Replaceable connector

• US 9,148,474 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Skvoretz, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, PHUONG K
• Application Number:
  US13/792,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/915
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/621 Bolt, set screw or screw clamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6271 Latching means integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/74 Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A connector includes a connector body, two or more connector pads within the connector body, and a releasable attachment mechanism for attaching the connector to a mobile computer. The connector may include a seal positioned around the outer edge of the connector body. The connector typically includes two or more connector pins each in contact with a respective connector pad.

Claims

1. A connector for a mobile computer for facilitate use of the computer with a docking station, comprising:

a connector body;

two or more connector pads within the connector body, each connector pad comprising an external surface that engages electrical contacts a docking station; and

a releasable attachment mechanism for attaching the connector to a mobile computer.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector'"'"'s releasable attachment mechanism comprises one or more screws.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector'"'"'s releasable attachment mechanism comprises a mechanical latch.

4. The connector system according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a seal positioned around the outer edge of the connector body.

5. The connector system according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises two or more connector pins, each connector pin being in contact with a respective connector pad.

6. A handheld scanner comprising the connector according to claim 1, wherein each connector pad comprises an external surface that engages a docking station.

7. A computer system to facilitate use of a mobile computer with a docking station, comprising:

a connector comprising a connector body, two or more connector pads within the connector body, each connector pad comprising an external surface that engages electrical contacts of a docking station, and an attachment mechanism; and

a backhousing comprising

a backhousing body and a receiving mechanism for receiving the connector'"'"'s attachment mechanism;

wherein the connector'"'"'s attachment mechanism and the backhousing'"'"'s receiving mechanism are adapted to releasably attach the connector to the backhousing.

8. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein the connector'"'"'s attachment mechanism comprises one or more screws.

9. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein the connector'"'"'s attachment mechanism comprises a mechanical latch.

10. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein:

the connector'"'"'s attachment mechanism comprises one or more screws; and

the backhousing'"'"'s receiving mechanism comprises screw bosses.

11. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein:

the connector'"'"'s attachment mechanism comprises a mechanical latch; and

the backhousing'"'"'s receiving mechanism comprises a latch indention.

12. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein the connector comprises a seal positioned around the outer edge of the connector body.

13. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein the backhousing comprises a seal that is positioned on the backhousing body to prevent the ingress of contaminants between the connector and backhousing when the connector and backhousing are attached.

14. The connector system according to claim 7, comprising a seal to prevent the ingress of contaminants between the connector and backhousing when the connector and backhousing are attached.

15. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein the connector comprises two or more connector pins, each connector pin being in contact with a respective connector pad.

16. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein the backhousing comprises two or more metal pads, each metal pad positioned to engage a respective connector pad.

17. The connector system according to claim 7, wherein:

the connector comprises two or more connector pins, each connector pin being in contact with a respective connector pad; and

the backhousing comprises two or more metal pads, each metal pad positioned to engage a respective connector pin.

18. A handheld scanner comprising the connector system according to claim 7, wherein each connector pad comprises an external surface that engages a docking station.