Two-way audio communication device and method of manufacturing

Abstract

A two-way audio communication device includes a housing ( 190 ) with passageways ( 491, 492 ). Electronics ( 310 ) are located in the housing. The device has a retractable speaker or earpiece ( 220 ) and a retractable microphone ( 410 ). A spool ( 340 ) is adjacent to the housing. Electrical wires ( 420 ) electrically couple the retractable microphone to the electronics, and the electrical wires are retractable through the passageways and onto the spool.

1 . A two-way audio communication device comprising: 
 a housing having a first passageway;    electronics in the housing;    a retractable speaker;    a retractable microphone;    a spool adjacent to the housing; and    electrical wires electrically coupling the retractable microphone to the electronics, retractable through the first passageway, and retractable onto the spool.    
   
   
       2 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  wherein the electronics detect when the retractable speaker and the retractable microphone are extended.  
   
   
       3 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second microphone;    and a second speaker.    
   
   
       4 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 3  wherein the electronics permit a simultaneous use of the retractable microphone and the second microphone; and 
 wherein the electronics permit a simultaneous use of the retractable speaker and the second speaker.    
   
   
       5 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises a cavity to hold the retractable speaker in its retracted state.  
   
   
       6 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 5  further comprising an elastic band coupled to the housing and located across the cavity to hold the retractable speaker in the cavity.  
   
   
       7 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 5  further comprising a tab located at an edge of the cavity and extended at least partially across the cavity to hold the retractable speaker in the cavity.  
   
   
       8 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  further comprising an antenna having a second passageway wherein the electrical wires are retractable through the second passageway.  
   
   
       9 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  wherein the retractable microphone comprises a flexible housing.  
   
   
       10 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  wherein the retractable microphone is retractable into the first passageway of the housing.  
   
   
       11 . The two-way audio communication device in  claim 1  having a release mechanism comprising: 
 a button comprising: 
 a head exterior to the housing; and  
 a body extending into the housing and having a hole through which the electrical wires pass,  
   wherein the housing further comprises a second passageway located at an opposite side of the release mechanism from the first passageway;    wherein the button is moveable perpendicular between a wire-engaging position and a wire-releasing position;    wherein the button in its wire-releasing position aligns the hole in the body of the button with the first and second passageways; and    wherein the button in its wire-engaging position misaligns the hole in the body of the button with the first and second passageways.    
   
   
       12 . A cellular telephone comprising: 
 a housing having a front surface, a back surface with a cradle and a recess, a first side surface, and a second side surface;    electronics in the housing;    a removable cover over the recess;    a keypad at the front surface;    a digital display at the front surface;    a speaker at the front surface;    a first microphone at the front surface;    an antenna towards the first side surface;    an earpiece at the back surface, towards the second side surface, and retractable into the cradle;    a second microphone at the back surface, towards the second side surface, and retractable into the cradle;    a battery at the back surface;    a spool in the recess; and    electrical wires electrically coupling the earpiece and the second microphone to the electronics, retractable into the cradle, retractable into the recess, and retractable onto the spool.    
   
   
       13 . The cellular telephone of  claim 12  further comprising an auto-answer mechanism comprising: 
 a first electrical contact located in the cradle and electrically coupled to the electronics; and    a second electrical contact located on the earpiece,    wherein the first electrical contact is electrically coupled to the second electrical contact when the earpiece is retracted into the cradle.    
   
   
       14 . The cellular telephone of  claim 12  wherein the electronics permit a simultaneous use of the first microphone and the second microphone; and 
 wherein the electronics permit a simultaneous use of the speaker and the earpiece.    
   
   
       15 . The cellular telephone in  claim 12  further comprising an elastic band coupled to the housing and located across the cradle to hold the earpiece in the cradle.  
   
   
       16 . The cellular telephone in  claim 12  further comprising a tab located at an edge of the cradle and extended at least partially across the cradle to hold the earpiece in the cradle.  
   
   
       17 . The cellular telephone in  claim 12  having a release mechanism comprising: 
 a button comprising: 
 a head at the second side surface;  
 a body extending into the housing and having a hole through which the electrical wires pass; and  
 a spring coupling the body to the housing,  
   wherein the housing further comprises passageways located at opposite sides of the release mechanism;    wherein the button is moveable perpendicular to the passageways between a wire-engaging position and a wire-releasing position;    wherein the spring biases the button towards the wire-engaging position;    wherein the button in its wire-releasing position aligns the hole in the body of the button and the passageways;    wherein the button in its wire-engaging position misaligns the hole in the body of the button and the passageways; and    wherein the electrical wires are retractable through the cradle, retractable through the passageways, retractable through the hole in the body of the button, and retractable onto the spool.    
   
   
       18 . The cellular telephone in  claim 17  wherein the second microphone comprises a flexible housing retractable through at least one of the passageways and retractable through the hole in the body of the button in the release mechanism.  
   
   
       19 . The cellular telephone in  claim 12  wherein the second microphone comprises a flexible housing.  
   
   
       20 . The cellular telephone in  claim 12  wherein the second microphone is retractable from the cradle into the housing.  
   
   
       21 . The cellular telephone in  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a wheel located in the recess and having a groove;    an open cylinder having a hole interior to the open cylinder and eyelets exterior to the open cylinder;    a bottom center axle comprising: 
 a disk at one end, located below the recess, located below the open cylinder, and having a hole in its center; and  
 a hollow center rod coupled to the disk, extending into the recess, extending into the open-cylinder through the hole in the open cylinder, located in a center of the open cylinder, and having a hole;  
   a top center axle comprising; 
 a non-circular column above the open cylinder having a top inner portion of the non-circular column threaded to receive a screw and having a hole; and  
 a hollow center rod coupled to the non-circular column, fitted over the hollow center rod of the bottom center axle, and having a hole aligned with the hole in the hollow center rod of the bottom center axle;  
   a spring comprising: 
 a first end passed through the holes of the hollow center rods of the top and bottom center axles;  
 a body coiled around the top and bottom center axles; and  
 a second end attached to an interior of the open cylinder;  
   a cover located over the open cylinder, having eyelets adjacent to the cover and aligned with the eyelets exterior to the open cylinder, and having a hole in its center sized to fit over the non-circular column of the top center axle and sized to permit the non-circular column of the top center axle to rotate;    first screws passing through the eyelets exterior to the open cylinder and the eyelets adjacent to the cover, fastening the cover to the open cylinder, and fastening the open cylinder to the housing; and    a second screw,    wherein the spool has a first hole conformed to the non-circular column of the top center axle and through which the non-circular column of the top center axle extends, has a second hole aligned with the hole in the non-circular column of the top center axle, and is secured to the non-circular column of the top center axle by the second screw.    
   
   
       22 . The cellular telephone in  claim 21  wherein the electrical wires extend from the earpiece and the second microphone to the cradle, into the recess, across the groove in the wheel to the spool, through the aligned holes in the spool and the non-circular column of the top center axle, through the interior of the hollow center rods of the top and bottom center axle, and through the hole in the disk of the bottom center axle to the electronics.  
   
   
       23 . A method of manufacturing a two-way audio communication device comprising: 
 providing a housing having a passageway;    positioning electronics in the housing;    providing a retractable speaker and a retractable microphone;    assembling a spool adjacent to the housing; and    electrically coupling electrical wires and the retractable microphone to the electronics.    
   
   
       24 . The method of manufacturing a two-way communication device in  claim 23  further comprising: 
 attaching a wheel with a groove to the housing;    aligning a hole of an open cylinder and eyelets of the open cylinder with corresponding holes in a recess of the housing;    placing a hollow center rod of a bottom center axle through a hole in the recess and through a hole interior to the open cylinder;    fitting a top center axle partially over the bottom center axle wherein the top center axle comprises: 
 a non-circular column located above the open cylinder and having a hole; and  
 a hollow center rod coupled to the non-circular column, fitted over the hollow center rod of the bottom center axle, and having a hole aligned with a hole in the hollow center rod of the bottom center axle;  
   biasing a spring around the top and bottom center axles by passing one end of the spring through the holes of the hollow center rods of the top and bottom center axles, coiling the body around the top and bottom center axles, and attaching a second end of the spring to the open cylinder;    placing a cover over the open cylinder wherein the non-circular column of the top center axle extends through a hole in the cover and wherein the cover has eyelets adjacent to the cover;    screwing screws through the eyelets exterior to the open cylinder, the eyelets adjacent to the cover, and the holes in the recess to fasten the cover to the open cylinder and to secure the open cylinder and the cover to the housing;    threading one end of the electrical wires through aligned holes in the spool and the non-circular column of the top center axle, through the interiors of the hollow center rods of the top and bottom center axle to the electronics, and leaving a second end of the electrical wires extending from the spool and the non-circular column;    wrapping the electrical wires around the spool; and    passing the electrical wires around the groove in the wheel and through the passageway, wherein assembling the spool adjacent to the housing comprises: 
 positioning the spool having a center hole conformal to the shape of the non-circular column of the top center axle onto the non-circular column; and  
 securing the spool to the non-circular column of the top center axle.