System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein

#A conventional optical window is utilized in an electronics enclosure (or a housing) to provide a means of allowing an optical signal from an optical sensing device (e.g., a laser scanner, a digital camera, a CCD device, an IR device, etc.) and a return signal to pass with minimal distortion and loss through an environmentally sealed optical aperture. Such window prevents water, electro-static discharge (“ESD”), dust and moisture from entering the housing thereby protecting sensitive electronics and optical devices contained within. The conventional optical window is assembled into the housing as a secondary operation requiring several parts and several assembly operations.

#FIG. 1 shows a conventional assembly 1 which includes a bezel 4, a sealing material (gasket) 8, a window 6 and a housing 2. For a plastic injection-molded housing 2, a mold tool is required for the bezel 4, as well as for the housing 2. Each part is fabricated separately. The bezel 4 is placed over the window 6 and is ultrasonically welded to the housing 2. The bezel 4 fixes the window 6 in place, while the gasket 8 provides the environmental seal.

#The above-described method requires a significant number of post-molding operations. The parts must be fabricated, inspected, packaged and transported to the final assembly location. The parts are removed manually by the operator, inspected and cleaned if necessary. The operator places the parts in a nest tool to properly align them for the ultrasonic welding operation. The horn of the ultrasonic welding apparatus must fit into the cavity of the housing in order to apply energy to the parts for welding. After the welding energy is applied, the operator removes the assembly from the fixture and visually inspects it for proper alignment of all parts.

#FIG. 1 shows a conventional assembly;

#FIG. 2a shows an exemplary embodiment of an assembly including a housing with a window member therein according to the present invention;

#FIG. 2b shows another exemplary embodiment of the assembly;

#FIG. 2a shows an exemplary embodiment of an assembly 50 according to the present invention. The assembly 50 includes a housing 14 and a window member 10 therein. The window member 10 is sealed within the housing 14 using a seal 12. The sealing process is performed during manufacturing of the housing 14 and is described in detail below. The housing 14 may include, for example, a housing of a hand-scanner and the window member 10 may include, e.g., a piece of glass, plastic or any other transparent or semi-transparent material. The window member 10 may have a plurality of geometrical shapes, e.g., rectangular, round, oval, polygonal, etc.

#FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention of a method for manufacturing the assembly 50 having the housing 14 with the window member 10 therein. In step 100, a first part 20 and a second part 22 are assembled into a molding configuration (See FIGS. 6a, 6b). This molding configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, creates a first mold 51 which has a first molding cavity 24 and a second molding cavity 28. The first and second parts 20, 22 are so configured that when they are in an assembled mode, the second molding cavity 28 is sealed with the respect to the first molding cavity 24. Those skilled in the art would understand that a plurality of shapes of the first and second parts 20, 22 may be utilized to achieve the same result.

#In step 102, a first molding material 26 is added into the first molding cavity 24 as shown by the arrows in FIG. 4. The addition of the first molding material 26 may be performed by an injection process. The first molding material 26 may be a conventional thermo-plastic material. The first molding material 26 fills in only the first molding cavity 24 and is prevented from entering the second molding cavity 28 by the configuration of the first and second parts 20, 22. The first and second parts 20, 22 are held in the assembled mode for a predetermined time period so that the first molding material 26 may harden to create the housing 14.