However, this advantage also results in one of their primary disadvantages. The ease of access typically prevents these mounting devices from properly securing the personal devices, which can result in their falling out under many circumstances, such as when getting in and out of a vehicle or when they are bumped. Furthermore, when the personal device is removed from these holstering devices there is no mechanism for preventing the phone from falling to the ground if jarred or dropped from the user&#39;s hand. 
         [0009]    A wrist lanyard has been developed which helps prevent cell phones from falling to the ground when being used. The lanyard typically comprises a rope or string that is tied or otherwise attached to the cell phone and has a loop that is large enough for a user&#39;s hand to pass through. To secure the cell phone, the user must pass a hand through the loop when the cell phone is in the user&#39;s hand. When the cell phone is not in use, the lanyard can be tied to a belt loop. One disadvantage of this device is that when the phone is tied to a belt loop, untying the lanyard from the loop to use the phone can be awkward and inconvenient. It can also be awkward passing a hand through the loop every time the cell phone is used. 
         [0010]    An alternate tethering device uses a spiral or coiled type lanyard, similar to the cord that is used between the receiver and telephone in older styled telephones. For cell phones the coiled lanyard can be attached to the user at one end and attached to the phone at the other. When the phone is in use, the length of the tether can be extended and when the phone is not in use its effective length is reduced. One disadvantage of this type of tether is that to make it long so it can be conveniently used with a cell phone, the tether becomes quite long and obtrusive when the cell phone is in the holstered position. The tether dangles when the phone is not in use, which can cause entanglement. 
         [0011]    Existing retractable tethers are used for personal articles such as keys but do not provide a means for attaching to phones or pagers. Furthermore, they are bulky and do not efficiently and securely attach to the user in a way that would allow for the cell phone to be easily used. They also do not provide a means for working in conjunction with a cell phone&#39;s holster or mounting system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention provides a retracting tether and tethering system which is particularly adapted for use for securing personal devices, including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, PDAs, calculators, flashlights, etc. Personal devices are also referred to as personal articles or objects. 
         [0013]    These personal devices have the common characteristic that they can be attached to a user in many locations such as a belt, belt loop or purse. They are often attached by a loop, leather case, or pivoting ball connector type mount or are simply placed in one of the user&#39;s pockets. They can easily be knocked to the ground from their mounting points or can be dropped to the ground when in use. The present invention provides a connection point between the user and the personal device that is designed to work with previously available device mounting mechanisms so that if a device is knocked from the mounting mechanism or dropped, it will not fall to the ground where it can be lost or damaged. 
         [0014]    A tethering system according to the present invention includes a personal article mounted on a user&#39;s body. A retractable tether is included having a housing with a cable and spring within the housing. The cable is capable of extending from and retracting into the tether housing with the spring urging the cable to retract into the housing. The cable has a stop to prevent it from fully retracting into the housing. A mounting mechanism is included for mounting the tether to the user&#39;s body and a lanyard is connected between the cable stop and the personal article, with the spring providing sufficient tension to prevent the cable from extending from the housing under the weight of the personal article. 
         [0015]    A retractable tether according to the present invention includes a tether housing attached to a base portion by an attachment mechanism. A cable is included within said tether housing, which extends from a hole in the housing. The cable has a stop on its end that extends from the housing hole, which is larger than said housing hole to prevent the cable from fully retracting into said housing. A spring is included within the tether housing which urges retraction of the cable. This spring has sufficient tension to prevent the cable from extending from the housing under the weight of the attached personal article. A flexible lanyard is attached to the stop and arranged to be attached to a personal article. The personal article can be mounted in proximity to the tether housing. A mounting mechanism is included on said tether housing to attach the tether to the user on their belt or other appropriate place. 
         [0016]    The retractable tether can either have a fixed mounting mechanism so that the cable extends in one direction from the housing or it can have a rotating and hinging mounting or attachment mechanism that allows the cable to extend at different angles. The tether can also have a disconnect mechanism so that the attached device can be detached from the tether. 
         [0017]    The new retractable tethering can be continuously attached to the device whether the personal device is holstered or in use. If the device is dropped or dislodged from the holster the retractable tether prevents the loss of and/or damage to the device. In one embodiment the new retractable tether is mounted to a belt, pants or purse next to the device and the device is in its holster. The tether cable&#39;s orientation may be adjusted or adjustable for convenient use, and to reduce wear and tear on the cable to increase its longevity. 
         [0018]    The new retractable tether is streamlined and unobtrusive such that it does not interfere with regular activities. The attached device can be easily disconnected from the retracting tether without the removal of the retracting tether from its mount on a belt, pants or purse. 
         [0019]    These and other further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those in skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a retractable tether according to the present invention attached to a phone that is held in a holster; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the retractable tether in  FIG. 1 , when the phone is in use; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the retractable tether in  FIG. 1 , suspending the phone that has been dislodged from the holder or is dropped; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the retractable tether in  FIG. 1 , showing the phones disconnect point with the lanyard; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the retractable tether in  FIG. 4 , showing a disconnect point separated; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  perspective view of the retractable device in  FIG. 1 , showing the retractable tether&#39;s clip type mounting system; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the retractable tether shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a rotating attachment mechanism for a retractable tether according to the present invention; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the attachment mechanism shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a retractable tether according to the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is another view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a new retractable tether  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. In the embodiment shown the tether  10  is mounted to a user&#39;s belt  12  by its mounting system (described below), but other retractable tethers according to the invention can be mounted to other locations on the user. A phone  14  is shown mounted in its holster  16 , which is also mounted to the belt  12  adjacent to the retracting tether  10 . The tether  10  can also be used with other devices that are mounted to a user such as pagers, PDAs, Global Positioning Systems, radios, calculators, bull horns, etc. 
         [0032]    The retracting tether  10  has a cable that is fully retracted into the retractor tether housing  18 . When the phone is in use, the cable extends under a pulling force on the phone. When the force is removed, the cable retracts in to the housing  18  under a bias from an internal spring. The mechanism for extending and retracting the cable from the tether housing  18  is known in the art and involves a coil spring and reel arrangement as described below and as generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,572 to Salentine and Collin, assigned to the same assignee as the present application. 
         [0033]    The tether  10  is relatively thin and has a low profile so it is not bulky or uncomfortable for the user. An attachment lanyard  20  is connected between the tether  10  and the phone  14 . As shown, the tether  10  is facing upward with the cable and exiting through the top of the housing  18 . This arrangement is particularly convenient for use with phones because it allows the user to pull the phone from the holster up to the ear as the cable extends from the housing  18 . By having the tether facing upward the cable can exit straight from the tether housing. This reduces the number of bends experienced by the cable from repeated use, thereby reducing the wear and tear on the cable and extending its life. This arrangement also allows for the cable to be more easily pulled from the housing  18 . 
         [0034]    Different tethers can be arranged at different angles depending on the type of device attached to the tether  10  and how the device is used. For instance, if a flashlight were attached to a tether  10 , the cable could be arranged to extend toward the front of the cable user. 
         [0035]    Loops  20   a  and  20   b  are formed at the ends of the lanyard  20  by known methods, with the loops used for connecting the lanyard between the phone  14  and retractable tether  10 . A ring  23  is attached to the phone  14  and the loop  20   a  mates with the ring  23  such that the ring  23  passes through the loop  20   a.  At the other end of the lanyard  20  the loop  20   b  mates with a ring  25  in a disconnect mechanism  22 , such that the ring  25  passes through the loop  20   b.  The lanyard provides a section of flexible line between phone  14  and the tether  10  so that the phone  14  can be mounted in its holster without cable tension between the phone  14  and tether  10 . This allows the phone  14  or other device, to rest in its holstering or mounting system without pulling on the tether cable (shown in  FIG. 2 ). This reduces stress on the tether cable and results in the phone  14  not being pulled from its holster. 
         [0036]    The disconnect mechanism  22  allows for the phone  14  to be easily disconnected from the tether  10 . Different disconnect mechanisms can be used the mechanism  22  being a clip type. Other disconnect mechanisms can be used including, but not limited to, snaps, screws, ties, or Velcro. 
         [0037]    It is understood that when an element such as an element, region or surface is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. Furthermore, relative terms such as “inner”, “outer”, “upper”, “above”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “beneath”, and “below”, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element to another. It is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. 
         [0038]    Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to cross-sectional view illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments of the invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances are expected. Embodiments of the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of the regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, unless explicitly stated otherwise. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  shows the phone  14  removed from its holster  16  by the user. The phone  14  is attached to the attachment lanyard  20 , and when the phone  14  is removed from its holster  16  and pulled away from the retractable tether housing  18 , the tether cable  26  is pulled from inside the tether housing  18 . The lanyard  20  is attached to the cable  26  by the disconnect mechanism  22 , which also functions as a stop to prevent the cable from retracting completely into the housing  18 . The cable  26  exits the tether housing  18  in an upward/outward direction with minimal tension or friction between the cable and the housing  18 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  shows the phone  14  after it has been dislodged from its holster  16  or after it has been dropped. the tension in the tether&#39;s coil spring and the friction between the cable  26  and the tether housing  18  are such that the weight of the phone  14  does not pull the cable  26  from the tether housing  18 . The phone  14  is suspended from the tether housing  18  by the lanyard  20  so that the phone  14  does not fall to the ground where it could be lost or damaged. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  shows the phone  14  attached to end  20   a  of the lanyard  20 . End  20   b  of the lanyard  20  is connected to the disconnect mechanism  22 , and the tether cable  26  is partially extended from the tether housing  18 .  FIG. 5  shows the same components of the tether  10  connected to a phone  14 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . However, the disconnect mechanism is shown separated into a male clip  28  and a female receiver  30  as would be done to remove the phone  14  from the tether  10 . The male clip has two tabs  29   a  and  29   b  that mate with a slot in the receiver  30 . To reattach the phone  14 , the mail clip  28  is inserted into the receiver  30  and as the clip  28  moves into the receiver  30  the tabs  29   a  and  29   b  are compressed until they pass a receiver lip. The tabs  29   a  and  29   b  then expand out and the clip  28  is held in the receiver  30  by the ledge in the tabs  29   a  and  29   b  butting against the receiver lip. The clip  28  can be removed from the receiver  30  by compressing the tabs  29   a  and  29   b  so they can slide by the receiver lip. When the clip  28  and receiver  30  are separated, the device  14  is disconnected from the retractable tether  10 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  shows one attachment mechanism  32  for attaching the tether  10  to a user, with the mechanism  32  being particularly adapted to attaching to a user&#39;s belt. The mechanism  32  comprises a tension blade  34  and a retaining tab  36 . To allow for the tether  10  to be mounted with the cable  26  extending up, the tension blade  34  is connected to a first edge  35  of the tether housing  18  adjacent to the disconnect mechanism  22 . The blade  34  is directed down toward a second edge  37  of the housing  18  that is opposite the disconnect end  22 . The blade  34  is shaped such that it is urged against the housing with the blade&#39;s lower portion resting against the back surface  39  of the housing  18 . When the tether  10  is mounted to a user&#39;s belt, the belt is held between the blade  34  and the housing  18 . The blade has a tab  36  at its lower end that is positioned such that overlaps the second edge  37  of the user&#39;s belt. The tab  36  extends between the blade  34  and the second edge to provide a stop that prevents the tether from sliding off the user&#39;s belt. 
         [0043]      FIG. 7 , shows the internal components of a retractable tether  10  according to the present invention, although many other tethers can be used which can have different internal components. The tether body  18  comprises a clam-shell type housing having a bottom half  42  and a top half  43  which halves matingly engage with each other to enclose an interior space. The cable  26  has a free end  26   a  and a fixed end  26   b,  which is securely fastened to the outer perimeter of a reel  45 . The reel  45  is ring shaped and has an annular outer surface  45   a  upon which surface the cable  26  is wound, and an annular inner surface  45   b.  The reel&#39;s inner surface  45   b  has a slat, which receives the outer end  47   a  of a coil spring  47 . The coil spring  47  has a fixed inner end  47   b  non-releasably mounted in a slot in a central pin  50 , which is affixed to the bottom half  42  of the case. 
         [0044]    When the upper half  43  and lower half  42  are joined together to form the housing, the pin  50  forms a central axis of rotation for the reel  45  which rolls the cable  26  upon the reel outer surface  45   a.  The upper half  43  of the housing contains hollow pillars (not shown) which support the lower half  42  of the case. The lower half  42  of the case has holes receiving screws for attaching the lower half  42  of the housing to the upper half  43 . 
         [0045]    Each half of the housing has a semicircular groove  52  therein. When the case is assembled, the semicircular grooves  52  in the respective halves form a circular guide hole having a smooth surface for the cable  26  to slide through. 
         [0046]    Each half  42  and  43  has a raised annular bearing surface  54  thereon which supports and stabilizes the reel  45 , providing a low-friction close fitting surface for the reel  45  to rotate against permitting low friction rotation of the reel  45 . A cavity wall  56  forms a physical barrier around the reel  45  and coil spring  47 . 
         [0047]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show a second embodiment of an attachment mechanism  80  according to the present invention for attaching the retractable tether  10  to a belt, purse or pocket. This embodiment has the additional feature of allowing the tether  10  to rotate 360 degrees about the attachment mechanism. This type of attachment is particularly adapted for use with cell phones or pagers that may be stored in different locations, such as in a holster on one occasion and in a pocket on another. It also allows for the tether&#39;s cable to be extended at different angles to compensate for different body types. For instance, it may be difficult for heavier user&#39;s to extend the cable directly up and when the cable is extended directly it can experience additional wear and tear by bending over a user&#39;s mid-section. The rotation of the mechanism  80  can make the tether  10  more comfortable and convenient to use while minimizing wear and tear. 
         [0048]    The mechanism  80  generally includes a base  82 , a belt tension blade  84  and a retaining section  86 . The blade  84  is disposed such that half of it is sandwiched between the retaining section  86  and the base  82  and the other half serves to retain the belt between the blade  82  and retaining section  86 . The retaining section is rotatably attached to the base  82  and the base  82  is mounted to a retracting tether  87  at mounting holes  88 . The belt clip  82  is particularly adapted to fitting over a belt, but can also be mounted to other location such as a purse or pocket. When mounted to a belt, a potion of the belt is held between the blade  84  and the retaining section  86 . The retaining section  86  has a retaining tab  90  that mates with a first lower slot  92  in the blade  84 . After the belt is disposed between the blade  84  and the retaining section  86 , the tab  90  can be inserted into the first slot  92  and the tab  90  can be locked in the first slot  92  by the tab lip  94  overlapping the edge of the slot  92 . 
         [0049]    To remove the mounting mechanism  80  from the belt, the tab  90  is pushed up toward the bend in the blade  84  until the tab lip disengages from the slot edge. The tab  90  can then pass from the slot  92  to provide an opening through which the belt can pass. 
         [0050]    Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the base  82  has a locking post  96  that is inserted into the retaining section&#39;s central hole  98 . The post  96  has circumferential tabs  100  that compress as the post  96  is inserted into the hole  98  and expand as the retaining section  86  reaches its operational position. The tab lips  102  hold the post  96  within the hole  98  while allowing the retaining section  86  to rotate around the post  86 . The retaining section  86  primarily contacts the base  82  at the circular bearing surface  104  around the post  96 . This allows the retaining section  96  to more smoothly rotate around the base  92 . 
         [0051]    The retaining section  86  also has a planar tab  108  that is arranged to mate with a second slot  110  in the blade  84 . When the mechanism is assembled, the retaining section  86  is mounted within the U-shape of the blade  84 . The post  96  first passes through the clip hole  111  before passing into the central hole  98 . As the pieces of the mounting mechanism are brought together, the planar tab  98  mates with the second slot  100  to hold the blade  84  in proper orientation with the retaining section  86 . When the mounting mechanism  80  is assembled, the portion of the clip with hole  111  and slot  110  is held between the retaining section  86  and the base  82 . 
         [0052]    When a retractable tether  10  with a rotating mounting mechanism  80  is used with a personal article, the tether  10  is free to rotate around the rotating mechanism to that the article can be used or stored at many different angles. The tethering system could still include a lanyard to reduce tension on the tether cable. If the article is dropped or jarred from its mount or holster, the tether will rotate to the article&#39;s direction of fall. As a result, the rotating tether would not have the braking that is associated with a tether with a fixed mount in the upward direction. However, to assist in preventing the article from falling to the ground, the rotating tether could have a spring with greater tension or could be used with lighter articles. 
         [0053]      FIG. 10  shows another embodiment of a new retractable tether  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. In the embodiment shown the tether  10  is a  2  part device mounted to a user&#39;s belt  12  by its mounting system (described above), but other retractable tethers according to the invention can be mounted to other locations on the user. The tether has a back or base portion  200  which mounts to the user&#39;s belt. At the top of base portion  200  is a rotating mount or clip  202  which attaches to a front portion of the tether  204 . The front portion  204  can not only rotate around the rotating mount or clip  202  but can also flip up or away from the base portion  200  in a hinge-like fashion. The rotating mount or clip  202  and flipping mechanism can be accomplished by many different rotational devices and attachment points known in the art, such as pins or clips. The tether  10  can be used with many devices that are mounted to a user such as pagers, phones, PDAs, Global Positioning Systems, radios, calculators, bull horns, etc. 
         [0054]    The retracting tether  10  has a cable that is fully retracted into the retractor tether housing  18 , in the front portion  204 . When the phone is in use, the cable extends under a pulling force on the phone. When the force is removed, the cable retracts in to the housing  18  under a bias from an internal spring. The mechanism for extending and retracting the cable from the tether housing  18  is known in the art and involves a coil spring and reel arrangement as described below and as generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,572 to Salentine and Collin, assigned to the same assignee as the present application. When an attached phone is in use the front portion  204  can also be flipped up so that the cable  26  output and disconnect mechanism  22  are oriented in the upward direction where the user would be holding the phone while using it. 
         [0055]    An attachment lanyard  20  can be connected between the tether  10  and a phone or other connected device. As shown in  FIG. 11 , in the resting position the tether  10  is facing downward with the cable and exiting through the bottom of the housing  18 . Since the front portion  204  which is also the tether housing  18  can flip upward and also rotate, this arrangement is particularly convenient for use with phones because it allows the user to pull the phone from the holster up to the ear as the front portion  204  flips up and the cable extends from the housing  18 . The user can also hold the phone out in front of them while viewing and using the device as the front portion would rotate to face forward, the direction the phone would be pulled in. By having the tether rotating and flipping the cable can exit straight from the tether housing. This reduces the number of bends experienced by the cable from repeated use, thereby reducing the wear and tear on the cable and extending its life. This arrangement also allows for the cable to be more easily pulled from the housing  18 . 
         [0056]    Different tethers can be arranged at different resting angles depending on the type of device attached to the tether  10  and how the device is used. For instance, if a flashlight were attached to a tether  10 , the cable could extend toward the front of the cable user. 
         [0057]    The tether  10  can also include a mechanism, such as a button or a switch, located on the side, front, or other appropriate location, of the tether housing  18  to allow stopping or suspending of the extended tether at a desired length extended out of the tether housing  18 . This would allow a user to pull the attached device away from the mounted location and tether  10  a desired distance and then engage the suspension of the cable retraction to give the device slack at the desired length. When the user is done with the device they can disengage the suspension and retract the device. This is helpful in situations where the user will be using the attached device at a certain distance for a prolonged period or wants to place the item at a certain distance without the tension of the retraction mechanism. 
         [0058]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred configurations thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above.