Abstract:
A portable telephone or cell phone holder fits in a conventional cup holder of an automobile or other vehicle. It has an arcuate sidewall that is less than 360° and is resiliently deformable to be squeezed down to less than the diameter of the cup holder and then, when released, to grip the inside surface of the cup holder. A tongue extends upwardly and radially inwardly from the sidewall to a distal end to provide a support telephone platform and has a concave slanted surface to accommodate and center a telephone belt clip.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
   This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/172,450, U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,766, filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 14, 1998. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is related generally to a portable telephone holder and more specifically to a portable telephone holder with a mounting base that is configured and sized to fit into typical conventional cup holders in automobiles and other vehicles and with an elongated shelf for supporting a portable telephone. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Portable, or cellular, telephones operate by using networks of short range transmitters located in overlapping cells throughout a geographical region. Telephone calling signals to and from the portable telephone are switched automatically from one transmitter to another as the telephone travels among adjoining cells. Such cellular systems have made use of portable telephones in automobiles and other vehicles very common. However, stowing such portable telephones in vehicles is somewhat of a problem, because portable telephones should be easily accessible to drivers, yet secure enough to keep them from tumbling around in vehicles during starts, stops, and other vehicle motions. Some vehicle manufacturers build portable telephone docking apparatus into their interior accouterments, such as in consoles or compartments in the seats, but most vehicles do not have such facilities. There are myriad telephone mounting devices available, but most of them require some permanent or semi-permanent attachment to the floorboard, dashboard, or other structural component of the vehicle. Most drivers do not have either the skills required or the inclination to make such attachments, thus requiring the services of skilled technicians to install such telephone mounting equipment, and once installed, they cannot be moved conveniently from one vehicle to another. 
   Many portable telephones are also equipped with flexible clips that can be hooked onto a belt, a pocket, or other location, to free up the user&#39;s hands for other purposes. However, hooking the portable telephone onto a belt is most practical when the person is standing or walking, not while the user is seated and particularly not while the user is also operating a vehicle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a universal mounting or docking device for holding a portable telephone in an automobile or other vehicle in a secure manner that can be installed without special skills or tools and that can be used easily in a wide variety of vehicles without significant distraction. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable telephone mounting base for vehicles that facilitates the user picking up the telephone for use and then replacing it easily into a secure, stowed position. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable telephone mounting base for vehicles that will accommodate a variety of telephones with different sizes and shapes. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable telephone mounting base for vehicles that supports the portable telephone firmly enough to allow the user to dial the telephone while it is held in place. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable telephone mounting base for vehicles that is durable, simple in structure, and inexpensive to manufacture. 
   To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as embodied and broadly described therein, the apparatus of the present invention includes a base that is sized and shaped to fit securely in a conventional cup holder in an automobile or other vehicle and with an elongated shelf supported above the base for holding a conventional portable telephone to facilitate transport and use thereof. The shelf is configured to receive and retain a conventional portable telephone equipped with a flexible belt clip for carrying the telephone or for use with other fasteners, such as hook-and-loop pile strips, straps, or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting base has a hollow, cylindrical, or semi-cylindrical body made of a resilient, flexible material, which allows the sidewall of the body to be deformed radially inwardly to facilitate insertion of the body into a cup holder. The elongated shelf can be in the form of a tongue extending upwardly and radially inwardly from the sidewall of the body. The user can mount the portable telephone on the shelf by sliding a flexible belt clip on a telephone over the upper edge of the tongue and downward until a surface on the proximal end of the belt clip contacts said upper edge of the shelf, preventing further downward movement. A concave surface on the underside of the shelf helps to guide the belt clip toward the middle of the shelf. The shelf may also have two parallel ribs on the underside of the shelf to inhibit lateral movement of the mounting clip, thus also the telephone, on the shelf, thereby providing lateral stability for the portable telephone. Alternate embodiments of the base, or attachments of the shelf to the base, and of guiding and stabilizing features on the shelf can also be used to achieve the objects in accordance with this invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and forma apart of the specifications, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the descriptions serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the Drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the portable telephone holder configured according to the present invention positioned in a typical automobile cup holder and with a portable telephone mounted on and supported by the holder; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the portable telephone holder of this invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the portable telephone holder of this invention with hidden lateral support ribs and a lower edge of the inclined surface shown in phantom lines; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the portable telephone holder of this invention taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 2  and with a portable telephone shown in phantom lines mounted on the holder; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of the portable telephone holder of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the portable telephone holder of the present invention in which a notch is used to stabilize a portable telephone (not shown) when mounted on the holder; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the portable telephone holder of the present invention, taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 2 , with a portable telephone shown in phantom lines mounted on the holder using a hook-and-loop fastener, such as Velcro™; 
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the portable telephone of the present invention positioned in a typical automobile&#39;s cup holder with a portable telephone mounted on and supported by the holder, in which the base of the telephone holder is in the form of a hollow, conical frustum; 
       FIG. 9  is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the portable telephone holder of the present invention in which the shelf for supporting the portable telephone extends downwardly from an upward extension of the rear of the base; 
       FIG. 10  is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the portable telephone holder of the present invention in which the shelf for supporting the portable telephone is supported by a stem that extends vertically from the center of the base. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The portable telephone holder  10  of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  positioned in a typical conventional cup holder H in the interior I of an automobile or other vehicle and supporting a portable telephone T in stowed position. Cup holders H are common accouterments in many vehicles, and, usually, at least one of such cup holders H is placed in such vehicles in a location that is convenient and accessible to the driver. Such cup holders H are available in a variety of styles, shapes, and sizes, but they are all designed to hold cups containing liquids in a stable manner. Most cup holders H, therefore, have some kind of well or aperture at least partially surrounded by a wall or ring with an interior surface S that is sized and shaped to contact and support the exterior peripheral surface of a cup (not shown) that may be inserted into the well or aperture. In some cup holders H, the interior surface S is rigid, while in other cup holders H the interior surface has one or more flexible elements (not shown) for contacting and supporting the peripheral surfaces of a cup. Further, some cup holders H also have bottom platforms or floor surfaces (not shown) to contact and support a bottom of a cup, while other cup holders H have no such bottom platforms or floor surfaces. Therefore, the base  20  of the portable telephone holder  10  of this invention is sized and shaped to have an exterior peripheral surface  21  similar to at least a portion of a peripheral surface of a cup in order to obtain the benefit of the interior surface S of the cup holder to support a portable telephone T in a place conveniently accessible to a driver of a vehicle that is equipped with a cup holder H. Accordingly, the base  10  of the portable telephone holder  10  has either a cylindrical peripheral surface  21  or a slightly frusto-conical peripheral surface  21  to engage the interior surface S of the cup holder H. While the cylindrical surface can have a circular cross-section within the scope of this invention, as will be described in more detail below, a semi-circular cross-section has several advantages, as will also be described in more detail below. A rigid tongue  26  extends upwardly from the base  20  and forms an elongated, slanted shelf  30  to engage and support the portable telephone T on the portable telephone holder  10 , preferably taking advantage of a belt clip C (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), which is a conventional feature on most portable telephones T or on leather cases (not shown) that are available for most portable telephones T. The belt clip C, as shown in  FIG. 4 , can be used to secure the telephone T to the shelf  30  of tongue  26  of the portable telephone holder  10 . Other attachment structures, such as hook and loop pile strips (Velcro™), straps, bands, clips, or other fasteners can also be used to attach and secure the portable telephone T to the tongue  26 . 
   To use the portable telephone T, the driver can pull the telephone T off the shelf  30  of tongue  26 , leaving the portable telephone holder  10  in the cup holder H. However, in many cases, it may be more convenient for the driver to grab the portable telephone holder  10  along with the portable telephone T and remove the entire assembly of the telephone T attached to the holder  10  from the cup holder H in order to use the telephone T. It is then as easy to re-stow the telephone T after use in the cup holder H as it is to place a cup in the cup holder H by simply replacing the holder  10  into the cup holder H with the telephone T still positioned on the shelf  30  and attached to the tongue  26 . On the other hand, for portable telephones T equipped with speakers and microphones for hands-free use while driving, the holder  10  supports the telephone T in a secure enough manner in the cup holder H to allow the driver to push button dial the telephone T in its stowed position. Alternatively, the driver could remove the holder  10  along with the telephone T from the cup holder H, as described above, in order to hold the telephone T in a more visible position while dialing, then replace them to the cup holder H stowed position for his or her telephone conversation via the speaker and microphone. Therefore, the portable telephone holder  10  of this invention provides drivers with the flexibility to use a portable telephone T in an automobile or other vehicle in a manner that they deem appropriate and convenient. When removing the portable telephone T from the vehicle, it can be detached from the tongue  26 , leaving the portable telephone holder  10  stowed in the cup holder H for later use. Alternatively, the driver can also remove the portable telephone holder  10  from the cup holder H in the vehicle, so the portable telephone holder  10  can be used in another vehicle or in the driver&#39;s office or home to support the portable telephone T in a useful position on a desk or table. 
   In the preferred embodiment of this invention shown in  FIGS. 1–6 , the base  20  is preferably semi-cylindrical in shape, open at its top and bottom, and with an arcuate side wall  23  that terminates at opposing ends  25 ,  27 . The sidewall  23  is preferably formed with a resiliently yieldable, semi-rigid material that deforms to a smaller diameter under opposed, inwardly directed forces F—F applied to opposite wings  22 ,  24  of sidewall  23 , as indicated by phantom lines  22 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′,  27 ′ in  FIG. 3 , but which has a memory so that it returns to its original shape  22 ,  24 ,  25 ,  27  when the deforming forces F—F are removed. The diameter of the base  20  may be, but is not necessarily, slightly larger than a diameter of a standard-sized cup, so that the driver (not shown) can apply deforming forces F—F to deform the wings  22 ,  24  toward each other, as shown at  22 ′,  24 ′ of  FIG. 3 , before inserting the base  20  into a cup holder H, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Because the tongue  26  in the region of shoulders  38 ,  39  is rigid and resists deformation, the forces F—F cause relatively more radially inward deformation at the bottom edge  29  of the sidewall  23  than at the top edge  31 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , which imparts a frusto-conical shape to the base  20  to facilitate insertion of the base  20  into the cup holder H in  FIG. 1 . Then, when the driver releases the deforming forces F—F, the memory in the resilient wings  22 ,  24  tends to move the wings  22 ,  24  back outwardly into contact with the interior surface S of the cup holder H. If the diameter of the opening or well of the cup holder H is less than the normal, nondeformed diameter of the base  20 , the material memory of the base  20  will bias the wings  22 ,  24  and surface  21  of the base  20  forcibly against the internal surface S of the cup holder H to increase frictional engagement, thus stability, of the portable telephone holder  10  in the cup holder H. While inserting the base into the cup holder with wings  22 ,  24  pressed inwardly, the base can be rotated about its vertical axis until it is in a preferred orientation in relation to the user, and then the forces F—F on the wings  22 ,  24  released. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the front surface  21  of the semi-cylindrical side wall  23  of base  20  is generally vertical at the bottom, and an elongated, rigid tongue  26  extends upwardly and radially inwardly from shoulders  38 ,  39  at the top of side wall  23  to form an elongated, inclined shelf  30  with a support surface  41  on the tongue  26  for supporting the portable telephone T, which is shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 4 . The elongated tongue  26  is generally rectangular in shape, with rounded corners, and forms an angle β to vertical so that the telephone T on surface  41  of shelf  30  is generally visible and accessible to the driver (not shown) and further so that a substantial component of forces applied to push—button dial the telephone T are directed downwardly onto the portable telephone holder  10 . The angle β is preferably, but not necessarily, in a range between about 30° and 60°. 
   With continuing reference primarily to  FIG. 4 , the portable telephone T is preferably mounted on the tongue  26  and secured in that position with a conventional belt clip C, which is a common feature of most portable telephones T or of leather cases that are commonly provided with, or otherwise commercially available for, such portable telephones. For mounting, the telephone T is positioned adjacent top surface  41  of elongated shelf  30  such that the tip of belt clip C is adjacent the distal end  28  of tongue  26 . As the telephone T is moved downwardly on upper surface  41  of shelf  30 , the belt clip C slides under the distal end  28  and then along the underside  40  of shelf  30  until the vertex  33  of the belt clip C approaches and preferably contacts the distal end  28 , thereby prohibiting further downward movement of the belt clip C and, hence, the telephone T on the shelf  30 . 
   To facilitate this mounting movement, a beveled surface  42  is provided adjacent distal end  28  of tongue  26 . This beveled surface  42  provides a thinner edge profile at distal end  28 , which facilitates the leading end  44  of the belt clip C getting started to slide under the shelf  30 , and the beveled surface helps to spread the belt clip C from the body of telephone T as the telephone T and belt clip C are moved downwardly onto the shelf  30 . 
   The shelf  30  is preferably wider than the belt clip C, and the beveled surface  42  adjacent the distal end  28  of tongue  26  is also preferably concave, as best seen in  FIG. 5  in combination with  FIG. 4 , so that the distal end  28  is thicker at the outer edges  46 ,  48  than in the middle  47 . This concave profile tends to guide the belt clip C toward the middle of the width of the shelf  30  as the telephone T is being mounted and to retain it there, so that the telephone T does not slip off a side of the shelf  30  during use. 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , retention of the telephone T on the shelf  30  can also be enhanced by two generally parallel guide ridges  34 ,  36  that extend from the underside  40  of shelf  30  along respective opposite edges  35 ,  37  near the distal end  28  to form a channel defined by said guide ridges  34 ,  36  and a portion of the underside  40  of the shelf  30  between said guide ridges  34 ,  36 . These ridges  34 ,  36  are spaced a distance apart from each other sufficient to accommodate the width of the belt clip C in the channel between them when the telephone T is mounted on the shelf  30  of tongue  26  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Therefore, these ridges  34 ,  36  resist lateral movement of the belt clip C, thus also of telephone T, off the shelf  30 . These two parallel ridges  34 ,  36 , which can be molded in a unitary manner on the underside  40  of the shelf  30 , also tend to prevent the clip C from pivoting about a point at which the vertex  33  of the clip C contacts distal end  28  of tongue  26 , thereby limiting pivotal movement of the telephone T on the shelf  30  as well. 
   Another embodiment  50  of the portable telephone holder of this invention is shown in  FIG. 6  with a notch  52  molded into the distal end  28  of tongue  26  into which the belt clip C of the portable telephone T can be inserted. Vertical surfaces  56 ,  58  of the notch  52  provide lateral support for the belt clip C and prohibits the clip C, thus also the telephone T (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) from slipping laterally off the shelf  30  of tongue  26 . Therefore, this notch  52 , which can be used alone or with the beveled surface  42  and/or ridges  34 ,  36  of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , can also increase the stability of telephone T when mounted on the portable telephone holder  10 . 
   The portable telephone holder embodiment  70  shown in  FIG. 7  is similar to the preferred embodiment  10  shown in  FIGS. 1–5 , except that embodiment  70  utilizes hook-and-loop pile strips, such as Velcro™, to attach a portable telephone T′, which does not feature an attached belt clip, to the surface  41  of the elongated shelf  30 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a strip  72  of the hook-and-loop fastening system is attached with adhesive backing to surface  41  of tongue  26  and an opposing strip  74  is attached to the underside of telephone T′, also with adhesive backing. The telephone T′ is positioned above surface  41  of tongue  26  with opposing hook and loop system strips  72 ,  74  adjacent each other, and which engage each other when pressed together, thereby attaching telephone T′ to the portable telephone holder  70 . 
   Another embodiment  80  of the portable telephone holder of this invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , has a slightly frusto-conical body  82  whose surface will, when inserted into the cup holder H, at least partially engage the interior surface S of cup holder H. Similar to embodiment  10  shown in  FIGS. 1–5 , mounting base  80  also has an elongated, rigid tongue  26  which extends upward and radially inwardly from shoulder  38 ,  39  to form an elongated, inclined shelf  30  with a top support surface  41  on the tongue  26  for supporting the portable telephone T. 
   Yet another embodiment  90  of the portable telephone holder of this invention, as shown in  FIG. 9 , has a base  92  which can either have a cylindrical peripheral surface  91  or a slightly frusto-conical peripheral surface  91  which engages the interior surface S of cup holder H (not shown in  FIG. 9 , but shown in  FIG. 1 ). Similar to the preferred embodiment  10  of the portable telephone holder of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 1–5 , the base  92  of embodiment  90  also terminates at opposing wings  93 ,  95  thereby enabling the same procedure to be used for inserting the base  92  into cup holder H. From the base  92 , a stem region  94  extends upward to a crest region  96  and then angles downward forming a shelf  98  for supporting the portable telephone T (not shown in  FIG. 9 , but shown in  FIG. 1 ). A notch  97  at the center of the crest  96  is bounded on either side by sufficient material to provide a rigid, cantilever support for the shelf  98 . The notch  97  is of sufficient width to allow the belt clip C of the portable telephone T (not shown in  FIG. 9 ) to pass through said notch  97  and thereby stabilize telephone T on surface  99  of the shelf  98 , again in the same manner demonstrated in the preferred embodiment  10 , and as shown in  FIGS. 1–5 . 
   A further embodiment  100  of the portable telephone holder of the present invention, shown in  FIG. 10 , has a slightly frusto-conical shaped base  102  having a peripheral side surface  103  and panel  104 . A stem  106  extends vertically from the center of the top panel  104  to support an elongated shelf  108 , which has a top surface  110  and a horizontal upper edge  112 . The shelf  108  is positioned at a slant such that a line X—X which bisects the surface  110  of shelf  108  forms an angle θ with line Y—Y drawn along the axis of stem  106 , where θ is preferably, but not necessarily, between 30° and 60°. The shelf  108  supports the portable telephone T (not shown in  FIG. 10 ) which can be attached to shelf  108  preferably by belt clip C (not shown) or by using other attachment structures such as hook-and-loop pile strips (Velcro™), straps, bands or clips, as has been previously described. 
   Myriad other structures can also be used to support the elongated shelf above the base without departing from this invention, the embodiments described above being but an exemplary few. Therefore, the foregoing description is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and process described above. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.