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

• US 5,951,399 A
• Filed: 06/10/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• 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 J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/872,402
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/46, 273/460, 273/461, 364/410, 364/1, 235/1 B, 235/1 R, 235/419, 235/61 R, 174/52.3, 206/703, 206/704, 206/705, 200/302.2, 200/302.3, 362/109, 362/194, 362/184, 362/200-205, 362/208, 362/158, D14/100, D14/124, D14/137, D18/1, D18/6, D26/37
• 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 generally cylindrical battery cavities opening thereon and spaced apart from one another, and further including a cover constructed and arranged to substantially simultaneously close both of said cavities, said cover including a pair of contacts, each said contact operatively associated with an associated one of each of said cavities, and said contacts being electrically connected, and a pair of seals, one of said seals surrounding a corresponding one of each of said contacts, said seals sealably engaging edges of corresponding cavities to seal each cavity separately.

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 substantially 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.

3. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said cover includes two circular protrusions having seal material about a periphery thereof, said protrusions being sealably received within said cavities.

4. The improvement of claim 1, further comprising locking means, located between said seals on said cover for securing said cover in a closed position.

5. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said cover further includes an integral hinge retainer means for permitting movement of said cover between open and closed positions while securing said cover to said one of said faces.

6. A weather resistant and ergonomic hand-held electronic device comprising:

a housing having a plurality of exterior faces which meet at a plurality of intersections and defining a sealed interior space;

a first substantially cylindrical wall defining a first substantially cylindrical cavity for receiving at least one battery, the first cavity being positioned within the interior space at a first intersection of the plurality of intersections and opening onto a first face of the plurality of exterior faces, and defining a first rounded contour of the first intersection, with the first intersection forming a portion of the first cylindrical wall;

a second substantially cylindrical wall defining a second substantially cylindrical cavity for receiving at least one battery, the second cavity being spaced apart from the first cavity and positioned within the interior space at a second intersection of the plurality of intersections and opening onto the first face, and defining a second rounded contour of the second intersection, with the second intersection forming a portion of the second cylindrical wall;

a first internal electrical contact within and at an end of the first cavity;

a second internal electrical contact within and at an end of the second cavity;

a cover having a first seal for sealing the first cavity and a second seal for sealing the second cavity, said cover further having a first protrusion associated with said first seal and surrounding a first external electrical contact, a second protrusion associated with said second seal and surrounding a second external electrical contact, and a conductive plate electrically connecting the first external electrical contact and the second external electrical contact; and

means for retaining the cover in place.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the cover further comprises a first protrusion for insertion in the first cavity, a second protrusion for insertion in the second cavity, the first seal surrounding the first protrusion, and the second seal surrounding the second protrusion.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the first seal and the second seal are annular rings.

9. The device according to claim 7 wherein the first seal and the second seal are circular and protrude into the cavities.

10. The device according to claim 6 wherein each of the first and second cavities are sealed from a remainder of the internal space.

11. The device according to claim 6 wherein the housing comprises a generally rectangular block, the first face comprises a bottom face, the first intersection is formed by a rear face and a right side face, and the second intersection is formed by the rear face and a left side face.

12. The device according to claim 6 wherein each of the first and second cavities are formed in part by a common face.

13. The device according to claim 6 wherein the first and second seals comprise rings surrounding the first and second protrusions.

14. A weather resistant and ergonomic hand-held global positioning device comprising:

a housing having a plurality of exterior faces which meet at a plurality of intersections and defining a sealed interior space;

a first substantially cylindrical wall defining a first substantially cylindrical cavity for receiving at least one battery, the first cavity being positioned within the interior space at a first intersection of the plurality of intersections and opening onto a first face of the plurality of exterior faces, and defining a first rounded contour of the first intersection, with the first intersection forming a portion of the first cylindrical wall;

a second substantially cylindrical wall defining a second substantially cylindrical cavity for receiving at least one battery, the second cavity being spaced apart from the first cavity and positioned within the interior space at a second intersection of the plurality of intersections and opening onto the first face, and defining a second rounded contour of the second intersection, with the second intersection forming a portion of the second cylindrical wall;

first internal electrical contact within and at an end of the first cavity;

a second internal electrical contact within and at an end of the second cavity;

a cover having a first external electrical contact, a second external electrical contact, a conductive plate electrically connecting the first and second external electrical contacts, a first protrusion surrounding the first external electrical contact and for insertion in the first cavity, and a second protrusion surrounding the second external electrical contact and for insertion in the second cavity; and

means for retaining the cover in place.

15. The device according to claim 14 further comprises a first seal surrounding the first protrusion and a second seal surrounding the second protrusion.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein the seals protrude into the cavities to seal the cavities.

17. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a housing having external faces, one of said faces having a pair of generally cylindrical battery cavities opening thereon and spaced apart from one another; and

a cover constructed and arranged to close said cavities, said cover including a pair of electrically connected contacts, each said contact operatively associated with an associated one of each of said cavities, said cover further including a pair of seals, said seals sealably engaging edges of corresponding cavities to seal each cavity separately, said cover further including an integral hinge retainer that permits movement of said cover between open and closed positions while securing said cover to said one of said faces, said hinge retainer including a cantilevered extension formed of elastomeric material, said extension being secured to said housing.