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

• US 6,506,119 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1997
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• 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, Gary L., Burrell, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/780,797
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30-31, 463/46, 463/48, 273/460-461, 273/148.R, 273/148.B, 364/410, 340/323.R, 700/91, 206/703-705, D14/341, D14/485, D18/1, D18/6, D18/7, D18/11, D21/324, D21/329, D21/331
• 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 navigation device that is normally held by a user with a top face of a housing of the device positioned above a bottom face of said housing with respect to the vision of a user, and with a front face of said housing facing the user, said front face having an input area and a display area aligned along a longitudinal axis of said housing, the improvement comprising:

said input area positioned along said longitudinal axis on a portion of said front face that is near said top face of said housing and said display area positioned along said longitudinal axis on a portion of said front face that is adjacent to said bottom face of said housing, such that, when the housing is held normally by a user, said input area is positioned vertically above said display area with respect to the vision of the user, said housing having at least one battery cavity aligned along said longitudinal axis, said at least one battery cavity having an end that opens onto said bottom face of said housing.

2. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising said input area including only one input area for entirely controlling said navigation device.

3. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising:

said input area being located on said front face with a larger portion of said housing extending downward from said input area to said bottom face than extending upward from said input area to said top face.

4. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising:

said input area and display area having respective tops, bottoms and sides defined with respect to the vision of the user when the device is held by the user for normal operation, said top of said display area being positioned adjacent said bottom of said input area.

5. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising said display area presenting information having a top and a bottom, said top of said information being located adjacent to a bottom of said input area, said bottom of said information being located adjacent to said bottom face of said housing.

6. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 1, the improvement further comprising:

said display area including a screen displaying graphic images, each of said graphic images having a top and a bottom, said input area being located adjacent to said top of said graphic images.

7. In a hand-held navigation device that is normally held by a user with a top face of a housing of the device positioned above a bottom face of said housing with respect to the vision of a user, and with a front face of said housing facing the user, said front face having an input area and a display area aligned along a longitudinal axis of said housing, the improvement comprising:

said input area positioned along said longitudinal axis on a portion of said front face that is near said top face of said housing and said display area positioned along said longitudinal axis on a portion of said front face that is adjacent to said bottom face of said housing, such that, when the housing is held normally by a user, said input area is positioned vertically above said display area with respect to the vision of the user, said housing defining an interior space including at least one battery cavity for holding at least one battery, said at least one battery cavity having first and second ends, said first end opening onto said bottom face of said housing, said display area being positioned proximate said first end that opens onto said bottom face of said housing.

8. In a hand-held navigation device including a housing having a front face, said front face including an input area and a display area, said display area displaying information having a top and a bottom, said information being presented in an upright vertical direction extending from said bottom of said information to said top of said information, said housing and display area and input area having respective tops and bottoms defined with respect to said upright vertical direction, said device being normally held by a user such that said upright vertical direction, in which said information is presented on said display area, corresponds to the vision of the user, the improvement comprising:

said input area positioned on said front face with respect to said upright vertical direction above said display area, such that said top of said information and said top of said display area are adjacent to said bottom of said input area and such that said bottom of said information is adjacent to said bottom of said housing, said housing defining an interior space including at least one battery cavity for holding at least one battery, said at least one battery cavity having first and second ends, said first end opening onto a bottom face of said housing, said second end being spaced apart from and below a top face of said housing, said bottom of said display area being positioned proximate said first end.

9. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 8, the improvement comprising:

said housing having a top face and a bottom face defined with respect to said upright vertical direction of said information presented on said display area, said top of said input area being located near said top of said housing and said bottom of said display area being located adjacent to said bottom face of said housing.

10. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 8, the improvement further comprising:

said input area being located on said front face with a larger portion of said housing extending downward from said input area to a bottom face of said housing than extending upward from said input area to a top face of said housing.

11. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 8, the improvement further comprising:

said display area including a screen displaying graphic images, said graphic images having a top and a bottom, said input area being located vertically above said top of said graphic images with respect to said upright vertical direction.

12. In a hand-held navigation device having a housing including an interior space and including a front face, said front face including input and display areas, the improvement comprising:

said interior space including at least one battery cavity aligned along a longitudinal axis, said at least one battery cavity having first and second ends located along said longitudinal axis at opposite ends of said at least one battery cavity, said housing having bottom and top faces located along said longitudinal axis, said bottom and top faces intersecting said front face, said first end having an opening that opens onto said bottom face of said housing, said display area being positioned on said front face adjacent to said bottom face and to said opening in said first end of said at least one battery cavity, said input area being positioned on said front face between said display area and said top face.

13. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 12, the improvement further comprising two battery cavities, each battery cavity having an opening that opens individually onto said bottom face.

14. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 12, the improvement further comprising a battery cover configured to conform to said bottom face, said cover abutting against said bottom face to cover said openings when in a closed position.

15. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 12, the improvement further comprising a battery cover removably mounted on said bottom face to cover said openings that open onto said bottom face.

16. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 12, the improvement further comprising said housing being formed of front and rear shells, said front shell comprising said front face and a portion of said top and bottom faces, said rear shell comprising a rear face and a remaining portion of said top and bottom faces.

17. In the hand-held navigation device of claim 12, the improvement further comprising said housing including a rear shell having said at least one battery cavity, said rear shell being formed partially from portions of said top and bottom faces.