Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02525893 2005-11-02
INVENTION TITLE
Wearable caddy for a Personal Audio Device having integrated cord storage.
DESCRIPTION
Heading
BACKGROUND - Field of the Invention
[Para 1] The present invention relates to carrying and storage devices and
more
particularly to a wearable caddy for a Personal Audio Device having integrated
cord storage.
Heading
BACKGROUND - Description of the Known Art
[Para 2] Wearable portable music players in various formats such as MP3 music
players,
radios and compact disc players are well known and very popular. I shall refer
to these
devices as personal audio devices or PADs. Examples include the Apple iPod
and the
Sony Walkman . PADs are usually attached to the arm or belt of the user and
generally
require the use of a listening device such as conventional headphones or
miniature in-ear
speakers (referred to hereafter as "earphones") to listen to the player
privately and in
comfort. A thin wire attaches the player to the listening device. These fixed-
length wires
are typically provided with the PAD upon purchase. The wires are a standard
length and
adapted for listening device use by tall as well as short individuals.
Therefore for shorter or
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average sized persons, there may be excess wire dangling from the PAD. For an
active
individual, either walking or running, the excess wire can interfere with body
movement
resulting in the dislodgement of the listening device. Due to the length of
the wire the
listening device can drop from the head to the ground. This is at least a
recurring nuisance
and can damage the device. In other conditions the wire can be a snagging
hazard and
increase the risk of tripping the user or entangling in a moving object such
as a rotating
bicycle wheel. Users will often attempt to modify the length of the wire to a
desired length
by storing the excess wire in a pocket or by using a rubber band or wire tie
to wrap the
excess wire into loops. These temporary solutions are not effective because
they can
unravel and thereby create impediments to the easy and comfortable enjoyment
of the PAD.
[Para 3] More formal attempts have been made to overcome some of these
disadvantages. One example is United States Patent Application 1 1/027,405 by
Mr. Bill
Tsand Chun Chee published on July 7, 2005 and entitled "Headset Cord
Retainer". The Chee
device comprises a spool about which the excess wire is wrapped. The audio
plug and the
earphones extend from the spool through slots. In operation, the device is
positioned
between the earphones and the PAD. When not in use the device acts as a
separate storage
device for the PAD earphone-cord and earphone. One disadvantage associated
with this
device is the fact that the cord is stored apart from the PAD. Loss of the
Chee device with
the cord enclosed will render the PAD inoperable. Another disadvantage
associated with the
Chee device is that it forms yet another body that must be hand held by the
user, left free to
hang or attached to the user's clothing in some fashion to prevent the device
from moving
with the body movement of the user.
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[Para 4] Another example of the know art is United States Patent 5,984,224
issued to
Bill Yang on November 16, 1999 and entitled "Cable-Spooling Casing for
Earphones". One
disadvantage of the Yang invention is that it does not permit mounting of a
PAD to the
spooling device and is worn separate from the PAD.
[Para 5] Therefore there exists disadvantages and shortcomings in the known
art of
which the present invention seeks to overcome.
Heading
SUMMARY
[Para 6] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is
provided a
base comprising a front plate having a front surface and a back surface, a
back plate having
a front surface and a back surface, a plate separating body having a top
surface and a
bottom surface thereby creating a space between the two plates and a spring
clip fixed to
the top end of the back plate having a top curved surface a biased clip
portion adapted to
clasp to a wearers belt or pocket and a flared lip adapted to permit easy
attachment to a
wearer's belt or pocket. The spring clip is integral to the back plate. There
is a plate
separating body adapted to create a predetermined distance between the front
plate back
surface and back plate front surface sufficient so that a cord can be easily
wrapped within
the space. The cord is wrapped around the separating body in concentric coils.
A portable
PAD such as an iPod-type device or a small radio is mounted to the front plate
front surface
by a dual-sided adhesive strip.
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[Para 7] In another embodiment of my invention a dual sided piece of VELCRO
can be
used to fasten the portable PAD to the base.
[Para 8] In yet another embodiment of my invention a self-adhering clear
plastic cover
is placed over the face of the portable music device to keep it waterproof and
clean.
[Para 9] In one embodiment of my invention there is a plurality of cutouts in
the back
plate for holding the cord in place while it is used to hang the base around
the neck of the
wearer.
[Para 10] In another embodiment of my invention the back plate has a front
surface and a
back surface. The front surface of the back plate includes two stubs and that
are adapted
to press fit into recesses on the back surface of the front plate. Once the
back plate is
joined to the front plate the raised discs create a space between the front
surface of the
back plate and the back surface of the front plate sufficiently wide to
accommodate the
diameter of excess cord wrapped around the two raised discs. This embodiment
is
particularly suited for manufacturing the front and back plates using
thermoplastics and
injection molding techniques.
[Para 11] In still another embodiment of my invention there is included a left
side
bracket, a right side bracket and a bottom bracket. This embodiment is adapted
to hold a
portable PAD that is augmented with an amplifier module for powering, for
example, head
phones. The module includes a volume control dial and a port for inserting an
audio plug.
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[Para 12] In still another embodiment of my invention an amplifier and battery
module is
mounted to a bottom bracket on the front plate. The module may include a
microphone, a
thumbwheel for volume control, a three-way toggle switch having a first
position
corresponding to the amplifier on, a second position corresponding to the
amplifier off and
a third position corresponding to the amplifier on/microphone on so that the
wearer can
hear ambient sounds or a conversation. The portable music device docks with a
post on the
module and thereby connects its internal power source with the module
supplementary
battery. A standard USB port can also be provided in the module.
[Para 13] In one embodiment of my invention the base is sold separately apart
from the
portable PAD. However, another embodiment of my invention has the portable PAD
is sold
as a kit including the base and clear cover.
[Para 14] In another embodiment of my invention the base comprises a first pod
and a
second pod. The second pod is disposed from the first pod by a flat plate. The
two pods
and the flat plate are molded as one piece from suitable thermoplastic
materials. A spring
clip is attached to the back surface of each pod to adhere to the wearer in a
variety of
orientations.
[Para 15] In still another embodiment of my invention a loop can be used to
mount the
base and portable music device combination to a waist belt.
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[Para 16] In another embodiment of my invention, the two pods have removable
front
surfaces that enclose a chamber. The chamber can be used to contain additional
batteries,
small radio circuits and amplification devices to power head phones. These
devices can be
operatively connected to an iPod-type device through a docking post. The first
pod and
second pod have recessed front surfaces creating ridges around the first and
second pods
so that an iPod-type device will sit on the recessed front surfaces and adhere
to them using
double-backed adhesive pads. The ridges prevent the portable PAD from slipping
off of the
base in an up, down or sideways direction. The portable PAD can be fixed to
the base using
cinctures, elastic bands, VELCRO straps, and clamps or placed in a casing
that is in-turn
fixed to the base. Two portable PADs may be attached to the base by fixing one
to the
front surface and one to the back surface of the base using double-backed
adhesive pads
and cinctures.
Heading
Objects and Advantages:
[Para 17] Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of my wearable cord
storage
apparatus described above, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
[Para 18] to provide an improved wearable apparatus for conveniently storing
excess
cord of a portable PAD;
[Para 19] to provide a convenient, wearable device for carrying a portable
PAD;
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[Para 20] to provide a minimally visible carrier for a portable PAD that also
protects the
PAD from abrasions;
[Para 21] to provide a wearable apparatus that can be used to amplify the
audio signal of
a portable PAD so that a headphone can be provided with a higher fidelity
signal;
[Para 22] to provide a wearable apparatus that can be used to provide
supplemental
battery power to a portable PAD;
[Para 23] to provide a wearable apparatus than can simultaneously mount a
portable PAD
and a radio;
[Para 24] to provide a wearable apparatus wherein the earphone cord can be
used to
make a lanyard for hanging the portable PAD around the neck of the wearer;
[Para 25] to provide a wearable apparatus that is easy to construct from
molded
thermoplastic materials and inexpensive to operate; and,
[Para 26] to provide a wearable apparatus that can be sold as a kit with a
portable PAD.
[Para 27] Still further objects and advantages of our invention will become
apparent from
a consideration of the following diagrams and detailed description.
Heading
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES:
[Para 28] Figure 1 illustrates a typical iPod-type portable PAD mounted on the
apparel of
a wearer.
[Para 29] Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of my invention.
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[Para 30] Figure 3 shows an alternate embodiment of the front and back plates
of my
invention adapted for ease of manufacture.
[Para 31] Figure 4 shows how cord from the portable PAD can be used to create
a lanyard
to hang the portable PAD around the neck of the wearer.
[Para 32] Figure 5 shows a side view of the embodiment in Figure 4.
[Para 33] Figure 6 shows an oblique side view of another embodiment of my
invention.
[Para 34] Figure 7 shows a side view of the same embodiment as Figure 6.
[Para 35] Figure 8 shows an oblique front view of another embodiment of my
invention
mounting an amplifier module.
[Para 36] Figure 9 shows an oblique front view of yet another embodiment of my
invention.
[Para 37] Figure 10 shows a side view of the same embodiment as Figure 9.
[Para 38] Figure 11 shows an embodiment of the invention using a loop adapted
to hang
from the waist belt of a wearer.
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[Para 39] Figures 12a to 12c show front, side and top views of one embodiment
of my
invention comprising a pair of pods joined by a flat plate.
[Para 40] Figure 13 shows yet another embodiment of my invention wherein each
pod
includes a chamber.
[Para 41] Figure 14 shows the embodiment of Figure 13 mounting a portable PAD.
[Para 42] Figures 15a to 15c shows various embodiments fastening devices to
fasten the
portable PAD to my invention.
[Para 43] Figure 16 shows an iPod-type device and a small radio mounted to
opposite
sides of my invention.
[Para 44] Figure 17 shows an iPod-type device mounted to my invention and hung
around the neck of the wearer from a lanyard made from excess cord.
[Para 45] Figure 18 shows the same embodiment of my invention as Figure 16
wherein a
pair of full-sized headphones is used.
[Para 46] Figures 19a and 19b show how the preferred embodiment of my
invention can
be worn on a belt carrying more than one PAD.
Heading
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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[Para 47] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a typical portable PAD (10),
such as an
iPod , fixed to the apparel (12) of the wearer (14). The portable PAD
comprises a player
body (16) containing internal power means (not shown), internal amplification
means (not
shown), digital music processing means (not shown) a display (18) and a
control pad (20).
A cord (22) attaches a listening device (24 & 26) such as or earphones (shown
in Figure 1) or
full-sized headphones (shown in Figure 18). The cord (22) comprises a first
wire (30)
having a first end (32) and a second end (34) and a second wire (36) having a
first end (38)
and a second end (40). Attached to the first end (32 & 38) of each wire (30 &
36) is, as
shown in Figure 1, a listening device such as an earphone (24 & 26) for
insertion into the
wearer's ears (46 & 48). The cord (22) transmits electrical signals from the
portable PAD to
the earphones or headphones. The second ends (34 & 40) of the two wires (30 &
36) are
attached to an audio plug (42) adapted for connecting the listening devices to
the portable
PAD (10). The cord (22) comprises the first wire and the second wire bound
together in a
parallel configuration over a first cord length (44) extending from the audio
plug (42) to a
point of bifurcation (45). At the point of bifurcation, the cord splits into
two wires running
to each sound device. As Figure 1 illustrates the cord is adapted to fit a
wide range of
heights of wearers. For taller individuals, the cord length is sufficient to
reach the ears (46
& 48) of the wearer without a large excess of cord hanging down from the ears.
As
previously mentioned, for shorter individuals there may be a large length of
cord that is
excess to the required length to reach the ears of the wearer. This cord can
cause
distractions and get snagged in body movements thereby dislodging the
listening device.
Users may wear the PAD at belt height as shown or elect to clip it to an
armband or shirt-
pocket, thereby exacerbating the excess-cord problem. Therefore, to resolve
this problem,
my invention is adapted to conveniently store the excess cord length so that
it does not
encumber the wearer.
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[Para 48] The preferred embodiment of my invention (50) is illustrated in
Figure 2a to
Figure 2c. In Figures 2a to 2c my invention comprises a base (52) comprising a
front plate
(54) having a front surface (56) and a back surface (58), a back plate (60)
having a front
surface (62) and a back surface (64), a plate separating body (66) having a
top surface (68)
and a bottom surface (70) creating a space (72) between the two plates and a
spring clip
(74) fixed to the top end (76) of the back plate (60) and having a top curved
surface (78) a
biased clip portion (80) adapted to clasp to a wearer's belt or pocket and a
flared lip (82)
adapted to permit easy attachment to a wearers belt or pocket. The spring clip
in this
embodiment is integral to the back plate (60). Other embodiments of the spring
clip (not
illustrated) may be comprised of a separate, independently biased and hinged
member. The
separating body may have curved top and bottom surfaces as illustrated or flat
top and
bottom surfaces. The plate separating body (66) is adapted to create a
distance (84)
between the front plate back surface (58) and back plate front surface (62)
sufficient so that
a cord can be easily wrapped within the space (72). The cord is wrapped around
the
separating body (66) in concentric coils. Portable PAD (88) is mounted to the
front plate
(54) front surface (56) by a dual-sided adhesive strip (90). In another
embodiment a dual
sided piece of VELCRO having a male side and a female side can be used to
fasten the
portable PAD (88) to the base (52). In the preferred embodiment my invention
includes
clear plastic cover (92) that is self-adhering to the face (94) of the PAD
(88) to protect it
while permitting viewing of the display screen (96) and manipulation of the
control pad (98).
[Para 49] Referring to Figure 2c, there is illustrated a view of the front
surface (62) of the
back plate (56) of this embodiment of the base showing additional features.
The separating
body (66) has a width (100) and a length (102) and is disposed centrally on
the surfaces (58)
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and (62) of the front and back plates. The length and width of the separating
body is such
that there is sufficient area between the front and back plates to accommodate
a desired
length of cord wrapped around the separating body. The spring clip (80)
extends
approximately halfway down the back surface (64) of the back plate (60). View
2c illustrates
a plurality of cutouts in the back plate (60). First cutout (110) is located
at the bottom end
(112) of the back plate and to the left of the separating body (66). The first
cutout extends
upwards to a point (114) that is above the bottom curve (70) of the separating
body. The
second (116) and third (118) cutouts are disposed opposite each other across
the
separating body (66). Cutout (116) extends from the left side (120) of the
back plate to a
point (122) adjacent to the separating body. Cutout (118) extends from the
right side (124)
of the back plate to a point (126) adjacent to the separating body. Cutouts
(116) and (118)
are located a distance (130) from the bottom (112) of the back plate which is
about three-
quarters the way up the back plate. Cutouts (132) and (134) are disposed
opposite each
other at the top end (76) of the back plate at the point (136) where the clip
(74) is attached
to the back plate. The depth (140) of each of the cutouts (132) and (134) is
approximately
twice the diameter of the cord held within the base.
[Para 50] Referring now to Figure 3 there is illustrated another embodiment of
the back
plate of my invention (150) wherein the back plate (152) has a front surface
(154) and a
back surface (1 56). The back surface (1 56) includes two stubs (160) and
(162) that are
adapted to press fit into recesses (164) and (166) penetrating raised discs
(168) and (1 70).
Once the back plate (152) is jointed to the front plate (172) the raised discs
create a space
between the front surface (154) of the back plate and the back surface (174)
of the front
plate sufficiently wide to accommodate the diameter of excess cord wrapped
around the
two raised discs. This embodiment is particularly suited for manufacturing the
front and
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back plates using thermoplastics and injection molding techniques. The
positioning of the
clip (176) and the cutouts (178, 180, 182, 184 and 186) is the same as the
embodiment
shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment there is included a gripping bar (185)
that has a
serrated edge for better gripping the apparel of the wearer.
[Para 51] Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a view of the back surface
(64) of the
back plate (60) of the embodiment shown in Figure 2. Audio plug (42) is shown
in the
position where it would connect with the portable PAD (94) in Figure 2. Cord
(202) runs
from the audio plug and enters space (72) between the front and back plates at
the top end
(114) of first cutout (1 10). The top end (114) of the first cutout is a pinch-
point that holds
the cord tightly so as to reduce the tension on the audio plug. The cord (202)
wraps around
the separating body (66) and then exits the space (72) at cutout (118). Pinch-
point (126)
secures the cord. The cord then runs under the clip (74) and exits from the
clip. From
there the cord wraps around the neck of the wearer and returns to the clip
where it crosses
itself at point (204) and re-enters space (72) at cutout (116) behind the
clip. The cord
wraps around the separation body and exits the space at point (206) whereupon
it travels to
the listening device. Alternatively (not illustrated here but evident in
Figure 8), the cord may
continue routing up within space (72) and out through slot (134) whereupon it
is pinched
and runs horizontally under clip (74) towards its opposite end, whereupon it
exits and
travels to the listening device. This manner of using the cutouts to pinch the
cord in a
plurality of places secures the cord in a manner that is able to carry the
weight of the
combined base and portable PAD and may optionally secure the free end of the
cord where
it exits the base.
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[Para 52] Referring now to Figure 5, there is illustrated a side view of the
same
embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Figure 4. Portable PAD (210) is
shown
mounted to the front surface (56) of the front plate (54) by way of a double
backed adhesive
fastener (90) between the back surface (212) of the portable PAD and the front
surface (56)
of the front plate. Audio plug (42) is inserted into the portable PAD. Spring
clip (74) is
illustrated mounted to the top (76) of back plate (60). Cord (202) enters
space (72) at point
(114) and travels around the separating member exiting at cutout (118). The
cord travels
around the neck of the wearer, crosses over itself at point (204) and re-
enters space (72) at
cutout (116) travels down the side of the separating member facing the viewer,
around the
opposite side of the separating body and then out to the listening device at
the end of wire
(230).
[Para 53] Now referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7, there is shown another
embodiment of
my invention (300) in oblique and side views respectively. This embodiment of
the
invention comprises a front plate (302) having a front surface (304) and a
back surface
(306), a back plate (308) having a front surface (310) and a back surface
(312), a spring clip
(314), a left side bracket (316), a right side bracket (318) and a bottom
bracket (320).
Spring clip (314) is fixed to the top end (322) of the back plate (308). The
back plate (308)
includes the same five cutouts as the embodiment shown in Figure 4 with only
cutout (324)
and cutout (326) visible in this Figure 6. This embodiment is adapted to hold
a portable
PAD (330) that is augmented with an auxiliary electronics module (332) which
contains, for
example, a high quality amplifier for powering head phones. Other
complementary
electronics hardware may be contained within said module, for example:
auxiliary batteries,
auxiliary FM radio, auxiliary radio transmitter for broadcasting to a nearby
car radio etc.
The electronics module (332) communicates with the PAD (330) via a mating dock
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connector (hidden in this view). The module includes a volume control dial
(334) and a port
(336) for inserting an audio plug. The left side bracket (316) and the right
side bracket
(318) are mounted and integral to the left (336) and right (338) sides
respectively of the
front plate (302) so that their respective concave sides (340) and (342) face
each other. The
brackets are shaped to generally conform to the shape of the sides and of the
portable PAD.
The front edges (348) and (350) of each side curve slightly inwards so that
they contain the
front surface (350) of the portable PAD and prevent is from toppling out of
the base. In this
embodiment, the bottom bracket (320) of the front plate extends from the
bottom edge
(322) of the front plate (302). The shape of the bottom bracket is adapted to
the shape of
the module (332) with the front edge (352) of the bottom bracket curved
upwards to
contain the front surface (354) of the module so that it does not slip out of
the bottom
bracket. The side brackets possess a suitable amount of resiliency so that
when the
portable PAD is inserted between them they are in a secure grasping contact
with the sides
of the portable PAD.
[Para 54] Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown yet another embodiment of
my
invention (400) comprising a front plate (402) having a front surface (404)
and a back
surface (406), a back plate (408) having a front surface (410) and a back
surface (412), a
spring clip (414), a left side bracket (416), a right side bracket (418) and a
bottom bracket
(420). In this embodiment there is mounted to the top surface (422) of the
bottom bracket
(420) an amplifier and battery module (424). The module (424) includes a
microphone
(426), a thumbwheel (428) for volume control, a three-way toggle switch (430)
having a first
position corresponding to the amplifier on, a second position corresponding to
the
amplifier off and a third position corresponding to the amplifier
on/microphone on so that
the wearer can hear ambient sounds or a conversation without have to remove
the
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earphones. Other control modes may be implemented, for example: to permit
recording
sounds from the microphone into the memory of the portable music device. The
PAD (432)
docks with post (434) and thereby connects any electronic circuits that are
required
between the two modules. A standard USB port (436) is also illustrated so that
the wearer
can dock the invention/portable PAD combination with a computer for
downloading
additional music. The USB port also acts to charge both the internal power
source of the
portable PAD as well as the supplemental battery contained in the module.
[Para 55] Referring back to Figure 2a to 2c, one embodiment of my invention
(50) is sold
separately apart from the portable PAD (94). However, another embodiment of my
invention has the portable PAD is sold as a kit including the invention (50).
[Para 56] Referring to Figure 9 and Figure 10, there is shown another
embodiment of my
invention (400) front oblique view and side view respectively. My invention
comprises a
base (402) onto which the portable PAD (404) is mounted. The portable PAD has
a display
screen (406) and control pad (410) and other well-known features normally
associated with
such devices. The portable PAD has a listening device (not shown) that is
attached to the
portable music device by way of cord (412) and audio plug (414). As more fully
explained
below, the wearer can spool excess cord (416) around the flat plate (418) in a
convenient
and expedient manner. The base (402) comprises a first pod (420) having a
first vertical
axis (422) and a second pod (424) having a second vertical axis (426). The
second pod
(424) is disposed from the first pod (420) a predetermined distance (428) such
that the first
vertical axis (422) and the second vertical axis (426) are co-axial. There is
also a flat plate
(418) having a third vertical axis (430). The flat plate has a length equaling
the
predetermined distance (428) and joins the first and second pods as
illustrated. The two
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pods and the flat plate are molded as one piece from suitable thermoplastic
materials. Also
shown in Figure 9 is one embodiment for mounting the portable PAD (410) to the
base
(402). In the Figures 9 and 10, the portable PAD is mounted to the base by at
least one
cincture (432) comprising one of an elastic band, a VELCRO band or a
preformed and
resilient plastic band. The cincture (432) is adapted to wrap around the base
(402) and the
portable PAD (404) thereby holding the portable PAD securely to the base. As
further
explained below there are other means possible to couple the portable PAD to
the base.
Means to couple the combined base and portable PAD to the wearer comprise at
least one
spring clip (434) that is adapted to fasten to the waist belt or pocket of the
wearer. As
illustrated in Figure 10, there can be 2 such spring clips (434) and (436) so
that the
combined base and portable PAD can be mounted and oriented in a variety of
positions.
The spring clips are fastened to the back surface (438) of the first pod (420)
and the back
surface (440) of the second pod (424) by fixed or pivoting fastening means
(442) such as
screws, pins or rivets or by suitable adhesives. In another embodiment of my
invention the
spring clips may be removable from the back surface of the two pods. The
spring clips
advantageously attach to an arm band of the wearer so that the portable PAD
can be worn
during active sports or exercise.
[Para 57] Referring to Figure 11 there is shown another embodiment of my
invention
(450) in which means to fasten the invention to the wearer comprises a loop
(452) fixed to
the top surface of the base (456) by fixing means such as a screw or rivet
(458). The loop is
adapted to be threaded onto the waist belt of the wearer. In this embodiment a
first PAD
(455) is attached to one side of the base and a second, complementary PAD
(454) is
attached to its opposite side.
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[Para 58] Referring now to Figure 1 2a to 1 2c, there is shown additional
detail of the base
(456) of my invention (450) illustrated in Figure 1 1 without belt loop (452).
Figure 1 2a
shows the base in an elevation side view. Figure 1 2b shows a top view of the
base and
Figure 1 2c shows a front view of the base. The base comprises a first pod
(460), second
pod (462) and flat plate (464) joined so that their respective axis (466, 468
and 470) are
co-axial. The first pod (460) comprising a back surface (472), a front surface
(474), a left
side (476), a top side (478), a right side (480) and a bottom side (482). The
top side (478)
is joined to left side (476) and right side (480) by curved shoulders (477)
and (479)
respectively. The second pod (462) comprises a back surface (488), a front
surface (490), a
left side (492), a top side (494), a right side (496) and a bottom side (498).
The second pod
left side (492) and right side (496) are joined to the bottom side (498) by
way of curved
shoulders (501) and (503) respectively.
[Para 59] Still referring to Figure 12, the flat plate (464) has a length
(462), a width (506),
a thickness (508), a front flat surface (510), a back flat surface (512), a
top end (514), a
bottom end (516), a left side (518) and a right side (520). The top end (514)
of the plate is
fixed to the bottom side (482) of the first pod and the bottom end (516) of
the plate is fixed
to the top side (494) of the second pod. The front surfaces (474 and 490) and
the back
surfaces (472) and (488) of the first and second pods are co-planer.
[Para 60] The width (506) of the flat plate (464) is slightly less than the
widths of the first
(460) and second (462) pods so that when a cord is spooled around the flat
plate, the outer
surface of the cord does not extend past the left and right sides of the pods.
This can be
seen in Figures 9 to 11. Similarly, the thickness (468) of the flat plate is
such that when the
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cord is spooled around the flat plate the outer surface of the cord does not
extend beyond
the front and back surfaces of the first and second pods.
[Para 61] Referring to Figure 10, if the excess cord (416) wrapped around the
flat plate
(418) is too thin to frictionally engage the back (417) of the portable PAD
(404), "0" rings
(419) can be used to increase the thickness of the cord so that it is held
tightly in a spooled
configuration around the flat plate.
[Para 62] Referring now to Figure 13, there is shown another embodiment of my
invention (600). The base (602) comprises a first pod (604) having a vertical
axis (612) a
second pod (606) having a vertical axis (616) and a flat plate (608) having a
vertical axis
(614) and length (610) and disposed between the first and second pods such
that their
respective vertical axis (612), (614) and (616) are co-axial. The first pod
(604) has a top
surface (620), a left side (622), a right side (624), a bottom side (626), a
back surface (628)
and a removable front surface (630). The left side (622) and right side (624)
of the first pod
(604) are joined to the top side (620) by curved shoulders (632) and (634)
respectively. As
illustrated, the top, bottom, left and right sides and the back surface of the
first pod forms
a chamber (636). Removable front surface (630) of the first pod is configured
to the profile
of the first pod and is sealably placed over the mouth of the chamber (636) to
protect
contents against moisture and dirt. In the embodiment shown in Figure 13,
chamber (636)
is adapted to contain amplification apparatus (638) and control apparatus
(640) having
switch (642) and a volume control knob (644). In this embodiment a pair of
headphones
can be plugged into the amplifier by way of plug (646). It is well known that
in order to
provide a good quality of sound to a set of headphones amplification is
required of the
audio signal generated by the portable PAD. Therefore, this embodiment of the
base of my
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invention is able to accommodate the apparatus necessary to use larger and
more
comfortable high impedance headphones in lieu of earphones commonly provided
with
portable PADs. In yet another embodiment of my invention, it is possible to
place a FM
radio receiver in chamber (636). In still another embodiment of my invention
it is possible
to place a microphone in chamber (636) to facilitate recording of the wearer's
environment
where the portable PAD is adapted for recording. Button switch (642) can be
used to switch
from the portable PAD to the radio or to the microphone and recording device
as desired. A
signal processor could be included in chamber (636) to filter out extraneous
environmental
noise when listening to music or human speech. In another embodiment, chamber
(636)
can be used to store earphones.
[Para 63] Still referring to Figure 13, the second pod (606) comprises a top
surface (650),
a right side (652), a left side (654), a bottom (656), a left shoulder (658)
and a right
shoulder (660). The second pod also has a back surface (662) and a removable
front
surface (664). The rear surface, top, bottom, left and right sides form a
chamber (668)
adapted, in this embodiment, to store additional batteries (670) and (672).
The front
surface (664) is adapted to seal the mouth of the chamber against moisture and
dirt. In this
embodiment the base (602) includes a docking apparatus (676) that is adapted
to couple
with the portable music charging receptacle (not shown) by way of plug (678).
The batteries
are used to power the amplifier (638) and extend the playing time of the
portable PAD. The
batteries are operatively connected to the amplifier by means of a suitable
connector (not
shown) embedded into the flat plate (608). The amplifier is connected to the
listening
device output plug on the portable PAD. This connection can be integrated into
plug (678)
with suitable connectors placed within the flat plate.
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[Para 64] Still referring to Figure 13, first pod front surface (630) and
second pod front
surface (664) are adapted to abut seat (680) and (682) respectively so that
the front
surfaces are recessed below pod edges (684) and (686). This creates a raised
ridge (688)
and (690) around front surfaces of the first and second pod which are adapted
to receive
the back surface of the top and bottom portion of the portable PAD. The result
is that, once
the cincture is in place, the portable PAD is prevented from slipping off of
the base in an up,
down or sideways direction.
[Para 65] Referring to Figure 14, there is shown a view of one embodiment my
invention
(700) showing how the portable PAD (702) fits into the raised ridges (704) and
(706) of the
first and second pods (708) and (710) respectively. A desired length of excess
cord (712) is
spooled around the flat plate (714). Double sided adhesive pads (716) and
(718) are used
to fix the back surface (720) of the portable PAD (702) to the front surface
(722) and (724)
of each pod. Once the portable music device is placed within the raised ridges
a cincture
(726) is then placed over the combined base and portable PAD to hold the
latter firmly
against the former.
[Para 66] Referring now to Figure 15a to 15c, there is illustrated three
additional means
to fix the portable PAD (800) to the base (802) of my invention. Figure 15a
shows that two
identical cinctures (804) and (806) can be used. Figure 1 5b shows the use of
four "L"
shaped clamps (808), (810), (812) and (814). The clamps are made from a
resilient material
such as plastic and are fixed to the base by way of a pivoting fastener (816).
The pivoting
fastener allows a limited amount of movement of the clamp so that the portable
PAD can be
easily coupled to the base. Once the portable PAD is placed over the base, the
clamps are
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flexible enough to be able to engage the top surface (818) of the portable PAD
in a grasping
fashion.
[Para 67] Referring to Figure 15c there is shown another embodiment of my
invention
wherein the means to hold the portable PAD (800) to the base (802) comprises a
flexible
casing (820) adapted to tightly encase the portable PAD. The flexible casing
has a first
rectangular window (822) adapted for viewing the control display of the
portable PAD and a
second circular window (826) adapted for viewing the control pads of the
portable PAD.
Once the portable PAD is inserted into the flexible casing, the casing is
mounted by a pair
of VELCRO straps (828) and (830).
[Para 68] Referring now to Figures 1 1 and 16 there is shown another
embodiment of the
invention (840) in which the base (842) is coupled to the wearer using a belt
loop (844). In
this embodiment it is possible to attach two portable PADs to the same base.
In this Figure
16 a small FM radio (846) and an iPOD-type device (848) are attached to the
front (852) and
back (854) surfaces of the base respectively. The iPOD-type device (848) is
fastened to the
front surface (852) of the base in the same manner as that shown in Figure 14.
The radio is
fastened to the back surface (854) using a double-sided adhesive pad (860).
Cincture (862)
is large enough to fit over the base, the iPOD-type device and the radio. In
order to listen
to the radio, the wearer has only to unplug the audio plug (864) from the iPOD-
type device
and plug it into the radio. Alternatively, a "Y" connection can be used to
simultaneously
connect both devices to the listening device and one can be chosen over the
other by
turning the undesired device off and the desired device on. Excess cord is
spooled around
the flat plate (864).
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[Para 69] Referring now to Figure 17, my invention (870) can be hung around
the neck of
the wearer using the cord (872) as a lanyard. A first coil is of excess cord
is spooled around
the flat plate and then the lanyard (874) is formed around the neck (876) of
the wearer
(878). The remaining excess cord is spooled tightly around the flat plate of
the base so that
the lanyard retains its diameter.
[Para 70] Referring now to Figure 18, there is shown the same embodiment as
Figure 16
using two portable PADs such as a radio (880) and an iPOD-type device (882).
The iPOD-
type device is attached to the front surface of the base (884) and the radio
is attached to the
back of the base. The combined apparatus is attached to the wearer by belt
loop (886). In
this embodiment the wearer is using a set of headphones (888). Typically such
headphones
come with a very long cable (890) that is too long to be spooled around the
flat plate. In
this embodiment, the excess cable can be hung as concentric loops (892) from
the cavity
(894) created by coupling the base to the portable PADs. In this mode, the
length of the
cord required between the portable PAD and the head phones can be increased by
gently
pulling on the cord. This will cause the cord loops to contract if additional
cord is required.
Alternatively, the user can easily thread excess cord back into the cavity
thereby expanding
the loops. As previously mentioned, the use of large headphones may require
the
installation of a small amplifier and additional power in the chambers of the
base.
[Para 71] Referring now to Figures 1 9a and 1 9b there is shown in Figure 1 9a
one
embodiment of my invention (900) mounting a PAD (902) combined with an
amplifier (903)
and clipped to a belt (904). In Figure 19b, it is illustrates that multiple
PADs (906) and (908)
can be mounted to the belt (904) of the wearer.
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[Para 72] Also apparent in Figure 19a is the use of a back plate (60) having
no slots. The
non-slotted embodiment has a large enough spool width (84) that a small
diameter
earphone cord may be spooled without the need for access via a side-slot (i.e.
the cord's
diameter is less than half of the spool's width). The iPod-like device (902)
and its auxiliary
headphone amplifier (903) are secured using double-sided tape. Also apparent
in Figure
19b is the extra-wide spool width (84) can accommodate a single coil of the
thick
headphone cord of a high quality headphone. Since the iPod-like device (908)
and its
companion PAD (906) are clipped adjacent to each other on belt (904), a long
and thick
headphone cord may be coiled around the combined exterior of their respective
cord spools
(in a similar manner to that shown in Figure 18). Figure 19b illustrates
companion PAD
906 as a headphone amplifier other modules, such as an extended battery pack
may be
substituted or added to the interconnected array of PADs.
[Para 73] Although the description above contains much specificity, these
should not be
construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing
illustrations of
some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope
of the
invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal
equivalents.
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