Abstract:
A telephone set having a reversible base which can be rotated to facilitate desktop or wall mounting. The reversible base includes tabs which are inserted into slots in a housing, the housing having a first pair of slots oriented for installation of the base in a desktop configuration and a second pair of slots oriented for installation of the base in a wall-mount configuration. Positive locking is achieved by a set of ramps and a protrusion adjacent to each slot, such that a tab sides up the ramps and over the protrusion to lock into place.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to improvements to housings for telephone sets. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved reversible base which can be easily removed and reversed for selection of desk or wall mounting of a telephone set. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to provide greater versatility for a user, it is advantageous to design a telephone set with a base which can be removed and reversed in order to adapt the set for desk-mounting or wall-mounting, at the option of the user. Typical reversible bases of the prior art require the customer to release one or more snaps for removal and then to reapply the snaps for reinstallation. The need to release and reapply the snaps constitutes an inconvenience for the user which it would be desirable to avoid. 
     There exists, therefore a need in the art for a reversible telephone base in which the removal and reinstallation can be accomplished with a minimum of difficulty, without a need to release or reapply fasteners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A telephone set according to the present invention includes a reversible base having alignment tabs for insertion into a pair of matching slots on a housing. The housing includes first and second pairs of matching slots. The pairs of matching slots have opposite orientations to one another. The first pair of matching slots is adapted for installation of the reversible base in a desk mounting orientation. The second pair of matching slots is adapted for installation of the reversible base in a wall mounting orientation. The reversible base is preferably provided with arrows indicating directions of motion for insertion and removal. When the reversible base is oriented to a pair of slots and pushed in the direction indicated for installation, a positive lock occurs. The locking action is provided by pushing each tab over an internal ramp and over a molded protrusion. Removal of the base is accomplished by sliding the base in the opposite direction and removing the tabs from the slots. 
     A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following Detailed Description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top-down view of a reversible base according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a reversible base according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a reversible base according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom-up view of a reversible base according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom-up view of a housing according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view of looking inside a housing according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a top-down view of a reversible base  100  according to the present invention. The base  100  includes first and second tabs  102  and  104  for insertion into matching slots of a housing  500  (illustrated in FIGS.  5  and  6 ). The base  100  also includes a hole  106  for wall mounting and alignment tabs  108 - 116  for alignment of the base  100  with a housing, such as the housing  500 . The base further includes a mating surface  107 , adapted to mate with the housing (illustrated in FIG.  5 ). 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reversible base  100  according to the present invention, showing additional details of first and second tabs  102  and  104 , hole  106 , and tabs  108 - 116 . Also visible is the mating surface  107  of the reversible base  100 . Tabs  112 ,  114  and  116  are rear alignment tabs, and are used to keep an outside contour  117  of the base  100  flush with the housing as illustrated in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the reversible base  100 , showing tabs  102  and  104 , with alignment tabs  110  and  116  also visible. FIG. 3 also shows a view of a surface  118  of the reversible base  100 . The surface  118  is adapted to rest securely against a desk or wall, depending on the orientation of the reversible base  100 . 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom-up view of the reversible base  100 , showing additional details of the hole  106  and the surface  118 . The surface  118  includes feet  120  and  122  for security in desktop placement. The surface  118  also includes installation arrow  124  and installation instructions  126 , as well as removal arrow  128  and removal instructions  130 . Reversal of the orientation of the base  100  will reverse the direction in which it is necessary to move the base  100 , and will also reverse the orientation of the arrows  124  and  128 , so that movement of the base  100  in the direction of the arrow  124  will accomplish installation, and movement in the direction of the arrow  128  will accomplish removal, regardless of the orientation of the base  100 . 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom-up view of the housing  500 , illustrating slots  502 A and  502 B, for installation of the base  100  in a desktop orientation, and slots  504 A and  504 B for installation of the base  100  in a wall mounting orientation, as well as a hole  506  for wall mounting. When the base  100  is to be installed in a desktop orientation, tab  102  of the base  100  is inserted in slot  502 A and tab  104  of the base  100  is inserted in slot  502 B. When the base  100  is to be installed in a wall mounting orientation, tab  102  of the base  100  is inserted in slot  504 A and tab  104  of the base  100  is inserted in slot  504 B. The hole  506  is covered by the base  100  when the base  100  is installed for desk mounting. The housing  500  also includes alignment slots  508 - 516  for insertion of alignment tabs  108 - 116 , respectively, of base  100  when the base  100  is to be installed in a desk mounting position. 
     The housing  500  also includes alignment slots  518 - 526 , for insertion of alignment tabs  108 - 116 , respectively, of base  100  when the base  100  is to be installed in a wall mounting position. The housing  500  also includes a surface  528  adapted for mating with the mating surface  107  of the base  100  as illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a view looking at the inside of the housing  500 , with the base  100  installed in a desktop orientation. Tabs  102  and  104  can be seen to have been installed and locked in slots  502 A and  502 B, respectively. Tab  102  has been pushed up ramps  602 A and  602 B and over protrusion  604 , while tab  104  has been pushed up ramps  606 A and  606 B and over protrusion  608 . Pushing tab  102  up ramps  602 A and  602 B and over protrusion  604 , and tab  104  up ramps  606 A and  606 B and over protrusion  608  has achieved a positive locking condition which provides security for the base  100 , but from which the base  100  can be disengaged with a moderate application of pressure. The ramps  602 A and  602 B and the protrusion  604 , and the ramps  606 A and  606 B and the protrusion  608  may be suitably designed so that a force of about 12 Netwons engages and disengages the tabs  102  and  104 . 
     Slots  504 A and  504 B are also visible, opposite in orientation to slots  502 A and  502 B. 
     Ramps  610 A and  610 B and protrusion  612 , are visible, as well as ramps  614 A and  614 B and protrusion  616 . For a wall mount orientation, the tabs  102  and  104  are installed in slots  504 A and  504 B and locked in a similar manner as for a desktop orientation. 
     In order to install the base  100  in a desktop orientation, tabs  102  and  104  of the base  100  (illustrated in FIG. 1) are inserted into corresponding slots  502 A and  502 B in the housing  500  (illustrated in FIG.  5 ), sliding in the direction indicated. Because of industrial design constraints, alignment tabs  115 ,  116  and  118  (illustrated in FIG. 1) are used to ensure that the back contour  117  of the base  100  matches the contour of the housing  500  in slots  518 ,  519  and  520  (illustrated in FIG.  5 ), and to provide additional support. As the base  100  starts sliding, the underside of the tabs  102  and  104  engage the ramps  602 A and  602 B and  606 A and  606 B inside the housing  500 . This ensures that the mating surface  107  fits securely against the housing  500 . As the tabs  102  and  104  snap over the protrusions  604  and  608 , this action provides a positive feedback to the customer indicating that the base  100  is installed correctly. 
     A similar procedure is followed for installation of the base  100  in a wall mounting orientation, with the base  100  being rotated and tabs  102  and  104  being inserted into slots  504 A and  504 B, respectively. 
     While the present invention is disclosed in the context of a presently preferred embodiment, it will be recognized that a wide variety of implementations may be employed by persons of ordinary skill in the art consistent with the above discussion and the claims which follow below.