Terminal and docking mechanism with open channel members and guide rollers

• US 5,408,382 A
• Filed: 07/15/1994
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Danielson, Arvin D., Bunte, Alan G., Schultz, Darald R., Jaeger, Robert B., Sherman, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/275,884
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 312/334.37, 312/334.38, 312/334.39, 439/377, 439/677, 439/680, 439/928, 439/929, 364/708.1, 364/709.09, 345/905, 361/679-687, 361/724-727, 361/741, 361/756
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0078 Quick-disconnect two-parts mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 : using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 : Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 : by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 : with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 : by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 : Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0032 : Without explicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 : the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 : the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 : Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

An improved apparatus for portable interchangeable data terminals and peripherals includes a terminal adapted to receive information from a pen inputing device and a docking mechanism having a terminal receiver for selectively receiving the terminal. The terminal receiver includes a handle extending upwardly therefrom, a base extending laterally across the docking mechanism, and open channel members extending upwardly from each side of the base. A rear portion of each of the channel members may carry at least one roller guide and/or a central portion of each of the channel members may carry at least one roller guide disposed to contact a respective lateral edge of the terminal as the terminal is received by the docking mechanism. The base has a guide and a receiver connector configured to operably and respectively connect to a tab and a terminal connector of the terminal, as the terminal is received by the terminal receiver such that information is processable from the terminal to peripherals. The handle is inclined back from the open channel members. The base carries a spare battery charge station at a rear thereof.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

terminal means for receiving information from a pen inputing device, said terminal means having a tab and a first connector; and

docking means for selectively receiving said terminal means, said docking means having terminal receiving means which include a handle extending upwardly therefrom, a base extending laterally across said docking means, and open channel members extending upwardly from each side of said base with at least one guide roller carried by a rear portion of each of said channel members;

said base carrying a guide and a second connector, wherein said guide and said second connector are configured to operably and respectively connect to said tab and said first connector as said terminal means is received by said terminal receiving means such that information is processable from said terminal means to peripheral means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said handle is inclined back from said open channel members.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base carries a spare battery charge station at a rear thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said open channel members includes a central portion carrying at least one vertically aligned roller guide disposed to contact a respective lateral edge of said terminal means upon receipt thereof in said docking means.