Abstract:
A holder for a mobile telecommunications device designed to reduce distraction to the driver that securely encloses and envelopes the mobile telephone in a sound, vibration, and shock dampening material. The mobile telecommunications device is enclosed within a foam-lined container, thereby muffling sounds and vibrations emitted by the mobile telephone and reducing distractions to a driver. The holder provides a protective storage receptacle for the mobile telephone in the passenger compartment of a vehicle and decreases distractions to a driver of the vehicle from the mobile telecommunications device while maintaining the mobile telecommunications device in a functioning state and in a convenient and readily accessible location in the vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a holder for a mobile telecommunications device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Background of the Invention 
         [0004]    Mobile telephones for wireless telecommunication, such as cell phones, car phones, smart phones, and satellite phones, for example, are often carried by a user in an automobile or other vehicle. However, due to the relatively small size of many mobile telephones it is often convenient or expedient to provide a special holder for the mobile phone inside the passenger compartment of the automobile in order to prevent the telephone from being lost inside the passenger compartment or being placed in an undesired location, such as in a seat where a person could sit on the telephone and break it. Therefore, various types of holders for mobile telephones have been developed that are specially adapted for use inside the passenger compartment of an automobile in order to provide a convenient and relatively stable storage location for the mobile telephone. 
         [0005]    Several mobile telephone holders have been designed so as to readily fit in a cup holder inside the passenger compartment. In general, these mobile telephone holders have an outer form factor generally in the shape of a cup filled with various cavities on an interior portion of the holder for holding the mobile telephone and, in some instances, other items, such as pens, pencils, and notepads. Frequently, such designs include some sort of foam body and/or lining that may help cushion the mobile telephone from impacts, such as when the automobile hits a pothole. Some various examples of such designs are shown in Edwards U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0094079, Heininger U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0049081, Deadman U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0012706, Close U.S. Pat. No. 6,396,925, and DE 10 2006 040 273 A1. Each of these mobile telephone holders appears to be designed to allow a driver of the automobile to both hear a ring or notification from the mobile telephone when carried therein and to have quick and easy access to the mobile telephone while driving by having at least a portion of the telephone exposed to the driver. 
         [0006]    Unfortunately, although the use of a mobile telephone while driving an automobile may be convenient and/or more efficient, it has also become clear in recent years that using a mobile telephone while driving can greatly increase the risk of crashes and other unsafe driving behavior. For example, young, inexperienced drivers seem to be highly prone to texting on a cell phone as a form of communication all the time, but recent studies have shown that texting while driving greatly increases the risk of crashes or dangerous driving. A problem is that such young, inexperienced drivers often seem unable to avoid looking at their phones as soon as a text arrives or a text notification is provided by the phone. In fact, texting has become such a common practice that people often do it out of habit not realizing just how distracting and deadly these actions can be. 
         [0007]    Even though improper use of a mobile telephone while driving is dangerous, it is also well understood that having a mobile telephone available to a person while driving can also greatly increase various safety factors. For example, if a driver does get into a crash or has mechanical trouble, it could be extremely important to have the use of a cell phone or other mobile telecommunications device to call for help. In the case of a crash, it is also important for the passenger or driver to be able to easily find the mobile telephone or telecommunications device in good working order, and therefore a special protective carrier would be desirable. 
         [0008]    In view of these facts, the inventor has developed a holder for a mobile telecommunications device, such as a mobile telephone, pager, or other mobile device that is capable of receiving wireless telecommunications such as telephone calls, text messages, emails, and the like. In some uses, the holder decreases distractions to the driver of a vehicle, such as an automobile, motorcycle, boat, or other vehicle, by the mobile telecommunications device while maintaining the mobile telecommunications device in a protected and functioning state and in a convenient, fixed, and readily accessible location in the vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    According to some aspects, a holder for a mobile telecommunications device includes a container having an interior and an opening into the interior, a lid permanently attached to the container, and a dampening material lining the interior. The lid shifts between a closed position that covers the opening and an open position that exposes the opening. The dampening material dampens sounds, vibrations, and shocks. A cavity in the dampening material is shaped to receive the mobile telecommunications device. The mobile telecommunications device may be inserted into the cavity through the opening when the lid is in the open position, and the cavity is encapsulated by the dampening material when the lid is in the closed position. In this manner, any indications that the mobile telecommunications device in the cavity received an incoming wireless transmission are not observable outside of the housing. 
         [0010]    According to other aspects, a holder for a mobile telecommunications device includes a cup-shaped shell having a bottom, a generally cylindrical sidewall, and an opening into an interior at a top of the sidewall. A lid is permanently attached to the shell. The lid is movable from a closed position that covers the opening to an open position that exposes the opening. A sound-dampening foam lines the interior of the shell. A cavity is defined by the sound-dampening foam and shaped to conform to a mobile telecommunications device, and the cavity is accessible through the opening. A sound-dampening foam layer is carried by the lid. The sound-dampening foam layer covers the cavity. 
         [0011]    According to further aspects, a holder for a mobile telecommunications device includes a shell having an interior and an opening into the interior, a lid that removably covers the opening, the lid being attached to the shell by a hinge, a sound-dampening foam lining the interior of the shell, and a cavity defined by the sound-dampening foam and shaped to conform to a mobile telecommunications device. The cavity is accessible through the opening, and a sound-dampening foam layer carried by the lid covers the cavity. The holder also includes a fastener for attaching the holder to an interior surface of a vehicle passenger compartment. 
         [0012]    Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a holder according to one aspect of the present invention in use in the passenger compartment of an automobile; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the holder shown in  FIG. 1  with portions cut away to show interior aspects thereof and a mobile telecommunications device carried therein; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along the line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  with the mobile telecommunications device removed for clarity; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the invention according to another aspect with portions cut away to show the interior thereof; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a top isometric view of the holder shown in  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a bottom isometric view of the holder shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Turning now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-3  show a holder  10  for a mobile telecommunications device  12  according to one aspect in the invention. The mobile telecommunications device may be any device that receives and/or transmits wireless communications signals, either currently known or developed in the future, such as by way of non-limiting examples, a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, wireless telephone, pager, wireless email device, wireless text messaging device, and the like. 
         [0020]    The holder  10  generally is in the shape of a cup designed to fit in a standard cup holder that is frequently found in a passenger compartment  14  of an automobile. It should be noted that the invention is not limited in its use to any particular automobile, however, and may be used with any vehicle, such as a car, truck, motorcycle, boat, airplane, train, and the like. An exemplary standard cup holder is a blind bore  16  having a generally cylindrical shape, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for holding a cup that has a generally cylindrical shape. Other exemplary standard cup holders may simply include a circular ring that can hold a cup with a generally cylindrical shape. It should be noted that the term “generally cylindrical” as used herein is meant to include cups that are not exactly cylindrical, such as cups with a slightly conical exterior form factor that is narrow at a bottom of the cup and larger at the top of the cup, or other exterior form factors that have a generally smooth outer side wall, with or without a handle, that is substantially vertical and substantially straight in the vertical direction within reasonable limits of variation. 
         [0021]    The holder  10  has an exterior form factor in the shape of a cup that is generally cylindrical. The holder  10  includes a container  18  having an outer shell  20  that is preferably made of a hard thermoplastic, but other suitable materials are equally applicable and also may be used. The outer shell  20  has a generally cylindrical side wall  22  extending upwardly from a bottom wall  24  and defining an opening  26  at a top  27  of the side wall  22 . The bottom wall  24  is a flat disc shape, and the side wall  22  has a radially inward step near the bottom that defines a small shoulder  28 , wherein a radius of the outer shell  20  is smaller immediately below the shoulder  28  than the radius immediately above the shoulder  28 . The radially inward step can allow the container  18  to fit into different sized cup holders in a manner that would be known to one of skill in the art. Other variations to the outer form factor of the shell  20  may also be used that would cause the holder  10  to be able to be adapted to the shape of other various shapes and/or sizes of standard cup holders. The outer shell  20  is preferably rigid but in some cases may be formed of a soft material, such as cloth or flexible plastic. Additionally, the outer shell  20  is preferably opaque so that an interior  29  of the container is not visible from the outside, thereby preventing the driver from seeing lights or other visual cues from the mobile telecommunications device  12 . 
         [0022]    A lid  30  covers the opening  26  of the container  18 . Preferably, the lid  30  is permanently attached to the side wall  20 , such as with a hinge  32 . The lid  30  may be moved from a closed position that covers the opening  26 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , to an open position that exposes the opening  26  by pivoting the lid  30  about the hinge  32 , as shown by arrow A in  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the lid  30  need not be attached to the container  18  by the hinge. For example, the lid  30  may simply have a friction fit with the outer shell  20  or in the opening  26  or the lid  30  may have a threaded connection to the shell  20 , a snap fit connection or other suitable ways of releasably attaching the lid  30  to the container  18  to cover the opening  26 . However, it is preferred that the lid  30  be permanently attached to the container  18  by some mechanism, such as the hinge  32 , a chain, or plastic tether, for example, in order to prevent the lid  30  from being separated from the container and/or lost. 
         [0023]    A dampening material  33  is disposed in the interior  29  of the container  18  for enveloping the mobile telecommunications device  12 . The dampening material muffles sounds and dampens vibrations emitted by the mobile telecommunications device  12 , and dampens shocks that may be imparted to the mobile telecommunications device  12 , such as from dropping the holder or from a vehicle crash. The dampening material  33  is preferably in the form of a liner, such as a foam insert  34  that substantially conforms to the interior shape of the outer shell  20  and completely or substantially fills the interior  29  of the container  18 . It is understood that the foam insert  34  is not limited to be formed by inserting a completed form into the container  18 , but may be manufactured therein in any convenient or desirable method. The dampening material  33  preferably is sufficient to prevent or substantially reduce sounds or vibrations emitted by the mobile telecommunications device  12  disposed inside the container  18  from being heard or felt by a driver of the vehicle. The dampening material  33  is preferably a material that is lightweight and substantially muffles sounds and vibrations typically emitted by the mobile telecommunications device  12 . The dampening material  33  is preferably also shock absorbent so that the mobile telecommunications device  12  is protected from impacts such as those caused when the vehicle hits a pothole or is in a crash. Additionally, the dampening material  33  and other materials of the container  18  are preferably materials that would not prevent the mobile telecommunications device  12  from receiving incoming wirelessly transmitted telecommunication signals, such as calls and text messages, when the mobile telecommunications device  12  is disposed within the container  18 . Some dampening materials that are contemplated as being sufficient include common open cell foams and closed cell foams, including, for example, polyurethane or latex foam rubbers, extruded polystyrene foams, and/or other known acoustical dampening materials. Other dampening materials may include cloth, insulation, rubber, plastic, or other materials that would meet the sound, vibration, and shock dampening objectives of the invention. The dampening material is preferably formed of flexible closed cell foam. 
         [0024]    A cavity  36  that is shaped to receive the mobile telecommunications device  12  therein through the opening  26  is formed in the foam insert  34 . The cavity  36  preferably has the shape of a slot that has a form factor shaped and sized to conform closely to the shape of the mobile telecommunications device  12 . Thus, for example, because many so-called smart phones today are in the shape of a thin rectangular plate, one preferred shape of the cavity  36  is a generally rectangular slot with an opening at the top of the foam insert  34  that is accessible through the opening  26 . Preferably, the slot is slightly larger than the size of the mobile telecommunications device  12  such that the mobile telecommunications device has a slip fit in the slot. 
         [0025]    A layer of the dampening material  33 , such as a foam strip  38 , is also disposed on an interior side of the lid  30  such that the layer of the dampening material  33  will cover the opening into the cavity  36  of the foam insert  34  when the lid is closed. Thus, when the lid  30  is closed, the cavity  36  and the mobile telecommunications device  12  therein are substantially surrounded and enveloped by the dampening material  33  so that noises and vibrations from the mobile telecommunications device  12  inside the cavity are reduced and/or completely silenced to a person in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The foam strip  38  may also include another slot  40  therein located in such manner that an upper portion of the mobile telecommunications device  12  disposed in the cavity  36  is accepted within the slot  40 , whereby the mobile telecommunications device  12  is completely enveloped and surrounded by the dampening material  33 . 
         [0026]    As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the interior side surfaces of the cavity  36  and the slot  40  preferably are lined with projections  37  to allow the cavity  36  and slot  40  to snuggly receive different shapes and sizes of mobile telecommunications devices. The projections  37  are preferably flexible. The projections  37  may be formed by, for example, molding or cutting of the foam insert  34 . The projections  37  may take on many different shapes. One exemplary shape is egg-carton undulations, such as a series of dome-shaped projections or dome-shaped recesses. Another exemplary shape is an array of rectangular or circular projections, or fingers. The projections  37  are preferably spaced apart in either a regular or a random array and are sized to accommodate mobile telecommunications devices of different widths, for example from about 5 mm thick to about 30 mm thick. The interior side surface of the cavity  36  may, alternatively, be smooth, i.e., without the projections  37 . In such case, the cavity  36  may be shaped to receive a particular style or size of mobile telecommunications device, and different foam inserts  34  may be made available to accommodate different mobile telecommunications devices. 
         [0027]    A latch mechanism  41  is carried by the shell  20  for releasably latching the lid  30  in the closed position covering the opening  26 . The latch  41  may comprise a mechanical latch, such as a resilient member carried by the shell that snap fits to a complimentary portion of the lid  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Other suitable mechanisms for latching the lid  30  in a closed position that covers the opening  26  may also or alternatively be used as would be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0028]    Although the holder  10  in  FIGS. 1-3  is shown in the shape and form factor of a generally cylindrical cup, the exterior form factor of the holder can take many different forms and shapes. For example, the holder could be in the shape of a cube or a rectangle or an octagonal cup or really any other shape capable of holding and completely enveloping the mobile telecommunications device therein. For example, in  FIGS. 4-6 , another embodiment of a holder  10   a  for the mobile telecommunications device  12  is shown, wherein the container  18  has a generally rectangular exterior form factor. Other than the exterior form factor, the holder  10   a  is substantially functionally identical to the holder  10  of  FIGS. 1-3  except as discussed herein below. Therefore, similar or identical features are identified with the same reference numbers where appropriate. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the holder  10   a  has a container  18  with an outer shell  20  as previously described, but having a front wall  22   a , back wall  22   b , bottom wall (not visible), and opposite side walls  22   c  and  22   d , and a lid  30  that is attached to the back wall  22   b  by a hinge  32 . A foam insert  34  of dampening material  33  lines the interior  29  of the container  18  and has a cavity  36  centrally located therein that conforms to the shape of a mobile telecommunications device  12  as previously described. The lid  30  covers an opening  26  into the container  18  and may be opened to expose the opening  26  through which the cavity  36  is accessible. Dampening material, such as foam strip  38 , is disposed on an interior side of the lid  30  such that the mobile telecommunications device  12  carried within the cavity  36  is substantially or completely surrounded and enveloped by the dampening material when the lid is closed as previously described. The holder  10   a  preferably also includes a latch  41  to releasably latch the lid  30  into the closed position as previously described. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the holders  10 ,  10   a  may include a picture holder  42  on an exterior thereof, such as on the front wall  22   a . Having a picture of loved ones, such as parents or children or spouse, visible in the picture holder may serve as a reminder to the driver of the importance of proper usage of the telecommunications device while operating a vehicle. Thus, the picture holder  42  preferably has a form wherein a picture is carried within a cavity and the picture is visible to a viewer outside of the cavity in any manner readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. It is also contemplated that the holders  10 ,  10   a  may include other reminders, such as a written reminder in addition to or in place of the picture holder  42 , to remind the driver of the dangers using the mobile phone while driving. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the holders  10 ,  10   a  may also include a fastener  44  on an exterior of the container  18 . Thus, for example, in  FIG. 6 , one exemplary fastener  44  is a resilient clip that would be adapted to removably attach the holder to a sun visor in the vehicle. Another exemplary fastener  44  is one or more hook-and-loop fasteners that can be attached to complimentary hook or loop fasteners disposed on some interior portion of the vehicle. In  FIG. 6 , the fasteners  44  are shown on the back wall  22   b  of the outer shell  20 . Either or both of the resilient clip and the hook-and-loop fasteners may be disposed on the outer shell. Further, the fasteners  44  may be disposed at other locations on the outer shell that would be sufficient or more preferred for containers with different exterior form factors and/or different attachment surfaces within the passenger compartment  14  of the vehicle, as would be apparent to a person of skill in the art. The fastener  44  can be helpful for maintaining the holder  10 ,  10   a , and thus the mobile telecommunications device  12 , in a known and readily accessible location in case of, for example, the occurrence of a crash. This may be particularly helpful in the instance of the holder  10   a  that is not necessarily specially adapted for placement within the cup holder and therefore would benefit from having a fastener  44  for attaching the holder in a pre-selected location in the vehicle. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0032]    The holder for a mobile telecommunications device described herein advantageously can be used to remove the temptation to use the mobile telecommunications device while in a vehicle by preventing the driver from observing any indication, such as sounds, vibrations, or lights, that the mobile telecommunications device received an incoming wireless transmission. The holder also allows for the convenient and accessible placement of the mobile telecommunications device within the vehicle. 
         [0033]    Numerous modifications to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved. All patents, patent applications, and other printed publications identified in this foregoing are incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.