WO2006116408A2

WO2006116408A2 - Amusement device for cell phone

Info

Publication number: WO2006116408A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/015642
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Sladky
Original assignee: Joseph Sladky
Priority date: 2005-04-25
Filing date: 2006-04-25
Publication date: 2006-11-02
Also published as: WO2006116408A3

Abstract

An amusement device for attachment to a flip type cell phone or a holster for a cell phone. Preferred embodiments are in the form of a toy car having a body comprising a hood, doors, windshield, trunk, an underside, headlights, taillights, a left rear wheel, a right rear wheel, a left front wheel, and a right front wheel. The device can be configured so as to engage the earpiece portion of a flip phone or to engage a holster for a cell phone. The device functions to distinguish the cell phone or the holster and to entertain. Lights on the amusement device may flash when the phone rings or a horn sound may be generated when a ring is detected.

Description

AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR CELL PHONE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Benefit of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/674,478 filed April 25, 2005, is claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to amusement devices, in particular to amusement devices which have practical function as well as entertainment function.

[0003] In our society, cell phones have become almost endemic in that virtually everyone has one and uses them on an almost daily basis. The most prevalent type of cell phone is the clam shell type which comprises a microphone portion which includes pushbuttons and frequently a clip on the back for clipping to clothing, pocketbooks, or other places where the phone can be easily found when it rings.

[0004] Because the cell phones are so common, some users have created unique features for their cell phones so as to distinguish and decorate them. Users sometimes attach covers to their cell phones with colors or other distinguishing features, for example. Users also download unique or unusual personal ring tones and add other features to make their cell phone special.

[0005] There is a market for additional ways to distinguish cell phones from one another, and the present invention is addressed to such need.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] I have discovered a very unique and clever way of distinguishing cell phones and at the same time provide an entertaining and functional improvement to such phones. My invention applies to any type of cell phone, including, for example, common clam shell type phones and phones which are always open and do not have a "flip" member, hereafter referred to as "non- folding phones."

[0008] My invention comprises in one aspect an amusement device in the form of a toy car which has been specially adapted to snap on to the flip member of a cell phone so that when the phone is clipped to a person's belt or other point, the toy car is visible rather than the phone, or a special holster for a non-folding phone which includes a toy car on the front side and a clip on the rear side.

[0009] The amusement device can be in formats other than cars, for example animals such as cats or dogs, holiday formats such as holiday trees or bunny rabbits, or the like.

[0010] The amusement device can include electronic features such as lights which flash when the phone rings, especially headlights and tail lights on toy car embodiments of the amusement device.

[0011] The amusement device is preferably about 3 to 7 inches in overall length and about 2 to 4 inches in overall width, sized so as to be slightly larger than a flip phone to which it is to be attached, or to be attached to a holster for the non-folding phone embodiments.

[0012] In the toy car embodiments, the device will usually have a body comprising a hood, doors, windshield, trunk, an underside, headlights, taillights, a left rear wheel, a right rear wheel, a left front wheel, and a right front wheel, the distance between the left and right wheels being approximately the width of the earpiece portion of a clamshell type cell phone, the wheels and underside configured so as to engage the earpiece portion without interfering with the earpiece being folded and unfolded onto the opposing portion of the cell phone, the toy car functioning to distinguish the cell phone to which it may be attached and to entertain.

[0013] In another aspect my invention comprises a device comprising a clam shell type cell phone having a foldable earpiece portion and a microphone portion, the microphone portion having pushbuttons, and a toy car having a body comprising a hood, doors, windshield, trunk, an underside, headlights, taillights, a left rear wheel, a right rear wheel, a left front wheel, and a right front wheel, the distance between the left and right wheels being approximately the width of the earpiece portion of the cell phone, the wheels and underside configured so as to engage the earpiece portion without interfering with the earpiece being folded and unfolded onto the opposing portion of the cell phone, the toy car functioning to distinguish the cell phone to which it may be attached and to entertain.

[0014] In some embodiments the toy car has means to simulate a horn of a car when a cell phone to which it is attached rings. The toy car optionally may also have means to simulate a horn of a car when a cell phone to which it is attached rings. [0015] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is side elevational view of an amusement device according to the invention affixed to a flip-type cell phone in closed position.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 1 with the cell phone in open position.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of an amusement device according to the invention in the form of a non-flip type cell phone holster with a cell phone shown inserted in the holster.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a clam shell type cell phone having an earpiece section 12 (partially covered by amusement device 11) and a base section 13, a belt clip 14 affixed to the base section 13, amusement device 11 in the form of a toy car having headlights 15, taillights 16, left front wheel 19, left rear wheel 20, and corresponding right headlights, taillights, front and rear wheels. The toy car 11 comprises a body which supports the wheels 19, 20, and has means to attach to the earpiece (or in some embodiments, to the base portion) of the flip phone so that when the flip phone is clipped to a belt or other portion of a person's clothing, the amusement device is visible.

[0020] It is especially preferred to provide an active feature on the amusement device, for example the headlights and taillights can flash when a ring is detected, preferably when the phone is set in vibration mode. In other embodiments such as a Christmas tree, the tree can have lights which flash when a phone ring or vibration is detected. Means to have the lights flash in response to a cell phone ring or vibration are well within the skill of amusement device designers.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the same embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, except that the flip phone is shown in open position.

[0022] FIG. 3 there is shown a holder 17 (partially covered by amusement device 11) adapted to receive a small non-folding cell phone 18. The holder has a clip portion 14 adapted to fit over a belt or other article of clothing. The amusement device 11 of this embodiment is in the form of a car having headlights 15, taillights 16, left front wheel 19, left rear wheel 20, and corresponding right wheels (not shown). The amusement device 11 is removably attached to the holster 17 and includes a vibration detector which causes the left headlight 15, left taillight 16, and right headlights and taillights to flash when vibration is detected.

[0023] While two alternative embodiments of the invention have been illustrated, many alternative embodiment should become apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device comprising means for attachment to a hinged earpiece member of a flip type cell phone or means for attachment to a holster for receiving a cell phone so that when the cell phone or holster is clipped to an article of clothing on a person the amusement device is primarily visible and the cell phone is substantially concealed.

2. The amusement device of claim 1 in the general form of a toy car the cell phone having front wheels, rear wheels, taillights, and headlights.

3. The amusement device of claim 2 wherein the taillights and headlights flash when a cell phone ring is detected.

4. The amusement device of claim 1 in the form of an animal having lights and/or sound generation means which are activated when ringing of the cell phone is detected.

5. The amusement device of claim 1 having overall length of about 3 to 7 inches and an overall width of about 2 to, having a body comprising a hood, doors, windshield, trunk, an underside, headlights, taillights, a left rear wheel, a right rear wheel, a left front wheel, and a right front wheel, the distance between the left and right wheels being approximately the width of the earpiece portion of a clamshell type cell phone, the wheels and underside configured so as to engage the earpiece portion without interfering with the earpiece being folded and unfolded onto the opposing portion of the cell phone, the toy car functioning to distinguish the cell phone to which it may be attached and to entertain.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the toy car has means to simulate a horn of a car when a cell phone to which it is attached rings.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the toy car had means to turn on the headlights and taillights when a call is received by a cell phone to which it is attached.

8. A device comprising a clam shell type cell phone having a foldable earpiece portion and a microphone portion, the microphone portion having pushbuttons, and a toy car having a body comprising a hood, doors, windshield, trunk, an underside, headlights, taillights, a left rear wheel, a right rear wheel, a left front wheel, and a right front wheel, the distance between the left and right wheels being approximately the width of the earpiece portion of the cell phone, the wheels and underside configured so as to engage the earpiece portion without interfering with the earpiece being folded and unfolded onto the opposing portion of the cell phone, the toy car functioning to distinguish the cell phone to which it may be attached and to entertain.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the toy car has means to simulate a horn of a car when a cell phone to which it is attached rings.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the toy car had means to turn on the headlights and taillights when a call is received by a cell phone to which it is attached.