BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Mobile phones are very convenient devices. Often people use a mobile phone with a hands-free set, which includes an earpiece and a microphone. However, the phone must still be held or placed in, for example, a pocket.

There are covers for mobile phones that are provided with a clip on the back thereof. The clip enables the cover and the mobile phone inside to be fastened to, for example, a belt of the user. A problem with the cover is that it is usually not practical to view the face of the phone or use the keypad when it is clipped in place.

There is therefore a need for a device that enables the user to view the face of the phone and/or use the keypad without having to unclip the phone from where it is being carried.

The present invention seeks to address this need.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a carrier for a personal communication device which includes: a support member for fastening the personal communication device thereto; a lanyard for suspending the support member and thus the personal communication device around the neck of the user, the lanyard being coupled to the support member by a first pivotable connection so that the personal communication device may be tilted away from the user; and, an abdomen coupling means for coupling the support member to the abdomen of the user; whereby in use, the personal communication device may be tilted while suspended from the lanyard so that the face and/or keypad may be the accessible to the user while the personal communication device is still fastened to the support member.

Preferably, the abdomen coupling means is pivotally connected to the support member by a second pivotable connection, whereby the support member and an upper portion of the personal communication device pivot outwardly from the body of the user while the base of the personal communication device remains adjacent the body of the user.

Preferably, the support member is arranged to position the communication device flat against the body of the user unless it is tilted away.

Preferably, the lanyard is slidably coupled to the support member so that as the personal communication device is tilted, the position of the pivotal coupling between the lanyard and the support member moves downwardly when the personal communication device is tilted away from the body of the user and moves upwardly when the pivotal connection is tilted towards the body of the user.

Preferably, the first and second pivotal connections are spaced apart from each other.

More preferably, the first pivotal connection is adjacent the top of the personal communication device. Preferably, the second pivotal connection is adjacent the bottom of the personal communication device.

Preferably, the support member is connected to the abdomen coupling means by a rigid intermediate member having a curved shape that contours with the rear and/or bottom of the personal communication device.

Preferably, the lanyard is resiliently stretchable so that the length of the lanyard may expand during tilting of the communication device. More preferably, the communication device automatically returns to a position flat against the user's body when released. Alternatively, the support member may be arranged to provide bi-stable positioning of the personal communication device, one stable position being flat against the body of the user, the other being tilted outwardly.

In one embodiment, the support member is in the form of a plate adapted for fastening a

clip of a cover for holding the personal communication device thereto. Alternatively, the support member may be in the form of a cover for holding a personal communication device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to provide a better understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the carrier will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a lower front perspective view of an embodiment of a carrier in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a coupling means for coupling a lanyard to a member of the carrier of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a rear view of an abdomen coupling means of the carrier of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a rear view of a planar member of an alternative abdomen coupling means; and Figure 5 is a front view of an alternative button clip used in combination with the planar member of Figure 4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a carrier 10 that includes a support member 12 in the form of a plate and a lanyard 14 in the form of a resiliently stretchable cord. The lanyard 14 is slidably coupled to the member 12 by a slidable coupling means 16, which will be described in more detail below.

The support member 12 is connected to an abdomen coupling means 18 via an intermediate member 22. The connection between the abdomen coupling means 18 and the intermediate member 22 is in the form of a pivotal connection 20. The intermediate member 22 includes a curve 24 for following the contour of the rear and/or bottom of a personal communication device when the carrier is in use.

The support member 12 is of substantially rectangular shape and has a top 50, a bottom 54 and two opposed sides 52. The support member 12 is connected to the intermediate

member 22 at its bottom 54. The support member 12 has a clip receiving portion 28 that extends from its top 50 to its bottom 54 mid-way between the sides 52. The clip receiving portion 28 is provided to enable a clip of a cover for holding a personal communication device to be fastened to the support member 12. The support member 12 is of a greater thickness than the intermediate member 22 so as to provide a step 48 at the bottom 54 of the support member 12. The step 48 is provided to assist fastening of the clip of the cover to the support member 12.

The slidable coupling means 16 is in the form of a passage 26 in the support member 12 and a rod 34 held captive within the passage 26. The passage 26 extends from side 52 to side 52. The passage 26 also extends at least part of the way between the top 50 and the bottom 54 of the support member to allow the rod 34 to slide within the passage 26. The rod 34 is held captive within the passage 26 by a flange 36 located at each end of the rod 34 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Also, at each end of the rod 34 is a ring 32. The rings 32 are provided so that a loop 30 at either end of the lanyard 14 may pass through the ring 32 thereby connecting the lanyard 14 via the loop 30 and the ring 32, to the rod 34 of the slidable coupling means 16. The slidable coupling means 16 also allows the support member 12 to pivot with respect to the lanyard 14.

Referring to Figure 3, the abdomen coupling means 18 is shown in more detail. There are two forms of abdomen coupling means 18 shown in Figure 3. The first is a substantially planar member 56 having a pair of openings 46 provided therewithin for receiving a belt which extends around the abdomen of the user (not shown). The second is in the form of a button hook 38 which has a slot 44 partly surrounded by a hood 42 which overlaps and holds a button 40, when the button 40 is positioned within the slot 44 as shown in Figure 3. The button 40 may be part of the clothing of the user or alternatively if the clothing the user is wearing has no button, then a button 40 may be pinned to the clothing of the user in the abdomen region.

Figures 4 and 5 show a different abdomen coupling means to those shown in Figure 3. In Figure 4, the button hook 38A is an inverted key hole arranged so that the button is able to pass through the large part of the hole 70. The button is then able to move up with thread

attaching the button to the user's shirt passing through the narrow upwardly extending slot 72.

Referring to Figure 5, a second button hook 60 as a hook portion 62 for hooking over the thread attaching another button and a stretchable cord 64. The cord 64 is attached to the hook portion 62 through a pair of holes. The cord 64 has a pair of plugs 66, each of which may be inserted into the openings 46 of the planar member 56. A length 68 of the cord extends directly between the plugs 66. The plugs 66 may be easily released so that the support member 12, intermediate member 22, planar member 56 and the communication device may be easily released from the coupling from the abdomen of the user.

The method of use and operation of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A personal communication device, such as a mobile phone may be fitted with a cover having a clip located at the rear of the mobile phone. The clip may fasten the mobile phone to the clip-receiving portion 28 of the member 12. The mobile phone when fastened to the carrier 10 should be oriented so that the back of the phone abuts the underneath of the support member 12 when the carrier 10 is oriented as shown in Figure 1.

Thus the intermediate member 22 will extend down the rear of the mobile phone and follow the contour of the rear and/or bottom of the mobile phone by virtue of the curve 24.

The curve 24 is preferably gradual enough to provide a space to allow a hands free set to be plugged into the bottom of the mobile phone.

The lanyard 14 may be positioned over the neck of the user so that the support member 12 and mobile phone drape from the user's neck, with the face of the mobile phone directed towards the body of the user. The abdomen coupling means 18 may then be coupled to the abdomen of the user. When draped, the rod 34 slides to the upper most point of the passage 26. The mobile phone in the carrier 10 is now ready for use.

The abdomen coupling means shown in Figures 4 and 5 is coupled to a user's shirt as follows. The first button is inserted through the hole 70. The plugs 66 are inserted in the

holes 46 and the length 68 is stretched and placed under the first button. Upon release, the length pushes the first button up over the slot 72 and the thread through the slot 72 and holds it in place. The hook portion 62 is then pulled down and hooked over a second button with a notch 69 of the hook portion 62 receiving the thread attaching the second button. The section of cord between the holes in the hook portion 62 sits over the second button holding it in place.

In use, the user takes hold of the mobile phone and tilts it away from his/her body. The support member 12 and intermediate member 22 pivot about the pivotal connection 20. In addition the lanyard 14 also stretches and the rod 34 slides downward within the passage 26. The base of the phone remains against the body of the user and so does not dangle in a dangerous or inconvenient manner. The user may now view the display of the mobile phone or use the keypad.

When the user has finished accessing the display keypad the phone is released. The resilience of the lanyard 14 causes the support member 12, the intermediate member 22 and mobile phone to pivot back so that the face of the mobile phone is again flat against the body of the user. The user may continue to use the phone hands-free until the face of the phone needs to be accessed again.

Now that the preferred embodiments have now been described, advantages of the present invention will become clear to the skilled addressee. The carrier is able to hold a personal communication device such as a mobile phone in a convenient location that allows for easy access by the user to the face and/or keypad of the mobile phone without it having to be unclipped from where it is being carried. The phone remains safely tucked close to the user's body and so does not pose a danger in catching onto something.

Modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the basic inventive concepts, such as: (a) The carrier may be used for other forms of personal communication devices other than mobile phones, such as for example, personal CB radio,

a pager, cordless phone handset or GPS receiver; (b) The support member may be in the form of or may include a cover for holding and/or protecting the personal communication device so that a separate cover with a clip is not required; and (c) Other forms of abdomen coupling means may be used such as a clip, a pin, hook and loop fastening material between a button hook and the planar member, hook and loop fastening material between an abdomen belt and the planar member, or hook and loop fastening material used in some other manner.

All such modifications are intended to be considered within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description and appended claims.