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The invention generally relates to telephone devices and methods, and in
particular, the invention relates to head set type telephone devices and
methods therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the past, various telephone devices were developed for the ease and use
of the subscriber. Generally speaking, many of these various telephone
devices were developed for use with electrical type telephone cords
connected to a hand-held unit that a person used for both speaking and
listening purposes. In recent times, remote type telephone devices were
developed which did not use electrical type telephone cords connected to
the hand-held unit. These remote type (cordless) telephone devices were
developed for both conventional telephone systems and for cellular
telephone systems.
One problem with these prior art telephone devices is that one hand of the
user is fully occupied with holding the hand-held unit for speaking and
listening purposes.
Accordingly, there was a need to provide head-set type telephone devices
that were reliable and capable of use for either conventional or remote
telephone systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide improved head-set
type telephone devices and methods therefor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide improved head-set type
telephone devices and methods therefore which can be used with either
remote (cordless) or cord type telephone systems.
It is still further object of this invention to provide improved head-set
type telephone devices and methods therefor which have means associated
therewith to insure more reliable gripping action on a person's head.
It is still another object of this invention to provide improved head-set
type telephone devices and methods which have unique mechanical means
associated therewith to facilitate both coupling to telephone cradles and
provide better gripping action on a person's head.
According to the present invention, various telephone devices are provided.
One telephone device comprises a cradle and a headset. The headset has a
center housing with a chamber. This housing has first and second ear
speakers and first and second retractable means with respective outer ends
fixedly connected respectively to the first and second speakers and with
respective inner ends slidable connected to the center housing for
disposition in the chamber when retracted.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent
from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the
invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the headset telephone device according to
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the headset telephone device of FIG. 1
fitted on the head of a user thereby showing the headset in an extended
position;
FIG. 2a is another perspective view of the headset of FIG. 2 viewing the
headset from the inside and in the retracted position shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 2b is still another perspective view of the headset of FIG. 2 showing
the headset in its extended position;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the headset of FIG. 1 showing the
headset in its retracted position;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the headset
telephone device according to the invention;
FIG. 5 is a view as taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4 showing the headset
from an inside view;
FIG. 6 is a front view of the headset of FIG. 5 showing how its arms are
extended;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the headset telephone
device according to the invention showing the top or outside portion;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 7 with its arms partly
extended;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 7 with its arms fully
extended;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the telephone headset device of FIG. 1,
but showing the device in its extended position with a telephone cord or
line for connection to a cradle;
FIG. 11a is a perspective view similar to the perspective view of FIG. 1
showing the telephone headset device of FIG. 10 in its retracted position
and connected to its associated cradle;
FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the telephone headset device of FIG.
4 showing the device in its extended position with a telephone cord or
line for connection to a cradle; and
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the telephone headset of FIG. 7 showing
the device in its extended position with a telephone cord or line for
connection to a cradle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a first embodiment of a telephone device 10
in accordance with this invention is provided. Device 10 includes a cradle
12, and a headset 14 which is moved in a direction 16 for resting on
cradle 12. The headset 14 is a remote or cordless type headset for use by
a subscriber away from the cradle 12. The headset 14 is shown in its
retracted position in FIG. 1. Wiring to the cradle 12 and the electronic
components for the headset 14 and the cradle 12 are not shown because they
are known.
As shown in FIG. 1, cradle 12 has left and right side walls 18, 20 and has
front and back end walls 22, 24 and has lower and upper walls 26, 28,
which together enclose a cavity 29 for housing electronic components (not
shown). Upper wall 28 has a recess 30, and has an on-off switch button 31
for use with the headset 14. Upper wall 28 also has a cradle antenna 32, a
microphone 34, a speaker 35, and a control panel 36. Panel 36 has control
buttons 38, 40, 42, 44. In many remote or cordless telephone system
embodiments the cradle 12 may not need to have the features or elements
34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 2a, 2b and 3, headset 14 is a remote or cordless
type of headset which can be used in a home or office or for cellular type
applications or systems. Headset 14 is placed on the head of its operator
or user or person 45 (see FIG. 2). Headset 14 has a center housing 46 (see
FIGS. 2b, 2, 2a and 31, a first ear housing or speaker 48, and a second
ear speaker 50. Headset 14 also has a first retractable and extendable
spring-biased arm, or bar, or strip 52 and has a second retractable and
extendable spring-biased strip 54.
Housing 46, which has an arcuate shape, has arcuate-shaped lower and upper
walls or plates 56, 58 (see FIG. 3). Housing 46 also has first and second
end plates 60, 62, and has first and second side plates 64, 66 (see FIG.
2a) which together enclose a chamber 68 (see FIG. 3) for placement therein
of electronic components (not shown). Upper plate 58 has a plurality of
buttons 70 (see FIG. 2b) which are punch type buttons, and has a
microphone 72.
Speakers 48, 50 have respective cushions 74, 76. Speaker 48 has a headset
antenna 78 which is extended (see FIG. 2) when the headset is used away
from the cradle 12.
Strips 52, 54, which are both extendable and retractable, are resilient,
spring-biased strips to provide a positive gripping action on the head of
any person regardless of the size of the person's head. Strip 52 has an
inner end 80 (see FIG. 2b), which is slidable through an opening in plate
60. Strip 52 has an outer end 82, which is fixedly connected to speaker
48. Strip 54 also has an inner end 84, which is slidable through an
opening in plate 62. Strip 54 also has an outer end 86, which is fixedly
connected to speaker 50.
Strips 52, 54 are normally somewhat arcuate in shape as shown in FIG. 2.
Strips 52, 54 are flexed to a substantially flatter shape, when retracted
and when disposed in chamber 68 as shown in FIG. 3. Strips 52, 54 normally
exert respective inward directed force on the head of user 45, as strips
52, 54 are spring biased for this purpose. This provides a positive
gripping action and prevents the headset from coming off a person's head
when in use thereby enabling hand-free operation. Electrical contacts at
the bottom of speaker 48 (three are shown) electrically contact the
electrical contacts on the cradle 12 (see FIG. 1) to permit charging of
the headset 14 by the cradle 12 when the headset 14 is placed on the
cradle 12.
As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a second embodiment telephone device 10a is
provided. Parts of embodiment 10a, which are the same as corresponding
parts of embodiment 10, have the same numerals, but with a subscript "a"
added thereto. Device 10a includes a cradle 12a and a headset 14a.
Cradle 12a has left and right side walls 18a, 20a, and has front and back
end walls 22a, 24a, and has lower and upper walls 26a, 28a, which enclose
a cavity 29a. Upper wall 28a has a recess 30a and has an on-off switch
button 31a. Upper wall 28a also has a cradle antenna 32a.
As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, headset 14a has a center housing 46a, a
speaker 48a, and a second speaker 50a. Headset 14a also has a first
spring-biased bar 88 of preferably round cross-section, and has a second
spring-biased bar 90 of preferably round cross-section.
Housing 46a has lower and upper plates 56a, 58a (see FIG. 6), and has first
and second end plates 60a, 62a (see FIG. 5) and has first and second side
plates 64a, 66a (see FIG. 5) which enclose a chamber 68a. Plate 58a has a
plurality of buttons 70a, and has a microphone 72a (see FIG. 5).
Speakers 48a, 50a have respective cushions 74a, 76a (see FIG. 6). Speaker
50a has a retractable-extendable headset antenna 91.
Bar 88 has an inner end 92, and has an outer end 94. Inner end 92 has a
pivot means 96 with axis 97 (see FIG. 5). Pivot 96 is fixedly connected to
plate 60a (see FIG. 6). Bar 90 has an inner end 98, and has an outer end
100. Inner end 98 has a pivot means 102 with its axis 103 (see FIG. 5).
Axis 97 and 103 are horizontal axes. Plate 56a has a first clip 104 (see
FIGS. 4 and 6) for holding bar 88 when retracted. Plate 56a also has a
second clip 106 for holding bar 90 when retracted. Plate 58a of headset
14a has electrical contacts 108, 110 which permit charging of the headset
14a is placed on the cradle 12a to permit the electrical contacts 108, 110
to be contacted by electrical contacts 112, 114 (see FIG. 4) of the cradle
12a.
As shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, a third embodiment or telephone device 10b
is provided. Parts of embodiment 10b, which are the same as corresponding
parts of embodiment 10, have the same numerals, but with a subscript "b"
added thereto. Device 10b has a cradle (not shown) and a headset 14b.
Headset 14b in FIG. 7 is fully retracted or folded inward. Headset 14b in
FIG. 8 is partly extended or opened. Headset 14b in FIG. 9 is fully
extended. Headset 14b has a housing 46b, a first speaker 48b, and a second
speaker 50b. Headset 14b also has a first bar unit 118 (see FIG. 8) of
preferably square cross-section, and has a second bar unit 120 of
preferably square cross-section.
Housing 46b has lower and upper plates 56b, 58b (see FIG. 7) and has end
plates 60b, 62b, and has side plates 64b, 66b, which enclose a chamber
68b. The side plates 64b, 66b are longer than the end plates 60b, 62b.
Upper plate 58b has a plurality of buttons 70b, and has a microphone 72b
(see FIG. 9). Speakers 48b, 50b, have respective cushions 74b, 76b (See
FIG. 9).
As shown in FIG. 8, bar unit 118 is identical to bar unit 120. Bar unit 120
has an inner bar 122 and an outer bar 124. Inner bar 122 has a first pivot
126 with a vertical axis 128 at its inner end. Inner bar 122 also has a
second pivot 130 with a vertical axis 132 at its outer end. Inner bar 122
also has lower and upper gusset or pivot plates 134, 136 at its outer end.
Outer bar 124 has a third pivot 138 with a vertical axis 140 at its inner
end. Outer bar 124 is fixedly connected to speaker 50b at its outer end.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, side plates 64b, 66b have respective elongated
recesses 142, 144, which receive respective bar units 118, 120. Recess
144, which is identical to recess 142, has a wedge pin 146 (see FIG. 9) or
the like, which is received in a groove 148 within recess 144, in order to
provide frictional engagement with inner bar 122 for latching or holding
bar unit 120 within recess 144. In FIG. 7, bar units 118, 120 are shown in
an unflexed, retracted, substantially flat configuration in respective
recesses 142, 144. In FIG. 9, for units 118, 120 as shown in their
extended biased position to permit the headset 14b to be mounted on a
person's head.
FIGS. 10 and 11a depict the headset 14 of the type shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 2a
and 3, but with a telephone cord or line 200 connected to the headset 14
to enable the headset 14 to be connected to a cradle 12 thereby depicting
the use of the headset 14 in a conventional wired (not a remote or
cordless) connection to the cradle 12.
FIG. 11 depicts the headset 14a of the type shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6
similarly (like the headset 14 of FIGS. 10 and 11a) connected to a cradle
(now shown) by wire or cord 200a.
FIG. 12 depicts the headset 14b of the type shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9
similarly (like the headset 14 of FIGS. 10 and 11a) connected to a cradle
(not shown) by wire or cord 200b.
While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is
to be understood that the words which have been used are words of
description rather than limitation and that changes may be made within the
purview of the appended claims without departing from the true scope and
spirit of the invention in its broader aspects. For example, strips 52, 54
of the embodiment of FIG. 1, round bars 88, 90 of the embodiment of FIG. 4
and square bars 118, 120 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 can be made hollow,
so that wires to the speakers can be enclosed within the strips and bars,
as desired. It should also be understood that the headset 14 of FIGS. 1
and 10, the headset 14a of FIGS. 4 and 11, and the headset 14b of FIGS. 7
and 12 can be used, because of the retractability features of the arms
thereof, as a conventional hand-held telephone headset, if desired.
Furthermore, the element 78 of FIGS. 2, 2b, the element 78a of FIG. 5 and
the element 78b of FIG. 9, which is described as being an antenna, could,
if desired, be made to be a microphone to permit the user to speak into
the microphone 78, 78a, 78b.
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