Data collection device enclosure

• US 7,987,979 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Hennick, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/809,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20080295932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 206/305, 206/320, 206/363, 206/576, 150/154, 150/161, 150/165, 220/495.11, 220/495.08, 220/495.06, 383/2, 383/80, 534/14, 535/85, 534/80, 215/230
• US Class Current: 206/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02

Abstract

An enclosure for housing a portable data transfer device, such as a bar code scanner, data collection device, or other equipment, for use in environments requiring a certain level of cleanliness, for protection against transmission of infection or merely dust or dirt, while allowing a full range of functional capability of such devices and equipment.

Claims

1. A protective disposable enclosure for a data collection device that includes at least a hand-held portion and a data transferal portion that includes an imaging portion, said enclosure having an open configuration and a closed configuration, said enclosure comprising:

(a) a first portion, adapted to enclose the hand-held portion of the device, said first portion of the enclosure adapted to be held by a user during use of the device;

(b) a second portion, adapted to enclose the data transferal portion of the device, and being constructed and arranged to permit performance of at least a majority of the data transferal functions that the device is adapted to provide;

wherein said second portion is constructed and arranged for transmission of light to said imaging portion, said second portion comprising a region having an optical quality enabling said data collection device to capture and manipulate images from light transmitted through said second portion of the enclosure, wherein the region is provided by an optical quality window, wherein a forming of the optical quality window comprises over molding a second material over a first material.

2. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said second portion is constructed and arranged to permit performance of substantially all of the data transferal functions that the device is adapted to provide.

3. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion and said second portion of the enclosure are a one-piece construction.

4. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion and said second portion of the enclosure comprise at least a two-piece construction.

5. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a shapeless cover to enclose at least a part of said first portion of the enclosure.

6. An enclosure according to claim 5, wherein:

said second portion of the enclosure comprises a rigid end cap.

7. An enclosure according to claim 6, wherein:

said rigid end cap is glued to said shapeless cover.

8. An enclosure according to claim 6, wherein:

in said closed configuration of the enclosure, said rigid end cap is secured to said shapeless cover with an O-ring.

9. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a plurality of parts; and

in said closed configuration of the enclosure, said plurality of parts are adhesively sealed.

10. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a plurality of parts; and

in said closed configuration of the enclosure, said plurality of parts are non-adhesively mechanically sealed.

11. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion and said second portion of the enclosure are a one-piece construction.

12. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion and said second portion of the enclosure comprise at least a two-piece construction.

13. An enclosure according to claim 12, wherein:

said second portion of the enclosure comprises an end cap having an optical quality window; and

said optical quality window, in said closed configuration of the enclosure, is positioned for alignment with the imaging portion of the data collection device for transmission of imaging light through said window to the data collection portion of the device.

14. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a shapeless cover to enclose at least a part of said first portion of the enclosure.

15. An enclosure according to claim 14, wherein:

said second portion of the enclosure comprises a rigid end cap.

16. An enclosure according to claim 15, wherein:

in said closed configuration of the enclosure, said rigid end cap is secured to said shapeless cover with an O-ring.

17. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a rigid cover to enclose at least a part of said first portion of the enclosure.

18. An enclosure according to claim 17, wherein:

said second portion of the enclosure comprises a rigid end cap.

19. An enclosure according to claim 18, wherein:

said rigid end cap is secured to said rigid cover with an O-ring.

20. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a plurality of parts; and

in said closed configuration of the enclosure, said plurality of parts are adhesively sealed.

21. An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of the enclosure comprises a plurality of parts; and

in said closed configuration of the enclosure, said plurality of parts are non-adhesively mechanically sealed.

22. The protective disposable enclosure according to claim 1, wherein the forming of the optical quality window further comprises removing an area of the first material adjacent the over molded second material.

23. A protective disposable enclosure for a data collection device that includes at least a hand-held portion and a data transferal portion that includes an imaging portion, said enclosure having an open configuration and a closed configuration, said enclosure comprising:

(a) a first portion, adapted to enclose the hand-held portion of the device, said first portion of the enclosure adapted to be held by a user during use of the device;

(b) a second portion, adapted to enclose the data transferal portion of the device, and being constructed and arranged to permit performance of at least a majority of the data transferal functions that the device is adapted to provide;

wherein said second portion is constructed and arranged for transmission of light to said imaging portion, said second portion comprising a region having an optical quality enabling said data collection device to capture and manipulate images from light transmitted through said second portion of the enclosure, wherein said second portion of the enclosure comprises a rigid end cap, and wherein said rigid end cap of the second portion includes an optical quality window over molded to the remainder of the end cap.

24. A protective disposable enclosure of claim 23, wherein said first portion of the enclosure comprises a rigid part to enclose at least a part of the first portion of the enclosure.

25. A protective disposable enclosure of claim 24, wherein said rigid end cap is secured to the rigid part.

26. A protective disposable enclosure of claim 24, wherein said rigid end cap is secured to the rigid part with an O-ring.

27. A protective disposable enclosure for a data collection device that includes at least a hand-held portion and a data transferal portion that includes an imaging portion, said enclosure having an open configuration and a closed configuration, said enclosure comprising:

(a) a first portion, adapted to enclose the hand-held portion of the device, said first portion of the enclosure adapted to be held by a user during use of the device;

(b) a second portion, adapted to enclose the data transferal portion of the device, and being constructed and arranged to permit performance of at least a majority of the data transferal functions that the device is adapted to provide;

wherein said second portion is constructed and arranged for transmission of light to said imaging portion, said second portion comprising a region having an optical quality enabling said data collection device to capture and manipulate images from light transmitted through said second portion of the enclosure, wherein said first portion of the enclosure comprises a plurality of parts, wherein said plurality of parts, when said enclosure is in an open configuration, are not joined by adhesive sealing, and wherein said plurality of parts, when said enclosure is in a closed configuration, are joined by adhesive sealing.

28. The protective disposable enclosure according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of parts includes a first part for covering a front of a handle, and a second part for covering a rear of a handle.

29. The protective disposable enclosure according to claim 27, wherein a part of said plurality of parts includes a releasable release strip covering an adhesive layers, the releasable release strip preventing sticking of the protective disposable enclosure with other protective disposable enclosures when stacked with said other protective disposable enclosures.