Holder for a telephone handset, and assembly of a holder and a telephone handset

A holder for a telephone handset, in particular for use in cars, which is to provide a hands-free function comprises a stationary holder part and a pivotable holder part which can pivot relative to the former about a holder pivot axis between an open position, in which the pivotable holder part encloses an angle with the stationary holder part, and a closed position, in which the pivotable holder part lies substantially parallel to the stationary holder part. The pivotable holder part has a connector which cooperates with a mating connector of a cordless telephone handset so as to achieve an automatic electrical connection thereof when a cordless telephone handset is inserted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a holder for a telephone handset, in particular 
for use in automobiles for providing a hands-free function, comprising a 
stationary holder part and a pivotable holder part which is pivotable 
relative to the stationary holder part about a holder pivot axis between 
an open position in which the pivotable holder part encloses an angle with 
the stationary holder part and a closed position in which it is 
substantially parallel to the stationary holder part. 
The invention also relates to an assembly of a holder and a telephone 
handset. 
Such a holder is known, for example, from a German patent application laid 
open to public inspection ("Offenlegungsschrift") DE-40.15.091 A1. A 
holder is discussed in this docment which is designed for horizontal 
mounting, for example on the transmission tunnel of an autombile, and in 
which a telephone handset can be placed which is connected via a cord to 
other parts belonging to a mobile communication device. The holder has at 
a first end a retaining part which grips over the telephone handset and 
which supports the telephone. At the opposite end, there is a second 
retaining part which grips over an inserted telephone handset at least 
adjacent the edge. The first retaining part may be provided with a 
pivotable holder part. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention has for its object to render a holder of the kind mentioned 
in the opening paragraph suitable also for other, more modern 
applications. 
According to the invention, the holder is for this purpose characterized in 
that the pivotable holder part is provided with a connector for the 
electrical connection of a cordless telephone handset when the latter is 
placed in the pivotable holder part. Many modern mobile telephones have 
the major advantage that they are cordless, so that they can be used both 
inside and outside the car without a cord connection. A particularly 
relevant example here is formed by the GSM telephones which become more 
and more popular. The presence of a connector in the pivotable holder part 
renders it possible to connect the telephone handset electrically via this 
connector quickly and easily for use in a car, for example to supply 
circuits for supplying the telephone and/or for charging the battery of 
the telephone handset, and to antenna means of the automobile. 
A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the 
pivotable holder part is provided with guiding means which, upon the 
insertion of a telephone handset into the pivotable holder part, guide the 
telephone handset such that the latter slides home through cooperation 
with corresponding counter-guiding means present at the sides of the 
telephone handset. This embodiment envisages first and foremost to render 
possible a good connection between the connector of the holder and the 
mating connector of the telephone handset. The guiding means present in 
the pivotable part of the holder ensure in cooperation with the 
counter-guiding means present at the sides of the telephone handset that 
the telephone handset is guided, i.e. slides in an exactly defined manner 
relative to the pivotable holder, so that the two connectors mentioned 
above are satisfactorily aligned with respect to one another when they 
meet one another. The latter embodiment of the invention is in addition of 
major importance for a further embodiment which is characterized in that 
the pivotable holder part has a depth perpendicular to the holder pivot 
axis such that telephone handsets of different thicknesses can be placed 
in the pivotable holder part. The satisfactory guiding of the telephone 
handset in the pivotable holder part in combination with the available 
depth of the holder part renders it possible to accommodate telephone 
handsets of different thicknesses in the holder, while nevertheless a 
satisfactory guiding of the telephone handset in the pivotable holder is 
ensured, i.e. a good cooperation between the connector of the telephone 
handset and the connector of the pivotable holder. Thickness variations in 
telephone handsets may be the result, for example, of the use of batteries 
of different power ratings. The user of a holder according to the 
invention and a telephone handset suitable therefore may accordingly be 
sure that the telephone handset can be accommodated in the holder also 
when a battery of greater power is used. 
A further interesting embodiment of the invention is characterized in that 
the stationary holder part is provided with locking means for cooperation 
with an inserted telephone handset in a location remote from the pivotable 
holder part for the purpose of locking the telephone handset in the holder 
when the pivotable holder part is in the closed position. This renders it 
possible, after insertion of the telephone handset into the pivotable 
holder, to pivot the combination of telephone handset and pivotable holder 
about the pivot axis of the pivotable holder into a closed position, and 
to lock said combination in the closed position. 
An important embodiment in this respect is one which is characterized in 
that the locking means are present at the end of the holder situated 
opposite the holder pivot axis, in that the locking means comprise a flap 
which is pivotable about a flap pivot axis substantially parallel to the 
holder pivot axis between a locking position in which a telephone handset 
placed in the holder is locked in the holder and an open, release position 
in which the telephone handset is pivotable together with the pivotable 
holder part, in that resilient means are present which load the flap 
towards the locking position, in that the flap is provided with an 
operational portion for manually pivoting the flap against the force of 
the resilient means from the locking position into the open position, and 
in that the flap is given a hook shape in cross-section at least locally 
adjacent a free edge at a distance from the flap pivot axis with a 
sloping, rising portion and a perpendicular portion such that, upon 
pivoting of a telephone handset placed in the pivotable holder part about 
the holder pivot axis into the closed position, the flap initially moves 
in the direction of the release position against the resilient load about 
the flap pivot axis, and subsequently moves back into the locking position 
under the influence of the resilient load and locks the telephone handset 
in the holder by means of said perpendicular portion. The use of this 
embodiment leads to an automatic locking of the telephone handset when the 
telephone handset placed in the pivotable holder is pivoted into the 
closed position. Unlocking may be readily achieved in that said 
operational portion is moved by hand, whereupon the telephone handset can 
be taken from the pivotable holder, if so desired with the same hand. A 
yet further embodiment of the invention is of interest in this respect and 
is characterized in that resilient means are present for loading the 
pivotable holder part in the direction of the open position. When this 
embodiment is used in combination with the preceding embodiment, the 
telephone handset will be automatically moved towards the user's hand when 
the operational portion for pivoting the flap into the open position is 
operated by hand.

The various Figures are shown on an arbitrary scale and at arbitrary 
viewing angles, corresponding components being indicated with the same 
reference numerals in the Figures. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 shows a holder 1 designed for vertical placement in a suitable 
location in the interior of a car, for example on or adjacent the 
dashboard. The holder serves for the placement of a telephone handset 3 
which is to provide a hands-free function. The holder 1 comprises a 
stationary holder part 5 and a pivotable holder part 9 which is pivotable 
relative to the former part about a holder pivot axis 7. The pivotable 
holder part is pivotable between an open position, see FIGS. 1 and 2, in 
which the pivotable holder part encloses an angle with the stationary 
holder part 5, and a closed position substantially parallel to the 
stationary holder part, see FIGS. 3 and 4. The pivotable holder part 9 is 
provided with a connector 11, see FIG. 1. This connector serves for the 
electrical connection of the cordless telephone handset 3 upon placement 
thereof in the pivotable holder part. The telephone handset is for this 
purpose provided with a mating connector, which is not visible in the 
drawing and which is usual and known per se, near the lower side of the 
handset. 
The pivotable holder part 9 is provided with guiding means in the form of 
ridges 13a and 13b. Upon insertion of the telephone handset 3 into the 
pivotable holder part 9, the ridges 13a and 13b will correspond with 
mating counter-guiding means which are present at the sides of the 
telephone handset 3, in this case taking the shape of grooves on either 
side of the telephone handset, one of which, referenced 15, is visible in 
FIGS. 2 to 4. The cooperation between the grooves 15 provided in defined 
locations in the sides of the telephone handset 3 and the ridges 13a, 13b 
present on the inside of the pivotable holder part 9 provides an excellent 
guiding, i.e. sliding action of the telephone handset when the latter is 
inserted into the pivotable holder part, such that a satisfactory 
alignment takes place between the connector 11 of the pivotable holder 
part and the mating connector present at the lower side of the telephone 
handset 3. The defined placement of the grooves 15 in combination with the 
guiding ridges 13a, 13b renders it possible to use telephone handsets of 
comparatively great thickness, provided with batteries of high power, see 
FIG. 4, in view of the depth dimension of the pivotable holder part 9 
perpendicular to the direction of the pivot axis 7. The battery 17 shown 
in FIG. 4 and provided on the rear of the telephone handset 3 is the 
thickest battery in this connection, i.e. the battery having the greatest 
power which can be used within the available space. It will be obvious, 
however, that thinner batteries of lower power can accordingly be used in 
all instances without space problems. 
The stationary holder part 5 is provided with locking means 19 for 
cooperation with the inserted telephone handset 3 at a distance from the 
pivotable holder part 9 with the object of locking the telephone handset 
in the holder 1 when the pivotable holder part 9 is in the closed 
position. These locking means are present at the end of the holder 
situated opposite the holder pivot axis 7 and comprise a flap 21 which is 
pivotable about a flap pivot axis 23 which extends substantially parallel 
to the holder pivot axis 7. The flap 21 is pivotable between a locking 
position, see for example FIGS. 3 and 5, in which a telephone handset 
placed in the holder is locked in the holder, and an open, release 
position, see FIG. 6, in which the telephone handset is pivotable together 
with the pivotable holder part. FIG. 5 diagrammatically shows resilient 
means in the form of a compression spring 25 which load the flap 21 in the 
direction of the locking position. The flap is provided with a hand 
operation portion 27 for pivoting the flap 21 by hand from the locking 
position, see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, against the pressure of the compression 
spring 25 into the release position, see FIG. 6. An arrow 29 in FIG. 6 
indicates the direction in which a force is to be exerted by hand on the 
hand operation portion 27 in order to release the telephone handset. 
The flap 21 has a hook shape at least locally in cross-section adjacent a 
free edge 31 remote from the flap pivot axis 23 owing to the presence of a 
hook portion 33. This hook portion has a sloping, rising portion 35 and an 
opposed perpendicular portion 37, so that, upon pivoting of a telephone 
handset placed in the pivotable holder part about the holder pivot axis 7 
into the closed position, said sloping portion 35 initially causes the 
flap 21 to move in the pivoting direction towards the release position of 
the flap 21 indicated in FIG. 6 with an arrow 41 against the pressure of 
the compression spring 25 owing to a cooperation with portions 39 of the 
housing of the telephone handset 3. Subsequently, the flap moves back into 
the locking position under the influence of the compression force of the 
compression spring 25, and the telephone handset 3 is locked in the holder 
1 by said perpendicular portion 37. It is clearly shown especially in FIG. 
2 that the telephone handset is provided with a recess 43 at its upper 
side. The perpendicular portion 37 of the flap 21 snaps itself 
automatically into this recess, whereby the locking of the telephone 
handset is achieved. A recess 43 is not necessary, the flap could 
alternatively be designed such that it grips around the upper portion of 
the telephone handset, so that the upper portion of the telephone handset 
is held in the flap in the locking position. 
The pivotable holder part 9 is spring-loaded towards the open position 
shown in FIG. 1 by resilient means not shown in the drawing. These 
resilient means may comprise, for example, another compression spring as 
shown in FIG. 25, or any other kind of spring which is usual and known per 
se, such as, for example, a blade spring, a torsion spring, etc. If no 
telephone handset is present in the holder, accordingly, the pivotable 
holder part will always be in the position shown in FIG. 1. There are also 
means which are not shown and which are known per se, see, for example, 
the cited German patent application, for limiting the pivoting movement of 
the pivotable holder part such that it cannot pivot further than the open 
position shown in FIG. 1. The holder is accordingly always ready for 
receiving a telephone handset quickly and in a comfortable direction in 
its pivotable holder part with sliding possibility into the position shown 
in FIG. 2. Starting from this position, it suffices to push the telephone 
by hand against the spring pressure of the pivotable holder part in order 
to achieve the closed end position shown in FIG. 3. Shortly before 
reaching this position, the housing part 39 of the telephone handset will 
make contact with the hook portion 33 of the flap 21, whereby the latter 
is automatically first pushed up against the pressure of the compression 
spring 25, whereupon the pependicular portion 37 snaps itself 
automatically into the recess 43 upon a further movement of the telephone 
handset. The telephone handset is locked thereby in the closed position 
and is ready for hands-free operation. For unlocking the telephone 
handset, a short pressure against the hand operation portion 27 of the 
flap 21 in the direction of the arrow 29, for example with one or several 
fingers of the hand, suffices for causing the telephone handset 3 to drop 
automatically into the palm of the hand, actuated by the resilient means 
which urge the pivotable holder part 9 automatically into its open 
position. Then the telephone handset need only be removed from the 
pivotable holder part 9 in a translatory movement. 
The means necessary for the pivotable bearing of the pivotable holder part 
9 and of the flap 21 have not been indicated in the drawing for 
simplicity's sake. Bearing parts of this kind, however, are generally 
known and may be of any suitable shape. Since these details are not 
essential to the invention, they have not been shown in the drawing. 
Although the invention was elucidated in the drawing with reference to only 
a single embodiment, the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the 
contrary, the invention covers all embodiments possible within the scope 
of the appended claims. The reference numerals in the claims only serve 
for improving the ease of reference and have no limitative significance.