End-insertion data terminal dock with positive data terminal lock and bounce-preventing contact engagement bias

• US 5,466,170 A
• Filed: 11/02/1993
• Issued: 11/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Pavek, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeMello, Jill
• Application Number:
  US08/146,882
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 439/429, 439/357, 439/358, 439/374, 439/377, 439/297, 439/298, 439/534, 439/31, 320/2
• US Class Current: 439/374
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/08 Feeding or discharging cards
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2442 with a single cantilevered beam
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

A docking device for a data collection terminal comprises a latch which positively retains an inserted data collection terminal in a docking position in which communication contacts are communicatively coupled to complementary contacts on the docking device. The latch urges an inserted data collection terminal into a latched rest position with an optimal minimum contact engagement force, such that any shock or vibration has a tendency to increase the contact engagement force to thereby eliminate an inadvertent opening of contacts due to shock or vibration.

Claims

1. An end-insertion docking device for a data collection terminal comprising:

a docking channel having an insertion opening at an insertion end thereof and having a retention end opposite the insertion end, the docking channel having a base wall and having terminal retention surface caps disposed spacedly opposite the base wall, forming a retention cavity therebetween;

an electrical spring contact assembly disposed at the retention end, the electrical spring contact assembly having spring contacts extending through the base wall of the docking channel into the retention cavity to move into electrical contact with surface contacts on a data collection terminal; and

means for engaging an inserted data collection terminal when fully inserted into the retention cavity, the engaging means having means for positively latching an inserted data collection terminal into the fully inserted position and for urging an inserted and latched data collection terminal in a direction away from the spring contacts and against the retention surface caps, whereby any movement due to shock or vibration moves an inserted data collection terminal toward engagement with the spring contact to thereby eliminate contact opening between the spring contacts and surface contacts on an inserted data collection terminal.

2. An end-insertion docking device for a data collection terminal comprising:

a docking channel means including a longitudinally extending docking channel having an insertion end and a retention end longitudinally opposite the insertion end, the docking channel having a base wall, side walls and inwardly extending retention caps opposite the base wall;

spring contact means disposed adjacent the retention end and having spring contacts, the spring contacts resiliently biased to extend into the docking channel to resiliently engage surface contacts of a data collection terminal upon insertion of the data collection terminal into the docking channel; and

retention means for selectively latching a data collection terminal in a retained position upon insertion of the data collection terminal into the docking channel, the retention means including means for resiliently urging a selectively latched data collection terminal away from the base wall and in a direction away from the spring contacts into engagement with the retention caps, such that the spring contacts contact the surface contacts of the inserted data collection terminal with a minimum contact force when the data collection terminal is urged against the retention caps, whereby the contact force between the spring contacts and the surface contacts of the inserted data collection terminal increases when the data collection terminal is urged out of engagement with the retention caps.

3. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of guide pins mounted in and protruding from the base wall into the docking channel, the guide pins having guide ends spaced from the base wall of the docking channel, thereby spacing a data collection terminal inserted into the docking channel from the base wall.

4. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of guide pins comprises a first pair of upper guide pins disposed adjacent the insertion end and a second pair of lower guide pins disposed adjacent the retention end of the docking channel.

5. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 4, wherein the first pair of upper guide pins is transversely spaced within the docking channel, and the upper guide pins have upper guide surfaces with an inward slope toward the docking channel and a cylindrical crown formed about an axis in the direction of the slope, the upper guide pins being spaced to engage lower longitudinal corners of a housing of an inserted data collection terminal, and wherein the second pair of lower guide pins are transversely spaced within the docking channel, and the lower guide pins have cylindrically crowned upper guide surfaces, the lower guide pins being spaced to guide a lower surface of housing of an inserted data collection terminal adjacent longitudinal corners thereof.

6. An end-insertion docking device for a data collection terminal comprising:

a docking channel having a longitudinal extent and an insertion end with an insertion opening at the insertion end, a retention end longitudinally opposite from the insertion end, the docking channel having a base wall and having terminal retention surface caps disposed spacedly opposite the base wall, forming a retention cavity therebetween;

a plurality of guide pins mounted in and protruding from the base wall into the docking channel, the guide pins having guide ends spaced from the base wall of the docking channel, thereby spacing a data collection terminal inserted into the docking channel from the base wall; and

means for selectively latching a data collection terminal into, and releasing a latched data collection terminal from, the docking device;

said means for selectively latching and releasing comprising;

(a) at least one retention pawl lever pivotally mounted to pivot about a pivot shaft and urged with a bias force to protrude into the docking channel adjacent the retention end of the docking device to lockingly engage the data collection terminal when fully inserted into the docking channel; and

(b) at least one release lever extending in the longitudinal direction of docking channel and pivotably coupled to the pivot shaft, the at least one release lever being pivotably movable to move the at least one retention pawl lever against the urging of the bias force away from protruding into the docking channel, the at least one release lever having a pivot length which exceeds a pivot length of the retention pawl lever about the pivot shaft to provide a mechanical advantage for a second force less than the bias force to move the release lever against the bias force.

7. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one retention pawl lever comprises two retention pawl levers symmetrically spaced with respect to a longitudinal centerline through the docking channel.

8. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one release lever comprises two release levers symmetrically spaced with respect to a longitudinal centerline through the docking channel.

9. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 6, wherein the release lever has an angular structure comprising a horizontal beam and a horizontal beam merged at a joint corner into a joint structure of angular cross section.

10. An end-insertion docking device for a data collection terminal comprising:

a docking channel having a longitudinal extent and an insertion end with an insertion opening at the insertion end, a retention end longitudinally opposite from the insertion end, the docking channel having a base wall and having terminal retention surface caps disposed spacedly opposite the base wall, forming a retention cavity therebetween;

a plurality of guide pins mounted in and protruding from the base wall into the docking channel, the guide pins having guide ends spaced from the base wall of the docking channel, thereby spacing a data collection terminal inserted into the docking channel from the base wall;

said plurality of guide pins comprising a first pair of upper guide pins transversely spaced within the docking channel adjacent the insertion end, the upper guide pins having upper guide surfaces having an inward slope toward the docking channel and a cylindrical crown formed about an axis in the direction of the slope, the upper guide pins being spaced to engage lower longitudinal corners of a housing of an inserted data collection terminal, and a second pair of lower guide pins transversely spaced within the docking channel adjacent the retention end, the lower guide pins having cylindrically crowned upper guide surfaces, the lower guide pins being spaced to guide a lower surface of housing of an inserted data collection terminal adjacent longitudinal corners thereof; and

means for selectively latching a data collection terminal into, and releasing a latched data collection terminal from, the docking device.

11. An end-insertion docking device for a data collection terminal comprising:

a docking channel having a longitudinal extent and an insertion end with an insertion opening at the insertion end, a retention end longitudinally opposite from the insertion end, the docking channel having a base wall and having terminal retention surface caps disposed spacedly opposite the base wall, forming a retention cavity therebetween;

a plurality of guide pins mounted in and protruding from the base wall into the docking channel, the guide pins having guide ends spaced from the base wall of the docking channel, thereby spacing a data collection terminal inserted into the docking channel from the base wall; and

means for selectively latching a data collection terminal into, and releasing a latched data collection terminal from, the docking device;

said means for selectively latching and releasing comprising a pair of retention pawl levers transversely spaced about a longitudinal centerline through the docking channel, the retention pawl levers being pivotably mounted and having movable outer ends and each such end terminating in a retention prong, the retention pawl lever being pivotably biased with the retention prongs yieldingly protruding into the docking channel adjacent the retention end, the retention prongs yieldingly engaging an inserted data collection terminal to retain such inserted data collection terminal in a fully inserted position.

12. The end-insertion docking device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of guide pins comprises a first pair of upper guide pins disposed adjacent the insertion end and a second pair of lower guide pins disposed adjacent the retention end of the docking channel.

13. An end-insertion docking device for a data collection terminal comprising:

a docking channel having a longitudinal extent, an insertion end with an insertion opening and a retention end spaced longitudinally opposite from the insertion end;

the docking channel having a base wall and terminal retention surface caps spaced opposite the base wall such that a retention cavity is formed therebetween;

a plurality of spring contacts, protruding into the docking channel, and guide surfaces forming part of the docking channel such that a plurality of surface contacts of the data collection terminal are guidable into alignment with the spring contacts; and

means for selectively and one-handedly engaging the data collection terminal into, and one-handedly removing the data collection terminal from, the docking device; and

wherein the terminal retention surface caps engage oppositely and peripherally disposed portions of the data collection terminal such that a keyboard of the data collection terminal inserted into the docking device remains accessible.