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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A mobile phone holder includes: a bottom plate having a first coupling
part; a top plate having a second coupling part; and a light emitting
unit mounted on the top plate. The top plate is connected movably
to the bottom plate, and is movable between an unfolded position
and a folded position, where the top plate is disposed above the
bottom plate and cooperates with the bottom plate to confine a receiving
space. The top plate is formed with an access hole in spatial communication
with the receiving space when the top plate is disposed at the folded
position, thereby permitting insertion of a mobile phone into the
receiving space via the access hole. The second coupling part is
capable of removable engagement with the first coupling part when
the top plate is disposed at the folded position, thereby retaining
releasably the top plate at the folded position.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A mobile phone holder comprising: a bottom plate having a first
edge, a second edge opposite to said first edge, and a first coupling
part disposed proximate to said second edge; a top plate having
a third edge disposed adjacent to said first edge of said bottom
plate, a fourth edge opposite to said third edge, and a second coupling
part disposed proximate to said fourth edge; said top plate being
connected movably to said bottom plate at said first and third edges
and being movable between an unfolded position and a folded position,
where said top plate is disposed above said bottom plate and cooperates
with said bottom plate to confine a receiving space; said top plate
being formed with an access hole in spatial communication with said
receiving space when said top plate is disposed at the folded position,
thereby permitting insertion of a mobile phone into said receiving
space via said access hole; said second coupling part being capable
of removable engagement with said first coupling part when said
top plate is disposed at the folded position, thereby retaining
releasably said top plate at the folded position; and a light emitting
unit mounted on said top plate.
2. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
light emitting unit is adapted for generating a visible alert output
in response to an audible ring tone generated by the mobile phone
that is received in said receiving space, and detected by said light
emitting unit.
3. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
first coupling part is formed with an elongated slot, and said second
coupling part is formed with a T-shaped member capable of releasable
engagement with said elongated slot.
4. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
of said bottom plate and said top plate is made from a transparent
and flexible material.
5. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
third edge of said top plate is hinged to said first edge of said
bottom plate.
6. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, comprising a
flexible blank having an underside that is formed with a blind slit,
thereby configuring said flexible blank with said top and bottom
plates, said top plate being longer than said bottom plate in a
direction transverse to said slit, said slit being disposed at a
position corresponding to said first and third edges such that said
top and bottom plates are hinged together at said first and third
edges.
7. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said
top plate is made from a flexible material; said first and third
edges forming a gap therebetween; said mobile phone holder further
comprising a flexible lining layer attached to surfaces of said
top and bottom plates to connect movably said top plate to said
bottom plate.
8. The mobile phone holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
top plate is further formed with a holder part at a periphery of
said access hole for retaining said light emitting unit on said
top plate.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mobile phone holder, particularly to
a mobile phone holder that is both foldable and easy to manufacture,
and that is provided with a ring alert feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A first type of conventional mobile phone holders is not foldable,
and cannot be stored conveniently. A second type of conventional
mobile phone holders is formed like a miniature folding chair, which
is not easy to produce. In addition, both the first and second conventional
mobile phone holders do not have additional functions other than
holding a mobile phone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a
mobile phone holder that is both foldable and easy to manufacture,
and that is provided with a ring alert feature.
According to the present invention, there is provided a mobile
phone holder that includes: a bottom plate having a first edge,
a second edge opposite to the first edge, and a first coupling part
disposed proximate to the second edge; a top plate having a third
edge disposed adjacent to the first edge of the bottom plate, a
fourth edge opposite to the third edge, and a second coupling part
disposed proximate to the fourth edge; and a light emitting unit
mounted on the top plate. The top plate is connected movably to
the bottom plate at the first and third edges, and is movable between
an unfolded position and a folded position, where the top plate
is disposed above the bottom plate and cooperates with the bottom
plate to confine a receiving space. The top plate is formed with
an access hole in spatial communication with the receiving space
when the top plate is disposed at the folded position, thereby permitting
insertion of a mobile phone into the receiving space via the access
hole. The second coupling part is capable of removable engagement
with the first coupling part when the top plate is disposed at the
folded position, thereby retaining releasably the top plate at the
folded position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred
embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment
of a mobile phone holder according to the present invention, illustrating
an unfolded state thereof;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment,
illustrating a folded state thereof;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the first preferred embodiment when in
the folded state; and
FIG. 4 is a side view of the second preferred embodiment of a mobile
phone holder according to the present invention when in the unfolded
state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it
should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same
reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the first preferred embodiment of
a mobile phone holder according to the present invention includes
a bottom plate 1, a top plate 2, and a light emitting unit 3. The
bottom plate 1 has a first edge 10, a second edge 11 opposite to
the first edge 10, and a first coupling part 12 disposed proximate
to the second edge 11. The top plate 2 has a third edge 20 disposed
adjacent to the first edge 10 of the bottom plate 1, a fourth edge
21 opposite to the third edge 20, and a second coupling part 22
disposed proximate to the fourth edge 21. The light emitting unit
3 is mounted on the top plate 2.
The top plate 2 is connected movably to the bottom plate 1 at the
first and third edges 10, 20, and is movable between an unfolded
position (illustrated in FIG. 1) and a folded position (illustrated
in FIG. 2). In the folded position, the top plate 2 is disposed
above the bottom plate 1 and arches so as to cooperate with the
bottom plate 1 to confine a receiving space (as best shown in FIG.
3). The top plate 2 is further formed with an access hole 23, and
a holder part 24 connected integrally to a periphery of the access
hole 23 for retaining the light emitting unit 3 on the top plate
2. The access hole 23 is in spatial communication with the receiving
space 4 when the top plate 2 is disposed at the folded position,
thereby permitting insertion of a mobile phone 7 into the receiving
space 4 via the access hole 23. The top plate 2 has a length such
that, when the mobile phone 7 is received in the receiving space
4, an upper half section of the mobile phone 7 is exposed from the
access hole 23 to facilitate removal of the mobile phone 7 from
the mobile phone holder.
In this preferred embodiment, the access hole 23 is a rectangular
hole. The holder part 24 projects from an edge 231 of the access
hole 23, and is formed with a circular pocket opening 241 that is
slightly expandable.
The second coupling part 22 is capable of removable engagement
with the first coupling part 12 when the top plate 2 is disposed
at the folded position, thereby retaining releasably the top plate
2 at the folded position. In this preferred embodiment, the first
coupling part 12 is formed with an elongated slot 120, and the second
coupling part 22 is formed with a T-shaped member 220 that extends
integrally from the fourth edge 21 of the top plate 2 and that is
capable of releasable engagement with the elongated slot 120.
In this preferred embodiment, the light emitting unit 3 includes
a control unit 30, and a circuit board 31 having a plurality of
light emitting diodes (LEDs) 310 mounted thereon. The circuit board
31 is mounted on and is connected electrically to the control unit
30. The light emitting unit 3 is inserted into the holder part 24
via the pocket opening 241. The control unit 30 faces toward the
receiving space 4 when the top plate 2 is disposed at the folded
position, such that when the mobile phone 7 receives an incoming
call or message, the control unit 30 is able to detect an audible
ring tone generated by the mobile phone 7 and to control the LEDs
310 to generate a visible alert output in response to the detected
ring tone. Since the feature of this invention does not reside in
the control unit 30, which is known in the art, further details
of the same are omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
In this preferred embodiment, the bottom and top plates 1, 2 are
made from a transparent and flexible material, such as PU or PP.
The third edge 20 of the top plate 2 is hinged to the first edge
10 of the bottom plate 1. As shown in FIG. 1 this can be accomplished
by using a flexible blank 8 having an underside that is formed with
a blind slit 80, thereby configuring the flexible blank 8 with the
top and bottom plates 1, 2. The top plate 2 is longer than the bottom
plate 1 in a direction transverse to the slit 80. The slit 80 is
disposed at a position corresponding to the first and third edges
10, 20, such that the top and bottom plates 1, 2 are hinged together
at the first and third edges 10, 20.
As shown in FIG. 4, the second preferred embodiment of a mobile
phone holder according to the present invention further comprises
a flexible lining layer 8' having a side 81 that is attached to
surfaces of the top and bottom plates 1, 2 to connect movably the
top plate 2 to the bottom plate 1. The top plate 2 is made from
a flexible material, and the first and third edges 10, 20 form a
gap 82 therebetween. Therefore, unlike the previous embodiment,
the top and bottom plates 2, 1 of this embodiment may be fabricated
separately.
While the present invention has been described in connection with
what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments,
it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed
embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included
within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent
arrangements. |