Handheld indicia reader having locking endcap

• US 8,870,074 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gannon, Colleen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US14/023,762
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 235/435, 235/454, 235/462.43, 235/462.45, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/00 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An indicia-reading device including an indicia-capturing subsystem for acquiring information about indicia within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view and an indicia-decoding module configured for decoding indicia information within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view. The device also includes a hand-supportable housing, a battery compartment, an end cap for holding the battery compartment in place, and a locking mechanism for securing the end cap to the battery compartment during use.

Claims

1. An indicia-reading device, comprising:

an indicia-capturing subsystem for acquiring information about indicia within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view;

an indicia-decoding module configured for decoding indicia information within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view, the indicia-decoding module comprising a signal processor; and

a hand-supportable housing substantially enclosing the indicia-capturing subsystem and the indicia-decoding module, the hand-supportable housing including (i) an integral battery compartment, (ii) an end cap removably engaging the battery compartment, the end cap defining a recessed portion and a keyhole within the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion, and (iii) a rotatable locking mechanism for securing the end cap to the battery compartment;

wherein the rotatable locking mechanism comprises (i) a longitudinal blade for engaging the end cap'"'"'s keyhole, the longitudinal blade defining an axis, (ii) a head bow for positioning the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s blade within the end cap'"'"'s keyhole, the head bow contiguously positioned atop the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s longitudinal blade, and (iii) a clip for rotatably restricting rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism within the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion when the clip is in a locked position and permitting rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism within the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion when the clip is in a unlocked position, the clip affixed to the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s head bow;

wherein, when the rotatable locking mechanism is engaged in the end cap to thereby secure the end cap to the battery compartment, the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion is configured to accommodate the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip in its locked position;

wherein, as measured from the center of the end cap'"'"'s keyhole, the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion has a minimum radius r_recess-min;

wherein, as measured with respect to the axis defined by the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s blade, the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip has a radius r_up-max when unlocked and a radius r_down-max when locked; and

wherein r_up-max<

r_recess-min<

r_down-max.

2. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein substantially complete rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism is permitted when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in an unlocked position.

3. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein complete rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism is prevented when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in a locked position.

4. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism is restricted to less than 30 degrees when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in a locked position.

5. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip facilitates hand rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in an unlocked position.

6. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s head bow includes a frictional interference slot for engaging the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip in the unlocked position facilitating hand rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in an unlocked position.

7. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-reading device is a handheld scanner.

8. The indicia-reading device according to claim 7, wherein the integral battery compartment is positioned within a base portion of the hand supportable housing.

9. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism comprises a captive screw.

10. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-reading device is battery powered.

11. The indicia-reading device according to claim 10, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

12. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s blade comprises a threaded portion.

13. An indicia-reading device, comprising:

an indicia-capturing subsystem for acquiring information about indicia within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view;

an indicia-decoding module configured for decoding indicia information within the indicia-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view, the indicia-decoding module comprising a signal processor; and

a hand-supportable housing substantially enclosing the indicia-capturing subsystem and the indicia-decoding module, the hand-supportable housing including (i) an integral battery compartment, (ii) an end cap removably engaging the battery compartment, the end cap defining a recessed portion and a keyhole within the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion, and (iii) a rotatable locking mechanism for securing the end cap to the battery compartment;

wherein the rotatable locking mechanism comprises (i) a longitudinal blade for engaging the end cap'"'"'s keyhole, the longitudinal blade defining an axis, (ii) a head bow for positioning the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s blade within the end cap'"'"'s keyhole, the head bow contiguously positioned atop the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s longitudinal blade, and (iii) a clip for rotatably restricting rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism within the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion when the clip is in a locked position and permitting rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism within the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion when the clip is in a unlocked position, the clip affixed to the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s head bow;

wherein, when the rotatable locking mechanism is engaged in the end cap to thereby secure the end cap to the battery compartment, the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion is configured to accommodate the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip in its locked position;

wherein, as measured from the center of the end cap'"'"'s keyhole, the end cap'"'"'s recessed portion has a minimum radius r_recess-min;

wherein, as measured with respect to the axis defined by the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s blade, the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip has a radius r_up-max when unlocked and a radius r_down-max when locked;

wherein r_up-max<

r_recess-min<

r_down-max;

wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s head bow includes a frictional interference lip for engaging the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip in the locked position;

wherein substantially complete rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism is permitted when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in an unlocked position; and

wherein complete rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism is prevented when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in a locked position.

14. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism is restricted to less than 50 degrees when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in a locked position.

15. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip facilitates hand rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in an unlocked position.

16. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s head bow includes a frictional interference slot for engaging the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip in the unlocked position facilitating hand rotation of the rotatable locking mechanism when the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s clip is in an unlocked position.

17. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein the indicia-reading device is a handheld scanner.

18. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism comprises a captive screw.

19. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein the rotatable locking mechanism'"'"'s blade comprises a threaded portion.

20. The indicia-reading device according to claim 13, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.