U.S. patent application number 10/450323 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-12 for housing for receiving a measuring device.
Invention is credited to Derr, Andreas, Schulz, Peter, Streicher, Manfred.
Application Number | 20040027040 10/450323 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7666849 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040027040 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Derr, Andreas ; et
al. |
February 12, 2004 |
Housing for receiving a measuring device
Abstract
The invention relates to a housing for receiving a measuring
device, comprising at least two housing elements which can be
positively connected to each other by a fixing device. At least one
housing element comprises a window which is at least partially
transparent. An insertion device comprises a gap provided in the
housing, in addition to an insertion pocket for receiving a
label.
Inventors: |
Derr, Andreas;
(Wutoeschingen, DE) ; Streicher, Manfred;
(Lenzkirch, DE) ; Schulz, Peter; (Loeffingen,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Patent Group
Choate Hall & Stewart
53 State Street
Exchange Place
Boston
MA
02109-2804
US
|
Family ID: |
7666849 |
Appl. No.: |
10/450323 |
Filed: |
September 22, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
November 30, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP01/14035 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/352 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01R 1/04 20130101; H05K
5/0252 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/352 |
International
Class: |
A47B 097/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 12, 2000 |
DE |
100 61 893.6 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A closed housing for receiving and enclosing a measuring device
comprising at least two housing parts (2, 3), which are positively
connectable to one another via a fixing device (4), at least one
housing part (2, 3) having an at least partially transparent
inspection window (7), wherein an insertion device (6, 20, 21, 22,
23) is provided for inserting and removing a label when the housing
(1) is closed, the insertion device having an opening gap (6)
provided in the housing (1) and an insertion pocket (20) for
receiving the label inside the housing (1).
2. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims [sic],
wherein the fixing device (4) is implemented as a bayonet lock.
3. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
the fixing device (4) has a groove (12) and a web (13), which
engage in one another in the closed state of the housing (1).
4. The housing as recited in claim 3, wherein the fixing device (4)
has a sealing lip (14), which is attached to the groove (12) and/or
to the web (13) and protrudes from the groove (12) and/or the web
(13), the sealing lip (14) engaging in the web (13) and/or in the
groove (12) to form a seal when the two housing parts (2, 3) are
joined together.
5. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein a
further sealing lip (24), which is attached to a housing part (3)
and which presses against the particular other housing part (2) to
form a seal in the closed state of the housing (1), is provided in
the region of the opening gap (6).
6. The housing as recited in one of claims 4 and 5, wherein
depressions, into which at least one of the sealing lips (14, 24)
sinks into in the closed state of the housing (1), are provided in
at least one housing part (2, 3).
7. The housing as recited in one of claims 4 through 6, wherein at
least one of the sealing lips (14, 24) has a wedge-shaped,
rib-shaped, nub-shaped, or pointed design.
8. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein a
housing part (2) has at least one latching device (5), in
particular a rocker (5) which engages in a latching groove (19) of
the other housing part (3), via which the two housing parts (2, 3)
may be fixed in relation to one another.
9. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
the insertion device (6, 20, 21, 22, 23) has a guide strip (22) for
lateral fixing of the label in the insertion pocket (20) and for
guiding the label during insertion and/or a stop (23) for
establishing a final position of the label in the insertion pocket
(20).
10. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
the insertion device (6, 20, 21, 22, 23) has a second latching
device, which, upon insertion of the label into the insertion
pocket (20), latches when the label is situated in the final
position.
11. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
the first and/or the second latching device (5) has a latching
recognition device, which recognizes and displays the latching of
the particular latching device (5).
12. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
at least one housing part (2, 3) is at least partially made of a
shock-absorbing, elastic material, in particular a rubber-like
plastic.
13. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
at least one housing part (2, 3) at least partially has a material
containing TPU, TPE, or PVC.
14. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
at least one housing part (2, 3) is made completely of a
transparent or partially transparent material.
15. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
one housing part (2) is implemented as a base body for receiving
the measuring device and the other housing part (3) is implemented
as a protective cover and for protecting the shock-sensitive parts
of the measuring device.
16. The housing as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein
the housing (1) is sealed to the outside.
Description
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0001] The present invention relates to a housing for receiving a
measuring device according to the definition of the species in
claim 1, i.e., a closed housing for receiving and enclosing a
measuring device, having at least two housing parts which may be
positively connected to one another via a fixing device, at least
one housing part having an at least partially transparent
inspection window.
[0002] Measurement devices of this type are generally known in
manifold embodiments for measuring different measured variables,
such as temperature, humidity, pH, current, and voltage, and
therefore require no further explanation.
[0003] For protection from external influences, such as humidity,
shocks, dirt or dust, and bacterial contamination, for example, the
measurement devices cited are typically provided with a housing
which is sealed from the outside or are embedded in such a housing.
The housing may be implemented in two parts in such a way that in
the closed state the parts press positively against one another and
receive the measurement device inside them while sealing it to the
outside. Such housings are usually flexibly usable and are capable
of receiving greatly varying measuring devices, i.e., measuring
devices having different measuring ranges or different measured
variables.
[0004] This requires a professional configuration identification
for the "building block system" just described of a measurement
device positioned in the housing, since precisely this building
block system makes it possible for numerous differently configured
measurement devices to be positioned in the same housing. Since the
differently configured measurement devices are frequently specially
tailored to their measurement functions and therefore may not be
confused, these measurement devices must be reliably labeled.
[0005] For this purpose, the measurement devices are typically
provided with stickers applied to the outside of the housing, which
indicate the most important variable data of the measurement
device. Stickers of this type present the problem that they are
subjected to the same external influences as the housing and, over
time, may become contaminated or may detach from the housing due to
the influence of moisture. In contrast, if water-resistant stickers
are used, it may be difficult or impossible to detach them from the
housing when the measurement device is changed.
[0006] In order to avoid disadvantageous effects of this type, the
stickers are frequently applied to the inside of the housing or on
the measurement device itself in such a way that the stickers,
i.e., the measurement device data contained on the sticker are
visible from the outside via an inspection window. If the labeling
is forgotten for such measurement devices, this may only be
corrected by opening the housing again, which requires additional
time and work. Such additional opening and closing procedures also
stress any seals existing between the housing parts in an undesired
way. This form of labeling is also problematic because it is
impossible to replace the marking during a measurement
procedure.
[0007] The present invention is therefore based on the object of
providing more flexible labeling for a measurement device embedded
in a housing.
[0008] According to the present invention, this object is achieved
by a housing having the features of claim 1, i.e., a housing
according to the definition of the species in the main claim for
receiving a measurement device, which is distinguished in that an
insertion device is provided for inserting and removing a label
when the housing is closed, which has an opening gap provided in
the housing and an insertion button [sic; pocket] for receiving the
label inside the housing.
[0009] The present invention is based on the idea of providing an
insertion pocket for receiving a label in the inside of a housing.
Labels may then be inserted into their own insertion pocket
provided for this purpose in the inside of the housing or removed
therefrom at any time, i.e., even during a measurement procedure,
it not being necessary to separate the two housing parts from one
another. The measurement device positioned in the housing thus
remains embedded in the housing, protected to the maximum degree,
in spite of a label being removed and/or inserted. The insertion
and/or removal procedure of a label may be performed as frequently
as desired, without the quality of the label and/or the particular
housing parts being damaged. In this way, the greatest possible
flexibility in the marking of a measurement device embedded in a
housing is provided.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the housing has a fixing device,
implemented as a bayonet lock, via which the two housing parts may
be connected to one another. However, any other type of fixing
device would also be conceivable here, for example, a hinge between
the two housing parts which may be secured via a latch. The fixing
device advantageously has a groove and a web which engage in one
another in the closed state of the housing and connect the two
housing parts to one another in this way.
[0011] It is especially advantageous if the fixing device
additionally has a first sealing lip, via which the two housing
parts may be sealed in a watertight, airtight, or dustproof manner.
This sealing lip, attached to the groove, protrudes from the groove
in such a way that it engages in the diametrically opposite web to
form a seal when the two housing parts are joined together. Of
course, a reversed configuration, in which the sealing lip is
attached to the web, or a configuration in which both groove and
web have a sealing lip, would also be conceivable.
[0012] It is especially advantageous if a sealing lip is also
provided in the region of the opening gap, thus also sealing the
housing to the outside in the region of the opening gap.
[0013] In an advantageous refinement, those regions of the housing
part in which the sealing lips engage each have at least one
depression. When the two housing parts are closed, one sealing lip
may engage in the particular depression and also expand there, thus
enhancing the sealing force.
[0014] The sealing lips are advantageously implemented as
wedge-shaped, rib-shaped, nub-shaped, or pointed; however, any
other shape of the sealing lips would also be conceivable.
[0015] The housing expediently has at least one latching device,
via which the two housing parts may be fixed in relation to one
another in a permanently selected latching position. This latching
device may be implemented in an especially simple way as a rocker
which engages in a groove of the particular other housing part.
[0016] The insertion device according to the present invention
typically has a lateral guide strip which fixes the label laterally
inside the insertion pocket and, in addition, is used to guide the
label as it is inserted into the insertion pocket. Additionally or
alternatively, the insertion device may contain a stop which fixes
a final position of the label inside the insertion pocket. It is
especially advantageous if the insertion device also has a latching
device, which latches when the label has reached its final position
as it is inserted into the insertion pocket.
[0017] At least one latching recognition device is advantageously
provided, which recognizes and indicates whether one or both
latching devices are latched, i.e., which indicates whether the
rocker is locked and/or the label is latched into the insertion
pocket.
[0018] Typically, at least one housing part is at least partially
made of a shock-absorbing, essentially elastic material. A material
of this type may, for example, be implemented as a rubber-like
plastic. At least one housing part is also advantageously at least
partially manufactured from TPU, TPE, or PVC. However, other
materials would also be conceivable here, in particular those which
display a similarly good shock-absorbing and sealing effect as the
materials cited.
[0019] Furthermore, it is especially advantageous if at least one
housing part is made entirely of a transparent or partially
transparent material. The special advantage of the use of such
transparent or at least partially transparent materials is that
symbols, letters, numbers, and the like in the display panel and on
the buttons of the measurement device and, in addition,
identifications which are printed directly on the measurement
device, such as manufacturer identifications, are visible through
the housing from the outside. In this case, a separate inspection
window provided in a housing part may be dispensed with, since the
function of this inspection window is implemented by the particular
housing part itself.
[0020] Typically, one housing part at a time is implemented as a
base body to receive a measuring device, while the particular other
housing part is used as a protective cover for this same measuring
device. Through this protective covering, shock-sensitive parts of
the measurement device, such as the keypad, the display, or even a
possibly exposed circuit board, may be protected in particular.
[0021] The housing is implemented so it is completely sealed to the
outside, i.e., both in the region of the housing parts and in the
region of the opening gap. The housing is advantageously also
sealed as much as possible during insertion and removal of a
label.
[0022] Further advantageous embodiments and refinements of the
present invention may be inferred from the subclaims and the
description with reference to the drawing.
[0023] The present invention is described in greater detail in the
following on the basis of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
the figures of the drawing.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows the overall illustration of a housing according
to the present invention, implemented in two parts, for receiving a
measuring device;
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional illustration of the housing
according to the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a detail of the insertion device in
longitudinal section;
[0027] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail of the opening region of the
insertion device.
[0028] In the following figures--if not indicated
otherwise--elements and parts which are identical or have identical
functions are indicated using identical reference numbers.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows the overall illustration of a housing according
to the present invention for receiving a measuring device.
[0030] In FIG. 1, the housing is indicated using the reference
number 1. Housing 1 is implemented in two parts, i.e., it has a
first housing part 2 and a second housing part 3. Both housing
parts 2, 3 are positively connected to one another, via a fixing
device 4, whose construction and mode of operation will be
described in greater detail on the basis of the following figures,
in such a way that both housing parts 2, 3 are used in the closed
state for receiving a measuring device (not shown in FIG. 1).
Fixing device 4 has a latching device 5, implemented as a rocker,
via which both housing parts 2, 3 may be fixed in relation to one
another in the closed state, so that they cannot be displaced or
detached from one another. In the present exemplary embodiment,
first housing part 2 is implemented as a base body, in which the
measuring device may be embedded. Alternatively, first housing part
2 may also be a component of the housing of the measuring device
itself. Second housing part 3, which is implemented as a
shock-resistant protective cover or lid, is used to protect the
shock-sensitive parts of the measuring device. Alternatively or
additionally, first housing part 2 may also fulfill this protective
cover function.
[0031] According to the present invention, housing 1 has an opening
gap 6 as a part of an insertion device (not shown completely in
FIG. 1). A label, for example, a paper, paperboard, or plastic card
or the like, may be placed, via opening gap 6 in insertion device
X, into its own insertion pocket provided for this purpose, in such
a way that this label is visible from the outside via an inspection
window 7, which is provided in second housing part 3.
[0032] The operating and display elements (not shown in FIG. 1),
buttons and a display, for example, are reachable in FIG. 1 via
first housing part 2 from the surface pointing downward.
Alternatively, of course, it would also be conceivable for these
operating and display elements to be operated from second housing
part 3.
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional illustration which shows
housing 1 according to the present invention on the basis of a
cross-sectional surface at the height of rocker 5.
[0034] First housing part 2 has a receiving device 10 for receiving
a circuit board 11. Circuit board 11 may be coupled to a keypad
(not shown in FIG. 2) via appropriate contact-sensitive connections
and to a display panel via electrical connections. In the present
case first housing [sic; housing part] 2 is implemented as the
housing of the measuring device itself. The measuring device is not
completely illustrated in FIG. 2, but rather is merely indicated by
circuit board 11.
[0035] Fixing device 4 has a groove 12, provided in second housing
part 3, and a web 13, provided in first housing part 2. In this
case, the open end of web 13, which points inward, engages in the
U-shaped or rectangular groove 12. Groove 12 and web 13 are
therefore used as quasi-guide rails of both housing parts 2, 3
during an opening or closing procedure. In the present exemplary
embodiment, groove 12 and web 13 of fixing device 4 are implemented
as a bayonet lock, which allows both housing parts 2, 3 to be
displaced only more or less slightly from one another during an
opening or closing procedure. It is especially advantageous if web
13 is also at least partially implemented as grooved and has a
supporting surface 13' for groove 12 engaging in web 13, which thus
functions as a stop for groove 12.
[0036] To increase the sealing effect, a sealing lip 14 is provided
on second housing part 3, in particular on groove 12, and is in
close contact with groove 12 and web 13 in the region of the
connection between groove 12 and web 13.
[0037] FIG. 2 also shows the cross-section of rocker 5. Rocker 5
has a ribbed button region 15 and a spring 16, positioned
thereunder, via which rocker 5 is movable in direction Y around a
bearing 17. On its end opposite ribbed button 15, rocker 5 has a
latching head 18, which, in the latched state, is fixed in its own
latching groove 19 in second housing part 3, which is provided for
this purpose. When the button is moved in direction Y, the latching
head also undergoes a movement in direction Y', through which
latching head 18 comes out of latching groove 19 and therefore
releases second housing part 3 from first housing part 2. Both
housing parts 2, 3 may then be detached from one another via a
corresponding displacement of the bayonet lock.
[0038] In connection with the longitudinal section in FIG. 3, FIG.
2 shows the insertion device. The insertion device has an insertion
pocket 20, which is fixed on top by inspection window 7 and on the
bottom by a supporting part 21, which extends over the entire width
of first housing part 2. The lateral delimitations of insertion
pocket 20 are formed by the essentially horizontal walls of second
housing part 3, on which additional guide strips 22 are provided
for lateral fixing of the label in the insertion pocket. The
insertion device also has multiple stops 23 for fixing a final
position of the label in insertion pocket 20. Stops 23, which
project upward like pegs from first housing part 2, advantageously
also have a latching device. The label may be fixed inside
insertion pocket 20 via guide strips 22, stops 23, and the latching
device, so that it will not slip.
[0039] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail of a side view of the
opening region of the insertion device. FIG. 4 shows that a further
sealing lip 24 is attached to second housing part 3 in the opening
region of the housing. This further sealing lip 24 is positioned in
front of and covering opening gap 6 and is used for the purpose of
sealing housing 1 also in the region of opening gap 6. Further
sealing lip 24 is designed in such a way that when a label is
inserted into the housing in direction Y or when the label is
removed from the housing, sealing lip 24 may be elastically
deformed and thus allows insertion and/or removal of the label.
Otherwise, however, sealing lip 24 presses tightly against first
housing part 2 (not shown in FIG. 4) and thus seals opening gap 6
of the housing 1 to the outside. Typically, a depression 4 (also
not shown in FIG. 4), which sealing lip 24 may sink into thus
increasing the sealing effect, is provided in first housing part 2,
which is diametrically opposite the second housing part. A
depression of this type may also advantageously be provided between
the first sealing lip, which is used for sealing web and groove, in
first housing part 2.
[0040] The present invention is suitable in particular for all
housings for receiving measuring devices. However, the present
invention is not exclusively restricted to such housings, but
rather may be expanded in the scope of the present invention to
housings for receiving any arbitrary devices, mechanical or other
electrical devices, for example, which are positioned in a housing
for reasons of better shock protection, temperature protection,
humidity protection, and the like.
[0041] In summary, it may be established that through the use of an
insertion device having an insertion pocket for receiving a label,
a flexible configuration identification of measuring devices
positioned in the housing may be implemented in a way which is very
simple, but nonetheless very effective, without the disadvantages
of known multipart housings of this type having to be accepted.
[0042] The present invention is not exclusively restricted to the
exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4. Rather, the present invention
may be implemented in a suitable way in manifold embodiments and
alterations in the scope of the knowledge and action of one skilled
in the art.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0043] 1 housing
[0044] 2 first housing part
[0045] 3 second housing part
[0046] 4 fixing device
[0047] 5 first latching device, rocker
[0048] 6 opening gap
[0049] 7 inspection window
[0050] 10 receiving device
[0051] 11 circuit board
[0052] 12 groove
[0053] 13 web
[0054] 13' supporting surface of the web
[0055] 14 first sealing lip
[0056] 15 ribbed button
[0057] 16 spring
[0058] 17 bearing
[0059] 18 latching head
[0060] 19 latching groove
[0061] 20 insertion pocket
[0062] 21 supporting part
[0063] 22 guide strip
[0064] 23 stop
[0065] 24 further/second sealing lip
[0066] X insertion direction
[0067] Y, Y' tilting direction
* * * * *