Cradle for a handset
AssigneeAerotech IFE Limited
InventorsAlan Clifford Dowsett, Neil James, Robert Bassil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cradle 13 for a handset for a telephone or other electronic apparatus is dimensioned to fit within a chair arm, for example an aircraft seat arm. The cradle includes an integral cord spool 16 having a rewind bias spring 34, and a catch (not shown) for maintaining the handset in the cradle. The cord is locked in an extended condition by a braking cam 53, releasable for rewinding the cord by a pushbutton 36. Latching means 54 are provided for maintaining the pushbutton depressed until the cord is rewound. Other brake and latching means, including a ratchet and pawl arrangement, are disclosed.
Claims12
A winding mechanism comprising a spool rotatable in one direction against a rewind bias torque;
- brake means having:
- (i) an operative condition in which rotation of the spool in the rewind direction is braked but rotation of the spool in said one direction is allowed, and
- (ii) a released condition in which rotation of the spool in the rewind direction is allowed;
- release means actuable to change the brake means from the operative to the released condition, and latch means engageable with the release means for holding the release means in the actuated state whereby the brake means are maintained in the released condition;
- in which the mechanism forms part of an apparatus comprising a handset and a cradle having a recess in which the handset may be placed, the latch means comprising a trigger arranged in the recess and actuated by placement of the handset into the recess to disengage the latch means from the release means thereby allowing the brake means to change from the released to the operative condition.
A winding mechanism comprising a spool rotatable in one direction against a rewind bias torque;
- brake means having:
- (i) an operative condition in which rotation of the spool in the rewind direction is braked but rotation of the spool in said one direction is allowed, and
- (ii) a released condition in which rotation of the spool in the rewind direction is allowed;
- release means actuable to change the brake means from the operative to the released condition, and latch means engageable with the release means for holding the release means in the actuated state whereby the brake means are held in the released condition, in which rotation of the spool in the one direction biases the latch means out of engagement with the release means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.