Communication device with ergonomically optimal and robust handles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326401-B2
Application number	US-201414462946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A communication device ( 100 ) comprising: a housing ( 106 ) having a front panel ( 132 ) and a plurality of sidewalls ( 134 ); a plurality of electronic connectors ( 108 - 112, 124 - 128 ) disposed on said front panel; at least one handle ( 102, 104 ) pivotally coupled to a first sidewall such that the handle is transitionable between a locked closed position and an unlocked open position; and at least a first lock mechanism ( 140, 142 ) coupled to the housing and the handle so as to facilitate a selective transition of the handle from its locked closed position to its unlocked open position. The handle is angled N 0 degrees relative to the first sidewall and resides adjacent to the electronic connectors when in its locked closed position. The handle is angled N degrees in a direction away from the first sidewall when in its unlocked open position, where N has a value greater than zero.

First claim

We claim:

1. A communication device, comprising:
a housing having a front panel, and a plurality of sidewalls perpendicular to the front panel;
a plurality of electronic connectors disposed on said front panel;
at least one handle facilitating carrying of the communication device by a human, said handle pivotally coupled to a first sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls such that said handle is transitionable between a locked closed position and an unlocked open position, said handle angled N O degrees relative to said first sidewall and residing adjacent to said plurality of electronic connectors when in said locked closed position, wherein N O has a value which causes the handle to be substantially aligned with the first sidewall, and angled N degrees in a direction away from said first sidewall when in said unlocked open position, where N has a value greater than zero and an angle of rotation of the handle is limited at least partially by a shape of the handle; and
at least a first lock mechanism coupled to said housing and said handle so as to facilitate a selective transition of said handle from said locked closed position to said unlocked open position, wherein said first lock mechanism comprises a latch and a spring, whereby said first lock mechanism at least partially prevents an unintentional transition of the handle from said unlocked open position to said locked closed position by causing a chamfered surface of said latch to contact an angled surface of an indent formed in the housing when said communication device is being carried via the handle.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance that said handle extends from said front panel while in said locked closed position is greater than a distance that each of said plurality of electronic connectors extends from said front panel.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end of said handle resides a greater distance from said front panel when in said unlocked open position than a distance that each of said plurality of electronic connectors extends from said front panel.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said value of N is based on a size of each said electronic connector and a distance that a distal end of said handle resides from said housing when said handle is in at least one of said locked closed position and said unlocked open position.

5. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second lock mechanism coupled to said housing and said handle so as to prevent an accidental or unintentional transition of said handle from said locked closed position to said unlocked open position.

6. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein spring normally biases said latch towards said housing.

7. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a hinge mechanism comprising a pivot member rotatably disposed in a retaining structure of said housing and a barrel member defining a T-shaped portion of said handle.

8. The communication device according to claim 7 , wherein said retaining structure provides structural support to said barrel member so as to prevent damage to said lock mechanism and said pivot member during a drop and collision event.

9. The communication device according to claim 7 , wherein said barrel member has a shape allowing only a limited angle of rotation for said handle.

10. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising an aperture formed through said handle providing a dedicated area for mounting accessories.

11. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said handle is formed of a material which provides low thermal conduction to a user's hand.

12. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein a hand opening for grasping said handle is larger when said handle is in said unlocked open position as compared to when said handle is in said locked closed position.

13. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device comprises a second handle which in combination with the first handle defines a plane corresponding to an impact surface for the communication device when dropped.

14. A method for carrying a communication device, comprising:
moving at least one latch in a first direction so as to cause said latch to disengage a housing of said communication device;
resiliently biasing said latch in a direction toward said housing;
transitioning at least a first handle of said communication device from a closed position to an open position by pivoting the first handle in a direction away from said housing, the first handle facilitating carrying of the communication device by a human;
providing the housing with a front panel, and a plurality of sidewalls perpendicular to the front panel;
limiting an angle of rotation of said first handle using a surface of the first handle which is angled a first number of degrees relative to a first one of the plurality of sidewalls of the housing when the first handle is in the open position and angled a second number of degrees relative to the first one of the plurality of sidewalls when the first handle is in the closed position;
wherein the first number of degrees has a value greater than zero, and the second number of degrees has a value which causes the first handle to be substantially aligned with the first one of the plurality of sidewalls; and
preventing an unintentional transition of the first handle from the open position to the closed position by causing a chamfered surface of said latch to contact an angled surface of an indent formed in the housing.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
pivoting said first handle in a direction towards said housing; and
causing said latch to engage said housing so as to lock said first handle in a locked closed position.

16. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising preventing an unintentional pivoting of said first handle away from said housing.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a hand opening for grasping said first handle is increased in size when said first handle is pivoted away from said housing.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said first handle protects at least one electronic connector from damage during a drop and collision event.

19. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising positioning at least a second handle so that said first handle and said second handle together define a plane corresponding to an impact surface for the communication device when dropped.

Assignees

• Harris Corp

Inventors

• Duran Jose R
• Cipolla David
• Scott Jason
• Templeton Adam C

Classifications

• H05K5/0086

  portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02) · CPC title

• H05K5/023 Primary

  Handles; Grips · CPC title

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title

• H05K5/0221

  Locks; Latches · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title