Rugged design for hand held mobile terminals

• US 7,522,889 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Maiman, Mitchell, Spano, Robert A., Wulff, Thomas, Ilkhanov, Azer
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/334,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,304 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.1, 455/569.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/575.8, 455/348, 455/550.1, 379/428.01, 379/433.01, 379/433.11
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1418 Card guides, e.g. grooves H05K7/1425 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for a rugged hand held mobile terminal design are provided. The mobile terminal design includes a monocoque enclosure for housing electronic components. The electronic components are mounted on a rail system, which is positioned within an interior portion of the enclosure through an open end of the enclosure. The mobile terminal design also includes a display bezel. The display bezel and the rail system have mating parts for securing the assembly together.

Claims

1. A hand held mobile terminal housing comprising:

a rail system having electronics mounted thereon, the rail system supports one or more internal components and further acts as an assembly backbone for the mobile terminal;

a monocoque enclosure, the electronics and a substantial portion of the rail system are housed within the monocoque enclosure; and

a gasket that forms a coverless seal with the rail system to mitigate contaminates from entering the mobile terminal.

2. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 1, further comprising a bezel having at least one latch for coupling with the rail system.

3. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 2, the latch of the bezel is a substantially L-shaped member.

4. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 2, the rail system has at least one corresponding notch for slidably engaging with the latch of the rail system.

5. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 4, a latch receiving groove and the latch engage within an interior portion of the monocoque enclosure.

6. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 2, the rail system has at least one corresponding aperture for slidably engaging with the latch of the rail system.

7. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 1, further comprising a display.

8. The hand held mobile terminal housing of claim 7, the display and bezel are sealed via the gasket positioned around a perimeter of the display.

9. A personal digital assistant employing the housing of claim 1.

10. A cellular telephone employing the housing of claim 1.

11. An electronic game employing the housing of claim 1.

12. A barcode scanner employing the housing of claim 1.

13. A monocoque enclosure for a hand held mobile terminal comprising:

a rail system that supports one or more internal components, the rails system acts as an assembly backbone for the mobile terminal;

a gasket that forms a coverless seal with the rail system to mitigate contaminates from entering the monocoque enclosure;

a substantially one-piece casing; and

an open end formed in the casing for receiving electronic components mounted on the rail system, where a substantial portion of the rail system and the electronic components mounted thereon are adapted to be enclosed by the substantially one-piece casing.

14. The monocoque enclosure of claim 13, further comprising at least one aperture in the casing for receiving a corresponding latch.

15. The monocoque enclosure of claim 13, further comprising an opening in the casing for allowing access to a communication interface.

16. The monocoque enclosure of claim 13 being fabricated from metal.

17. The monocoque enclosure of claim 13 being fabricated from plastic.

18. A rail system for a hand held mobile terminal comprising:

one or more rails to support one or more internal components, the rails act as an assembly backbone for the mobile terminal;

a gasket that forms a coverless seal with a rail system to mitigate contaminates from entering the hand held mobile terminal; and

a structure having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is configured to be housed within an interior portion of a mobile terminal enclosure and the second portion is configured to correspond with an exterior portion of the mobile terminal enclosure.

19. The rail system of claim 18, the first portion of the structure has electronic components for the mobile terminal mounted thereon.

20. The rail system of claim 18, the first portion of the structure has at least one notch formed in a side portion of the structure for receiving a corresponding latch.

21. The rail system of claim 18, the first portion of the structure has at least one aperture formed therein for receiving a corresponding latch.

22. A method for fabricating a hand held mobile terminal housing comprising:

coupling a rail system having electronics mounted thereon to an internal portion of a monocoque enclosure, the rail system supports one or more internal components and acts as a sub-frame that provides torsional rigidity for the mobile terminal and includes at least one aperature that draws the monocoque enclosure toward a bezel;

strengthening the mobile terminal housing by securing the rail system to the monocoque enclosure in a manner that acts in tension from a bottom portion of the enclosure;

coupling a display to the rail system;

coupling the bezel to the rail system such that mating parts of the bezel and rail system engage within an interior portion of the monocoque enclosure; and

coupling the display to the bezel on the rail system to form a coverless seal via a gasket to mitigate contaminates from entering the hand held mobile terminal.