|Publication number||US7052799 B2|
|Application number||US 10/185,334|
|Publication date||May 30, 2006|
|Filing date||Jun 27, 2002|
|Priority date||Jun 27, 2002|
|Also published as||US20040001997, US20050272401|
|Publication number||10185334, 185334, US 7052799 B2, US 7052799B2, US-B2-7052799, US7052799 B2, US7052799B2|
|Inventors||Douglas Mark Zatezalo, Mark Bradford Mellott, Ryan Anthony Zoschg, Michael Davis, Nicholas Barnes, Graham Keith Lacy, Ian Heseltine|
|Original Assignee||Vocollect, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (92), Referenced by (26), Classifications (21), Legal Events (7)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This invention relates generally to wearable, portable and/or mobile computer terminals and peripherals.
Wearable, portable and/or mobile computer terminals are used for a wide variety of tasks. Such terminals allow a worker using them to have mobility, while providing them with desirable computing and data-processing functions. Furthermore, various terminals provide a communication link to a larger, more centralized computer system. Such terminals are being implemented for an ever-increasing number of tasks.
One illustrative example of a specific use for a wearable or portable terminal is inventory management. Computerized inventory management systems are used in inventory-driven industries for various tasks, such as food and retail product distribution, manufacturing, and quality control. An overall integrated inventory management system involves a combination of a central computer for tracking and management, and the people who use and interface with the computer system in the form of order fillers, pickers and other workers. The workers handle the manual aspects of the integrated management system.
To provide an interface between the central computer system and the workers, wearable or portable terminals are used by the workers as they complete their numerous tasks. Such wearable terminals, for example, pull information directly from the central system and translate the information into voice or text commands for the workers. Through wireless RF networks, the commands to and responses from the workers are communicated between the system and the terminals. To communicate in a voice driven system, for example, the worker wears a headset which is coupled to their wearable terminal. Through the headset, the workers are able to receive voice instructions, ask questions, report the progress of their tasks, and report working conditions, such as inventory shortages, for example. Using such terminals, the work is done virtually hands-free without equipment to juggle or paperwork to carry around.
In addition to headsets, other peripherals are often coupled to the terminals depending upon the tasks to be performed. For example, bar code readers and other scanners may be utilized alone or in combination with a headset to communicate back and forth with the system.
An illustrative example of a job through a system utilizing wearable and/or portable terminals having voice capabilities may involve initially welcoming the worker to the system and defining a particular task or order, for example, a load to be filled for a certain truck to depart from a warehouse. The worker may then answer with a particular area (e.g., freezer) that they will be working in for that order. The system then vocally directs the worker to a particular aisle and bin to pick a particular quantity of an item. The worker then vocally confirms their location and the amount of items that are picked. The system may then direct them to a loading dock or bay for a particular truck to receive the order. As may be appreciated, various different scenarios might be played out through the system using a wearable terminal and attached peripherals.
The terminals are electronic devices which require a source of power. Therefore, they utilize a portable power source, such as a battery. During a shift, a worker may find that they must replace the battery in their terminal with a new one. This can be a tedious task. Often times a worker will have to stop what they are doing, remove the terminal from their belt or other securing device, disconnect the battery and install/connect a new battery. This usually requires two hands and is a significant disruption to the work schedule.
A further issue with portable batteries used with wearable and/or portable terminals is that they are susceptible to falling off or out of the terminal during use. As may be appreciated, wearable terminals are subject to rigorous use as the workers scramble around handling various tasks. The terminals are often bumped or otherwise abused in use.
In the past, batteries have tended to fall off when the terminals or the batteries were bumped. This might cause the battery or its casing to break, particularly on hard, concrete floors, and thereby result in further delays for the worker.
An additional concern with wearable terminals and also the power supplies therein, is their exposure to harsh environments which may affect their generation. Specifically, many work environments expose the terminals, and therefore the batteries, to moisture. Sometimes such moisture is direct, however, it is often in the form of condensation which may find a pathway into the electrical components of the terminal and also to the battery. For example, in food distribution, the terminals are exposed to the cold of a refrigerator or freezer environment, and then to the ambient warmth or heat and humidity of the rest of the facility. The moisture and condensation may cause electrical shorts and malfunctions in the terminal and in the batteries.
As such, it is desirable to improve upon the ruggedness of wearable terminals and their power sources. It is also desirable to improve the battery management procedures for active workers and reduce delays associated with power issues. It is further desirable to make workers more efficient and effective.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Although the invention will be described next in connection with certain embodiments, the invention is not limited to practice in any one specific type of wearable, portable and/or mobile terminal. It is contemplated that the principles of the invention can be used with a variety of electronic devices, including but not limited to wearable terminals for use with computerized inventory systems. The description of the invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalent arrangements as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular, those skilled in the art will recognize that the components of the invention described herein could be arranged in multiple different ways.
With reference to
For use in a warehouse environment, the terminal 10 incorporates a removable battery pack 18 and a battery latch mechanism 20 for detachably securing the removable battery pack 18 to the terminal 10. The battery pack 18 supplies electrical power to the electronics of the terminal 10 so that the terminal 10 is wearable by the worker and is portable. As the battery pack 18 is powered and used in the warehouse environment, the electrical energy stored by the battery pack 18 is necessarily depleted until the battery capacity is expended. The battery capacity of the battery pack 18 may be replenished with a battery charger (not shown) having a power supply that can provide a supply of DC current.
With reference to
A plurality of spring-loaded electrical contacts 34, of which one electrical contact 34 is shown in
An encapsulant 46, such as an encapsulant selected from among the 1650 Series of encapsulants commercially available from Mereco Technologies Group (West Warwick, R.I.), is injected into the chamber 38 to secure the electrical contacts 34 in place and to prevent displacing of the electrical contacts 34 by the battery pack 18 relative to the battery-receiving cavity 24 back into the terminal housing 22. In one aspect of the invention, the encapsulant 46 also provides waterproofing and dustproofing so that the terminal 10 is sealed against the entry or infiltration of contaminants, including dust, moisture and other liquids, into the interior 17 of the terminal housing 22 through openings 42. The battery-receiving cavity 24 is accessible from the exterior of the terminal housing 22 for placement of the battery pack 18. As a result, the terminal housing 22 is sealed from the ambient environment of the terminal 10 and the battery pack 18 can be positioned within the battery-receiving cavity 24 without exposing the interior 17 of the terminal housing to the ambient environment. In addition, the sealed nature of the terminal housing 22 permits the terminal 10 to operate in ambient environments entailing exposure to condensation, moisture and other liquids without a significant risk of damage to the electronics housed inside the terminal housing 22.
In certain embodiments, the hermetic-sealing of terminal housing 22 may comply with the IP67 standard of the International Protection (IP) rating system which requires that the housing 22 be dust proof and that the housing 22 prevent the entry of water into the interior 17 if immersed in room temperature water to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes. The International Electrotechnical Commission standardizes classes of environmental protection for industrial equipment using the IP rating system.
With reference to
A set of cylindrical conductive contacts 62, of which one electrical contact 62 is visible in
The sealed case 48 of the battery pack 18 is sealed against the entry of moisture or other liquids. To that end, the sealed case 48 may be molded as multiple sections and subsequently joined by any suitable technique, such as ultrasonic welding, that provides a water-tight enclosure. The electrical contacts 62 provide the only external connections with battery cell 47 and have a liquid-tight seal with the corresponding openings in the contact-containing portion 54. For example, the electrical contacts 62 may be press-fit into the corresponding openings in the contact-containing portion 54 or the sealed case 48 may be molded about the electrical contacts 62.
In addition, the sealed case 48 of the battery pack 18 is free or any projecting elements, such as tabs or the like, that would otherwise cooperate with a latching mechanism. The absence of such projecting elements makes the battery pack 18 less prone to damage from, for example, being dropped onto a hard surface that would prevent positive engagement with terminal 10. As a result, the battery pack 18 is sturdy and robust because the battery-receiving cavity 24 that provides the positive engagement with the battery latch mechanism 20 is not susceptible to damage that would result in an inability to mechanically couple the battery pack 18 with the terminal 10.
With continued reference to
With reference to
The latching member 76, the release button 78, and the bracket member 80 may be molded from a polymer resin. In particular, the release button 78 and the bracket member 80 may be molded from any polymer resin having good low temperature characteristics useful when the terminal 10 is exposed to a low temperature ambient environment. For example, the release button 78 and the bracket member 80 may be formed from a mixture of polycarbonate with either polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), such as the family of such polymer resins available commercially under the tradename XENOY® from GE Plastics (Seven Hills, Ohio).
With continued reference to
The release button 78 is pivotal relative to the bracket member 80 about a transverse axis of rotation defined by a transversely-spaced pair of pivot pins 88, of which one pivot pin 88 is shown, that also secure the release button 78 mechanically with the bracket member 80. A pair of transversely-spaced flanges 89, 90 are provided on the release button 78 and project inwardly toward the base surface 32. The transverse space between the flanges 89, 90 is dimensioned to receive therebetween the prongs 86, 87 of the bracket member 80. The flanges 89, 90 extend into a corresponding pair of transversely-oriented grooves 91, 92 provided on the latching member 76. When the release button 78 is depressed, the angular rotation of the release button 78 about the pivot pins 88 is converted by the engagement between the flanges 89, 90 and grooves 91, 92 into a longitudinal displacement of the latching member 76 that moves the latching member 76 toward the end wall 27 from the extended position to the retracted position. Similarly, when the latching member 76 is in the retracted position and the release button 78 is released, the angular rotation of the release button 78 in the opposite angular direction about the pivot pins 88 is converted into a longitudinal displacement of the latching member 78 away from the end wall 27 due to the engagement between the flanges 89, 90 and grooves 91, 92 and the restoring force supplied by the biasing member 82 so that the latching member 76 moves from the retracted position (
An inwardly-projecting flange 93 provided on the release button 78 abuts an upwardly-facing surface of a transversely-oriented, outwardly-facing slot 94 provided in the latching member 76. Flange 93 has a longitudinally spaced relationship with flanges 89, 90. The latching member 76 is slidingly captured between the tip of the flange 93 and the base surface 32 so that the latching member 76 cannot cantilever outwardly relative to the engagement between the flanges 89, 90 and grooves 91, 92 during movement between the extended and retracted positions.
With continued reference to
The inclination angle of the inclined camming surface 100 of the battery-engaging element 96 is complementary to the inclination angle of the inclined camming surface 72 of the lip 66. The battery pack 18 is placed in the unlatched condition when the latching member 76 is fully in the extended position and the inclined camming surfaces 72, 100 are abutting. In the unlatched condition, the battery pack 18 is lifted by the engagement between the inclined camming surfaces 72, 100 and may be manually removed from the battery-receiving cavity 24. Manual removal is facilitated by the outward projection of an upper corner 102 of peripheral edge 53 of the battery pack 18 above the outer surface 23 of the terminal housing 22. The upper corner 102 is readily grasped by a worker for removal of the battery pack 18.
With continued reference to
Provided on the release button 78 is a set of finger grips 106 that reduce slippage with the worker's finger when the release button 78 is pressed to actuate the battery latch mechanism 20. The finger grips 106 project a short distance outwardly above the surface 104 of the release button 78 that is insufficient to allow inadvertent actuation of the release button 78 and insufficient to significantly interrupt the smooth, curved contour presented collectively by surfaces 23, 58, 104.
In use and with reference to
The spring fingers 40 of the electrical contacts 34 collectively exert a lateral motive force against the battery pack 18 directed away from end wall 28. The lateral motive force displaces or moves the battery pack 18 toward the battery latch mechanism 20 in a direction indicated by arrow 112 in
When the inward force applied to the release button 78 is removed as shown in
The battery pack 18 is replaced by inserting the end 50 of the battery pack 18 into the battery-receiving cavity 24 so that the flat pads 64 contact the spring fingers 40 and the shoulder 56 of the battery pack 18 is captured between the lip portion 44 and base surface 32 of the terminal housing 22. An inward force applied to the sealed case 48 adjacent to end 52 toward the base surface 32 causes the latching member 76 to move from the extended position to the retracted position against the biasing force of the biasing member 82 by sliding contact between the inclined camming surfaces 72, 100. As the battery pack 18 is further pressed into the battery-receiving cavity 24, inclined camming surface 100 slides over transverse edge 74 and the latching member 76 is urged by the biasing member 82 away from the end wall 27 so that the battery-engaging element 96 protrudes into the latching cavity 68. Contact between planar surfaces 70, 98 provides a positive stop to place the battery pack 18 at the proper insertion depth in the battery-receiving cavity 24. When the battery pack 18 is thus completely inserted into the battery-receiving cavity 24, outward movement of the battery pack 18 is prevented and each of the flat pads 64 of the battery pack 18 is electrically coupled with a corresponding one of the spring fingers 40 of the terminal 10. The installation of the battery pack 18 may be accomplished with one hand and while the terminal 10 remains secured to belt 12. The battery pack 18 fits snugly in the battery-receiving cavity 24 so that movement of the battery pack 18 is restricted and the engagement between the spring fingers 40 and flat pads 64 is maintained as the terminal 10 is transported by the worker for use in the warehouse environment.
According to the principles of the invention, the battery pack can be quickly, easily, and effectively attached to the terminal and removed from the terminal. As a result, battery management procedures are simplified for active workers and delays associated with power issues are reduced. The principles of the invention improve worker efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, the principles of the invention act to ruggedize the terminal and battery pack so that operational lifetimes are lengthened.
The battery latch mechanism and battery pack of the invention cooperate to provide a desired combination of substantial resistance to inadvertent detachment from the terminal and efficient battery replacement. Specifically, the battery pack is not overly susceptible to falling off or out of the terminal during use because of the secure attachment to the terminal. Moreover, the small surface area of the outwardly-facing surface of the release button that makes the release button resistant to actuation by inadvertent applied forces. In addition, the conforming surface contours of the terminal housing, battery pack and release button reduce the likelihood that contact with an object will dislodge the battery pack from the battery-receiving cavity. As a result, delays in worker activities resulting from unintended separation of the battery pack from the terminal are reduced. In addition, the useful lifetime of the battery pack is extended because the battery pack is less likely to be inadvertently separated from the terminal and damaged by impact with, for example, a concrete floor.
The battery pack is removable from the battery-receiving cavity with a minimal applied force yet is retained with a sufficient retaining force, when the latch mechanism is initially actuated, so that the battery pack does not readily disengage from the terminal during an operation exchanging a depleted battery pack for a charged battery pack. The magnitude of the applied force required to separate the battery pack from the terminal, when the battery latch mechanism is disengaged from the battery pack, permits a worker to replace a depleted battery pack in a one-handed operation while the terminal remains attached to the worker. As a result, the tediousness entailed in the removal and replacement of the battery pack is significantly reduced by the improved ergonomics and the impact to the worker's work schedule is lessened.
According the principles of the invention, the electronics within the terminal are isolated from exposure to harsh ambient operating environments in which the terminal is being used. In addition, the battery pack provides a sealed environment that isolates the battery cell from the infiltration of moisture and other contaminants from the operating environment or condensation arising from changes in the humidity level and temperature of the operating environment. As a result, the terminal and battery pack are significantly less susceptible to electrical shorts and malfunctions.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the various embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope or spirit of Applicants' general inventive concept.
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|USD626949||Nov 9, 2010||Vocollect Healthcare Systems, Inc.||Body-worn mobile device|
|USD643013||Aug 9, 2011||Vocollect Healthcare Systems, Inc.||Body-worn mobile device|
|USD643400||Aug 16, 2011||Vocollect Healthcare Systems, Inc.||Body-worn mobile device|
|EP2779160A1||Mar 4, 2014||Sep 17, 2014||Intermec IP Corp.||Apparatus and method to classify sound to detect speech|
|U.S. Classification||429/97, 429/100, 429/96, 292/170|
|International Classification||H04B1/08, H01M2/10, E05C1/12, H01M2/08, G06F1/16, H01M10/36, H01M10/052|
|Cooperative Classification||Y10T292/0976, H04M1/0262, H01M2/1094, H01M2/1066, H01M10/052, G06F1/163|
|European Classification||G06F1/16P5, H01M2/10F, H01M2/10C2D2, H04M1/02A14B|
|Oct 15, 2002||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: VOCOLLECT, INC., PENNSYLVANIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ZATEZALO, DOUGLAS MARK;MELLOTT, MARK BRADFORD;ZOSCHG, RYAN ANTHONY;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:013393/0912;SIGNING DATES FROM 20020711 TO 20020719
|May 6, 2003||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: NATIONAL CITY BANK OF PENNSYLVANIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:VOCOLLECT, INC.;REEL/FRAME:013630/0649
Effective date: 20030220
|Jun 18, 2007||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT, PENNSYLV
Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:VOCOLLECT, INC.;REEL/FRAME:019458/0223
Effective date: 20050713
|Oct 23, 2009||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Feb 15, 2011||CC||Certificate of correction|
|Mar 7, 2011||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: VOCOLLECT, INC., PENNSYLVANIA
Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION;REEL/FRAME:025912/0205
Effective date: 20110302
|Oct 30, 2013||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8