A HOLDER FOR A MOBILE TELEPHONE

Abstract: A holder (1) for a mobile telephone (3), which is intended for being mounted in a car comprises a holder means (29), which is adapted to one end of the mobile telephone instrument (3) and surrounds and firmly holds the latter. A fastening member (5) is intended for fastening said holder to the interior of the car. The fastening member (5) is angular and the holder means is, via a universal joint (21), fastened to a first angle leg (10) of the fastening member (5). The other angle leg (6) is intended for being pressed into the slot between the glass pane and frame of the front door of the car which is closest to the driver.

Description: A holder for a mobile telephone. The present invention relates to a holder for a mobile telephone intended for being mounted in a car, craft or another means of conveyance, comprising a holder portion which is adapted to one end of the mobile telephone to surround and firmly hold the latter, and a fastening portion for fastening the holder to the interior of the car. Use of mobile telephones is steadily growing. The fact that the mobile telephone instruments are getting progressively smaller and better as well as less expensive contributes to this. The largest group of users is comprised of sales representatives, fitters, inspectors and all other occupa- tional groups travelling much. This causes a mobile telephone to be mounted in the car. It is an obvious requirement that the telephone instrument should be accessible as much as possible and as readily as possible in the car. Previously, this was not the case. Until now it was most common to fasten the mobile telephone instrument on the dashboard between the front seats, or on the central console between the front seats. This is a most unsuitable position of the telephone instrument, since it requires use of the right hand to grip the instrument. This will cause reduction of road safety, and many accidents were caused by uncontrolled maneuvering by the car driver when servicing the telephone, since it is necessary to let go of the steering wheel with ones right hand and lean over to the side. What happens in practice is that one takes the telephone instrument with one's right hand and very often changes it over to one's left hand to carry out the conversation. This implies that one must in fact let go of the steering wheel with both hands for a moment. When the conversation is ended and the instrument is to be put in place again the same maneuver has to be repeated in the opposite sequence. Lately, some producers delivered so called "handfree" telephone instruments, meaning that the instrument may stay in place in its holder while a conversation is in progress. Still, however, one has to press down a key on the telephone, both to start and to finish the conversation. What appears to be most hazardious to traffic when a mobile telephone is used, is to dial a number consisting of many figures, and this is as hazardious with the last mentioned kinds of telephones and with the above described manner of mounting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder for a mobile telephone instrument, which may be mounted on the front door which is closest to the driver of a car, i.e. generally the front door on the left hand side, and which is designed to be adjustable in such a manner that the distance and the angle between instrument and driver is suitable, and that the holder may be mounted in such a manner that no interference with the interior of the car, e.g. by drilling holes or the like, is required. According to the invention this is achieved by the aid of a holder of the above mentioned kind which shows the features which are stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Further suitable designs will appear from the dependent claims 2 - 4. By the aid of the holder according to the invention simple mounting is achieved, the free side of the angle on the fastening member is pressed down into the slot between the window pane and the interior portion of the window frame in the front door on the left hand side of the car. By the aid of the universal joint and the mutually adjustable portions the distance and angle relative to the driver may be adjusted, so that the instrument may be operated by one finger without any need of letting go of the steering wheel. If it is desired to have a conversation with the receiver out of its holder, one takes the instrument out of its holder with one's left hand and replaces it with the same hand whe the conversation is ended. In this manner one can avoid changing over the instrument from one hand to the other and the entire operation may occur without one having to look away from the road, possibly apart from a short moment. If one must glance at the telephone instrument for a moment, this will not interfere much more with one's concentration than when checking the speed or other information on the dashboard. The angle between the direction of driving and the telephone when it is correctly mounted on the left hand side will only be approximately one third as compared to the case of a telephone mounted on the right hand side. Mutually independent experiments with the holder show that in order to receive a call and then use "handfree" operation, it is not at all necessary to look away from the road, since one knows where the key is situated relative to the steering wheel, e.g. in the same manner as one operates the flasher handle without glancing at it. The holder may be mounted within a few minutes and may readily be moved to another car or, if desired, to the opposite side. It is, thus, of no concern whether the car has its steering wheel on the right hand side or the left hand side. The invention will be disclosed in more detail below with reference to the drawing, which shows an embodiment of the holder according to the invention. Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view of the holder, which is placed in a car on the front door on the left hand side, Figure 2 shows the holder according to the invention in perspective, and Figure 3 shows two cooperating details of the holder. The holder which is generally designated by numeral 1 is in Figure 1 fastened to the front door 2 on the left hand side of the car in such a manner that the telephone instrument 3 proper is placed close to the steering wheel 4, so that the telephone may in practice be operated by one finger of the driver's left hand, at the same time as this hand rests on the steering wheel. The holder according to the embodiment consists of an angular fastening member 5, one leg 6 of the angular member being intended for insertion in the slot 7 between the window pane 8 and the internal portion of frame 9 of front door 2 on the left hand side. The other leg 10 of the fastening member 5 is made double, so that a slot 11 is formed into which one angle leg 12 of an angular member 13 is inserted. Members 5 and 13 are fastened to each other by the aid of a throug bolt 14 in such a manner that angular adjustment of angular member 13 is possible. Fastening member 5 and angular member 13 are assembled to form an upside-down U with opening 15 facing downwards. In angle leg 12 of the angular member, which engages slot 11 of the fastening member 5, a slot 16 i made to permit adjustment of the width of opening 15. In thi way the holder may be adapted to the width of frame 9 o various car makes. When mounted members 5 and 13 are presse together before bolt 14 is tightened, so that a firm hold i achieved about frame member 9. Angle leg 6 is on both side covered with a soft, e. g. velvety material 17. By the aid of a bolt 19 a U-shaped member 20 of a universa joint 21 is fastened to the other angle leg 18 of angula member 13. A vertical slot 22 is made in angle leg 18, and i web 23 of member 20 a horizontal slot 24 is made. Bolt 1 extends through said slots and when the nut of this bolt i loosened U-shaped member 20 may be adjusted both in vertical and a horizontal direction. Inside U-shaped membe 20 another U-shaped member 25 engages. The legs of U-shape member 25 are fastened to the legs of U-shaped member 20 b the aid of pivots 26. Members 20 and 25 are secured to eac other in such a manner that a certain friction is provide between them to prevent unintentional mutual displacement o these two members. Via a plate 28 a standard holder means 29 for a telephone instrument 3 is fastened to webs 25 and 27 of said members. A snap device 30 ensures that the instrument is safely held by the holder means. The invention was above mainly disclosed in connection with the front door of a car. The holder may, however, obviously be attached to any door of a car, if other persons than the driver are to use the telephone. The holder may also be used in other means of conveyance.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS: 1. A holder for a mobile telephone (3) intended for being mounted in a car or another means of conveyance, comprising a holder means (29) which is adapted to a mobile telephone instrument to surround and firmly hold the latter, and a fastening member (5) to secure the holder means to the interior of the car or the like, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that fastening member (5) comprises a plate-shaped member (6) which is designed to be pressed into the slot (7) between the window pane (8) and the inner, lower portion of frame (9) of a car door or the like, that the plate-shaped member (6) is provided with a clamping piece, which extends in parallel with the latter and is adjustably arranged for adjustment of the mutual distance between the clamping piece and plate-shaped member (6), and that holder (29) of the mobile telephone is fastened in the clamping piece by the aid of a universal joint (21). 2. A holder according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that plate-shaped member (6) is formed by one angle leg of an angular member (5), and that clamping piece (13) is adjustably fastened to the second angle leg (10) in such a way that a U-shaped fastening member (5) is formed which opens downwards. 3. A holder according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that universal joint (21) consists of two U- shaped members (20, 25), that the legs of one U-shaped member (25) are inserted between the legs of the other U-shaped member (20), that the legs of both U-shaped members are pivoted, that the web of one U-shaped member (20) is connected to be rotatable into a desired position relative to the free angle leg (18) of angular member (13), and that the web of the other U-shaped member (25) is connected with holder member (29). 4. A holder according to one or several of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that universal joint (21) is fastened to the fastening member to be adjustable horizontally and vertically and rotatable.

Inventors: FAUCHALD WILLY, FAUCHALD, WILLY
Applicants: FAUCHALD WILLY, FAUCHALD, WILLY
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B60R11
IPC codes: B60R11, F16M11