Data entry terminal having flexible, transparent front cover

Abstract

A durable, clear, protective cover for a device having a touch screen, keypad, or other user interface. The cover protects the device without interfering with the ability to use the device. The protective cover is constructed by vacuum-forming a thin sheet of transparent polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) on the front and at least a portion of the sides of a mold made of the target device. Accordingly, the protective cover made from a single piece of material will have the topography matching the device, which facilitates in the continued usability of the device when the protective cover is disposed on the device. Furthermore, the protective cover fits securely on the device such that no adhesives or other mechanisms are required to secure the protective cover onto the device, nor are any tools required to install or remove the protective cover.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to data entry terminals, and specifically, to protective covers for data entry terminals that have a touch screen interface and / or a keypad. The protective cover protects the data entry terminal from damage without interfering with the ability to use the data entry terminal. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] Data entry terminals come in many forms such as stationary computer terminals, vehicle-mounted computer terminals, mobile or hand-held computers, barcode scanners, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or even cell phones. Such data entry terminals are convenient devices for entering, handling, and storing information in a variety of applications. For example, data entry terminals may be used for data collection applications in fields including industrial, retail, warehousing and distribution, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and customer service. In ware...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] In an embodiment of the invention, the protective cover is constructed by vacuum-forming a thin, flexible sheet of transparent polyurethane, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) over a mold of the desired device. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, 0.015 to 0.020 inch thick polyurethane sheet stock is used to construct protective covers for smaller devices, while 0.016 to 0.020 inch thick PVC sheet stock is used to construct protective covers for larger devices. The materials were chosen because after they are vacuum-formed, the resulting protective cover is thin and malleable enough to allow actuation of the data entry device's touch screen or keys, while also providing the desired protection and durability. An additional benefit of using these material is that they are relatively inexpensive. The transparency of the material enables unobstructed viewing of the protected touch screen and / or any legends on the protected keys.

[0011] Thus, the present invention provides an inexpensive, yet durable protective cover that will not interfere with the ability to use the protected device.

Problems solved by technology

It is not uncommon for data entry terminals to become damaged over the course of their ordinary use.

This is particularly true when data entry terminals are used in relatively rough environments such as warehouses or in the field.

For example, touch screen terminal users have been known to use sharp objects as a substitute stylus (as opposed to the stylus intended to be used with the terminal) thereby scratching or gouging the screen such that over time the touch screen terminal no longer functions properly.

Moreover, left unprotected, the tolerances provided in the manufacture of touch screen terminals may allow moisture to enter into the area between the touch screen interface (or lens) and the mating gasket.

In these cases, it seems almost inevitable that the one or more of the high-profile keys will inadvertently catch on the edges of objects and be pulled out of the terminal.

Protective devices exist for protecting data entry terminals from abuse or other damage, but they are often expensive because they require significant manufacturing or material cost.

On the other hand, less expensive protective devices suffer from not being particularly durable and unable to withstand any substantial amount of use or abuse.

Still other protective devices do not allow the user to access or use the data entry terminal while the protective device is covering the data terminal's user interface.

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