Pistol grip hand-held data terminal cooperable with communicating and recharging dock

• US 5,521,370 A
• Filed: 02/14/1995
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Hanson, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPPERD, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US08/390,892
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• 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 1/1632 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 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions 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: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 : wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 : Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• 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 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A data capture system which includes both a hand-held data terminal having a pistol grip and a terminal receptacle for releasably receiving the hand held data terminal for battery recharging.

Claims

1. In a data capture system,

(a) hand held data terminal means having a size and weight to be held in one hand, and having an exterior;

(b) said hand held data terminal means having rechargeable battery means for supplying power thereto during portable operation;

(c) terminal receptacle means for releasably receiving said hand held data terminal means for the recharging of said rechargeable battery means;

(d) said hand held data terminal means having electrical contact pad means for coupling with said rechargeable battery means;

(e) said terminal receptacle means having cooperating electrical contact means for engagement with the electrical contact pad means of said hand held data terminal means when inserted into said terminal receptacle means such that recharging of said rechargeable battery means can be effected via said electrical contact pad means and the cooperating electrical contact means in engagement therewith;

(f) said hand held data terminal means having said electrical contact pad means generally flush with said exterior thereof, said cooperating electrical contact means of said terminal receptacle means being resiliently urged for pressure engagement with said electrical contact pad means without requiring any substantial penetration of the terminal receptacle means into the hand held data terminal means, and the receptacle means engaging the hand held data terminal means and holding the hand held data terminal means to maintain said pressure engagement between said electrical contact pad means and the cooperating electrical contact means;

(g) said hand held data terminal means having generally the shape of a pistol with a user interface at an upper side, an optical reader directed frontally and said electrical contact pad means being located remote from said upper side;

(h) said terminal receptacle means having an extended supporting surface for confronting the exterior of said hand held data terminal means at an underside of the hand held data terminal means which is directed oppositely in comparison to said upper side; and

(i) said electrical contact pad means of said hand held data terminal means having a normal position relative to said exterior in the absence of engagement with said cooperating electrical contact means, and not being deflected from said normal position relative to said exterior as the hand held data terminal means is inserted into position in said terminal receptacle means in spite of the pressure engagement of said cooperating electrical contact means therewith.

2. In a data capture system,

(a) a hand held data terminal having a size and weight to be held in one hand, and having an exterior;

(b) said hand held data terminal having rechargeable battery means for supplying power thereto during portable operation;

(c) a terminal receptacle for releasably receiving said hand held data terminal for the recharging of said rechargeable battery means;

(d) said hand held data terminal having electrical contact pad means for coupling with said rechargeable battery means;

(e) said terminal receptacle having cooperating electrical contact means for engagement with the electrical contact pad means of said hand held data terminal when inserted into said terminal receptacle such that recharging of said rechargeable battery means can be effected via said electrical contact pad means and the cooperating electrical contact means in engagement therewith;

(f) said hand held data terminal having said electrical contact pad means generally flush with said exterior thereof, said cooperating electrical contact means of said terminal receptacle being resiliently urged for pressure engagement with said electrical contact pad means without requiring any substantial penetration of the terminal receptacle into the hand held data terminal and the terminal receptacle engaging the hand held data terminal and holding the hand held data terminal to maintain said pressure engagement between said electrical contact pad means and the cooperating electrical contact means;

(g) said hand held data terminal having generally the shape of a pistol with manually actuatable keys at an upper side, an optical reader directed frontally and said electrical contact pad means being located remote from said upper side;

(h) said electrical contact pad means of said hand held data terminal having a normal position relative to said exterior in the absence of engagement with said cooperating electrical contact means, and not being deflected from said normal position relative to said exterior as the hand held data terminal is inserted into position in said terminal receptacle in spite of the pressure engagement of said cooperating electrical contact means therewith; and

(i) said terminal receptacle supporting said data terminal with said manually actuatable keys accessible to the user, and holding said data terminal to enable normal application of manual pressure to said manually actuatable key.

3. In a data capture system,

(a) a hand held data terminal having a size and weight to be held in one hand, and having an exterior;

(b) said hand held data terminal having rechargeable battery means for supplying power thereto during portable operation;

(c) a terminal receptacle for releasably receiving said hand held data terminal for the recharging of said rechargeable battery means;

(d) said hand held data terminal having electrical contact pad means for coupling with said rechargeable battery means;

(e) said terminal receptacle having cooperating electrical contact means for engagement with the electrical contact pad means of said hand held data terminal when inserted into said terminal receptacle such that recharging of said rechargeable battery means can be effected via said electrical contact pad means and the cooperating electrical contact means in engagement therewith;

(f) said hand held data terminal having said electrical contact pad means generally flush with said exterior thereof, said cooperating electrical contact means of said terminal receptacle being resiliently urged for pressure engagement with said electrical contact pad means without requiring any substantial penetration of the terminal receptacle into the hand held data terminal, the terminal receptacle engaging the hand held data terminal and holding the hand held data terminal to maintain said pressure engagement between said electrical contact pad means and the cooperating electrical contact means;

(g) said hand held data terminal having generally the shape of a pistol with a user interface at an upper side, an optical reader directed frontally and said electrical contact pad means being located remote from said upper side;

(h) said terminal receptacle confronting portions of the exterior of said hand held data terminal which are remote from said upper side and providing user access to said user interface; and

(i) said electrical contact pad means of said hand held data terminal having a normal position relative to said exterior in the absence of engagement with said cooperating electrical contact means, and not being deflected from said normal position relative to said exterior as the hand held data terminal is inserted into position in said terminal receptacle in spite of the pressure engagement of said cooperating electrical contact means therewith.