TELEPHONE HAVING SEALED ACOUSTICAL PASSAGEWAY THROUGH FLIP COVER HINGE

PURPOSE: A telephone having sealed acoustical passageway through flip cover hinge is provided to maintain the biased abutment of the interconnection between the passageway in the cover and the passageway in the body member even after prolonged use of the radio telephone. CONSTITUTION: An acoustical passageway (20) is provided between a flip cover (16) and a body (12) member of a radio telephone (10), such as a cellular telephone, by directing a portion of the passageway through the hinge connecting the two components in a direction coaxially aligned with the axis of rotation (18)of the cover with respect to the body. The internal passageway extends from an aperture provided at a predetermined position in the cover, through a hinge pin (34) connecting the cover to the body member, and thence through an internally extending passageway (14) in the body member to a microphone (28) in the body member. The acoustical path between the apertures in the cover and the microphone remains sealed irrespective of the open or closed position of the cover. The interconnection between the passageway in the cover and the passageway in the body member is maintained in biased abutment as a result of an interference fit between the respective components.