Portable data terminal internal support structure

• US 7,706,140 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hooks, Larry Keith Jr., Grunow, Jonathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US11/935,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20090091886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.55, 361/679.56
• US Class Current: 361/679.56
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266

Abstract

A portable data terminal comprising a circuit board which supports and interconnects a plurality of electrical components, a display, an angled frame which maintains the display at an angle to the circuit board, and a bracket which extends across the angled frame. The angled frame engages a peripheral portion of a first side of the circuit board. The bracket engages the circuit board so as to reduce the flexure of, and secure at least one electrical component on the circuit board.

Claims

1. A portable data terminal comprising:

a circuit board supporting and interconnecting a plurality of electrical components;

a display;

an angled frame maintaining said display at an angle to said circuit board;

said angled frame engaging a peripheral portion of a first side of said circuit board; and

a bracket extending across said angled frame engaging said circuit board so as to reduce flexure of said circuit board and secure at least one electrical component on said circuit board.

2. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna; and

wherein said antenna is supported by an exterior surface of said angled frame.

3. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 2, where said antenna is a patch antenna.

4. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said bracket further comprising:

an extension to facilitate repeatable routing of a wire/lead connecting said antenna to said circuit board.

5. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said angled frame further comprising:

at least one solid post; and

wherein said bracket slideably engages with said at least one solid post so as to orient said bracket with said angled frame.

6. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical component is a battery.

7. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical component is a removable printed circuit board.

8. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical component is a wireless communication circuit.

9. The portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said angle of said angled frame is in the range of 10 to 20 degrees.

10. The portable data terminal from claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of electrical components is an elongated electrical component;

and

wherein said bracket reduces flexure of said circuit board near said elongated electrical component.

11. A portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said elongated electrical component is a connector.

12. A portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said elongated electrical component is mounted on an opposite side of said circuit board from said bracket.

13. A portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a frame engaging a peripheral portion of a second side of said circuit board; and

wherein said bracket biases said circuit board against said frame.

14. A portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical component is at least two electrical components.

15. A portable data terminal comprising:

a dataform reader;

a display;

an antenna;

said antenna being a patch antenna;

a circuit board supporting and interconnecting a plurality of electrical components;

a housing supporting the dataform reader, display and antenna, the housing formed at least partially by top and bottom housing sections, the bottom section having a front surface with an opening utilized by said dataform reader, the bottom section having a front surface that mates with the front surface of the bottom section;

an angled frame maintaining said display at an angle to said circuit board such that said display is closer to said circuit board at a first end of said angled frame than at a second end of said angled frame, said second end of said angled frame supporting said antenna such that a major plane of the antenna is approximately parallel with the front surface of the top section of the housing.

16. A portable data terminal, as set forth in claim 15, further comprising:

a bracket extending across said angled frame engaging said circuit board so as to reduce flexure of said circuit board and secure at least one electrical component on said circuit board.

17. The portable data terminal from claim 16, wherein one of said plurality of electrical components is an elongated electrical component;

and

wherein said bracket reduces flexure of said circuit board near said elongated electrical component.

18. A method for routing an antenna wire comprising the steps of:

providing a portable data terminal comprising;

a circuit board supporting and interconnecting a plurality of electrical components;

a display;

an angled frame maintaining said display at an angle to said circuit board;

said angled frame engaging a peripheral portion of a first side of said circuit board; and

a bracket having an extension to facilitate repeatable routing of a wire/lead;

engaging said bracket with said angled frame;

engaging said bracket with said circuit board so as to reduce flexure of said circuit board and secure at least one electrical component on said circuit board;

providing an antenna, where said antenna is a patch antenna;

engaging said antenna to an exterior surface said angled frame;

routing said wire/lead through said bracket, said extension, and said angled frame, between said antenna and said circuit board; and

connecting said antenna to said circuit board with said wire/lead.