Hanging latch hook mechanism for telephones

An apparatus for switching a hook switch of a telephone between an on-hook state and an off-hook state, the telephone having a handset and a base with at least one cavity forming a cradle for the handset, the handset having an operative surface including a mouthpiece microphone and an earpiece speaker, the handset having a first surface opposite to the operative surface, the apparatus comprising:

• a first arm having a first hook surface;
• a second arm having a second hook surface;
• wherein the first and second arms are movably mounted in the base and operatively engage the hook switch;
• wherein a portion of the handset presses at least one of the first and second hook surfaces when the handset is positioned in the cradle, wherein the portion includes the first surface;
• and
• wherein the pressing of a respective hook surface moves the corresponding arm to actuate the hook switch to set the telephone to the on-hook state.

An apparatus for switching a hook switch of a telephone between an on-hook state and an off-hook state, the telephone having a handset and a base with at least one cavity forming a cradle for the handset, the handset having an operative surface including a mouthpiece microphone and an earpiece speaker, the handset having a first surface opposite to the operative surface, the apparatus comprising:

• a first arm having a first hook surface;
• a second arm having a second hook surface;
• wherein the first and second arms are movably mounted in the base and operatively engage the hook switch;
• wherein a portion of the handset presses at least one of the first and second hook surfaces when the handset is positioned in the cradle;
• wherein the pressing of a respective hook surface moves the corresponding arm to actuate the hook switch to set the telephone to the on-hook state;
• and
• a cooperative arm pivotally coupled to at least one of the first arm and the second arm, wherein retraction of a respective one of the arms into the base causes the cooperative arm to extend through a cooperative arm slot in the base to engage the handset.

An apparatus for switching a hook switch of a telephone between an on-hook state and an off-hook state, the telephone having a handset and a base with at least one cavity forming a cradle for the handset, the handset having an operative surface including a mouthpiece microphone and an earpiece speaker, the handset having a first surface opposite to the operative surface, the apparatus comprising:

• a first arm having first and second ends, the first end having a first hook surface and the first arm being slidably mounted in the base to slide in a first direction in response to a portion of the handset being positioned in the cradle and pressing and moving the first hook surface, the portion including the first surface;
• and
• a second arm pivotally disposed in the base and having:
• a first end engaging the hook switch;
• a second end operatively coupled to the second end of the first arm whereby sliding motion of the first arm is transformed to pivoting motion of the second arm;
• and
• wherein the pivoting motion of the second arm toggles the hook switch to switch between the on-hook state and an off-hook state.

A telephone comprising:

• a handset having an operative surface including a mouthpiece and an earpiece and one or more nonoperative surfaces;
• a base forming a cradle for the handset and comprising at least a first cavity contoured to support the handset when the handset is positioned in the base in one of its nonoperative surfaces;
• and
• a mechanical hook switch for setting the telephone to an on-hook state, the switch being pressed by the handset when the handset is positioned in the first cavity in one of its nonoperative surfaces.