Cradle for holding a device

• US 6,102,284 A
• Filed: 04/23/1997
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Touchpoint Medical, Inc. (Touchpoint, Inc. (Pennsylvania))
• Original Assignee: LXE Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Sims, William, Moore, Charles A., Myers, Kenneth E., Meister, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/841,496
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.43, 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 382/313, 382/312, 382/314
• US Class Current: 235/375
• 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

Abstract

A cradle for holding a wireless terminal. The cradle includes a lower spring-loaded leveling tray and an upper bracket including two spaced-apart retainers that allow one-handed access to the wireless terminal using an ergonomically safe push-down-and-tilt motion. Easy removal is enhanced by using an optical communication link between the cradle and the wireless terminal. The optical communication link allows an optional articulating keyboard to communicate with the wireless terminal when the wireless terminal is in the cradle. A battery charging terminal in the leveling tray charges the battery in the wireless terminal. The leveling tray is automatically locked when the wireless terminal is installed in the cradle. When the wireless terminal is in the cradle, a solenoid may be activated to open the lock. The cradle includes up to three ways to activate the solenoid to open the security lock: a password entered into the keyboard; a password entered into a four-button keypad on the cradle; and an application program that may be operated from the wireless terminal or from another terminal in the patient-care computer network. Alternatively, a manual key-lock may operate the lock if another component of the locking system fails. The cradle also includes a dog that automatically locks the cradle when the wireless terminal is installed in the cradle, and that automatically keeps the cradle unlocked when the wireless terminal is removed from the cradle.

Claims

1. A cradle for holding a device, comprising:

a bracket for holding the device in the cradle;

a restraining member comprising a leveling tray for resiliently supporting a second side of the held device, opposite the first side of the held device, the leveling tray movable from an open position to a closed position, so that the held device may be removed from the cradle when the leveling tray is in the open position, and so that the held device is resiliently restrained in the cradle when the leveling tray is in the closed position;

a lock movable from a release position to an interference position to positively restrain the held device in the cradle; and

an unlocking means for selectively moving the lock from the interference position to the release position to allow the held device to be removed from the cradle.

2. The cradle of claim 1, wherein:

the bracket includes two spaced-apart retainers for receiving a first side of the held device.

3. The cradle of claim 2, further comprising:

a dog for automatically locking the cradle when the held device is installed in the cradle, and for automatically maintaining the lock in the release position when the held device is not in the cradle.

4. The cradle of claim 3, further comprising:

a battery charger for charging a battery within the held device when the held device is in the cradle.

5. The cradle of claim 4, further comprising:

a communication link for transmitting information between the held device and the cradle when the held device is in the cradle.

6. The cradle of claim 5, wherein the communication link comprises an optical communication link between the cradle and the held device.

7. The cradle of claim 1, further comprising:

a support arm coupled to the bracket for a holding a keyboard; and

a communication link functionally connecting the keyboard and the held device when the held device is in the cradle.

8. The cradle of claim 7, further comprising:

a hinge between the support arm and the bracket for articulating the support arm relative to the bracket between a lowered position and a raised position;

a brake for selectively maintaining the support arm in the raised position; and

a release for returning the support arm to the lowered position.

9. The cradle of claim 1, wherein the unlocking means comprises:

a return spring for urging the lock into the interference position; and

a key-lock for manually moving the lock against the return spring and into the release position.

10. The cradle of claim 9, wherein the unlocking means further comprises:

an actuator for selectively moving the lock against the return spring into the release position; and

a trigger for activating the actuator in response to a user command.

11. The cradle of claim 10, wherein the trigger comprises:

a memory for storing a predefined password;

an input device for receiving an entry code; and

a processor, coupled to the memory and the input device, for activating the actuator in response to the received entry code matching the predefined password.

12. The cradle of claim 11, wherein the input device comprises a keypad located on the cradle.

13. The cradle of claim 11, wherein the input device comprises a keyboard supported by and functionally connected to the cradle.

14. The cradle of claim 11, wherein the input device comprises a touch-sensitive receptor located on the held device.

15. The cradle of claim 11, wherein the input device comprises a program module resident on the held device that may be operated via a remote computer terminal by way of wireless communication with the held device.

16. The cradle of claim 12, further comprising a second input device including a keyboard supported by and functionally connected to the cradle.

17. The cradle of claim 16, further comprising a third input device including a program module resident on the held device that may be operated via:

the keyboard;

a touch-sensitive receptor located on the held device, or

a remote computer terminal by way of wireless communication with the held device.

18. A cradle for holding a wireless terminal, comprising:

a bracket for holding the wireless terminal in the cradle;

a lock movable from an interference position to a release position for positively restraining the wireless terminal in the cradle when the lock is in the interference position, and for allowing the wireless terminal to be removed from the cradle when the lock is in the release position;

a battery charger for charging a battery within the wireless terminal when the wireless terminal is in the cradle;

an optical interface for transmitting information between the wireless terminal and the cradle when the wireless terminal is in the cradle.

19. A cradle for holding a wireless terminal, comprising:

a bracket for holding the wireless terminal in the cradle;

a lock movable from an interference position to a release position for positively restraining the wireless terminal in the cradle when the lock is in the interference position, and for allowing the wireless terminal to be removed from the housing when the lock is in the release position;

means for automatically moving the lock into the interference position when the wireless terminal is entered into the housing;

electric unlocking means for responding to a password by moving the lock into the release position; and

manual unlocking means for moving the lock into the release position.

20. A cradle for holding a wireless terminal, comprising:

a bracket including two spaced-apart retainers for receiving a first side of the wireless terminal;

a leveling tray movable in relation to the bracket from a retracted position to an extended position for supporting a second side of the wireless terminal opposite the first side of the wireless terminal;

a lock movable from an interference position to a release position for selectively preventing movement of the leveling tray from the extended position to the retracted position, the lock positioned relative to the leveling tray and the bracket so that,

when the lock is in the interference position and the wireless terminal is in the cradle, the wireless terminal is positively restrained in the cradle, and

when the lock is in the release position and the wireless terminal is in the cradle, the wireless terminal is resiliently restrained in the cradle so that the leveling tray may be moved from the extended position to the retracted position to allow removal of the wireless terminal from the cradle;

a dog for automatically locking the cradle when the wireless terminal is installed in the cradle, and for automatically maintaining the lock in the release position when the wireless terminal is not in the cradle; and

an unlocking means for selectively moving the lock from the interference position to the release position when the wireless terminal is in the cradle.