Ergonomic hand-held electronic device with keypad input and display screen

• US 5,665,000 A
• Filed: 06/05/1996
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Burrell, Jonathan C., Burrell, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/657,567
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30-31, 463/36, 463/40, 463/46, 174/52.3, 174/52.4, 174/54, 174/53, 174/66, 174/67, 174/50.51, 174/50, 174/50.5, 174/52.1, 235/61 R, 455/90, 429/163, 429/164, 429/167, 429/170, 429/171, 429/174, 429/175, 429/178, 429/179, 429/180, 220/200, 220/334, 220/337, 220/338, 220/523, 220/526
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0214 Hand-held casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/04 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

An ergonomic and weatherproof hand-held electronic device 10. The device 10 includes a housing 12 which surrounds internal electronics. An input 28 and a display screen 32 are mounted on the housing 12. The housing 12 is has a narrow width such that, when held in a hand, the thumb of that same hand may extend fully across the input 28 for full access. The display screen 32 is mounted vertically below the input 28 such that the device may be more stable and more easily grasped. The device includes two cylindrical cavities 48 to receive batteries 42. The cavities 48 are located at the rear vertical edges of the housing such that the rear of the housing 12 is relatively rounded and thus easier to grasp. The battery cavities open to the exterior of the housing. A battery cover 54 is mounted to the housing and seals the cavities 48. A contact for each cavity 48 is located on the cover, and a bus bar extends between the contacts to complete the circuit between the batteries 42.

Claims

1. In a hand-held electronic device including a housing having exterior faces, the improvement comprising:

one of said faces having a pair of battery cavities opening thereon, said cavities each having a cylinder, with longitudinal axes of said cylinders not being within a plane of said one of said faces, and further including a cover constructed and arranged to close said cavities, said cover including a contact constructed and arranged to operatively associate with an associated one of each of said cavities, and said contacts being electrically connected, wherein said housing further includes an outlet for connection of external devices, said cover including an outlet extension formed of elastomeric material received sealingly in said outlet.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said housing faces include spaced front and rear faces, and side faces extending between said front and rear faces at lateral edges thereof, and wherein longitudinal axes of said cylinders are parallel to said lateral edges, said cylindrical cavities being located at, and defining, the intersecting edges of said side faces and said rear face, whereby said intersecting edges are rounded in conformity with said cylindrical cavities.