Abstract:
A fastening mechanism comprising a pin having a shank coupled to the head at a first end of said shank. A metallic pin-lock is provided having a base portion coupled to a resilient pin-engaging portion. The shank has a circumferentially-formed notch at a second end, said notch being adapted to receive the resilient pin-engaging portion. A resilient member is coupled to the base portion of the metallic pin-lock and to a mobile phone housing. A retainer is provided for housing said fastening mechanism inside the mobile phone housing. Upon insertion of the pin into the pin-lock, the pin is adapted to move the resilient pin-engaging portion a predetermined distance until the resilient pin-engaging portion engages the circumferentially-formed notch. The pin-lock is adapted to be removed from the pin via a magnet attracting at least a portion of the pin-lock away from the pin.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This patent application claims the benefit of priority from, and incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/355,308, which was filed on Feb. 7, 2002. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates in general to a mobile phone interlocking mechanism, and in particular but not by way of limitation, to a pin interlocking mechanism that is adapted to release upon application of a magnet thereon. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A mobile phone typically has a housing surrounding electronic components, including a battery and other electronic components therein. In some mobile phone applications, the battery may be externally coupled to the mobile phone housing. The housing, which is typically made of a plastic or thermoplastic material, may consist of multiple components that are typically coupled together using screws, which are threaded, or snaps. In mobile phone applications where the battery is externally located from the mobile phone housing, a battery lock is provided at one end of the battery to couple the battery to the mobile phone housing. To open the mobile phone housing, threaded screws may be removed by a screwdriver and the like. 
     Because prior art fastening mechanisms, such as those used in the mobile phone industry, are typically small relative to the housing which is being fastened, the fasteners tend to come loose. The threads in the housing are also prone to wear, and typically fail to function after several uses. Those housings which may be snap-fitted together are typically designed for permanent fastening. Accordingly, when these snap-fits are released through the use of specially designed tools, the phone housing will not be in condition for re-assembly. The special tools utilized also are known to damage the housing of the mobile phone, thus making the separation of the housing components costly and undesirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To solve these problems and other problems of the prior art, a fastening mechanism for mobile phones is provided. The fastening mechanism may include a pin having a substantially-cylindrical shaped head. A shank is coupled to the substantially-cylindrical shaped end at a first end of the shank. A locking portion is provided on the shank proximal to a second end of the shank. 
     A pin-engaging mechanism and a base are provided to engage the locking portion of the shank and secure the fastening mechanism in a fixed relationship. A resilient member, such as a spring, may be provided coupled to the base to allow some flexibility in the interlocking relationship between the pin and the pin-engaging mechanism. The resilient member is preferably constructed of a metallic material adapted to be influenced by a magnet externally applied thereto. 
     Accordingly, two mobile phone housing components may be coupled together through the use of the pin and the pin-engaging member. The pin may fit through a pre-designed orifice in a first housing component and couple with the pin-engaging mechanism, which is coupled to the second housing component, and fixedly secure the first and second housing components. 
     To disconnect the housing components, a magnet may be applied to the base to pull the base away from the pin. The force provided by the magnet may tilt the base and the pin-engaging mechanism away from the pin, and thereby disconnect the pin-engaging mechanism from the pin. 
     The pin may be hidden inside one of the housing components, thereby removing the interconnection components from visibility by a user of the product. However, should aesthetics require visibility of the pin, the pin may be coupled to an external surface of the first housing prior to coupling with the second housing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the pin lock mechanism according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the pin lock mechanism according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a pin-engaging mechanism housing according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a pin-engaging mechanism and base according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4B is a side plan view of the pin-engaging mechanism and base of FIG. 4A coupled to a resilient member; 
     FIG. 4C is a top plan view of a pin-engaging mechanism and base according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the pin according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an alternate embodiment of the resilient member shown in FIG. 4A; 
     FIG. 7 is a side plan view of the pin-engaging mechanism coupled to a pin and a resilient member as located in an exemplary pin-engaging mechanism housing; 
     FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the pin-engaging mechanism in a fixed position relative to an external member during decoupling of the pin from the pin-engaging mechanism; and 
     FIG. 9 is a side plan view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention in a decoupling configuration. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention provides an economical, convenient coupling mechanism adapted to secure housing components of mobile phones. Two housing components of a mobile phone may be conveniently coupled through the use of the pin, pin-engaging mechanism and base. Decoupling the housing components may be accomplished through the application of an external magnet in the general vicinity of the base to separate the pin-engaging mechanism from the pin. The coupling and decoupling may occur many times without wear on the components. The coupling mechanism may be internally located to limit visibility thereof 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particular to FIG. 1, an exploded view of a mobile phone housing assembly  10  is shown. The mobile phone housing assembly  10  includes a first housing portion  20  having an external surface  30  and an internal surface  40 . The first housing portion  20  may be provided with a plurality of orifices  50  for indicia, phone number locations, display locations, and the like. A second housing portion  60  adapted to mate with the first housing portion  20  is also provided. The second housing portion  60  includes an external surface  70  and an internal surface  80 . 
     A pin  90  couples the first housing portion  20  to the second housing portion  60 . The pin  90  may include a head  100 , which in certain embodiments may be substantially-cylindrical. A shank  110  having a first end  120  and a second end  130  is coupled to the head  100  at the first end  120 . In certain embodiments discussed in more detail below, the second end  130  may be provided with tapers  140 . Proximal to the second end  130 , a locking portion  150  is provided on the shank  110 . In this embodiment, the head  100  is adapted to fixedly secure to the first housing portion  20  and is not visible from the external surface  30  of the first housing portion  20 . 
     Still referring to FIG. 1, a pin-lock housing  160  is provided on the internal surface  80  of the second housing portion  60 . The pin-lock housing  160  includes a top surface  165  having a pin-orifice  170  thereon adapted to receive the pin  90  therethrough. Secured within the pin-lock housing  160  is a pin lock  180 . The pin lock  180  includes a pin-engaging mechanism  190 , which in certain embodiments may be a pair of substantially vertically disposed legs  200 , and a metallic base portion  210 . A resilient member  220  may be provided coupled to the base portion  210 . As shown in FIG. 1, the resilient member  220  is an angle  230  having a first end  240  in a first plane and a second end  250  coupled to the second housing portion  60  in a second plane. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, a mobile phone housing assembly  300  is shown in a second embodiment. The main difference between the mobile phone housing assembly  300  and the mobile phone housing assembly  10  is that the pin  90  is coupled through the first housing portion  20  on the external surface  30 , thus making the pin  90  visible to a user. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, an isometric view of the pin-lock housing  160  is shown. The pin-lock housing  160  defines a cavity  400  adapted to receive the pin lock  180  (FIG. 1) therein. In this embodiment, a first wall  410  of the pin-lock housing  160  is substantially perpendicular to the internal surface  80  (FIG. 1) of the second housing portion  60  (FIG.  1 ), while a second wall  420  of the pin-lock housing forms an acute angle with respect to the internal surface  80 . It is contemplated that the second wall  420  may be parallel to the first wall  410 , depending on the requirements of the user. A tapered portion  430  may be provided on the pin-lock housing  160  to facilitate engagement with the pin  90  (FIG.  1 ). 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the pin lock  180  is shown in a top plan view and a side view, respectively. The pin lock  180  includes the pin-engaging mechanism  190  and the metallic base portion  210 . A resilient member  220 , in this case a spring, is shown coupled to the metallic base portion  210 . While any number of materials may be used for the base portion  210 , the materials must be capable of being acted upon by a magnet. Best seen in FIG. 4B, substantially vertically disposed legs  200  may be provided as the pin-engaging mechanism  190 . The legs  200  may terminate in a coupling portion  500  adapted to mate with the locking portion  150  of the pin  90  (FIG.  1 ). The legs  200  thereby couple the pin  90  thereto upon engagement with the locking portion  150 . It can be appreciated that although the pin-engaging mechanism  190  may comprise multiple flanges  195  and is shown as two components, a single component  197  as shown in FIG. 4C may be used with at least equal efficiency. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, an enlarged side plan view of the pin  90  according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The locking portion  150  is seen as a reduction in diameter of the shank  110 , and is proximally located near the second end  130  of the pin  90 . Tapers  140  are provided at about the second end  130  to facilitate engagement with the pin-engaging mechanism  190  (FIGS.  4 A and  4 B). The tapers  140  help bias the pin-engaging mechanism  190  away from the shank  110  until the pin-engaging mechanism  190  meets the locking portion  150 , wherein the pin  90  becomes locked or coupled to the pin-engaging mechanism  190 . The pin head  100  may be cylindrical, substantially cylindrical, rectangular or any other shape, depending on the requirements of the user. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, an enlarged side view of the resilient member  220  is shown as an angle having first end  240  in a first plane and second end  250 , which is preferably coupled to the second housing portion  60  (FIG. 1) in a second plane. The angle of the first end  240  with respect to the second end  250  is preferably acute. The resilient member may also be metallic, such that application of a magnet on the second end  250  will move the first end  240  towards the second end  250 . The resilient member  220  may be a spring, a spring-damper combination, or any other resilient structure capable of deformation to interlock with the pin  90 , yet capable of releasing the pin  90  after application of a magnet thereto. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, a side plan view of the pin-engaging mechanism  190  coupled to a pin  90  and one embodiment of a resilient member  700  as located in an exemplary pin-engaging mechanism housing  710  is shown. As seen in this embodiment, coupling portion  500  of pin-engaging mechanism  190  mates with locking portion  150  of pin  90  to couple the pin thereto. Resilient member  700  is seen in an extended position, but may contract as well, thus providing flexibility in the connection between the pin  90  and pin-engaging mechanism  190 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a side plan view of the pin-engaging mechanism  190  in a separation configuration relative to the pin  90  during decoupling of the pin  90  from the pin-engaging mechanism  190 . As can be seen, a magnet  800  is applied to the pin-engaging mechanism housing  710  and attracts the pin-engaging mechanism  190  in the direction of the magnetic force. The force is strong enough to separate the pin  90  from the pin-engaging mechanism  190 , which allows the pin  90  to separate from the pin-engaging mechanism  190 . Because the resilient member  700  may be metallic, the resilient member  700  may also be attracted by the magentic force of the magnet  800 . This feature thus allows quick coupling and decoupling of external components described above. 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown a side plan view of a pin lock  900  in an alternate separation configuration embodiment. In this embodiment, different non-metallic materials, such as thermoplastics and the like, may be used to construct a pin lock  910  or a pin engaging mechanism  930 , thereby eliminating the dependency of the decoupling of the pin  920  and the pin lock  910  on a magnet (not shown). The pin lock  910  is shown in a similar configuration as pin lock  180 , and one or more pin-engaging mechanisms  930  may be included. As in prior embodiments, a pin lock housing  940  is adapted to receive the pin lock  910  and pin  950 . The pin  950  may be adapted to mate with the pin-engaging mechanism  930  in manner similar to that described above. Optionally, a resilient member  960  is shown coupled to the pin lock  910  and the pin lock housing  940 . 
     In this embodiment, the pin lock housing  940  is designed to resist sufficient force, such that in order to decouple pin  950  from the pin lock  910 , a first force F 1  is applied in the direction indicated in FIG. 9. A resistive force in the direction indicated by F 2  naturally occurs between the-pin lock  910  and the pin  950 . Supplementing this resistive force F 2 , the pin lock housing wall  950  will contact the pin lock  910 , which will create force F 3 , and resist force F 1  in the same direction as F 2 . Finally and optionally, the resilient member  960  will provide force F 4  to resist F 1  and aid in the decoupling of the pin lock  910  from the pin  950 . It can be appreciated that instead of the resilient member  960 , an alternate coupling means may be provided to couple the pin lock  910  to the pin lock housing  940 . Accordingly, the interaction between the pin lock housing wall  950 , the pin lock  910 , the optional resilient member  960  and the pin  950  will provide sufficient decoupling force to remove the pin  950  from the pin lock  910 . 
     The previous description is of a preferred embodiment for implementing the invention, and the scope of the invention should not necessarily be limited by this description. The scope of the present invention is instead defined by the following claims.