Cradle for Mobile Phones

Abstract

A cradle for a mobile phone, comprising: a rear bearing surface; left and right side walls each connected to the rear bearing surface; a bottom portion also connected to the rear bearing surface and comprising a receiver formed therein; a connector for mechanically and electrically engaging a bottom connector of the mobile phone, the connector configured to mechanically engage the mobile phone to retain the mobile phone inside the cradle, and two guide rails formed respectively on the front side of the left and right side walls, and protruding laterally from the side walls. The rear bearing surface, the side walls and the guide rails define left and right slots extending parallel to the side walls.

1 . A cradle for a mobile phone, comprising:
 a rear bearing surface;   left and right side walls each connected to the rear bearing surface;   a bottom portion also connected to the rear bearing surface and comprising a receiver formed therein;   a connector for mechanically and electrically engaging a bottom connector of the mobile phone, the connector configured to mechanically engage the mobile phone to retain the mobile phone inside the cradle, and   two guide rails formed respectively on the front side of the left and right side walls, and protruding laterally from the side walls, wherein the rear bearing surface, the side walls and the guide rails define left and right slots extending parallel to the side walls configured to:
 receive left and right side sections of the mobile phone, 
 guide the mobile phone to the connector, and 
 retain the mobile phone received in the cradle against forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the slots. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector is removably connected to the receiver to allow the connector to be exchanged. 
     
     
         3 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one release element configured to disengage mechanical engagement between the connector and the mobile phone when actuated. 
     
     
         4 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide rails are tapered in thickness from the exchangeable unit towards their upper ends. 
     
     
         5 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide rails each have a step defining upper and lower sections in the slots for receiving corresponding upper and lower sections of a mobile phone of the slide type in its open configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one release element, upon being actuated, pushes a mobile phone received in the cradle upwards to assist in removing the mobile phone from the cradle. 
     
     
         7 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one release element is spring-loaded for assisting in disengaging a mobile phone received in the cradle from the connector and pushing the mobile phone away from the bottom portion. 
     
     
         8 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one release element is integrally formed with the connector in a single unit. 
     
     
         9 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , further comprising an interface in the cradle for electrically connecting the connector with accessory devices. 
     
     
         10 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear bearing surface, the side walls and the guide rails are integrally formed in a single unit. 
     
     
         11 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) based connector. 
     
     
         12 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide rails are spring-biased for applying a force to a mobile phone received in the cradle in a direction perpendicular to the slots. 
     
     
         13 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting means for installing the cradle in a vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide rails are tapered such that a mobile phone comprising two halves may be substantially closed around at least a portion of the guide rails while received in the cradle. 
     
     
         15 . The cradle according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one release element comprises two spring-loaded plungers that are configured to release upon activation of the release element to push a mobile phone received in the cradle upwards to disengage the connector from the mobile phone. 
     
     
         16 . The cradle according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiver formed in the bottom portion further comprises at least one slot configured to receive the exchangeable unit along a direction substantially parallel to the guide rails.