WO1990008422A1

WO1990008422A1 - A telephone or like telecommunication apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1990008422A1
Application number: PCT/SE1990/000029
Authority: WO
Inventors: Knut Hugo Blomberg
Original assignee: Knut Hugo Blomberg
Priority date: 1989-01-16
Filing date: 1990-01-15
Publication date: 1990-07-26
Also published as: SE8900145D0; AU4946390A; SE463590B; SE8900145L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a telephone handset or like telecommunication apparatus, comprising an upper part (1) and a lower part (3) which are pivotally connected one to the other. In accordance with the invention, the upper part can be collapsed towards the lower part through the agency of a pivot joint (5) provided in the central region of the bottom of the lower part, such as to enable the apparatus to be switched from an upstanding apparatus type to a horizontally lying apparatus type.

Description

A TELEPHONE OR LIKE TELECOMMUNICATION APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a telephone handset or like telecommunication apparatus, which comprises mutually hinged upper and lower parts.

BACKGROUND ART

Two kinds of telephone handsets are available, by which is meant telephone apparatus in which all of the active components are contained in a common casing and which is held in the hand, i.e. one kind which is intended to be placed horizontally or in a recumbent position when not in use, and one kind which is intended to be placed in an upstanding position on a support means. The pushbuttons, or dialling buttons, of horizontally placed handsets are normally disposed centrally on the front of the handset. The bottom part of the upstanding handset is normally configured to form a foot or stand which has a relatively large undersurface operative to support the handset firmly on a telephone table. The stand normally includes a set of dialling buttons, which face downwardly when the handset is in its upstanding position. Both types of handset have their advantages and disadvantages. There is, at present, however, no telephone handset which can be placed alternatively in an upstanding or a horizontal position and therewith combine the advantages of both types of handset.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a telephone or like telecommunication apparatus of the aforesaid kind which can be switchedbetween an upstanding and a horizontal mode and there¬ with readily adapted to different functional req irements. This object is achieved in that the upper part of the handset can be collapsed down into the lower part thereof through the agency of hinge means provided in the central part of the bottom of said lower handset-part. The upper handset-part includes, advantageously, a casing which embraces a portion of the lower handset-part, and the lower- handset-part is configured to form a foot or stand which incor¬ porates a set of downwardly-facing dialling buttons provided in the undersurface thereof.

In its upstanding position, one half of the lower handset-part is preferably inserted intotheupperhandset-part, eithercompletely or partially, whereas in the horizontal position of the handset, the other half of the lower handset-part is inserted in the upper handset-part, either completely or partially.

The set of dialling buttons, or push buttons, disposed in the lower handset-part and facing downwardly when said handset stands upright, areadvantagously reachable fromthe front of the handset in its collapsed state.

The advantage with a handset constructed in accordance with the invention is that it can be adjusted readily to one of various positions for the purpose of fulfilling a number of functional requirements. Becausethe stand-part ofthehandset, providedwith dialling buttons which face downwardly when the handset is upright, is connectedmovably with the upper handset-part and can be collapsed thereinto, the handset-undersurface inwhich the dialling buttons are provided can be brought to a position in which they define a more acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the upper part of the handset, therewith enabling the handset to be switched to a handset of the horizontal kind. When the handset is then placed horizontally, with the back of the handset facing upwards, the push-buttons can be manipulated readily for dialling purposes, without needing to hold the handset by hand, so-called "hand- free" dialling.

This procedure is used in various connections when spea¬ king/listening through a loudspeaker facility. In the case, for instance, ofvoice-operated intercomsystems ortelephones, normal communication is effected in this way without needing to lift the telephone, i.e. both calling and conversation are effected via the loudspeaker. In this context, normally only a small number of conversations are made directly into the mouthpiece of the handset, for one reason or another, such as when it is not wished for the conversation to be overheard or when the surrounding noise is excessive. Automatic waiting or camp-on loud-speaker calls are answered without needing to lift the telephone apparatus from the table.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 illustrates an inventive handset in an upstanding position. Figure 2 illustrates the handset of Figure 1 lying horizontally on a table.

Figure 3 illustrates the handset in a horizontal position, with the foot-part of the handset collapsed into the casing of the upper part thereof.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The drawings illustrate a telephone handset, i.e. an apparatus in which all active components are enclosed in a casing. The handset includes an upper part 1, which is enclosed in a casing 2, and a lower part 3, which also forms a foot-part. The casing embraces a portion of the lower handset-part, as explained in more detail herebelow. The foot-part is connected movably with the casing and the foot-part and casing are held together by means of a pivot joint 5 provided in the corner between the front and bottom edge of the casing.

When the handset is adjusted to the upstanding type, as illus¬ trated in Figure 1, and the lower handset part is thus used as a foot, the rear half 4a of the lower part 3 is enclosed in the casing 2, as illustrated in broken lines in Figure 2, between the wall-forming casing-parts 2a. A downwardly-facing set of buttons 7 is provided in the undersurface 6 of the lower handset-part 3.

When the apparatus, however, adjusted to the horizontal type and laid horizontally on a table with the back of the handset facing outwards, as shown in Figure 2, the undersurface 6 of the lower handset-part 3 will be positioned almost perpendicularly to the surface of the table, wherewith the set of buttons 7 arranged in the lower handset-part will be located in a position unsuitable for dialling. The pivot joint 5 enables the foot-part to be swung over against the upper handset-part, as illustrated by arrow 8, and therewith define a more acute angle with the longitudinal axis of said upper handset-part, thereby enabling the buttons to be adjusted to the best incline position.

Figure 3 illustrates the lower handset-part 3 inserted into the casing 2 of the upper handset-part 1, and the configuration of the handsetcoincides withthe configurationof thetraditional types. In this position, the front half 4b of the lower handset-part is enclosed in the casing 2, as illustrated in broken lines. The handset is thinnest or most slender when adjusted to the position illustrated in Figure 3 and can then be readily carried in a pocket. When in its Figure 3 position, the handset can be readily used as a pocket telephone.

It will be understood, that the telephone handset may have a configuration different to that of the described model, without departing from the concept of the invention. Neither is the inventive concept limited to telephones, but can be applied with otherkinds oftelecommunicationterminals, for instanceterminals for opto-information.

It will therefore be understood that the invention is not limited to the aforedescribed and illustrated embodiment, sinced this embodiment can be modified within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A telephone handset or like telecommunication apparatus which comprises an upper part (1) and a lower part (3) which are pivotally connected one to the other, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upper part (1) can be collapsed onto the lower part (3) through the agency of a pivot joint (5) provided in the centre region of the bottom (6) of the lower part, such as to enable the apparatus to be adjusted from an upstanding type of apparatus to a horizontally lying type of apparatus.

2. A telephone or like telecommunication apparatus according to Claim 1, c h a r a ct e r i z e d in that the upper part (1) includes a casing (2) which embraces a portion of the lower part (3) ; and in that the lower part (3) is configured to form a foot or stand which incorporates a set of downwardly facing buttons (7) in the undersurface thereof.

3. A telephone or like telecommunication apparatus according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the upstanding position of the apparatus one half (4a) of the lower part (3) is inserted into the upper part (1) either completely or partially, and in the collapsed, horizontally-lying position of the appara¬ tus, the other half (4b) of the lower part (3) is inserted into the upper part (1) , either completely or partially.

4. A telephone or like telecommunication apparatus according to Claim 2, cha r a c t e r i z e d in that the buttons (7) arranged in the lower part (3) and facing downwardly in the upstanding position of the telephone or like apparatus are accessible from the front of the apparatus when the apparatus is in its collapsed state.