Portable electronic data handling/data entry system

• US 4,881,839 A
• Filed: 06/14/1988
• Issued: 11/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Grimm, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDaniel, James R.
• Application Number:
  US07/206,640
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 400/692, 400/693, 400/103, 400/174, 400/320, 400/120
• US Class Current: 400/692
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic terminal is mechanically and electrically connected to an electronic printer module to form a portable electronic terminal/printer. The bottom housing of the terminal and an extended portion of the bottom housing of the printer module together form a dovetail type connection. The bottom housing of the terminal has a plurality of rails formed thereon and the extended portion of the bottom housing of the printer module has a plurality of channels formed therein for slidably receiving the rails, forming a dovetail type connection. One half of an electrical connector is mounted on the terminal and the other half of the electrical connector is mounted on the printer module in a position to couple when the mechanical dovetail connection is made. A latch mechanism, attached to the extended portion of the bottom housing of the printer secures the bottom housing of the printer and also the two halves of the electrical connector. When the latch mechanism is activated, the electrical connection is broken and the mechanical connection is disengaged.

Claims

1. A portable data handling/data entry system comprising:

(a) an electronic data handling module;

(b) an electro-mechanical , data entry module; and

(c) means to releasably couple said modules together, said means including;

(d) a latch bar extending from one of said modules and latching means secured to the other of said modules for releasably latching said latch bar, said latching means including;

(e) a latch for mating with said latch bar;

(f) ejector bar means movable to simultaneously disengage said latch from said latch bar and urge said one of said modules away from said other of said modules; and

(g) means to move said ejector bar means to simultaneously disengage said latch from said latch bar and urge said one of said modules, said ejector bar means includes an ejector bar and a contact plate secured to said ejector bar, said contact plate urging said one of said modules away from said other of said modules away from said other of said modules.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further including a first coupling means including a first electrical connector secured to one of said modules and a second coupling means including a second electrical connector, matable with said first electrical connector, secured to said other of said modules.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first coupling means further comprises at least one rail.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the second coupling means comprises a member having at least one channel for slidably receiving the rail, to ensure self aligning travel of the electronic data handling module with respect to the electro-mechanical data entry module for electrically coupling the first and second electrical connector means.

5. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the electronic data handling module comprises an electronic terminal including a bottom housing, the bottom housing forming the first coupling means.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the electro-mechanical data entry module comprises a keyboard.

7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the electro-mechanical module comprises a thermal printer.

8. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the electro-mechanical module comprises an ink jet printer.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means to move includes a ejector button means and a bell crank rotatable about a pivot and rotated by operation of said ejector button means to move said ejector bar means to simultaneously disengage said latch from said latch bar and urge said one said modules away from said other of said modules.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said latch includes a sloped surface, said ejector bar means movable along said sloped surface to disengage said latch and said latch bar.

11. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said latch includes a sloped surface, said ejector bar means movable along said sloped surface to disengage said latch and said latch bar.

12. The assembly of claim 1, further including a first coupling means including a first electrical connector secured to one of said modules and a second coupling means including a second electrical connector, matable with said first electrical connector, secured to said other of said modules.

13. The assembly of claim 9, further including a first coupling means including a first electrical connector secured to one of said modules and a second coupling means including a second electrical connector, matable with said first electrical connector, secured to said other of said modules.

14. The assembly of claim 10, further including a first coupling means including a first electrical connector secured to one of said modules and a second coupling means including a second electrical connector, matable with said first electrical connector, secured to said other of said modules.

15. The assembly of claim 11, further including a first coupling means including a first electrical connector secured to one of said modules and a second coupling means including a second electrical connector, matable with said first electrical connector, secured to said other of said modules.