Wearable terminal

• US 20040001997A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vocollect, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lacy, Graham Keith, Zatezalo, Douglas Mark, Davis, Michael, Zoschg, Ryan Anthony, Heseltine, Ian, Barnes, Nicholas, Mellott, Mark Bradford
• Granted Patent: US 7,052,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/96
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0976 Sliding cam

Abstract

A wearable, mobile and/or portable terminal for use in an inventory management system. The terminal includes a terminal housing, a battery pack removably receivable within an external battery-receiving cavity of the terminal housing, and a battery latching mechanism that secures the battery pack in the battery-receiving cavity in a latched condition. The battery pack has an unlatched condition in which the battery latch mechanism is disengaged from the battery pack. A camming surface of the battery latching mechanism lifts the unlatched battery pack from the battery-receiving cavity to promote its removal from the terminal housing. The terminal housing is sealed relative to the environment surrounding the wearable terminal battery pack and yet permits electrical coupling between the battery pack and the terminal in the latched condition.

Claims

1. An electronic device powered by a battery pack comprising:

a housing having an external cavity configured to removably receive a battery pack;

a battery latch mechanism mounted proximate to said cavity;

said battery latch mechanism having a latched condition in which said battery latch mechanism engages and secures a battery pack within said cavity and an unlatched condition; and

said battery latch mechanism including a camming surface which engages said battery pack in the unlatched condition and lifts a portion of said battery pack a distance sufficient for removing said battery pack from said cavity.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a battery pack having a peripheral edge.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said peripheral edge of said battery pack includes a camming surface contacting said camming surface of said battery latch mechanism in the unlatched condition, wherein engagement between said camming surfaces lifts a portion of said peripheral edge of said battery pack outside of said cavity.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 wherein said camming surfaces are inclined surfaces having generally complementary inclination angles.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said battery latch mechanism is positioned generally within said cavity, and further comprises a latching member movable for providing the latched and unlatched conditions for said battery pack.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein said battery latch mechanism further comprises a release button pivotally mounted to said terminal housing, said release button operatively coupled with said latching member for selectively extending and retracting said latching member to latch and unlatch said battery pack.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 wherein said battery latch mechanism further includes a biasing member operative to bias said latching member to an extended position.

8. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein said peripheral edge of said battery pack includes a latching cavity opening toward said latching member, said latching member engaging said latching cavity in the latched condition for retaining said battery pack within said cavity.

9. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said housing includes an outer surface and said battery pack includes an outer surface facing outwardly from said cavity when said battery pack is secured in the latched condition, said outer surface of said battery pack having a contour that generally conforms with a contour of said outer surface of said housing.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein said battery latch mechanism further includes a release button operative for actuating said battery latch mechanism between the latched and unlatched conditions, said release button having an outer surface with a contour that generally conforms with the contours of said outer surfaces of said housing and said battery pack.

11. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said battery pack is sealed against the entry of moisture.

12. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said battery pack is shaped like a cuboid and is free from projections.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said terminal housing includes a chamber proximate to said cavity, an end wall separating said chamber from said cavity, and a plurality of electrical contacts extending through a corresponding plurality of openings in said end wall.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 further comprising an encapsulant filling said chamber to seal said chamber from the environment within said cavity.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a battery pack having a plurality of first electrical contacts, said terminal housing including a plurality of second electrical contacts positioned in the cavity for electrically coupling with said first electrical contacts when said latch mechanism is in the latched condition, said second electrical contacts configured for directing said battery pack to engage the camming surface when said latch mechanism is in the unlatched condition.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein each of said second electrical contacts has a spring finger extending into said cavity, said spring fingers being compressed when the latch mechanism is in the latched condition and extending in the unlatched condition.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a housing having an external battery-receiving cavity and a plurality of spring-loaded first electrical contacts positioned in said battery-receiving cavity;

a battery latch mechanism mounted proximate to said battery-receiving cavity;

a battery pack configured to be removably received within said battery-receiving cavity;

said battery pack including a plurality of second electrical contacts and a peripheral edge adjacent to said battery latch mechanism, said latch mechanism and battery pack having a latched condition in which said battery latch mechanism engages and secures said battery pack within said battery-receiving cavity and an unlatched condition, and said second electrical contacts being electrically coupled with said first electrical contacts when said battery pack is in the latched condition; and

said battery latch mechanism including a camming surface, said first electrical contacts furthermore directing said peripheral edge of said battery pack to engage said camming surface in the unlatched condition, wherein the engagement between said camming surface and said peripheral edge lifts said peripheral edge of said battery pack a distance sufficient for removing said battery pack from said battery-receiving cavity.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein said peripheral edge of said battery pack includes a camming surface contacting said camming surface of said battery latch mechanism in the unlatched condition.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 wherein said camming surfaces are inclined with complementary inclination angles.

20. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein said battery latch mechanism is positioned generally within said battery-receiving cavity, and further comprises a latching member movable for providing the latched and unlatched conditions.

21. The electronic device of claim 20 wherein said battery latch mechanism further comprises a release button pivotally mounted to said terminal housing, said release button operatively coupled with said latching member for selectively extending and retracting said latching member.

22. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein said battery latch mechanism further includes a biasing member operative to bias said latching member to an extended position.

23. The electronic device of claim 20 wherein said peripheral edge of said battery pack includes a latching cavity opening toward said latching member, said latching member engaging the latching cavity in the latched condition for retaining said battery pack within said battery-receiving cavity.

24. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein said terminal housing includes a chamber proximate to said battery-receiving cavity and separated therefrom by an end wall, said plurality of first electrical contacts extending through a corresponding plurality of openings in the end wall.

25. The electronic device of claim 24 further comprising an encapsulant filling said chamber to seal said chamber from the environment within said battery-receiving cavity.

26. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein each of said second electrical contacts has a spring finger extending into said battery-receiving cavity, said spring fingers being compressed in the latched condition and extending in the unlatched condition.

27. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein said terminal housing includes an outer surface and said battery pack includes an outer surface facing outwardly from said battery-receiving cavity when said battery pack is secured in the latched condition, said outer surface of said battery pack having a contour that generally conforms with a contour of said outer surface of said housing.

28. The electronic device of claim 27 wherein said battery latch mechanism further includes a release button operative for actuating said battery latch mechanism between the latched and unlatched conditions, said release button having an outer surface with a contour that generally conforms with the contours of said outer surfaces of said housing and said battery pack.

29. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein said battery pack is sealed against the entry of moisture.

30. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein said battery pack is shaped like a cuboid and is free from projections.

31. A wearable, mobile and/or portable terminal powered by an environmentally-sealed battery pack, comprising:

a terminal housing having an interior and an external battery-receiving cavity configured to removably receive a battery pack, said terminal housing being sealed from the ambient environment surrounding said terminal housing; and

a latch mechanism operative to removably secure the battery pack within said battery-receiving cavity.

32. The terminal of claim 31 wherein said terminal housing includes a chamber proximate to said battery-receiving cavity, an end wall separating said chamber from said battery-receiving cavity, and a plurality of first electrical contacts extending through a corresponding plurality of openings in the end wall.

33. The terminal of claim 32 wherein said openings are sealed to seal said terminal housing from the environment proximate the cavity.

34. The terminal of claim 32 further comprising a battery pack having a sealed case and a plurality of second electrical contacts sealingly extending through said sealed case to contact said plurality of first electrical contacts when said battery pack is received within said battery-receiving cavity.

35. A terminal powered by a battery pack, comprising:

a terminal housing having an external battery-receiving cavity configured to removably receive a battery pack; and

a battery latch mechanism adapted to engage and secure a battery pack in a latched condition and having an unlatched condition in which the battery pack would be removable from said battery-receiving cavity;

said battery latch mechanism configured to engage a battery pack in the unlatched condition and lift the battery pack a distance sufficient for removal.

36. The terminal of claim 35 wherein said battery latch comprises a latching member movable for providing the latched and unlatched conditions for the battery pack.

37. The terminal of claim 36 wherein said battery latch mechanism further comprises a release button pivotally mounted and operatively coupled with said latching member for selectively extending and retracting said latching member.

38. The terminal of claim 37 wherein said battery latch mechanism further includes a biasing member operative to bias said latching member to an extended position.

39. The terminal of claim 35 wherein said terminal housing includes a chamber proximate to said battery-receiving cavity, an end wall separating said chamber from said battery-receiving cavity, and a plurality of electrical contacts extending through a corresponding plurality of openings in the end wall.

40. The terminal of claim 39 wherein said openings are sealed to seal said housing from the environment proximate the cavity.

41. The terminal of claim 35 further comprising a battery pack having a plurality of first electrical contacts, and wherein said terminal housing includes a plurality of second electrical contacts positioned in the battery-receiving cavity, said second electrical contacts being electrically coupled with said first electrical contacts when said battery pack is in the latched condition, and operable for directing said battery pack to engage said camming surface when said battery pack is in the unlatched condition.

42. The terminal of claim 41 wherein each of said second electrical contacts has a spring finger extending into said battery-receiving cavity, said spring fingers being compressed when said battery pack is in the latched condition and extending for directing the battery pack to engage said camming surface in the unlatched condition.

43. The terminal of claim 35 further comprising a securing device adapted to make said terminal housing wearable.

44. The terminal of claim 35 further comprising a peripheral device electrically coupled to the terminal.

45. The terminal of claim 35 wherein said terminal housing includes a power source interface within said battery-receiving cavity and capable of electrically coupling with a battery pack.

46. A wearable, mobile and/or portable terminal powered by an environmentally-sealed battery pack, comprising:

an terminal housing having an interior and an external battery-receiving cavity configured to removably receive a battery pack, said terminal housing being sealed against the significant entry of liquid if immersed in liquid at least to a depth of one meter for thirty minutes; and

a latch mechanism operative to removably secure a battery pack within said battery-receiving cavity.

47. The terminal of claim 46 wherein said terminal housing includes an end wall separating the housing interior from said battery-receiving cavity, and a plurality of first electrical contacts extending through a corresponding plurality of openings in the end wall.

48. The terminal of claim 47 wherein said plurality of openings are sealed to seal said housing from the environment proximate the cavity.

49. The terminal of claim 47 further comprising a battery pack having a sealed case and a plurality of second electrical contacts sealingly extending through said sealed case to contact said plurality of first electrical contacts when a battery pack is received within said battery-receiving cavity.