Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
201~743
TELEPHONE BASE MEMBERS AND SUPPORT MEMBERS
This invention relates to telephone base members
and support members.
It is conventional for a telephone base member to
be supported upon a horizontal surface in such a way that the
visual face of the base and which bears the dialing features,
is orientated for the convenience of the user. Orientation
considerations are also of prime importance when locating a
telephone base member upon a vertical wall surface. It is
now known to provide telephone base members for the dual
function of being mountable either upon a horizontal or upon
a vertical surface. As the normal angle of inclination of
the visual face of a base member is different upon a hori-
zontal surface than upon a vertical surface, to allow for the
dual function, the base member forms a combination with a
detachable support member. With the support member mounted
in one position upon the base member, the visual face is
oriented for convenience of use when supported upon a hori-
zontal surface and with the support member disposed in
another position upon the base member, for convenience of use
when mounted upon a vertical surface. For the dual function,
the detachable support member is turned through 180~ to
change the angle of orientation of the base member, and
results in the same angle of orientation of the base member
either upon the vertical or horizontal surface, but in the
opposite sense. Hence, when the base member is held on a
vertical surface, it is inclined forwardly with the visual
face directed upwards in the general direction of the user's
eyes so that the part of the base member which is at the top
when on the vertical surface is closest to the vertical
surface. However, when on a horizontal surface, the base
member is inclined so that the same part of the base member
is furthest from the supporting horizontal surface.
This mounting technique is acceptable except when,
as in more recent telephone base member designs, a display
readout, e.g. an LCD visual information display, is provided.
A problem with such display readouts is that the user's eyes
need to be directly in front of the readout to enable any
information to be read. Unfortunately, a dual function
2012~43
telephone base member does not enable the visual face to be
viewed by the user in a direction normal to the plane of the
face for both use positions of the base. Hence, if the
visual information display is provided directly on the visual
face, then in one of the use positions, it becomes unreadable
unless the average user moves his head into an unusual and
possibly uncomfortable position. To overcome this problem,
more recently, visual information displays are provided upon
separate display units which are pivotally mounted upon the
telephone base members. Hence, in use, the display units may
be pivoted relative to the visual face so as to face directly
towards the user's eyes in either the horizontal or vertical
support positions for the base member. However, this new
design presents other problems in that it increases the
expense of telephone base members and manufacturing design
needs to include the mounting of a display unit upon the base
member and in electrically connecting it to the base member.
The latter requires an extension from the base member of a
cable for connection to the display unit. Undoubtedly, both
the display unit and cable are vulnerable. In addition, the
cable is required to be flexed each time the display unit is
pivoted and such flexing is undesirable in that it adds to
the wear of the product.
The present invention seeks to provide a telephone
base member and base support member combination which enables
the base member to be disposed at different angles of support
and which makes it more convenient for the user when the base
member is supported either in vertical or in horizontal
positions. Hence, a display readout may be provided directly
upon the base as part of the visual face while being more
convenient to the user for viewing in either the vertical or
horizontal positions.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a
telephone base member and a base support member combination
comprising:- a telephone base member and two base support
members; the base member having a support member mounting
means for alternatively mountably receiving one or other of
Z012743
the support members in a mounting location upon the base
member with a first of the support members, when mounted upon
the base member, providing a first angle of support for the
base member and with a second of the support members, when
mounted upon the base member, providing a second angle of
support for the base member; each support member having a
mounting structure to enable the support member to be mount-
ably received upon the mounting means of the base member; and
the first support member having a carrying structure for
mountably receiving the second support member so as to enable
the support members to be assembled together with the first
support member mounted upon the base member to provide the
first angle of support.
Thus, with the combination according to the inven-
tion, each of the support members provides a different angle
of support for the telephone base member so that the angle of
support may be chosen as desired by assembling either of the
support members or the assembly thereof to the base member
dependent upon the use requirements. Thus, by alternative
use of the supports and members, an angle of support of the
base member relative to a horizontal support surface may be
different from that produced between the base member and a
vertical support surface. Also, the directional sense of the
angle may be different in the one mounting position as com-
pared to the other. Thus, with the base member supportedupon a vertical surface, the visual face may be inclined at
an angle of for instance 7 with the top part of the base
member lying closest to the wall, whereas when mounted upon a
horizontal support surface, the same part of the base member
lies furthest from the wall with the visual face inclined at
22 relative to the support surface. Clearly, the desired
angle in both cases is a matter of choice and is dependent
upon the actual design of the two support members.
It follows, that the combination according to the
invention may be assembled together as a single unit for use
purposes when the telephone base member is used in one posi-
tion and one of the support members may be removed from the
ZOlZ743
unit for location of the base member in the other support
position.
While the carrying structure of the first support
member may mountably receive the second support member in any
desired fashion, it is convenient if the mounting structure
of the second support member is mountably receivable upon the
carrying structure of the first support member in addition to
being mountably receivable by the mounting means of the base
member.
To assist in correctly mounting each support member
upon the base member, it is preferable to have mutually
engageable registration means upon each support member and
the base member. Conveniently, the base member is formed
with a recess with the registration means provided by a base
and perimeter surfaces of the recess. In this case the
mounting structure of each support member has edge surfaces
and a face surface for registration with the perimeter sur-
faces and the base surface of the recess when correctly
located in the mounting position with the mounting structure
disposed in the recess. The base surface, perimeter surfaces
and corresponding edge and face surfaces may comprise one
part of a two part registration means which also comprises at
least one projection and projection receiving space with the
projection provided by one member and the space defined by
the other. To assist with the registration of each support
member with the recess, it is preferable for the recess to
narrow towards a first end of the recess with the projection
or projection receiving space, as the case may be, provided
at the first end of the recess. Hence, each support member
is mountable upon the base member by moving the support
member towards the narrow first end of the recess while
mutually engaging the projection with the projection
receiving space and causing approach of the edge surfaces of
the support member towards the perimeter surfaces of the
recess until the support member is disposed in the mounting
location with the edge surfaces confronting and being regis-
tered with the perimeter surfaces.
Z012743
Also conveniently, the first support member has a
registration means for receiving the registration means of
the mounting structure of the second support member to enable
the members to be assembled together. The registration means
of the support member is preferably in the form of a recess
similar to that of the recess in the base member so that
registration of the two support members together is achieved
in a similar manner to the registration of each support
member upon the base member.
Also, to ensure that the two support members may be
maintained assembled together even when not attached to the
base member, a releasable latch means may be provided which
coacts between the two support members.
One embodiment of the invention will now be
described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of
a prior art telephone base member and base support member
assembly when assembled upon a horizontal support surface;
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the
prior art assembly mounted upon a vertical surface;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a telephone base
member and base support member combination according to the
embodiment;
Figure 4 is a side view of the combination accord-
ing to the embodiment and to a larger scale than Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an exploded isometric view taken
generally in the direction of arrow V in Figure 4 of the
combination of the embodiment;
Figure 6 is a view taken in the direction of arrow
VI in Figure 5 of the base member of the combination;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view through a first
support member of the combination taken along line VII-VII in
Figure 5 and on a larger scale than Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to
Figure 7 showing positions of the first and a second support
members as they are being assembled together;
-`- 20~274~
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the
two support members after assembly;
Figure lO is a view in the direction of arrow X in
Figure 9 of the assembly of support members with part of one
support member removed for clarity;
Figure 11 is a view onto a base surface of the base
member and also showing the assembly of support members
preparatory to assembly onto the base member;
Figure 12 is an isometric view onto the base sur-
face of the base member during assembly of the support mem-
bers onto the base member;
Figure 13 is an isometric view in the same
direction as Figure 5 and to a smaller scale of the total
assembly of base member and support members;
Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of part of the
total assembly taken along line XIV-XIV in Figure 13 and to a
larger scale;
Figure 15 is an isometric view similar to Figure 13
of the assembly of base member and one of the support
members;
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of part of the
assembly of Figure 15 taken along line XVI-XVI in Figure 15;
and
Figure 17 is a side elevational view of the
combination of the embodiment mounted upon a vertical sur-
face.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a prior art telephone
base member and support member combination 10 assembled in a
horizontal position (Figure 1) such as upon a desk top, and
in a vertical position (Figure 2) such as upon a wall. As
can be seen from Figure 1, the prior art combination 10
comprises a telephone base member 12 having a detachable base
support member 14 which is generally of tapered section as
shown in Figure 1. The visual face 16 is inclined to the
horizontal and towards the eyes of the user when the assembly
10 is mounted upon a horizontal support surface such as a
desk 18 and with the support member 14 located in one of two
~-` 201274~
mounting locations upon the base member. From the visual
face 16 extends dialing features of the telephone, such as
dialing buttons 20 and the visual face is provided with a
conventional mounting arrangement for a telephone handset 22
shown in chain-dotted outline.
The prior art assembly 10 is thus for the dual
function of being carried upon a horizontal or upon a ver-
tical support surface. For the purpose of mounting the
assembly 10 upon a vertical support surface, the support
member 14 is detachable from the base member and is
repositioned in its other mounting position at an angle of
180 to the position shown in Figure 1 and into the position
shown in Figure 2. Hence, as shown in Figure 2, with the
assembly 10 mounted upon a vertical surface such as a wall
24, the support member 14 in its new position, disposes the
base member 12 so that the visual face 16 is inclined
slightly upwardly in the general direction of the user's
face. The top part 26 of the telephone base in Figure 2 lies
closest to the wall 24 whereas, as shown in Figure 1, the
same part 26 of the base is positioned furthest from the
horizontal surface of the desk 18. In the two positions,
because of the change in orientation of the support member 14
while the angles 28 between the visual face and the support
surface are the same in both cases, e.g. 22, the
orientational senses of the angles are opposite.
At both positions of use, it is normally easy for
the user to operate the telephone from any viewing angle
relative to the plane of the visual face. However, when a
visual information display is provided, in cases where such a
display is mounted directly into the visual face, it is
extremely difficult to read the information in the display
unless the user positions his head unnaturally in one of the
two positions of the telephone base to view the display
directly. To overcome this problem, prior art telephone
bases are now being equipped with an LCD visual information
display unit such as is indicated at 30 in Figures 1 and 2.
The display unit 30 extends outwardly from the base member ~2
20:12743
upon a pivotal arm 32. An electrical cable 34 which may be a
flat cable, extends from the base member to the unit 30. As
shown in Figure 1, the visual display unit is pivoted into
one position with the assembly 10 mounted upon the desk 18 so
that the visual face 36 of the display unit faces directly
towards the eyes of the user, whereas with the assembly 10 in
the vertical position, as shown in Figure 2, the display unit
30 is pivoted to a different position relative to the base
member so that the visual face 36 is still directed towards
the eyes of the user. While the construction of the prior
art telephone base has certain viewing advantages with the
use of the visual display unit, nevertheless, the location of
the display unit away from the base member 12 on the arm 32
adds to the design and manufacturing problems and also
undesirably adds to the expense of the base member 12. In
addition to this, problems have also been encountered in that
because the display unit 30 is disposed away from the base
member with the outwardly extending arm 32 and the cable 34,
any of these items may be more easily damaged than if they
were included within the base member structure itself.
Vulnerability of these items therefore detracts from this
type of design.
As may be seen from the embodiment now to be
described, the combination of the various members provides
features which enable a visual information display to be
located within the confines of a base member while enabling
the display to be more easily read by a user with the base
member mounted in either horizontal or vertical positions.
In addition, even without the use of a visual display, the
combination of the various members may be designed so that
the angular orientation of a base member upon a horizontal or
a vertical support surface is generally more convenient for
the viewing angle upon the visual face of the base member.
As shown generally in Figures 3 and 4, in the
embodiment, a telephone base member and base support member
combination 40 comprises a telephone base member 42 and a
base support member assembly 44. The base member 42 has a
Z01;~743
visual face 46 from which extend a group of dialing buttons
48 and which is also provided with a mounting arrangement for
a telephone handset 50.
The support member assembly 44 is assembled onto a
rear face of the base member 42. As shown in Figures 5 and
6, the base member 42 is provided on its rear face with a
support member mounting means shown generally at 54. The
support member mounting means comprises a registration means
for the support member assembly 44, this registration means
comprising opposing side perimeter surfaces 56 and a base
surface 58 of a recess 60 formed in a part 62 of the rear
face, this part 62 lying substantially parallel with the
visual face 46 of the base member 42. As shown more particu-
larly in Figures 5 and 12, the base surface part 62 is
inclined relative to another base surface part 64. The base
surface 58 of the recess has an upwardly inclined step 59
(Figures 11 and 14) to a base surface part 61. The base
surface part 61 merges with a recessed surface 63 of the base
surface part 64 along a junction line 66 which extends
between side projections 68 of the base. Each side pro-
jection 68 has an undersurface part 70 forming a continuation
of the base surface part 64.
The registration means of the base member 42 also
includes a part of a mutually engageable projection and
projection receiving space arrangement provided between the
base member and the support member assembly 44. The pro-
jection may be provided either upon the base member or upon
the support member assembly dependent upon design con-
venience. However, in this particular embodiment, two spaced
projection receiving spaces 72 are provided at one end of the
recess 60 in an end perimeter surface 74 of the recess. As
shown clearly in Figures 5, 6 and 11 the perimeter surfaces
56 converge towards the end of the recess having the spaces
72 so that the recess 60 is narrower at that end than at the
other. The registration means also includes a deeper
recessed region 75 of recess 60 with side surfaces 77 sub-
10 201;~743
stantially parallel to side perimeter surfaces 56, and an end
surface 79.
The support member assembly 44, as shown in Figures
5 and 7 to 11, comprises a first support member 76 and a
second support member 78. The first support member 76 com-
prises two substantially planar portions 80 and 82 which are
divergent to free ends 84 and 86 from a junction region 88.
The angle of divergence from the junction region 88 deter-
mines a first angle of support for the base with the assembly
44 mounted upon the base as will be described.
The support member 76 is provided with a mounting
structure to enable the support member to be mountably
received upon the mounting means of the base member. This
mounting structure is provided upon the planar portion 80 and
comprises registration means in the form of two spaced pro-
jections 90 extending outwardly from the free end 84. The
registration means also includes two edge surfaces 92 and an
edge face surface 94 on one side of the planar portion 80.
The projections 90 are provided for reception within the pro-
jection receiving spaces 72 in the recess 60 of the base
member 42. The planar portion 80 is shaped so as to fit
within the recess 60 with the edge surfaces 92 spaced apart
and tapering slightly so as to confront and register with the
perimeter surfaces 56 of the recess 60 (see Figure 13).
It follows that the support member 76 is mountable
within the recess 60 by location of the planar portion 80
over the recess and in a slightly tilted fashion (Figure 12)
so that the projections 90 are allowed to move into the
projection receiving spaces 72 while the support member 76 is
moved upwardly towards the narrow end of the recess. This
movement causes the approach of the edge surfaces 92 towards
the perimeter surfaces 56 of the recess until, with the
support member 76 in its mounting location (Figure 13), the
edge surfaces 92 and the perimeter surfaces 56 confront each
other for registration purposes. With the planar portion 80
registered within the recess 60, the edge face surface 94
engages the base surface 58 of the recess. In addition, the
2012743
11
first support member 76 includes two registration projections
95 which enter into the deeper recessed region 75 of recess
60 (Figure 12) so that the projections engage in the corners
of the region 75 formed by the junctions of perimeter sur-
faces 77 and end surface 79. This is shown by the chain-
dotted outline portions of the projections 95 in Figure 11.
The other planar portion 82 of the support member
76 is formed with a carrying structure for the second support
member 78. This carrying structure provides a registration
means for registering the support member 78. As shown par-
ticularly in Figures 5 and 7, the registration means com-
prises a base surface 96 and opposing perimeter surfaces 98
of a recess 100 formed in the surface of the planar portion
82 which faces in the opposite direction from the side sur-
face 94. The recess 100 is substantially of the same size
and shape in plan view as the recess 60 of the base member
and is also provided with projection receiving spaces 102
defined between the base surface 96 and projections 104 of
the planar portion 82. It follows, that the second support
member 78 is of the same shape and size in plan view as the
planar portion 80 of the support member 76 and has side walls
106 and projections 108 for registration with the perimeter
surfaces 98 and the projection receiving recesses 102
respectively of the support member 76. Figure 10 shows the
assembly 44 with the support member 78 partly removed for
clarity. Also, the support member 78 has a face surface 110
(Figures 8 and 9) for registration with the base surface 96
of the recess 100 when lying within the recess.
Also, the support member 78 is receivable within
the recess 60 of the base member 42 (Figure 15) in a mounting
position with the side walls 106 and the face surface 110
registering respectively with the perimeter surfaces 56 and
base surface 58 of the recess 60. In addition, the pro-
jections 108 (Figure 16), in the mounting position will be
received within the projection receiving spaces 72 of the
recess 60. It follows that the support members 76 and 78 may
12 2012743
be alternatively mounted in the mounting location of the base
member.
As may be seen from Figures 5, 8 and 9, the support
member 78 is tapered to the end having the projections 108 in
that the face surface 110 converges towards an oppositely
directed face surface 112 of the member. The angle of con-
vergence of the two face surfaces 110 and 112 is deliberately
chosen so that when the support member 78 is mounted directly
on the base member (as will be described), and with the base
member mounted upon a wall, a second angle of support is
provided such that the average telephone user may easily
align his view directly with the visual display.
The support member 78 is carried within the recess
100 of the support member 76 in the assembled state of the
members with the narrow end of the support member 78 towards
the free end 86 of the planar portion 82 (Figures 9 and 10).
So as to provide a substantial shroud around the sides of the
support member 78 and to also produce the perimeter surfaces
98, the planar portion 82 has side walls 114 (Figures 5 and
7) which are tapered from the junction region 88 towards the
free end 86 with an angle of taper substantially the same as
the divergency of the side surfaces 110 and 112.
To enable the support members to be held in
assembled condition during mounting upon and detaching from
the mounting location upon the base member 42, a releasable
latch means is provided upon the two support members. This
latch means includes resiliently flexible latches which may
be provided upon either member, but, in this particular
embodiment, two spaced latches 116 are formed integrally with
the support member 76 and extend outwardly from a depressed
portion 117 of the base surface 96 and into the recess 100.
These latches face, for operation, towards the junction
region 88 of the support member 76 so as to receive under
each latch, a wall portion 118 (Figures 8, 9 and 13) of the
support member 78 with the latches received through a latch
receiving space 120 of the member 78. The wall portions 118
(one for each latch) and the spaces 120 are formed in the
201Z743
13
base of a box 121 which is formed in the same direction from
face surface 112 as the side walls 106. The box 121 extends
beyond the side walls 106 so as to engage two ribs 123 on the
depressed portion 117 of the base surface 96 when the two
support members 76 and 78 are assembled together with the
latches 76 engaging the wall portions 118 (Figure 10).
The support member 76 has a retaining surface
portion 122 for the support member 78 (Figures 8 and 9) the
retaining surface portion being at the end of the recess 100
at the junction region 88 with the recess 100 opening at the
end of the planar portion 82 at the junction region. The
retaining surface portion 122, as shown in Figures 5, 8 and
9, extends across the width of the planar portion 82 while
being inclined relative to the base surface 96 and into the
recess 100. The face surface 110 of the support member 78
has an inclined surface portion 124 (Figures 9 and 10) ex-
tending across the wider end of the support member 78, the
angle of inclination between the portion 124 and the face
surface 110 being substantially equal to the angle between
the retaining surface portion 122 and the base surface 96.
To assemble the two support members 76 and 78
together, the support member 78 is positioned with its face
surface 110 facing towards the recess 100 so as to enable the
projections 108 to be moved into the projection receiving
spaces 102 (Figure 8). Because of the inclination of the
surface portion 122, and the projecting latches 116, the
surface 110 is inclined relative to the base surface 96 of
the recess 100 as the support member 78 moves into the
recess. This is indicated by Figure 8. However, as the
support member 78 moves completely into the recess 100, the
face surface 110 moves towards the base surface 96 (the arrow
in Figure 8) until the wall portion 118 moves under the
latches 116 to hold the support member 78 down against the
base surface 96 (Figure 9). In this position the portion 124
of the face surface 110 engages and registers with the
retaining surface portion 122. It follows that the support
member 78 cannot merely be slid outwardly from the recess 100
.... . . .
Z012~43
14
in the assembled condition because of the resistance to
movement provided between the retaining surface portion 122
and the face surface portion 124. For release of the support
member 78, resilient releasing movement of the latches 116 is
necessary to allow for tilting movement of the support member
78 to bring it away from the retaining surface portion 122.
In the support member assembly 44, the divergency
of the face surface 112 from the face surface 110 provides
another angle of support for the base member. In this case
the face surface 112 provides the supporting surface for the
base member both for the total base member and support member
combination 40 and for the situation where the support member
78 is mounted directly onto the base member 42 with the
support member 76 removed.
The two support members are provided with means for
securing the support members in the mounting location of the
base member, this securing means enabling the total support
member assembly 44 to be secured to the base member or merely
the support member 78 to be so secured. The securing means
comprises two spaced holes 126 provided in bosses 127
(Figures 8, 9 and 14) extending from the support member 76
and two spaced slots 128 (Figure 5) in the retaining surface
portion 122. In the assembly 44, the holes 126 and slots 128
are aligned for the reception of two securing screws 130
(Figure 14) which pass through the holes and into screw-
threaded reception with further aligned holes 132 (Figures 6,
11 and 14) in the inclined step 59 of the base member. With
the support member 78 disposed in the mounting location with
the support member 76 removed, the holes 128 are still
aligned with the holes 132 for the reception of the screws
130 as shown in the assembly detail of Figure 16.
In use of the combination, when a telephone is
being supported upon a horizontal surface 134 (see Figure 4)
the two support members 76 and 78 are assembled together as
the support member assembly 44 and are mounted in the
mounting location of the telephone base. This is the posi-
tion of Figures 3, 4 and 13. In this position, the angle
20~2743
subtended between the side surfaces 94 and 112 is such as to
orientate the base member relative to the surface 134 so as
to produce a first angle 136 of inclination in the one sense
: between the visual face 46 of the base member and the support
surface 134. This angle 136 is chosen so that the average
telephone user may easily align his view directly with the
visual display 46. In this embodiment, an angle of about 22
is deemed desirable. As shown, the side surface 112 of
member 78 (Figure 13) forms a substantial continuation of the
base surface part 64 of the base member 42 and appropriately
located supporting feet 138 are positioned towards the cor-
ners of the total support surface 64 and 112 for contact with
the surface 134.
When it is desired to locate the telephone upon a
wall, the assembly 44 is removed from the telephone base
member 42 by removing the screws 130 and then sliding the
assembly 44 from the recess 60 until the projections 90 have
moved from the projection receiving spaces 72. The assembly
44 is then disassembled by releasing the latches 116 from the
wall portion 118 of the support member 78. The support
member 78 is then inserted into the recess 60, i.e. into its
mounting location in the base member (Figure 16), and the
screws 130 are inserted through the aligned holes 126 and 132
to secure the support member in position. This assembly is
shown in Figure 15. It should be noted that the box 121
corresponds substantially to the shape in plan of the deeper
recessed region 75 of the recess 60 so as to provide a fur-
ther positive registration with the base member 42. This
assembly is then mounted upon a wall 138 in conventional
manner (Figure 17) by reception of mounting screws (not
shown) within conventionally formed screw receiving slots 142
in the surface 112 of the support member 78 (Figure 15). As
may be seen, the angle 144 of inclination of the visual face
46 is both different from and opposite in sense to the angle
136 with the base mounted upon the surface 134. The angle
144 as determined by the face surfaces 110 and 112 is chosen
201~743
16
so that the average user may easily view the display directly
with the assembly mounted upon the wall.
The invention, as illustrated by the above embodi-
ments, is useful in that it enables different angles and
opposite senses of angles to be chosen between the visual
face of a telephone base member and a support surface
dependent upon whether that support surface is vertical or
horizontal. Thus, dependent upon the angles chosen, the
visual face may be disposed in either location so as to be
more easily viewed by an average user in either location.
More particularly, the invention provides an arrangement in
which when a telephone base member includes a visual display
extending from the visual face as in the embodiment
described, the average user may easily align his view
directly with the visual display. This avoids the necessity
in the design of the base member for the visual display to
form part of a separate unit which is mounted outwardly from
and is movable upon the base member.
