Abstract:
The present invention is to provide a cellular phone holding device comprising a loop assembly for permitting an object (e.g., belt) to pass through a loop integrally formed by a left and a right clips, the loop assembly including a projected lower latched piece; and a pivotal assembly pivotably coupled to the loop assembly so that the pivotal assembly is capable of pivoting about the loop assembly to form an angle sufficiently enough to permit a user to see the number of an incoming call shown on a display of a cellular phone held thereon.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to cellular phone accessories and more particularly to a pivotal holding device having one side for receiving a cellular phone so that the user can pivot the device to see the number of an incoming call without having to remove the cellular phone from the device.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Recently, cellular phones have become very popular around the world. This is particularly true in developed countries such as Taiwan. It is estimated that the number of cellular phone users is about five millions at the end of year 2000. Further, such number is still increasing. The advantages of cellular phone is compact, portable, and convenient. However, it has drawbacks of being lost and susceptible of being damaged if enough care is not taken (e.g., dropped on the ground). Conventionally, a cellular phone is placed in an enclosure which in turn is placed in a pocket. However, such may cause inconvenience in removing the cellular phone when a use is desired.  
           [0003]    Another conventional arrangement is to form a clip on the rear of cellular phone. The clip is fastened to a belt of the user. As such, the user can conveniently remove the cellular phone from the belt for communication purpose. A similar cellular phone holder is shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a housing  1  having a slot on an outer surface and a detent  10  within the housing  1  opposite to the slot. At the same side as the detent  10 , there are further provided a slide piece  12  having a top end projected from the top of the housing  1  and a bottom end in contact with the detent  10 ; an elastic member (e.g., spring)  18  biased between the slide piece  12  and the housing  1 , the slide piece  12  capable of being pressed down to cause a pin of the detent  10  to project from the housing  1  or being released to return to its original position by an expansion of the spring  18 ; a flexible member  14  having one end secured to the housing  1 ; and an engagement member  16  secured to to the other end of the flexible member  14  (i.e., adjacent the detent  10 ). As such, the holder can be attached to a foreign object. For example, pass a belt through the holder and around the waist of user. Moreover, there is provided a fastening member  2  on an enclosure of the cellular phone or the cellular phone directly. The fastening member  2  is adapted to slide to receive in the slot. Further, the fastening member  2  is locked by the detent  10  after in place.  
           [0004]    However, at this arrangement the user cannot see a display of the cellular phone since typically the display faces opposite to the belt. As such, the user cannot see the number of an incoming call, messages, or the like shown on the display when such occurs. In response, the user has to press the slide piece  12  to unlock the fastening member  2  in the slot. Then the user can remove the cellular phone for viewing the display. Alternatively, the user can pivot the cellular phone directly for viewing. In view of the above, it is quite inconvenient. Further, such pivoting of the cellular phone tends to damage the holder and/or the belt. Thus improvement exists.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cellular phone holding device comprising a loop assembly for permitting an object (e.g., belt) to pass through a loop formed by the left and the right clips, the loop assembly including a projected lower latched piece; and a pivotal assembly pivotably coupled to the loop assembly so that the pivotal assembly is capable of pivoting either clockwise about the loop assembly to form an angle therebetween or counterclockwise about the loop assembly to be substantially parallel to and in close proximity with the loop assembly, the pivotal assembly including a lower opening for receiving the latched piece and securing thereto as the pivotal assembly is disposed in close proximity with the loop assembly, thereby securing the pivotal assembly to the loop assembly. In response to the device held on the belt and the cellular phone is held by the device, the pivotal assembly is capable of swinging clockwise relative to the loop assembly at an angle sufficiently enough to permit a user to see the number of an incoming call shown on a display of the cellular phone.  
           [0006]    In one aspect of the present invention, the loop assembly consists of a left clip and a right clip integral with the left clip at its top so that the invention can have advantages of being small in the number of components, simple construction, easy to manufacture, and lower in the manufacturing cost.  
           [0007]    In another aspect of the present invention, the pivotal assembly further comprises a longitudinal slot for fastening the cellular phone and a fastening member at a lower part of the longitudinal slot so that a mated fastening member on the cellular phone is adapted to slide downward to receive in and secure to the longitudinal slot.  
           [0008]    In still another aspect of the present invention, the fastening member comprises two side openings near the lower opening at a bottom of the pivotal assembly, a flexible member extended downward between the side openings being capable of bending, a cam adjacent a lower end of the flexible member, a top slot above the longitudinal slot, and a slide piece slidably received in the longitudinal slot, and a bottom recess with the cam snugly receiving therein so that it is possible of pressing the slide piece to cause the recess to push the cam, the cam being disengaged from the mated fastening member as a result of further pressing of the slide piece, thereby removing the cellular phone from the pivotal assembly.  
           [0009]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional cellular phone holder;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a cellular phone holder according to the invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled holder and a cellular phone adapted to be held by the holder;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the holder and the cellular phone secured to the holder when the cellular phone is carried by a user;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 where the cellular phone is pivoted from the position shown in FIG. 4 to a horizontal position shown in phantom lines; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a step of disengaging a cam from a recess. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    The invention is directed to a pivotal cellular phone holder which enables a user to swing the holder to see the number of an incoming call shown on a display, thereby eliminating the drawbacks (i.e., user cannot directly see the display of the cellular phone held on the belt worn by the user) associated with the prior art.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a cellular phone holder in accordance with the invention comprising a loop assembly  20  including a left clip  21  and a right clip  23  integral with the left clip  21  at the top. As such, the loop assembly  20  can possess a capability for fastening an object. A horizontal piece  231  is formed on a lower end of the right clip  23  as an auxiliary support while the loop assembly  20  is coupled to an object (e.g., a belt passes through a loop formed by the left and the right clips  21  and  23  and around the waist of a user). A pivotal assembly  30  is pivotably secured to the loop assembly  20 . As such, the pivotal assembly  30  can be pivoted clockwise about the loop assembly  20  to form an angle therebetween or counterclockwise about the loop assembly  20  to be substantially parallel to and in close proximity with the loop assembly  20 . The pivotal assembly  30  comprises a lower opening  31  adjacent the free end. The loop assembly  20  comprises a lower latched piece  25  projected from the left clip  21  corresponding to the lower opening  31 . As such, the user can pivot the pivotal assembly  30  counterclockwise about and in close proximity with the loop assembly  20  until the latched piece  25  is received and secured to the lower opening  31 . As an end, the pivotal assembly  30  is secured to the loop assembly  20 .  
         [0018]    Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the pivotal assembly  30  further comprises a longitudinal slot  33  opposite to the loop assembly  20  for fastening a the cellular phone  5 , a fastening member  35  at a lower part of the longitudinal slot  33 . As such, a mated fastening member  51  on the cellular phone  5  is adapted to slide downward and receive in the longitudinal slot  33 . The mated fastening member  51  is thus locked by the fastening member  35  after in place. In a case that the loop assembly  20  is held on the belt worn by the user and the cellular phone  5  is fastened by the pivotal assembly  30 , the user can pivot the pivotal assembly  30  clockwise relative to the loop assembly  20  until the number of the incoming call shown on a display of the cellular phone  5  is seen (see FIG. 5).  
         [0019]    Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and  6 , in the embodiment the fastening member  35  comprises an opening  351  at either side near the lower opening  31  at the bottom of the pivotal assembly  30 , a flexible member  352  extended downward between the side openings  351  capable of bending either clockwise or counterclockwise in a small angle, a cam  353  adjacent a lower end of the flexible member  352 , a top slot  354  above the longitudinal slot  33 , a slide piece  355  slidably received in the top and the longitudinal slot  354 , and a bottom recess  356  at the bottom of the slide piece with the cam  353  snugly receiving therein. In mounting the cellular phone  5  onto the pivotal assembly  30 , user can slide down the mated fastening member  51  on the cellular phone  5  along the longitudinal slot  33  for securing the mated fastening member  51  to the cam  353  (see FIG. 4). In removing the cellular phone  5  from the pivotal assembly  30  the user can press the slide piece  355  to cause the recess  356  to push the cam  353  for disengaging the cam  353  from the mated fastening member  51  as a result of further pressing of the slide piece  355  (i.e., the flexible member  352  pivoted counterclockwise). At this position, the user can remove the cellular phone  5  from the pivotal assembly  30  (as seen in FIG. 6).  
         [0020]    Referring to FIG. 2, in the embodiment the loop assembly further comprises a hole  26  at either side of the joint of the pivotal assembly and the loop assembly. Correspondingly, the pivotal assembly  30  further comprises a horizontal top lug  36  at either side and having a hole  361  at either lug  36 . There is further provided a pin  60 , of which the diameter almost the same as the diameter of the hole  361 , inserted through the holes  361  and  26  to pivotably secure the loop and the pivotal assemblies  20  and  30  together. In the embodiment, since the diameter of the hole  26  is more larger than that of the pin  60 , the pin  60  can be moved vertically within the hole  26 , while the pivotal assembly  30  being in close proximity with the loop assembly  20 , until the latched piece  25  is secured to the lower opening  31  or released from the lower opening  31 .  
         [0021]    Thus, in a case that an incoming call is received by the cellular phone  5  which is coupled to a belt of the user, the user can perform the following steps of disengaging the latched piece  25  from the lower opening  31  and clockwise pivoting the pivotal assembly  30  relative to the loop assembly  20  until the number of the incoming call shown on the display of the cellular phone  5  is seen. Since the right clip  23  is integrally formed with the left clip  21  at its top, thus the loop assembly  20  can have the advantages of being small in the number of components, simple construction, and easy to manufacture. As a result, the manufacturing cost is lowered significantly.  
         [0022]    While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.