TETHERED DEVICE HOLDER
A shell or case for holding a cell phone, with a releasable tether attached to the case, for quickly locating and retrieving the cell phone from the depths of a handbag or tote bag. A catch device is attached to an external surface of the shell, with a push-button release mechanism. The tether has a post and anchor head that snaps into the catch device. Pushing the release mechanism opens the catch. A biasing spring ejects the anchor head from the device. The tether may be attached at its other end to a handbag or tote bag strap, so that it is easily and quickly located. Pulling on the tether retrieves the shell with phone or other electronic device from the bag. Pushing the release button automatically releases and ejects the end of the tether from the shell, so that the user may used the cell phone or device freely, without any restraint on freedom of movement.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of article carriers and, particularly, to cases or carriers for handheld electronic devices. More particularly, the invention relates to tethered holders, which facilitate retrieval of such devices from a larger storage area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Handheld electronic devices are ubiquitous in today's world. People routinely carry PDAs, cell phones, pagers, and other devices. For the sake of simplicity, reference shall be made to a cell phone hereinafter, although it is understood that this term is also representative of PDAs, pagers, and other handheld electronic devices. Men typically carry such devices, when not in use, in their pants pocket or clipped to their pants belt, so they are generally readily accessible. Women, on the other hand, generally carry such devices in a handbag. When the phone rings, the user then has to quickly locate the cell phone in the handbag and retrieve it before the caller has given up and terminated the call. The problem with storing a cell phone in a handbag is, that the phone, being small and denser than other objects in the handbag, sinks to the bottom of the bag. Depending on the size and contents of the bag, it may take some time to locate and retrieve the device. The same problem applies when carrying the cell phone in a back pack, tote bag, book bag, or other large carrier.
One solution to the problem above is to attach a tether to the device. Many embodiments of a spooled tether are known. Typically, a case for the handheld electronic device is attached to a belt. Also attached to the belt is a spooled tether case. The end of the tether is attached to the electronic device. The tether is generally spring-biased to retract automatically into its case. This allows the tether to remain on the device during use, yet allow sufficient freedom of movement so that the device can be used comfortably for its intended function. That is, the device can comfortably be raised to the ear or held in the hand. This system also works well for key rings, which are attached to the end of the tether and are carried close to the spooled tether case.
This type of tether system is not particularly suitable for use with cell phones that are stored in a handbag or other type of bag. If the spooled tether case is attached to some strap or loop in the bag, the user is forced to use or at least respond to a call on the cell phone in close proximity to the bag, and this is not always convenient.
What is needed, therefore, is a device for tethering a handheld electronic device to a handbag or tote bag for quick retrieval, that will instantly allow untethered use of the device.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention is a tethered holster for holding a handheld electronic device. The handheld electronic device may be a cell phone, PDA, pager, or other device that is typically carried in a handbag, back pack, book bag, or tote bag, and that is typically held by the user during use. The term “cell phone” or “phone” is used hereinafter as representative of handheld electronic devices. The holster is adapted to hold the handheld electronic device securely, while providing ready access to the operational features of the device. A tether is releasably attached to the holster. A cell phone user generally wants to be able to respond to an incoming call quickly and to use the phone without being restrained in freedom of movement. For this reason, the tethered holster according to the invention has a instant-release button that immediately releases the end of the tether from the holster.
The tethered holster comprises a shell or case that holds the cell phone or electronic device, such that it may be used while still held in the shell. A tether is releasably attachable to a catch device on the shell. The other end of the tether may be attached to or wrapped around another object, such as the strap or handle of a handbag, backpack, etc., so as to tether the case to the object. This allows the user to quickly locate the proximal end of the tether and to pull on it to retrieve the shell or case that is attached to the distal end. The distal end of the tether has a post with an anchor head that is releasably restrained within the catch device. The catch device is spring loaded, so that the catch is biased to a catch position that secures the anchor head within the catch device. A catch release, such as a push-button, works against the spring bias to open the catch. An ejection spring placed beneath the catch forces the anchor head out of the catch device when the catch release is actuated. In this manner, the tether is quickly released from the shell by the push of a button, so that the user may use the cell phone in the shell, without any restraints on personal movement.
The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings are not drawn to scale.
The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
To capture the tether 400 in the catch device 200, the user need only insert the anchor head 414 in the post aperture 336 and push slightly. The anchor head 414 and the edges of the recess 240A on the prongs 240 are contoured such, that the downward force on the prongs 240 forces them apart. The anchor head pushes past the opening formed by the recesses. The prongs 240, being spring biased toward the center of the device, snap to their catch position, in which the anchor head 414 is held in the catch device 200 by the prongs 240.
It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the catch device and phone holster may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.
Claims
1. A catch device for capturing a tether post, said catch device comprising:
- a catch-device housing comprising an upper housing and a backplate;
- a catch release assembly comprising a slider assembly slidably mounted on said backplate and a release button assembled in an aperture on said upper housing, so as to be actuatable from outside said catch-device housing;
- and a catch assembly comprising a pair of prongs that are slidably captured between said upper housing and said backplate and that form a releasable catch aperture for retaining an anchor head of a tether within said housing;
- wherein said prongs in a catch position hold said anchor head caught within said catch-device housing,
- wherein, when an actuating force is exerted on said release button, said button forces said slider assembly to move from a catch position to a release position;
- wherein, when said slider assembly is in said release position, said prongs are forced open to allow said anchor head to escape; and
- wherein an ejection spring exerts an upward force on said anchor head, so as to eject said anchor head from said catch-device housing.
2. The catch device of claim 1, wherein said release button has a first push block, said slider assembly includes a slider body having a second push block and push edges, and said prongs have a push surface; and
- wherein, when said actuating force is exerted on said release button, said first push block pushes against said second push block on said slider body, forcing said slider body to slide in a longitudinal direction along said backplate and to move from said catch position to said release position, with said push edges of said slider body thereby pushing against said push surface of said prongs, forcing said prongs to slide in a transverse direction relative to said longitudinal direction of said slider body, so as to move said prongs to said open position.
3. The catch device of claim 2, wherein said release button has a first biasing spring that biases said button upward.
4. The catch device of claim 2, wherein said slider assembly has a second biasing spring that biases said slider body to a catch position.
5. The catch device of claim 2, wherein said prongs have a third biasing spring that biases each prong inward in a transverse direction relative the longitudinal direction of said slider assembly, to a catch position.
6. A holster for releasably securing an object, said holster comprising:
- a shell adapted to hold an object;
- a tether having a distal end with a post and an anchor head and a proximal end for attached to an external object;
- a catch device for releasably holding said anchor head of said tether, said catch-device comprising a housing that includes an upper housing and a backplate;
- a catch release assembly comprising a slider assembly slidably mounted on said backplate and a release button assembled in an aperture on said upper housing, so as to be actuatable from outside said catch-device housing;
- and a catch assembly comprising a pair of prongs that are slidably captured between said upper housing and said backplate and that form a releasable catch aperture for retaining an anchor head of a tether within said housing;
- wherein said catch device is attached to a outer surface of said shell, so as to be accessible external to said shell;
- wherein said prongs in a catch position hold said anchor head caught within said catch-device housing;
- wherein, when an actuating force is exerted on said release button, said button forces said slider assembly to move from a catch position to a release position;
- wherein, when said slider assembly is in said release position, said prongs are forced open to allow said anchor head to escape; and
- wherein an ejection spring exerts an upward force on said anchor head, so as to eject said anchor head from said catch-device housing.
7. The holster of claim 6, wherein said release button has a first push block, said slider assembly includes a slider body having a second push block and push edges, and said prongs have a push surface; and
- wherein, when said actuating force is exerted on said release button, said first push block pushes against said second push block on said slider body, forcing said slider body to slide in a longitudinal direction along said backplate and to move from said catch position to said release position, with said push edges of said slider body thereby pushing against said push surface of said prongs, forcing said prongs to slide in a transverse direction relative to said longitudinal direction of said slider body, so as to move said prongs to said open position.
8. The holster of claim 6, wherein said release button has a first biasing spring that biases said button upward.
9. The holster of claim 6, wherein said slider assembly has a second biasing spring that biases said slider body to a catch position.
10. The holster of claim 6, wherein said prongs have a third biasing spring that biases each prong inward in a transverse direction relative the longitudinal direction of said slider assembly, to a catch position.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 3, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 8, 2009
Inventors: Chun Chee Tsang (Kwai Fong), Wing Fai Luk (Kowloon)
Application Number: 11/773,182
International Classification: A45F 5/00 (20060101);