REEL-CASE PHONE CASE
The present invention is a mobile device case with a retractable lanyard housed in a pocket-friendly profile. A novel feature provides for the lanyard to be releasably refracted into the housing in a one-two set-release scenario.
This is a U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Application 61/978,846, filed on Apr. 12, 2014.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to mobile phones, and more particularly to mobile phone cases.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONKeeping the ubiquitous mobile phone accessible and ready for use often involves pockets, belt-holsters or purses. Such locations are not particularly handy, however. While seated, for example, it is inconvenient to fish a phone out of a pants pocket. Even though it is not recommended to talk on the phone while driving without a Bluetooth device, notwithstanding any issues of legality, some phone users, nevertheless, use the unsafe practice of holding a phone while talking and driving. Not only is inattention to the road an issue in such a case, steering the car with only one hand is an accident waiting to happen. If the phone were to be suspended from the neck with the speaker turned on, for example, both hands, at least, could remain on the steering wheel. Tethers and lanyards have been used to keep a mobile phone handy and free from inconvenient placement in a pocket or purse. Photography is a particular application where instant access in needed, and with the advances in phone camera technology today, the mobile phone is the only camera many people use. It is advantageous to have it hanging from a lanyard around one's neck or wrist.
The problem with lanyards, however, is that the loose cordage can become ensnared or entangled with other objects, not to mention the nuisance of stuffing it away, or the untidy appearance of failing to do so. Stowing the cordage on a reel would be convenient, if the reel could be combined with the phone, somehow.
The present invention addresses the unfulfilled need in the present art to provide a releasably retractable lanyard integrated into an ancillary mobile phone case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is object of the present invention to provide a lanyard to keep a mobile phone instantly at-the-ready. It is further object to provide a reel integrated with a mobile phone case into which to retract the lanyard. It is further object to deploy the lanyard with one pull and to retract it with only a second pull. It is further object to have the reel and lanyard self-contained and free from snagging in pockets and purses. It is further object to have an adjustable feature to customize the length of the lanyard.
These objects, and others to become hereinafter apparent, are embodied in a lanyard apparatus for a mobile device comprising, in a first part, a case having a cavity configured to receive the mobile device. In a second part, the lanyard apparatus includes a retractable lanyard integrated with the case. With the mobile device mounted in the case and the lanyard extended, the mobile device may be securely worn about a user's neck. In a preferred embodiment, the mobile device is a phone with a camera and the lanyard enables readily-accessible photography. Preferably, the retractable lanyard is refracted onto a spool rotatably mounted in the cavity. Preferably, the spool comprises a ratchet mechanism which sets with a pull on the lanyard and releases with a subsequent pull. Preferably, the lanyard is comprised of an aramid fiber rope.
As this is not intended to be an exhaustive recitation, other embodiments may be learned from practicing the invention or may otherwise become apparent to those skilled in the art.
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood through the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Throughout the description and the claims, the term “mobile device” will be taken to refer to any mobile electronic device including, but not limited to, digital phones, digital cameras, analog cameras, personal digital assistants (PDA's), tablets and notebooks. The term “mobile phone” will be taken to refer to any digital phone including, but limited to, cell phones, as a category, and Smartphones, as a sub-category thereof, and brand-specific phones including iPhone®, Android®, Blackberry® and Galaxy®, in particular.
The components of a lanyard apparatus 1 are best shown in
A ratchet mechanism 20, comprised of ratchet gear 21 and pawl 22 (
A spiral spring 8 biases the spool 3 to retract the retractable lanyard 40 (
When the lanyard tab 42 is pulled in a first pull 6 (
The case 10, reel housing 12 and spool 3 with spindle 4 may be molded from acryl-butadiene-styrene (ABS), or any other tough resin. The reel housing 12 may be joined with the back wall 13 by ultrasonic welding, or some other known means of attachment. The ratchet pawl 22 may be molded from high density polyethylene (HDPE), or any other resin with lubricity property. The spiral spring 8 may be comprised of a tempered spring-steel band approximately 0.1 inch wide. The retractable lanyard 40 may be comprised of aramid fiber rope (Kevlar®), or another cordage with a high tension modulus in a small gage.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction, to the arrangements of the components and to the method of using set forth in the preceding description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, the spiral spring 8 may be eliminated and a hand-crank added to retract the spool 3. Further, by example, the spool 3 might be two separate spools to manage dual lines of the retractable lanyard 40 separately. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Claims
1. A holder for a mobile device, comprising:
- a case having a cavity configured to receive the mobile device; and
- a retractable lanyard integrated with the case having a double pull action, the double pull action allowing selectively either the withdrawal of a preferred length of lanyard or retraction of a preferred withdrawn length into the case;
- whereby, with the mobile device mounted in the case and the lanyard extended, the mobile device may be securely worn about a user's neck.
2. The holder of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a phone with a camera and the lanyard enables readily-accessible photography.
3. The holder of claim 1, wherein the retractable lanyard is retracted onto a spool rotatably mounted in the cavity by means of a spiral spring.
4. The holder of claim 3, wherein the spool comprises a ratchet mechanism which sets with a pull on the lanyard and releases with a subsequent pull.
5. The holder of claim 4, wherein the set and release is determined by the speed at which the lanyard is released after withdrawal of a selected length, a sufficiently deliberate release setting the ratchet mechanism against automatic retraction by the spiral spring.
6. The holder of claim 4, wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a pawl and a ratchet gear interfacing at either an interlock position or a bypass position, the pawl biased to engage either a flat surface or a sliding surface at the perimeter of the ratchet gear.
7. The holder of claim 6, wherein the perimetral contours of the pawl and ratchet gear are sufficiently smooth so as to allow a dynamic bypass action there between during refraction.
8. The holder of claim 1, wherein the lanyard is comprised of an aramid fiber rope.
9. A holder for a mobile device, comprising:
- a case having a cavity configured to receive the mobile device; and
- a retractable lanyard integrated with the case;
- whereby, with the mobile device mounted in the case and the lanyard extended, the mobile device may be securely worn about a user's neck.
10. The holder of claim 9, wherein the retractable lanyard is retracted onto a spool rotatably mounted in the cavity by means of a spring.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 10, 2015
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2015
Inventor: Zachary Chavez (Santa Barbara, CA)
Application Number: 14/684,042