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Chair with retractable cable unitChair with retractable cable unit description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060103194, Chair with retractable cable unit. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0001] Portable media units such as MP3 players and other digital and/or analog music players have become quite popular in recent years. Some portable music players use a hard disk or flash memory to store music files, such as MP3s. Such portable music players use these music files to create an audio signal. The audio signal created by the portable media unit is typically sent to a headphone output jack on the portable media unit. Headphones or an external speaker can be plugged into the headphone output jack so that the user can listen to the music. Some portable media units also have proprietary connections for use in transferring music files and signals as well as providing power to the portable media unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0002] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a device with a speaker of one embodiment of the present invention. [0003] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a device with a retractable cable unit of one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2A shows the cable in a retracted position and FIG. 2B shows the cable in an extended position. [0004] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional diagram of an exemplary retractable cable unit of one embodiment of the present invention. [0005] FIG. 4 is a exploded diagram of components of the retractable cable unit of one embodiment of the present invention. [0006] FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates an embodiment where the plug fits against a surface shaped to hold the plug. [0007] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a retractable cable unit of one embodiment. [0008] FIG. 6B is a diagram of a retractable cable module that fits in a slot of a device with a speaker. [0009] FIG. 7 illustrates a retractable cable unit attached to the outside of the housing of a device with a speaker. [0010] FIG. 8 illustrates a device with a speaker having a recess for storing a cable for connection to a portable media unit. [0011] FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate holders for a portable media unit including a retractable cable unit. [0012] FIG. 10A illustrates a chair with a retractable cable unit. [0013] FIG. 10B illustrates a chair with a port connector for a portable media unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0014] Embodiments of the present invention concern a retractable cable unit attached to the housing of a device including at least one speaker. The retractable cable unit can include a connection cable with a plug connectable to a portable media unit to provide an audio signal to the at least one speaker. The cable can be moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. [0015] The retractable cable unit allows the user to extend the cable from the device to the portable media unit. The user need not plug the cable into the device each time a connection is to be made, nor need there be any loose wires connected to the back of the device. The retractable cable unit can use a tensioning spring to wind the cable in from the extended position to the retracted position. The housing of the device can also include a mount for the portable media unit. [0016] Further embodiments of the invention include a portable music player mount that is adapted to be removably or permanently positioned on a device with a speaker, and wherein the mount incorporates a retractable cable unit with a plug connectable to a portable media unit such as a portable music player. Still further embodiments of the invention include a retractable cable unit that can be selectable and removably mounted into a port of a housing of a device with at least one speaker. Insertion of the retractable unit can simultaneously make electrical contact between contacts on the outside of the retractable cable unit and the port of the housing. [0017] As depicted on FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, one embodiment of the present invention is a device comprising a housing, at least one speaker within the housing and a retractable cable unit attached to the housing. The retractable cable unit can include a connection cable with a plug connectable to a portable media unit to provide an audio signal to the at least one speaker. The cable is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. Preferably, a portion of the cable is extended outside of the retractable cable unit in the extended position, but, preferably, not in the retracted position. In one embodiment, the retractable cable unit is positioned within the housing. In one embodiment, the retractable cable unit is permanently affixed on or in the housing with the speaker. In another embodiment the retractable cable unit is removably positionable on or in the housing with the speaker. [0018] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an embodiment of a device 100 including at least one speaker 102. Embodiments of devices with speakers can include tape players, CD players, stand-alone speakers, radios, sound generators, audio-visual systems and the like. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an embodiment in which a portable media unit 106 can be positioned on the device 100 in a holder 108. The portable media unit 106 can be any portable unit including an MP3 player, a radio, a Compact Disk (CD) player or a video player, such as a portable digital video player that stores digital video files (An audio component of the video signal can be played through the speakers 102). In this embodiment, the holder includes a well or recess 109 which is adapted to receive the bottom of the portable media unit as well as backrest 113 (FIG. 2A) against which the portable music player can lean against. [0019] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrates the movement of a cable from the retracted position to the extended position. As shown in FIG. 2A, in the retracted position, the plug 110 can be positioned adjacent to the housing of the device 100. The plug 110 can be positioned in a recess 111. As shown in FIG. 2B, the cable 112 can be pulled out so that the plug 110 can be connected to the portable media unit 106. In one embodiment, the retractable cable unit can allow for the cable to be extended to a variety of lengths so there is effectively a range of extended positions. The cable 112 can transfer an audio signal which can be any type of analog or digital audio signal or file. In one embodiment, the plug 110 is a stereo music plug, such as a 3.5 mm stereo plug. In some embodiments, the plug and cable may also transfer power to the portable music player 106. [0020] In one embodiment, the device 100 auto-detects when the plug 110 is connected to the portable media unit 106. This can be done by detecting when the plug 110 is placed within a jack of the portable media unit 106, by detecting a signal from the portable media unit 106, or by some other means. When the device 100 detects that the plug is connected to the portable media unit 106, the device can interrupt any other audio sources of the device 110. Alternately, the device can wait until the audio signal is detected from the portable media unit to interrupt any other audio source. The retractable cable unit can act as an auxiliary audio input for the device. [0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary retractable cable unit of one embodiment of the present invention. People skilled in the art will understand that alternate retractable cable unit designs can be used. In the example of FIG. 3, the retractable cable unit includes a coiled tensioning spring 122, such as a coiled tensioning spring. The tensioning spring 122 can be used to wind up the cable on the spool 124. The other end 126 of the cable can be permanently attached to the electronics of the device or can have a second plug to plug into a jack of the device. As the wire 112 is pulled from the retractable cable unit 120, the tensioning spring 122 stores energy. The tensioning spring 122 can use this stored energy to pull in the cable from the extended position to the retracted position. Continue reading about Chair with retractable cable unit... Full patent description for Chair with retractable cable unit Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Chair with retractable cable unit patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Chair with retractable cable unit or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Load cell and seat occupant weight sensing system Next Patent Application: System for adjusting the position of at least one seat component of a passenger seat and associated common control unit Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Chair with retractable cable unit patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.46877 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
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