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US 4,905,173 AGranted
Hardened shop-floor data terminal
OwnerJames S. Biancoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a preferred embodiment, a hardened data terminal having a heavy cover with a small, essentially sealed, internal cavity housing electronic components; a sealed visual data display; and a keyboard mounted on a base member, which base member transmits most of the force from the punching of the keys directly to the surface upon which the terminal is placed, by virtue of a free edge of the base, in proximity to the keyboard, which directly contacts the surface upon which the terminal rests. The balance of such force is transmitted to the surface by the cover which is a relatively heavy single-piece casing and which has a relatively large area contacting the surface. The terminal housing may be assembled using only adhesives and as few as two screws.
Claims24
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a planar base member having an upper surface and having a front end portion formed therein, said front end portion to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests, said front end portion being free of attachment to, or contact with, any other element of said data terminal;
- and
- (b) keyboard means displayed upon said upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said front end portion, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transferred directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests.
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a base member having at least one free edge thereof to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (b) keyboard means disposed upon the upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said free edge, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transferred directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (c) a cover member to which said base member is secured at an attachment point distant from said free edge, so that said cover member transmits the balance of said punching forces to said surface;
- (d) an internal chamber to house electronic components, said chamber defined by:
- top and sides of said cover member, a clear window covering said opening for visible access to said visual display means, and a channel-shaped portion of said base member formed between internal and rear vertical walls of said base member;
- such that said chamber is sealed against the ingress of foreign matter when said terminal is resting on said surface;
- and
- (e) said chamber is electrically accessible by means of electrical connectors in said internal vertical wall.
5 more elements
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a base member having at least one free edge thereof to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (b) keyboard means disposed upon the upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said free edge, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transferred directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (c) a cover member to which said base member is secured at an attachment point distant from said free edge, so that said cover member transmits the balance of said punching forces to said surface;
- (d) an internal chamber to house electronic components, said chamber defined by:
- top and sides of said cover member, a clear window covering said opening for visible access to said visual display means, and a channel-shaped portion of said base member formed between internal and rear vertical walls of said base member;
- such that said chamber is sealed against the ingress of foreign matter when said terminal is resting on said surface;
- and
- (e) said clear window is adhesively sealed to the inside of said cover member.
5 more elements
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a base member having at least one free edge thereof to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (b) keyboard means disposed upon the upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said free edge, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transformed directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (c) a cover member to which said base member is secured at an attachment point distant from said free edge, so that said cover member transmits the balance of said punching forces to said surface;
- (d) an internal chamber to house electronic components, said chamber defined by:
- top and sides of said cover member, a clear window covering said opening for visible access to said visual display means, and a channel-shaped portion of said base member formed between internal and rear vertical walls of said base member;
- such that said chamber is sealed against the ingress of foreign matter when said terminal is resting on said surface;
- and
- (e) when said terminal is resting on said base, the inside of said cover member is physically accessible only through an opening defined in the lower portion of the rear wall of said cover member.
5 more elements
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a base member having at least one free edge thereof to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests;
- and
- (b) monolithic membrane keyboard means adhesively sealed to the upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said free edge, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transferred directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests.
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a sheet metal base member having at least one free edge thereof to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests;
- and
- (b) keyboard means disposed upon the upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said free edge, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transferred directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests.
A hardened data terminal, comprising:
- (a) a base member having at least one free edge thereof to contact a surface upon which said terminal rests;
- (b) keyboard means adhesively sealed to the upper surface of said base member, generally in proximity to said free edge, such that a substantial portion of the punching forces resulting from the use of said keyboard is transferred directly to said surface upon which said terminal rests;
- and
- (c) a cover member, comprising a metal casting, to which said base member is secured at an attachment point distant from said free edge, so that said cover member transmits the balance of said punching forces to said surface.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.