Cordless telephone switch and line selector

In a cordless, head mounted telephone set a means of powering the radio transmission and reception unit and selecting telephone lines is provided by ganging the power and selecting switch thereof to the rotation of the microphone mouth piece.

CROSS-REFERENCE 
There are no cross-references to, nor are there any, related applications. 
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RIGHTS 
The invention herein was made without any federal sponsorship or 
contribution. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. The Field of the Invention 
The field of the invention relates to an improvement in cordless telephone 
sets and more particularly the means by which such a set makes connection 
with a limited range radio base station which is wired to a conventional 
telephone station for the purpose of making the set, in effect, a low 
power radio transmitter/receiver and simultaneously an improved means of 
selecting different telephone lines. The term "cordless" is used herein to 
distinguish the field of invention from the more general field of wireless 
telephony which encompasses the use of powerful radio devices and has 
considerably different problems not the least of which is transmission and 
reception over relatively long distances. 
2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
The background art of the invention reveals remarkable advances in 
consumer-oriented telephone hand sets which are cord-free. Conventionally, 
a modification is made at the telephone station during installation by 
attaching thereto a so-called radio base station which is activated by 
telephone switching devices to allow duplexing and to enable an individual 
to receive or to make telephone calls through a cordless hand set by means 
of radio signals picked up at the hand set or sent therefrom to the base. 
The convenience to the user is obvious and the great commercial, popular 
demand for this kind of product demonstrates the utility of thereof. 
Recently, as set forth for example in Popular Science Magazine, August, 
1983, p. 23, attempts have been made to convert a hand-held cordless 
telephone set to one which may be worn by the user as a headset. Some 
models currently available show portions of the apparatus fitted 
conventionally to the head by means of an arctuate band-like arrangement 
of metal or plastic conforming to the contour of the head, upon which 
arrangement are located an earphone and a microphone containing mouthpiece 
on an arm generally in a fixed position adjacent to the mouth of the user. 
A small swivel adjustment is sometimes made available at the base of the 
mouthpiece arm permitting small relocations thereof relative to the mouth 
to improve transmission quality and user comfort. The radio unit portion 
of the set in this mode is worn on the waist, as for example, by means of 
a belt, and connected to the headset portion by means of wires. The power 
switch is typically located on the belt-worn portion of the radio unit and 
is operated manually, typically by means of a push button. 
The problems encountered by the configuration so disclosed are relate to 
convenience and accessability. The power switch may be at times 
inaccessable to the user by virtue of his position or because it is not 
locatable without lowering the eyes, thereby diverting the attention 
visually, and the mouthpiece is continually in front of the face, 
obstructing it and the lower field of vision when the telephone is not in 
use. Additionally, rapid, easily accessable means for selecting different 
telephone lines are not provided. 
The present invention obviates the difficulties above-disclosed and 
provides a simple, inexpensive modification to cordless telephone headsets 
by providing an uncomplicated, foolproof means of making the telephone set 
connect with and select telephone lines while simultaneously providing a 
simple means for relocating the mouthpiece entirely away from the face 
while automatically disconnecting the radio unit, but leaving the whole 
apparatus continuously accessable. 
By way of example, and not limitation, in addition to the more obvious, 
ordinary implementations, the inventive improvement herein disclosed has 
great utility in areas where it is desirable for the user to maintain 
telephone communication while in a confined space or where his field of 
vision should not be impaired unnecessarily. Structural construction 
workers, marine vessel operators, vehicle drivers, warehouse personnel, 
and even forward observers in military situations will benefit 
substantially from the convenience and accessability provided by this 
invention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention may be summarized as providing a mouthpiece arm of a headset 
with a pivot means at an end opposite the mouthpiece such that the 
rotation of the mouthpiece arm upward will locate the mouthpiece and the 
microphone therein contained superiorly to the head and away from the face 
and visual field, and simultaneously and automatically therewith 
disconnect the radio portion. This is accomplished by ganging the pivot 
means to a circular, wiper-containing rotary wafer power switch which is 
so configured that the radio circuit is in a disconnected or "off" mode 
when the mouthpiece is so superiorly disposed. Rotationally lowering the 
arm to the vicinity of the mouth will automatically rotate the wafer power 
switch wiper away from its "off" position, toward a positive stop "on" 
position, connect the microphone, power the radio and make telephone line 
selection in one simple gesture. It is important to note that the rotation 
causes the mouthpiece to describe a sufficient arc to bring it in line 
with the mouth. The wafer power switch "on" contact points being set on an 
equivalent arc segment of the perimeter of the wafer switch will allow 
completion of the connection and permit voice transmission when the wiper 
is rotated through the same arc. Improvements obvious to one skilled in 
the art will immediately occur such as creating of further adjustment of 
the mouthpiece over a powered segment of the wafer arc by jumping the 
contact points in that vicinity together thereby reducing the number of 
telephone lines available for use, or forming the antenna into the 
arctuate headband or mounting the radio unit adjacent to the earphone 
instead of on a belt about the waist.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The preferred embodiment is described, wherein a curved telephone headset 
assembly [11] is formed consisting at one end of an ear phone [12] on top 
of whose outer face is disposed a lower face of a housing [13] containing 
a battery powered [B=] radio transmitting and receiving unit [14]. Onto a 
side face of the housing is connected an arctuate band [15] of resilient 
material in which is included along its arc an antenna [16] of appropriate 
length and material such that it is matched to the transmitting and 
receiving characteristics of the radio unit. The radio unit's power is 
controlled by a circular rotary wafer switch [17] located within the 
housing, the switch being equipped with a plurality of electrical contact 
points [18a, 18b, 18c] along the perimeter thereof, each contact point by 
its configuration representing a positive stop position, and an 
electrically powered wiper [19] which moves at an inner end pivotally in 
conjunction with a rotating stem [20] centrally disposed on the wafer such 
that the wiper can, by its rotational position make or break an electrical 
connection as it makes a stop. The wiper has an outer end which is 
indented and slides onto, or positively stops at, any of the contact 
points. The stem has an upper insulated portion [21] which protrudes 
through the housing. Disposed upon stem outside the housing, are spring 
clips [22] which hold an insulated rod [23] having a circular passage 
centrally disposed therethrough perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of 
the rod into which is fitted slidably and adjustably a mouthpiece arm 
[24]. The mouthpiece arm has at one end thereof an insulated jack [25] 
through which an electrical connection to the radio unit may be made [26] 
and at another end of said arm a mouthpiece containing a microphone [27] 
such that the microphone is electrically connected to the jack. 
A user of the assemblage fits it upon his head holding it in place by the 
earphone over an ear and a keeper [28] disposed on the other side of his 
head such that the mouthpiece will rotate in an arc in front of his face. 
The rotary power switch is so wired that when the mouthpiece arm is 
rotated such that the mouthpiece end is located superiorly to the head, no 
electrical contact is made by the radio unit with its power source and the 
radio is in an "off" position. When the mouthpiece arm is rotated 
inferiorly from the head forward of the face to a position at least 
perpendicular to the user's mouth typically describing an arc of 
105.degree.-130.degree. preferably of 120.degree. the rotation will 
simultaneously therewith rotate the wiper a similar number of degrees 
along the perimeter of the power switch to one of the positive stop 
electrical contact points located therein [18a, b,c,] such that the radio 
is powered "on" at each stop. Transmission is made through the microphone 
and reception is had through the earphone. By electrically connecting each 
contact point located on the perimeter of the wafer switch to a separate 
radio transmission channel within the radio unit the user is enabled with 
a small hand gesture to communicate differentially through a choice of 
telephone lines in accordance with the radio unit's configuration.