Modular sealed portable digital electronic controller

• US 7,397,003 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weightech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Weightech, Inc.
• Inventors: Tull, Steve D., Cox, Timothy R., Pagan, Ronald T., Newell, Stephen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US11/198,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20050269140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 177/238, 174/50.5, 174/50.52, 174/50.53, 174/52.2, 361/752, 361/736, 235/145.R, 400/714
• US Class Current: 177/238
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/28 Frames, Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/06 Hermetically-sealed casings specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095

Abstract

An electronic digital controller, such as a load cell indicator, is disclosed in which a number of components, such as a circuit board, display, and keypad are placed within an enclosure, and the enclosure is bonded closed, such as using an adhesive, to render the enclosure watertight. The keypad is a touch sensitive, capacitive keypad with no moving parts, and it is housed behind a rigid panel. An optoelectronic transceiver allows for data exchange with an electronic memory device housed in the adhesively sealed enclosure and allows for data exchange and for updating or modification of software code housed therein. Other components, such as another circuit board, a power supply, and block connectors, are placed in an adjacent enclosure, and the circuit boards in the two enclosures are electrically connected. The power supply is preferably a potted AC power supply but may also include a battery.

Claims

1. A load cell indicator, comprising:

a front housing;

a rear housing;

a base disposed between the front housing and rear housing which separates the front housing and rear housing from one another;

a first enclosure formed by the front housing, a front panel, and the base, the first enclosure having the following components disposed therein;

a first circuit board,

a display, and

a first connector and a keypad electrically connected to the first circuit board;

a second enclosure formed by the rear housing and the base, the base separating the first enclosure from the second enclosure, the following components disposed within the second enclosure;

a second circuit board,

a second connector and a power supply electrically connected to the second circuit board, and

one or more ports extending through the rear housing for connection with external devices; and

a permanent seal between the base and the front housing to prevent fluid infiltration into the first enclosure,

wherein the first and second connectors connect to one another through the base when the housing is assembled,

wherein the load cell indicator is utilized to display force or weight data received from a load cell and convert the data from analog to digital format before the data is displayed or used, and

wherein the base extends the length of the front housing.

2. The indicator of claim 1, wherein the front housing is permanently sealed to the base around its perimeter.

3. The indicator of claim 2, wherein the base, front housing, and front panel form the entire boundary of the first enclosure.

4. The indicator of claim 3, wherein the first enclosure prevents fluid infiltration therein by the permanent seal between the front housing and the front panel and between the front housing and the base.

5. The indicator of claim 4, wherein the keypad is disposed below the front panel within the first enclosure.

6. The indicator of claim 3, wherein the base and die rear housing form the entire boundary of the second enclosure.

7. A load cell indicator, comprising:

a front housing;

a rear housing;

a base disposed between the front housing and rear housing which separates the front housing and rear housing from one another;

first enclosure formed by the front housing, a front panel, and the base, the first enclosure having the following components disposed therein;

a first circuit board,

a display, and

a first connector and a keypad electrically connected to the first circuit board;

a second enclosure formed b the rear housing and the base the base separating the first enclosure from the second enclosure, the following components disposed within the second enclosure;

a second circuit board,

a second connector and a power supply electrically connected to the second circuit board, and

one or more ports extending through the rear housing for connection with external devices; and

a permanent seal between the base and the front housing to prevent fluid infiltration into the first

wherein the first and second connectors connect to one another through the base when the housing is assembled,

wherein the load cell indicator is utilized to display force or weight data received from a load cell and convert the data from analog to digital format before the data is displayed or used, and

wherein the first enclosure and the second enclosure are approximately the same size.

8. A load cell indicator, comprising:

a front housing;

a rear housing;

a base disposed between the front housing and rear housing which separates the front housing and rear housing from one another;

a first enclosure fanned by the front housing, a front panel and the base, the first enclosure having the following components disposed therein;

a first circuit boards,

a display, and

a first connector and a keypad electrically connected to the first circuit board;

a second enclosure formed by the rear housing and the base, the base separating the first enclosure from the second enclosure, the following components disposed within the second enclosure;

a second circuit board,

a second connector and a power supply electrically connected to the second circuit board, and

one or more ports extending through the rear housing for connection with external devices; and

a permanent seal between the base and the front housing to prevent fluid infiltration into the first enclosure,

wherein the fast and second connectors connect to one another through the base when the housing is assembled,

wherein the load cell indicator is utilized to display force or weight data received from a load cell and convert the data from analog to digital format before the data is displayed or used, and

wherein the front housing and the rear housing are approximately the same size.