Permanent visual shock indicator

• US 6,712,274 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Austin, Timothy, Dvorkis, Paul, Bhargava, Vikram, Grosfeld, Henry, Barkan, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US10/194,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20030047614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.1, 235/462.32, 235/462.37, 235/462.36, 235/462.43, 235/472.01, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/472.02, 235/462.33, 734/88, 735/140.1, 735/141.6, 734/92, 73/13.8, 735/143.6, 735/143.7, 735/143.8, 116/203, 116/201, 702/56, 702/141, 346/7, 340/429
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10653 using flexible or piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction

Abstract

A suspension mass is mounted for swinging movement relative to, and extends between, a pair of fixed posts spaced apart from each other on an annular support mounted in a portable electronic device. The mass is connected to the posts through a pair of breakable links.

Claims

1. An arrangement for permanently visually indicating when a portable electronic device has been subjected to mechanical shock above a predetermined design limit, comprising:

a) an annular support bounding an interior space and fixedly mounted in the device, and having a pair of fixed posts spaced apart from each other within the interior space;

b) a suspension mass mounted within the interior space for swinging movement relative to, and extending between, the fixed posts; and

c) a pair of breakable links located in the interior space between the mass and the fixed posts, the links having a shock acceleration limit characteristic that causes the links to break when the mass has swung relative to the fixed posts past a predetermined distance upon subjecting the device to mechanical shock, the mass being located within the interior space of the support after the links have broken.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the support is a circular ring bounding the interior space, and wherein the fixed posts extend inwardly from the ring into the interior space.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the ring has a plurality of mounting lugs for securing the ring to the device.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein each lug has a mounting hole.

5. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the lugs are equiangularly arranged around the ring and extend outwardly therefrom.

6. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the mass is located within the interior space of the ring and is symmetrically mounted therein.

7. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the mass is generally planar.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein the mass has a curved outer edge.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the support, the mass and the links are molded of one-piece construction out of plastic material.