Abstract:
A cradle for use in a motor vehicle for gripping and releasing a portable cellular phone or beverage container is shown.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/802,523 filed Feb. 20, 1997, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,036 on Mar. 7, 2000 which is a file wrapper continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/520,707 filed Aug. 29, 1995, now abandoned and are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a telephone cradle, more particularly this invention relates to a vehicle mounted telephone cradle for a cellular telephone adapted to grasp an object such as a beverage container including a cup, can or bottle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Since the early 1980s the cellular telephone industry has seen very dramatic growth. Competitive market prices have made it affordable for larger and larger segments of the American population to own a cellular telephone of one type or another. At the commencement of this expansive growth in the cellular telephone industry the most popular type of cellular phone came with its own platform for mounting the phone in the passenger compartment of the phone owner&#39;s vehicle. While this innovation in telephonic technology allowed many people to remain in touch with their business or families, the limitation of vehicle mounting still made it impractical for most individuals to own a cellular phone. With further advances in technology the cellular phone soon became transportable in a storage bag allowing free movement outside the vehicle. From the storage bag the phone progressed to a totally independent unit, with the battery and communication equipment compacted into a single hand unit about the size of a standard household handset. The most recent innovations have reduced the hand unit size so as to be able to fit in a person&#39;s pocket, briefcase or handbag while retaining all the advantages of their larger ancestors. 
     This size advantage for the smaller independent units turns into a disadvantage for use in the owner&#39;s vehicle, the same place the whole cellular revolution started. As the cellular telephone market moved toward independent hand units and away from being simply car phones, there was less need for phone owners to fit the passenger compartments of their vehicles with a phone mounting platform. This trend has resulted in many modern styles of cellular phones which are not designed for vehicle mounting. The obvious consequence of this development becomes apparent when a phone owner needs to answer or place a call while operating their vehicle. Since there is no longer any phone platform, the phone owner must reach for a phone unit that may have shifted or otherwise moved, during vehicle movement, to an inconvenient location for the phone owner to reach while operating the vehicle. Thus, a need has developed for a phone platform capable of securely holding a wide variety of today&#39;s platformless cellular telephones while the phone owner operates his vehicle. 
     One prior art attempt at a solution to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,381 issued Apr. 19, 1994 to Wang et al. This patent describes a telephone cradle with two walls extending outward from a base for clamping and holding a cellular telephone on the base. Each wall has a cushion for holding the telephone firmly. The walls are spring loaded and in communication with a ratchet which must be released and finger pressure applied to retract the walls. 
     A telephone cradle is typically mounted within a vehicle at a location within reach of a vehicle occupant such as the vehicle driver. Thus, the location of a telephone cradle is also well suited for temporarily securing other objects such as a beverage container including a cup, can or bottle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the problem of supplying a universal cradle capable of receiving, holding and releasing portable cellular telephones or beverage containers of various sizes, and providing such a cradle that does not require manual manipulation to grip or release the telephone. A touch of a switch energizes a motor to cause clamping members to open or close to grip or release the phone. 
     A cradle has a base supporting a first and a second opposing clamping members, each member having a concave clamping surface and an essentially planar clamping surface. The clamping members being pivotally attached to the base such that the clamping surfaces are changed relative to the base. An energy source and actuator button control the slidable motion of at least one of the clamping members to modify the spacing between the members. 
     An adaptor designed to receive a clamping member of a telephone cradle has a concave surface adapted to engage a beverage container. 
     The cradle has a base supporting first and second concave clamping members each having a clamping surface facing each other extending outwardly from the base. A motor mounted in the base and activated by a switch slides one or both of the clamping members to move the clamping surfaces toward or away from each other to grip or release a phone placed on the base between the clamping members. 
     In one embodiment, a single reversing switch is used to open and close the clamping members, changing the plurality of the electrical power supply. In another embodiment two switches are used. One switch, located on the side of the base is used to open or move the clamping members apart. The second switch is preferably located on the base between the clamping members so that when the phone is placed on the base it activates the switch to move the clamping members toward each other to hold the phone. 
     In a preferred embodiment, an additional pressure sensitive switch or proximity switch is located adjacent one of the clamping surfaces to disconnect the power supply when the clamping members have been moved toward each other and are gripping the phone. A second proximity or limit switch is also preferred to disconnect the power supply when the clamping members are moved apart to their maximum open position. 
     The power supply can be connected to the vehicle battery or electrical system or it can be from a self-contained battery in the base. A cigarette lighter connection can optionally be used to obtain power from the vehicle electrical system. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the motor rotates a pinion through a gear reducer and output shaft. The pinion rotates a screw drive through a ring gear, and one of the clamping members is moved by the screw through a nut fixed to the clamping member. In an embodiment where both clamping members are moved toward and away from each other, a rack and pinion drive is used between the members so that a first rack attached to the clamping member moved by the screw drive will rotate a pinion to engage a second rack attached to the other clamping member to move it. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cradle of this invention with a phone shown in phantom being held by the cradle; 
     FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the cradle of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention for selectively holding an object; 
     FIG. 7 is an end view of an object holder adapted to grasp an object; and 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention for selectively holding an object. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the telephone cradle  10  of this invention is shown holding a portable cellular telephone  12 . The phone is supported on the cradle base  14  between two clamping members  16  and  18 , at least one of which members  16 , is slidable toward and away from the other clamping member  18  to grip and release the phone. 
     The clamping members  16  and  18  each have an outward extending clamping surface  20  and  22  facing each other and each preferably having a resilient compressible pad  24 . In the embodiment illustrated, both clamping members  16  and  18  are slidable to move the clamping surfaces  20  and  22  toward and away from each other. Clamping members  16  and  18  have leg portions  26  and  28  connected to the clamping surfaces  20  and  22  and extending into the base  14  between upper and lower base members  32  and  34 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3-5, an electric motor  36  is housed in base  14  and is connected to a suitable gear reducer  38 . The output shaft  40  of the gear reducer  38  carries a pinion gear  52  in mesh with a ring gear  42  to rotate the screw  44  of screw and nut drive  46 . Nut  48  is integral with the leg  26  of clamping member  16  so that as the screw  44  is rotated in opposite directions it will reciprocate the clamping member  16  as shown by the arrows  50  in FIG.  4 . The leg portion  26  of clamping member  16  is guided by guide members  54  molded integrally with the lower base member  32  as seen in FIG.  5 . In some embodiments the clamping member  16  may be the only moving member with the clamping member  18  remaining stationary. 
     In the illustrated embodiment where both clamping members  16  and  18  are moved, the leg portion  26  of clamping member  16  carries a rack gear  56  which meshes with and rotates a pinion  58 . The pinion  58  meshes with a rack gear  60  on the leg portion  28  of clamping member  18  to reciprocate this member in unison with clamping member  16 . The leg portion of  28  of clamping member  18  is guided by guides  62  molded integrally with the upper base member  34 . 
     Power is supplied to the motor  36  from a power supply  64 , which may be the vehicle power supply, through a cord  66  to a switching circuit  68 , shown in a simplified manner. Power can alternatively be supplied from batteries located in base  14 . 
     In one embodiment, the switching circuit  68  can include a single push button reversing switch  70  mounted on the side of the base  14 . Pressing the switch  70  will connect the power supply  64  to the motor  36  to move the clamping members apart. Power can be interrupted by release of the switch button or by pressing the switch a second time. When the phone has been placed on the base  14 , the switch  70  can be depressed again to supply power to the motor  36  to move the clamping members toward each other. Reversal of the motor can be accomplished by reversing the plurality of the power supply through the switch. When the phone has been clamped, power to the motor can be interrupted by release of the switch button or by pressing the switch another time. 
     In another embodiment, the switching circuit can include a second switch  72  located on the upper base member  34 . Switch  70  is then used only to move the clamping members apart. When the phone is placed on the base  14 , the second switch  72  will be closed to close the clamping members and grip the phone. With this embodiment, a third switch  74  can be supplied in one of the clamping members, shown in clamping member  16  in FIG. 3, to disconnect the power supply when the phone has been gripped. Preferably a fourth switch  76  is also used in this embodiment to disconnect the power supply when the clamping members have been moved to their open position. End wall  78  is provided on base  14  so that the phone  12  can be consistently placed on the base with one end in contact with the wall. 
     It will be readily apparent that many variations can be made in the switching circuit without departing from the invention being taught. 
     With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, an object holder is generally shown at  100 . The object holder  100  includes a base  112  and at least two opposing clamping members  120  extending from the base  112 . Preferably, the base  112  and clamping members  120  are constructed of a moldable plastic material. At least one of the clamping members  120  moves laterally relative to the base  112  so as to modify the distance d between the members  120 . While it is appreciated that both members  120  are optionally movable within the present invention, preferably one clamping member is movable  122  in opposition to stationary clamping member  124 . The clamping members  120  are configured to have concave opposing clamping surfaces  128 . Optionally, resilient soft pads  130  constructed of a suitable conventional soft plastic material or rubberized material are applied to the concave clamping surfaces  128  by means illustratively including adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives and thermal fusion. Clamping member  120  of the present invention is configured to grasp a conventional beverage container. One embodiment of the present invention is adapted to grasp a beverage container through the addition of adaptive holding elements  120  having a groove  132  therein. The groove  132  being adapted to receive clamping members of a telephone holder therein. Telephone holders adaptable to receive a beverage container illustratively including those detailed herein; U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,359; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,381. In this embodiment of the present invention, the base  112  including mechanisms and means for driving movable holding element  122  are incorporated from the underlying portable telephone holder. While it is appreciated that the present invention readily holds not only a beverage container but also a portable telephone as well. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 8, clamping members  220  are mounted on a lockable pivot pin  221 . Clamping members  220  are characterized by each having one concave clamping surface and a second clamping surface  229 . The second holding face  229  preferably less sharply curved than concave inner face  228 . More preferably, the second surface  229  is generally planar. Preferably, concave surface  228  and second surface  229  are fitted with resilient soft pads as detailed above shown in FIG. 8 at  230  and  231 , respectively. The clamping member  220  is rotated about the locking pin  221  to selectively place either concave resilient pad  230  or the second resilient pad  231  towards the interior of the cradle base  212 . While opposing complementary faces of the clamping members  220 , both being concave is preferred for grasping a generally cylindrical beverage container, it is appreciated that the securing of particular individual articles is facilitated by having a concave surface and a second surface in opposition to one another. The movement of a holding element laterally relative to a base is triggered by switch activation or a user activating a lateral translation element. The movement of a clamping member according to the present invention being driven by electrical power or spring compression as is conventional to the art. All patents, patent applications and publications discussed herein are intended to be incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each was individually and fully incorporated by reference.