Patent Abstract:
A novel carabiner-type attachment means for personal communication devices is provided. In one embodiment the carabiner-type attachment device extends from the bottom of said communication device. The attachment device is in one embodiment integral with the communication device. Alternate embodiments provide novel means for concealing the carabiner-type attachment device within the body of the communication device.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to carabiner-type attachment devices adapted to use on portable personal communication devices such as telephone handsets.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Carabiners have long been in use for providing a means for attaching articles to each other. Such devices have numerous applications, such as for example enabling multiple articles to be secured to a backpack, purse, handbag, key chain or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,266 discloses a typical carabiner-type attachment device.  
         [0003]     Portable personal communication devices such as cellular telephones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are ubiquitous and are considered by many to be indispensable. However, even with advancements directed to reducing the size of these devices often it is inconvenient or undesirable to place these devices in a pocket because they can cause discomfort especially when the device is in a pants pocket and the owner is seated. These devices also tend to create an unsightly lump in any garment in which it is concealed. It is also often the case that a user prefers the device be easily accessible or in sight rather than stowed away in a pocketbook, briefcase or jacket pocket in order to be able to quickly ascertain the identity of a caller or respond to a call. Accordingly it is useful to be able to attach such devices to a garment, strap or bag. Such an adaptation is also desirable to avoid the misplacing of the device. It is commonplace for a cell phone, pager, PDA or the like to be left behind in a car, on the table of a restaurant, on a desk, on a kitchen counter or the like because the device was left out so it could be heard or viewed, only to be forgotten when it came time to leave.  
         [0004]     Heretofore communication devices have been equipped with resilient clips for attachment purposes. These clips are not suitable for all applications, however. For instance, such clips are not well suited for securely attaching a communications device to a strap, belt loop or the like because of the tendency of the clip to disengage the article to which it is attached as the communication device is jostled. Most of the time these clips are attached to a case, which in turn contains the cell phone or other device. Where the clip is integral with the device, it is almost inevitable that the clip will break due to stress placed on the clip. In addition, known clips and attachment devices tend to add undesirable bulk to the communication device.  
         [0005]     Moreover, when personal communication devices having an attachment device on the top end are attached to and depend from a belt loop the text screen is typically oriented right side up, resulting in an upside down screen when the device is flipped upward to view. This is impractical in many cases  
         [0006]     U. S. Design Pat. No. 459,338 discloses an ornamental design for a carabiner radio in which the carabiner is integral with the top of the radio. However a radio is simply a device for receiving sound broadcasts and is not subject to the aforementioned considerations. That is, radios are not considered indispensable in our society, they are not items that must be “answered” or viewed periodically to determine callers, etc. Moreover, the attachment to the top of the device results in the aforementioned drawback of upside down text or controls when the device is flipped up to read when attached to a belt loop. In addition the ornamental design of the 459,338 patent does not teach or suggest a carabiner communication device in which a carabiner-type attachment device can be concealed in the body of the communication device until such time as it is needed.  
         [0007]     Presently on the market are straps attached to carabiners wherein the strap is adapted to be mounted to a cell phone. These devices are designed to have the carabiner oriented near the top of the cell phone. Such a design is disadvantageous for the aforementioned reasons.  
         [0008]     United States Published Patent Application 2002/0173279 discloses a mobile electronic communications device with a housing and an ornament attachment mechanism. The ornament attachment mechanism disclosed is not dimensioned for use as an attachment means for anything other than small ornaments such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces and the like. The disclosed device does not teach or suggest providing a carabiner for a communications device wherein the carabiner is oriented to provide a user an efficient way to attach the communication device to an article of clothing, purse or the like and still be easily readable.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,402 discloses a clip for a test telephone. The disclosure relates to an arrangement of a clip so that the clip can be easily engaged to an object to be hooked. This device relates to a test phone for telephone workers and does not address the concerns relating to a personal communication device mentioned hereinabove.  
         [0010]     Therefore it would be a considerable advantage to be able to securely and selectively attach the communication device to an article such as a belt or belt loop in a manner that enables a user to easily read text on a message screen of the device. It would also be an advantage in that it would permit the secure, attractive and comfortable carriage of the device without the need to place the device in the pocket of a garment. It would also be advantageous for a personal communication device to be provided with a carabiner-type attachment device that could be concealed within the body of the device when not in use.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention provides novel carabiner-type attachment means for personal communication devices. In one embodiment the carabiner-type attachment device extends from the bottom of said communication device. The attachment device is in one embodiment integral with the communication device. Alternate embodiments provide novel means for concealing the carabiner-type attachment device within the body of the communication device.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a carabiner-type attachment for a communication device.  
         [0013]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a carabiner-type attachment for a communication device wherein the carabiner-type attachment device is integral with the communication device.  
         [0014]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a carabiner-type attachment for a communication device wherein the carabiner-type attachment device extends from the bottom end of the communication device.  
         [0015]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a carabiner-type attachment for a communication device wherein the carabiner-type attachment device is detachably connected to the communication device.  
         [0016]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a carabiner-type attachment for a communication device wherein the carabiner-type attachment device is in one position concealed within said communication device and also extendible from said communications device.  
         [0017]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carabiner-type attachment for a communication device wherein the carabiner-type attachment permits safe and secure attachment of the writing instrument to luggage, belt loops, towel racks, wall hooks, utility belts, backpacks and the like. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 1A  is a front exploded view of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 1B  is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the attachment device of  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 1C  is a bottom plan view of a preferred embodiment of the attachment device of  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 1D  is a bottom view of a further preferred embodiment of the attachment device of  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 1E  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the attachment device of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 1F  is a front view of a most preferred embodiment of the attachment device of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a front view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a back view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a side cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  taken through line A-A′;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a side cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  taken through line A-A′;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3C  is a back view of yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a back view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 4A  is a side cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4  taken through line B-B′;  
         [0032]      FIG. 4B  is a side cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4  taken through line B-B′ when the attachment device is in an open position;  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a back view of a further embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0034]      FIG. 5A  is a back view of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0035]      FIG. 5B  is a back view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 5C  is a back view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 5B ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a back view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 6A  is a back view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention according to  FIG. 6  when the attachment device is in an open position;  
         [0039]      FIG. 6B  is a side cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6  taken through line D-D′;  
         [0040]      FIG. 6C  is a side cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6A  taken through line D-D′ when the attachment device is in an open position;  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0041]     In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known features may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the present invention. Furthermore, reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.  
         [0042]     Now referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A a preferred embodiment of the device  2  comprises essentially a communication device  10  and at least one attachment device  30 . Communication device  10  may comprise any suitable communication device including but not limited to a cellular telephone, pager, PDA or the like as are well known in the arL Communication device  10  comprises a bottom end  12 , a top end  14 , a front side  16  and a back side  18 .  
         [0043]     Attachment device  30  comprises at least one body member  32  and one openable gate member  38 . Now referring to  FIG. 1  in a preferred embodiment body member  32  comprises at least a first elongated section comprising a first end  34  and a second end  36  and is typically fabricated of any material suitable for attachment devices such as but not limited to bare or coated metal, wood, rubber, plastic, combinations thereof or any other suitable material as is well known in the art. In a preferred embodiment gate member  38  comprises an elongated member pivotably attached at one end to an end  34  or  36  of said body member  32 . The other end of gate member  38  contacts or is in close proximity to the other end  34  or  36  of said body member  32  when said gate  38  is in a closed position. In a preferred embodiment gate member  38  is inwardly openable. Gate member  38  is fabricated of any suitable material as recited above for body member  32 , but does not necessarily need to be of the same material as that of body member  32 . Gate member  38  may be separately molded and attached to body member  32  by means of a pin or other means well known in the art. In a preferred embodiment body member  32  is curvilinear. In a most preferred embodiment attachment device  30  is formed in the shape of a carabiner but other shapes are contemplated by the present invention.  
         [0044]     In another embodiment (not shown) attachment device  30  may comprise one elongated section extending from said communication device  10 , wherein gate member  38  is pivotably attached to said communication device  10 .  
         [0045]     Now referring to  FIG. 1E , in one embodiment body member  32  comprises an elongated section comprising at least a first end  34 . Gate member  38  comprises an elongated member integrally attached to said body member  32  and the integral body  32  and gate member  38  are fabricated of a resilient material such as but not limited to rubber, plastic, thin metal or any other suitable resilient material as is well known in the art. A first end  39  of gate member  38  contacts or is in close proximity to an end  34  of said body member  32  when said gate  38  is in a closed position. In this embodiment a resilient attachment device is formed without a pivoting hinge. The gate member  38  simply deforms when pressure is applied and resiliently returns to its original position when pressure is released. In a most preferred embodiment attachment device  30  is formed in the shape of a carabiner but other shapes are contemplated by the present invention.  
         [0046]     Now referring to  FIGS. 1-1F  in a preferred embodiment attachment device  30  is adapted to be removably attachable to communication device  10 . Attachment device  30  is provided with a means for removably connecting attachment device  30  to communication device  10 . Now referring to  FIG. 1B  attachment device  30  comprises an opening  40  opposite gate member  38  for receiving bottom end  12  of communication device  10 . In a most preferred embodiment the opening  40  of attachment device  30  further comprises an interior lining  42  such as but not limited to a rubber lining which securely engages, such as by friction, the outer surface of communication device  10 . Lining  42  may optionally be a Velcro® lining adapted to engage a complementary Velcro® surface attached to said communication device  10 . Other means of releasably attaching said attachment device  30  to said communication device  10  include but are not limited to a clip-on means, such as for example at least one clip engagable to at least one lip disposed on said communication device.  
         [0047]     Now referring to  FIG. 1F , in a most preferred embodiment the means for removably connecting attachment device  30  to communication device  10  comprises a face plate  44  detachable from said communication device  10  extending from said attachment device  30 . Detachable face plate  44  may be any detachable face plate known in the art such as but not limited to those typically sold aftermarket to provide a user the ability to change the outward appearance of the communication device.  
         [0048]     Now referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, in a most preferred embodiment attachment device  30  further comprises opening  46  that is oriented over the mouthpiece of a communication device when attachment device  30  is attached to said communication device  10 . Now referring to  FIGS. 1B and 1C  attachment device further comprises opening  48  to provide accessibility to the jacks (not shown) typically present on communication devices. Gate member  38  may be offset to provide easy access to said jacks through opening  48  when attachment device  30  is engaged to communication device  10  according to this embodiment.  
         [0049]     The figures depict an embodiment in which attachment device  30  is receivable on the bottom end  12  of communication device  10  however it is contemplated the attachment device may be adapted to be attached to the top end  14  of said communication device  10 .  
         [0050]     Now referring to  FIG. 2 , in an alternate preferred embodiment attachment device  30  is integrally formed with communication device  10 . Such integral embodiment may be achieved by any means known in the art appropriate for the material employed in construction of the device  2 , such as for example molding where said attachment device  30  is fabricated of plastic.  
         [0051]     Now referring to  FIGS. 3-3C  in an alternate preferred embodiment attachment device  30 , formed in substantially the same manner as described heretofore with respect to  FIGS. 1-2 , is extendible from communication device  10 . Attachment device  30  is secured in a cavity  50  formed in communication device  10 . Engagement rails  60  extend from attachment device  30  and are slidably engaged in channels  52  formed in said communication device. Rails  60  preferably comprise means such as but not limited to enlarged ends  62  for preventing disengagement of said rails  60  with channels  52  when said attachment means is extended from said communication device  10 . Channels  52  may comprise a lip  54  to engage said enlarged end  62  to prevent disengagement. Attachment means  30  may be extended from a nested position within said communication device  10  by a flick of the wrist or optionally, referring to  FIG. 3C  (showing the attachment device extendible from the top portion  14  of the communication device  10 ), a cutout  56  may be formed in the back side  18  of said communication device  10  so that attachment device  30  may be manually extended. Alternatively attachment means  30  may include a means for extending the attachment device  30  such as a tab or flange (not shown) that may be grasped by a user. Preferably said cavity  50  and channels  52  are formed toward the back portion  18  of the communication device  10  to avoid interference with the electronics disposed closer to the front face  16  of the communication device  10 . While this embodiment of the present invention (as well as that of  FIGS. 4-4B ) depicts two rails  60  it is contemplated that a single or multiple rails  60  may be employed. In addition, channel  52  may comprise many forms and the means for preventing disengagement of rails  60  may likewise take many forms as will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0052]     Now referring to  FIGS. 4-4B  in a preferred embodiment the section of back portion  18  of communication device  10  that conceals attachment device  30  within chamber  50  when attachment device  30  is not extended in  FIGS. 3-3C  is removed, eliminating chamber  50  and leaving attachment device  30  exposed even when not extended from said communication device. In this way attachment device  30  nests snugly in a recess against communication device  10 . In this embodiment attachment device  30  may also be adapted to extend from top portion  14 .  
         [0053]     Now referring to  FIGS. 5-5C  in an alternate preferred embodiment attachment device  30 , again formed in substantially the same manner as described heretofore with respect to  FIGS. 1-2 , is rotatably extendible from communication device  10 . Attachment device  30  is secured in a cavity  70  formed in communication device  10 . Alternatively, similar to the embodiment of  FIGS. 4-4B  a section of back portion  18  may be removed or not included. In this way attachment device  30  nests snugly in a recess against communication device  10 . Attachment device  30  is engaged to said communication device by spindle  72 . If a section of back portion  18  is present covering at least a portion of said attachment device  30 , cutout  74  is provided so that a user can access attachment device  30  and rotatably move said device in the direction of arrow C. Alternatively, attachment device  30  may comprise a tab or flange (not shown) as discussed hereinabove that may be grasped by a user to rotatably move said attachment device  30  from its nested position. Attachment device  30  is rotatable proximal the bottom  12  ( FIGS. 5 and 5 A) or top  14  ( FIGS. 5B and 5C ) of communication device  10  and engaged to engagement means  76 . Engagement means  76  can be any device adapted to retain attachment device  30  in a fixed position such as but not limited to a clip. Where engagement means  76  is a clip it is preferably formed of a resilient material so that attachment device  30  can be easily disengaged using manual force. Engagement means  76  is adapted so that attachment device  30  will not be disengaged during normal use. Alternatively engagement means  76  may be another engagement means known to those having ordinary skill in the art. In yet a further alternative, the user of the device  2  can opt out of using the engagement means  76  and simply allow attachment device  30  to freely swing around spindle  72 .  
         [0054]     Now referring to  FIGS. 6-6C  in yet a further alternate preferred embodiment attachment device  30  is rotatably extendible from communication device  10 . Attachment device  30  is rotatably secured in a recess  80  formed in communication device  10 . As best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 6 B, in the closed position attachment device  30  preferably nests snugly in recess  80  against communication device  10 , thereby maintaining a smooth outer profile of device  2 . Attachment device  30  is engaged to said communication device by rotatable attachment means  82 . Now referring to  FIGS. 6B and 6C  attachment device  30  is rotatably movable outwardly from said communication device  10  in the direction of arrow E such that in a fully opened position ( FIG. 6C ) attachment device  30  is extended from and oriented in substantially the same plane as communication device  10  and proximal the bottom  12  ( FIGS. 6-6C ) or top  14  (not shown) of communication device  10 . Optionally, known engagement means (not shown) may be employed to retain attachment device  30  fixed in either an open or closed position.  
         [0055]     While the preferred embodiments have been described and illustrated it will be understood that changes in details and obvious undisclosed variations might be made without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention and therefore the scope of the invention is not to be construed as limited to the preferred embodiment.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0