Abstract:
A monocoque housing for a mobile unit comprises a base, an end cap, and an isolation gasket. The mobile unit includes an electronic stack assembly. The base has an opening. The end cap is adapted to removably couple with the base. The end cap includes a cap and a frame where the frame is received by the base through the opening so that the cap covers the opening. The isolation gasket is disposed between the frame and the electronic stack assembly. The electronic stack assembly is not mechanically fastened to the isolation gasket. When the mobile unit experiences a shock load, the isolation gasket absorbs the shock load to reduce the shock load on the electronic stack assembly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a shock isolation system for a mobile unit with a monocoque housing. Specifically, and end cap of the monocoque housing includes the shock isolation system so internal circuitry is not required to be hard mounted. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]    A mobile unit may be designed using a variety of configurations. In a first example, the mobile unit may include several plates that, when assembled, constitutes an overall housing. Due to the multiple components that are included for this configuration, the mobile unit may be susceptible to an increased number of problems. In a second example, the mobile unit may include a monocoque housing with a main housing body and an end cap. Internal circuitry may be disposed within the main housing body with the end cap completing the overall housing of the mobile unit. 
         [0003]    Conventionally, a mobile unit with a monocoque housing has the internal electronic stack hard mounted (e.g., via screws) to both the monocoque housing and the end cap. With the internal electronic stack hard mounted to the housing, energy from a shock load (e.g., drop, bang, etc.) is transmitted directly from the housing to the internal electronic stack. The internal electronic stack may include fragile components such as a scanning engine, a camera, a liquid crystal display, etc. For low drop heights (e.g., under four feet), it may be acceptable to hard mount the internal electronic stack because the energy levels associated with a shock load may be within an acceptable range that significant damage is not experienced. However, when the shock load is increased (e.g., greater than four feet), the internal stack may suffer irreparable damage. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]    The present invention describes a monocoque housing for a mobile unit. The mobile unit includes an electronic stack assembly. The monocoque housing comprises a base, an end cap, and an isolation gasket. The base has an opening. The end cap is adapted to removably couple with the base. The end cap includes a cap and a frame where the frame is received by the base through the opening so that the cap covers the opening. The isolation gasket is disposed between the frame and the electronic stack assembly. The electronic stack assembly is not mechanically fastened to the isolation gasket. When the mobile unit experiences a shock load, the isolation gasket absorbs the shock load to reduce the shock load on the electronic stack assembly. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows a first exploded view of a mobile unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows a second exploded view of the mobile unit of  FIG. 1  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]    The exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention describe a shock isolation system for a mobile unit (MU) with a monocoque housing. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the monocoque housing may include a base housing (i.e., main body housing), an end cap, and an isolation gasket. The base housing, the end cap, and the isolation gasket will be discussed in further detail below. 
         [0008]    It should be noted that the MU may represent any mobile electronic device that uses a monocoque housing. As an electronic device, the MU may have an electronic stack assembly that is configured for the functionalities that the MU may perform. The MU may include, for example, a laptop, a pager, a cell phone, a radio frequency identification device, a scanner, a data acquisition device and/or an imager, a multi-media device, etc. Thus, the electronic stack assembly may include corresponding devices that facilitate the functionalities for the above listed types of MUs. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a first exploded view of a MU  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The first exploded view further illustrates a first perspective view for assembling the monocoque housing of the MU  10 . As illustrated, the monocoque housing comprises a base housing  100 , an end cap  115 , and an isolation gasket  130 . 
         [0010]    The MU  10  may include an electronic stack assembly  135  which may include electronic components of the MU  10 . For example, the electronic stack assembly  135  may include printed circuit board (PCB) assemblies and further include ball grid array (BGA) components, a scan engine, a camera, a liquid crystal display (LCD), etc. The electronic stack assembly  135  may further include a connector  140  which may couple to additional electronic components that may be disposed on the base housing  100  such as a data input arrangement. 
         [0011]    The base housing  100  may be configured to house various components of the MU  10 . As will be described in further detail below, the base housing  100  may include a space  112  in which the electronic stack assembly  135  is received. An inner surface of the base housing  100  may be premolded to exhibit a shape that corresponds to the electronic stack assembly  135 . Furthermore, the base housing  100  may include further components that connect to the electronic stack assembly  135 . For example, the MU  10  may include a data input arrangement such as a key pad that is disposed in an area  105  of the base housing  100 . The base housing  100  may include an opening  102  in which the electronic stack assembly may slide therein. The base housing  100  may further include additional windows  114  in which components of the electronic stack assembly  135  require to be disposed on a periphery of the monocoque housing. For example, the base housing  100  may include a further window in which the LCD may be exposed. In another example, the base housing may include further windows in which side data input arrangements may be exposed. Accordingly, when the electronic stack assembly  135  is received by the base housing  100 , a proper reception of the electronic stack assembly  135  ensures that such components are configured in a proper orientation. 
         [0012]    The base housing  100  may include locking mechanisms  110 . According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the locking mechanisms  110  may be disposed on the base housing  100  in a position that contacts a portion of the end cap  115 . Specifically, the portion of the end cap  115  may include corresponding locking mechanisms to the locking mechanisms  110 . The types and configurations for the locking mechanisms  110  will be described in further detail below. 
         [0013]    The end cap  115  may be a complimentary component to the base housing  100  for the overall monocoque housing of the MU. The end cap  115  may include a cap  117  and a frame  120 . The cap  117  may cover the opening  102  of the base housing  100 . The frame  120  may be configured to receive the isolation gasket  130 . For example, the frame  120  may be configured to receive the isolation gasket  130  without a mechanism to lock therein. In another example, the frame  120  may be lined with locking mechanisms in which the isolation gasket  130  is disposed. 
         [0014]    As discussed above, the frame  120  may include corresponding locking mechanisms  125  that couple to the locking mechanisms  110  of the base housing  100 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanisms  110  may be screw holes that align with corresponding locking mechanisms  125  which are further screw holes. Screws (not shown) may be threaded therethrough to couple the end cap  115  with the base housing  100 . It should be noted that any locking feature such as a mechanical or electronic may be used to couple the end cap  115  with the base housing  100 . Accordingly, the locking mechanisms  110  and the corresponding locking mechanisms  125  may correlate to components of the locking feature. 
         [0015]    The isolation gasket  130  may provide a site for the electronic stack assembly  135  to be disposed without being required to be hard mounted thereon. The isolation gasket  130  may be configured to removably receive the electronic stack assembly  135 . In such an embodiment, the isolation gasket  130  may be shaped to correspond to the electronic stack assembly  135 . For example, an inner region of the isolation gasket  130  may correspond to an outer perimeter of the electronic stack assembly  135 . When the MU  10  is properly assembled, the isolation gasket  130  may be disposed between the frame  120  and the electronic stack assembly  135 . 
         [0016]    The isolation gasket  130  may further provide a shock diminishing or prevention to the electronic stack assembly  135  when the monocoque housing is assembled with the electronic stack assembly  135 . The isolation gasket  130  may be manufactured using a variety of materials that contribute to the shock isolation. For example, the isolation gasket  130  may be manufactured using a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic silicate (TPSI), a rubber, a combination thereof, etc. The material used to manufacture the isolation gasket  130  may, for example, absorb a shock experienced by the MU  10 . The isolation gasket  130  may also be arranged to prevent a shock from the frame  115  reaching the electronic stack assembly  135  such as by the shape exhibited by the isolation gasket  130 . The isolation gasket  130  may also be shaped to provide a substantially spring-like movement which absorbs a shock and also prevents the shock from reaching the electronic stack assembly  135 . 
         [0017]    According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated, the electronic stack assembly  135  may be disposed on or in the isolation gasket  130  by placement along a direction A. The electronic stack assembly  135  with the isolation gasket  130  may be disposed on the frame  120  of the end cap  115  by placement along a direction B. Subsequently, the end cap  115  with the isolation gasket  130  and the electronic stack assembly  135  may be coupled with the base housing  100  to complete the monocoque housing of the MU  10  by placement along a direction C through the window  102  of the base housing  100 . Upon the base housing  100  receiving the end cap  115 , the locking mechanisms  110  and the corresponding locking mechanisms  125  may couple to securely fasten the end cap  115  with the base housing  100 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a second exploded view of the MU  10  of  FIG. 1  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The second exploded view further illustrates a second perspective view for assembling the monocoque housing of the MU  10 . Specifically, the second perspective view is an opposite perspective for assembling the monocoque housing and better illustrates the locking mechanisms  110 . That is, when the monocoque housing is assembled and the locking feature is screw holes, the second exploded view shows how the potential alignment of the locking mechanisms  110  with the corresponding locking mechanisms  125 . 
         [0019]    It should be noted that the isolation gasket  130  being provided for the shock diminishing and/or prevention is only exemplary. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the isolation gasket  130  may represent any component providing a buffer to diminish or prevent a shock load that is disposed between the frame  120  of the end cap  115  and the electronic stack assembly  135 . 
         [0020]    The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide for a monocoque housing of a mobile unit that enables an electronic stack assembly to be housed therein without a need to hard mount to any component of the monocoque housing. As a result, the electronic stack assembly may not be disposed in a position where, if a shock load is experienced by the mobile unit, the shock load is transferred directly to the electronic stack assembly which may irreparably damage a component thereon. The electronic stack assembly may be mounted on an isolation gasket or other component that reduces the shock load that would be experienced by the electronic stack assembly. 
         [0021]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.