Abstract:
A wrist-mounted telephone device for attaching to the wrist of a wearer and comprising a cellular telephone mechanism and a battery power source which are separately mounted in a common housing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to portable cellular telephone devices.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    A cellular telephone is a familiar personal communications accessory which is widely used. Early models were bulky, being carried in motor vehicles or in back packs. Further developed models were stored in the pocket or were clipped onto the belt when not in use. They were, therefore, prone to falling, breaking, or simply being forgotten. A further drawback is related to the time loss created by taking such cellular telephones out of a garment pocket, or belt holder, adjusting the phone&#39;s orientation to actuate an answer mode, by opening the mouth piece, or pressing a call receive button, and bringing the unit to the side of the face for use.  
           [0003]    A number of wrist telephone devices have been developed typically comprising a telephone device in the form of a wristwatch fastened to the user&#39;s wrist via a strap. Thus, the main components of a cellular phone mechanism, such as transceiver, telephone call initiating means, a keyboard, a voice recognition device, a battery, a display, etc. are accommodated within a case, while a microphone and a speaker are usually incorporated within the strap. The strap has a member pivotally coupled thereto in a manner to be rotatable between its inoperative position being aligned with and fastened to the strap; and an operative position being perpendicular to the strap. This pivotal member functions as an ear piece having a receiver at its free end and a microphone mounted on or close to its opposite end proximate the strap. The main disadvantages of such telephone devices are self-evident, consisting in numerous manipulations that need to be done for operating the device at least when either receiving or making a call, such as unfastening the pivotal member from the strap, rotating the same into its operative position and, possibly, adjusting a length of the pivotal member. Moreover, all these manipulations are to be executed by that user&#39;s hand which is free of the wristwatch. This is uncomfortable in general, and particularly so when such device is worn by a vehicle driver as is increasingly common. Additionally, the battery is a part of that case containing the whole phone mechanism and is, therefore, too small to meet the requirements of the user.  
           [0004]    One of the common drawbacks of all known cellular phone devices is the disturbance caused thereby when it starts to ring, for example, when the user is at public gathering, concert, lecture, or the like. It is often the case that the user wishes his cellular phone to be permanently switched on so as to be immediately informed of an incoming call. However, it would clearly be desirable for the phone device to be actuated in a manner to inform the user of an incoming call without disturbing others in his close vicinity. In order to solve this problem, usually a vibrator is included in the cellular phone mechanism being connected to a phone ringer in such a manner as to cause a continuous vibration of the whole cellular phone device when actuated by an incoming call.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is thus a major object of the invention to eliminate or at least reduce the above listed and other problems of conventional cellular phones and provide a wrist-mounted cellular telephone device shaped like a bracelet, wherein all main components of a cellular phone mechanism are accommodated within the bracelet so as to be distributed thereinside around the user&#39;s wrist more effectively and having a battery which is separated from that portion of the bracelet which carries the cellular phone mechanism. This enables to design the battery of significantly larger dimensions and easily replaceable without disturbing the cellular phone mechanism itself.  
           [0006]    It is a further object of the present invention that the bracelet-shaped cellular phone device be constructed so as to be easily and quickly put into operation.  
           [0007]    There is thus provided according to the present invention a wrist-mounted cellular telephone device comprising a cellular telephone mechanism and a battery power source separately mounted in a common housing.  
           [0008]    Preferably, the housing is a bracelet having at least first and second interlocking portions, wherein the cellular telephone mechanism is accommodated within the first portion, and the battery power source is accommodated in the second portion of the bracelet.  
           [0009]    The cellular telephone device includes an ear piece which is preferably is extendable to a region of a palm of a wearer and retractable to a region of the housing. According to one embodiment of the invention, the ear piece is extended by a flip open cover pivotally coupled to the housing. Alternatively, the ear piece is further extended by at least one accordion like segment of the cover. The cover preferably includes at least one telescopic member to which the ear piece is attached.  
           [0010]    According to another embodiment of the invention, the ear piece of the cellular telephone mechanism is mounted at an end of a tube having a securing means for securing to a wearer&#39;s finger. A resilient biasing means may be provided and coupled to the end of the tube for retracting the tube into the housing upon release of the securing means.  
           [0011]    Preferably, the battery is removably accommodated within the second portion of the bracelet. Each of the first and the second portions of the bracelet are generally C-shaped. The battery may be constituted by the second C-shaped portion of the bracelet. The first and second portions of the bracelet may be coupled to each other by hinges. The bracelet may be interlocked by a clasp mechanism.  
           [0012]    The cellular telephone mechanism preferably includes a telescoping antenna. The device may also comprise an indication means responsively coupled to the cellular telephone mechanism for alerting the wearer of an incoming call. The indication means may include a vibrator. The vibrator preferably comprises a mechanical assembly including a reciprocating prong for prodding the wearer&#39;s wrist.  
           [0013]    Preferably, the device also comprises a data display panel, and/or a watch unit mounted to the housing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    In order to understand the invention and to see how the same may be carried out in practice, several preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is pictorial illustration of a wrist-mounted cellular phone device according to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the device of FIG. 1 more specifically illustrating an unlocked position thereof;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 a  is a side view of the portion of the device of FIG. 2, more specifically illustrating a mini-vibrator;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 b  is a partly exploded view of the device of FIG. 1 with a retracted flip open cover;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 4 a  to  4   c  illustrate three more embodiments of the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 a  illustrates still another embodiment of a wrist-mounted cellular phone device having a wrist-watch mounted thereon; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 b  is a cross-section of the device of FIG. 5 a , more specifically illustrating a coupling means for mounting the wrist-watch on to the cellular phone device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a device generally designated  1  which comprises a housing in the form of a bracelet  2  having two C-shaped portions  2   a  and  2   b . The portions  2   a  and  2   b  are at one end permanently coupled by a pair of hinges  3 , so as to be pivotal one relative to the other between a closed state of the bracelet  2  when being worn on a wrist  5  of the user, and an open state for removing the bracelet from the user&#39;s wrist. The portions  2   a  and  2   b  at an opposite end are interlocked by a clasp mechanism of known type, for example having a latch  4  made on an inside butt end  2   c  to engage a respective recess made in an interfacing butt end (not shown) of the portion  2   a . It is appreciated that appropriate means are provided for easily unlocking the latch  4  by the user&#39;s hand. Obviously, any other clasp mechanism may be employed for the same purpose of providing such an engagement between the portions  2   a  and  2   b  that, on the one hand, is insured against accidental unlocking, and, on the other hand, is adapted to be easily unlocked by the user. For example, a magnetic clasp mechanism may be used.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIG. 1, the bracelet  2  wraps around the user&#39;s wrist  5  in such a manner that all main components of a conventional cellular phone mechanism, except for the battery, are disposed on a palm side  5   a  of the wrist  5 . Thus, the portion  2   a  is provided at outside thereof with a conventional keypad  6  easily available for the user, and a liquid crystal display  7 . The display  7  is typically capable of displaying a number currently dialed by the user when transmitting an outgoing call from the device  1  and also a number of a remote telephone device generating an incoming call, if such option is authorized by an owner of the remote telephone.  
         [0024]    Coupled to the portion  2   a  of the bracelet  2  is a flip open telescopic cover, generally at  8 , formed of two hinged plates  9  and  10 . The plate  10  is recessed and slightly larger than the plate  9  so as to receive the latter thereinside in a conventional manner. To this end, the plate  10  may be provided internally with a pair of spaced parallel guides, extending along opposite sides of the plate  10  for supporting the plate  9 . Such telescopic arrangement is well known and, therefore, is not specifically illustrated. Hence, the plate  9  is adapted for sliding movement between a folded position thereof when being partly inserted into the plate  10  (FIG. 2) and an extracted position completely projecting from the plate  10  (FIG. 1). An end  12  of the plate  9  is angled and, when in the folded position of the plate  9 , protrudes from the plate  10 , as better shown in FIG. 2. The plate  10  is hingedly connected at one end to the portion  2   a  of the bracelet by a pair of hinges  11 , so as to be rotatable through approximately 180° relative to the portion  2   a  between its open, extracted position shown in FIG. 1 and its closed, retracted position shown in FIG. 2 partly covering the keypad  6 . A two-segment magnetic clasp, generally at  13 , is suitably accommodated on the portion  2   a  and the plate  10 , to keep the cover  8  closed.  
         [0025]    Further provided is a conventional antenna  14  which may be a telescopic antenna, mounted on the portion  2   a  opposite to the display  7 . The antenna  14  may be supported on either end of either portion of the bracelet  2  in a manner to extend across the supported portion, so that an axis of the antenna  14  is parallel to the user&#39;s arm. Also provided are a conventional microphone  15  (constituting a mouth piece) mounted on the portion  2   a  and a speaker unit  16  (constituting an ear piece) located on the angled end  12  of the plate  9 .  
         [0026]    As illustrated in FIG. 3 a , the device  1  also includes a mini-vibrator  17  having a reciprocating prong  18  projecting from the portion  2   a  and responsive to a ring signal for prodding the user&#39;s wrist so as to inform him of an incoming call without disturbing others in the vicinity. A miniature, rubber, disk-shaped washer  20  is attached to a projecting end of the prong  18 , which is connected at its opposite end to a conventional cellular phone ringer (not shown) in such a manner that the latter, when actuated by an incoming call, actuates the mini-vibrator  17  causing reciprocation of the prong  18 . In public places where the regular audible ring would disturb, it may de-actuated, whilst still allowing the user to be informed, via the mini-vibrator  17 , of an incoming call.  
         [0027]    Referring now to FIG. 3 b , a battery  21  is illustrated being shaped like a part of the bracelet  2  and being dimensioned so as to be fit into and removed out of the portion  2   b  which is generally hollow and functions as a battery holder member. To this end, the hollow portion  2   b  is provided internally with a pair of peripheral slots, or guides, so as to allow the battery to be slid in and out in a conventional manner. If desired, the portion  2   b  may be of two part construction, both parts being generally curved-shaped sections designed to accommodate a flat battery therebetween. Alternatively, although not specifically shown, the battery  21  itself may be provided with a clasp mechanism of a known type and, when attached, for example in the manner described above with respect to the portions  2   a  and  2   b , completes the overall bracelet shape, thus functioning as an integral portion  2   b  of the bracelet. Obviously, instead of single battery power source as described above, two or more batteries having appropriate electric circuit connectors may be employed. For this purpose, the portion  2   b  may be formed of two or more segments connected by hinges each either carrying a battery thereinside or itself being a battery.  
         [0028]    The device  1  being a cellular phone device is designed to include such features of conventional cellular phones as time, date, alarm clock, automatic dialing mode, a phone book. Additionally, a sensor means is provided for automatically putting the device into an operative mode when the plate  10  of the cover is rotated into its open position and vice versa. All these functions are well known per se and, therefore, are not specifically described.  
         [0029]    The user wears the cellular phone device  1  on his wrist  5 , and when using the device, holds his hand to the side of his face in a natural hand position with the bracelet  2  near a region of his mouth. The microphone  15  in the bracelet portion  2   a  is thereby proximate the user&#39;s mouth, whilst the tips of his fingers are close to his ear. The speaker  16  in the extended plate  9  of the cover may now be held near to the user&#39;s ear. Cupping of the fingers serves to filter out background noise, and simultaneously provide a resonant external cavity for improving the audio quality of the sound emanating from the speaker.  
         [0030]    Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 a ,  4   b  and  4   c  illustrating three more embodiments of the present invention, which are in general similar to the above described embodiment and, therefore, those components which are identical in all embodiments are identified by the same reference numerals. Cellular phone devices  100  and  200  are distinguished from each other and from the device  1  by somewhat different constructions of a flip open cover. Thus, as clearly shown in FIG. 4 a , a cover  108  is formed of two plates  109  and  110  pivotally coupled by a pair of hinges  111  and  112 , wherein the speaker is mounted on the plate  109 . It will be readily understood that the cover  108  is foldable and extendable like an accordion. An additional two-part magnetic clasp is provided in a conventional manner on an inner surface  109   a  of the plate  109  interfacing an inner side  110   a  of the plate  110 , which is not specifically shown. Obviously such magnetic clasp may be replaced by any other means suitable for the same purpose. A cover  209  of the cellular phone device  200  is a three-plate telescopic cover, wherein a last plate  209  is slidingly insertable into a center plate  210  which, in turn, is receivable by a plate  211  in a manner described above with reference to FIGS.  1 - 3 .  
         [0031]    Turning now to FIG. 4 c , the cellular phone device  300  has no cover at all and is characterized by a flexible thin tube  309  containing connections to the speaker  16  mounted on its free end  309   a . The other ends of the electrical connections are connected to an audio output of the cellular phone. As shown, the free end  309   a  of the wire  309  is attached to a forefinger  310  of the user by means of a loop  311  (constituting a securing means). Thus, the user&#39;s hands are substantially free for operating the phone device  300 . A coil spring (not shown) is fixed at one end to the portion  2   a  and is fixed at an opposite end to the free end  309   a  of the tube  309 . When the tube  309  is drawn into the extended operated position as shown in FIG. 4 c , the coil spring is resiliently biased so as to allow for automatic retraction by the coil spring of the tube  309  when required. It should be noted that both of the C-shaped portions of the bracelet  2  in any of the preferred embodiments described above are preferably formed with rough inner surfaces overlying the user&#39;s wrist  5  for preventing undesirable movement of the bracelet  2 .  
         [0032]    Referring to FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b , there is illustrated a cellular phone device which is similar to any of the preferred embodiments of the invention, for example the device  1 , and additionally comprises a watch unit  30  mounted on the portion  2   b . To this end, a conventional bolt-and-nut assembly  32  is provided. Thus, a screw-threaded bolt  34  projects from a bottom side of the watch unit  30  so as to be received by a nut  36  made in the portion  2   b . Obviously, any other means may be used for the same purpose. For example, the watch  30  may be mounted on, or integrally formed with, its housing which, in turn, may be coupled to the bracelet  2  by hinges or the like. It should be noted that the construction may be such that the same battery  21  of the cellular phone device  1  supplies power to the watch  30 .  
         [0033]    It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications may be applied to the invention as exemplified without departing from its scope as defined in and by the appended claims. Thus, for example, antenna may be an integral part of either a telescoping or accordion-shaped cover containing the ear piece, or an integral part of the tube attaching the ear piece to the bracelet.