Patent Publication Number: US-2022212332-A1

Title: Frame for display assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a frame for a display assembly of a tool. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Display assemblies, such as, for example, LCD and LED displays, can be used in hand tools to display information to a user. Such hand tools can include, for example, motorized ratchet wrenches and drivers and commonly used in automotive, industrial, and household applications to tighten and untighten work pieces, such as threaded fasteners, and to apply a torque and/or angular displacement to a work piece. Hand tools, such as power ratchets and drivers, generally include a motor contained in a housing, along with other components such as switches, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and a power source (e.g., battery), for example. Accordingly, housings of the hand tools require space to accommodate all the components needed to operate these tools, especially for hand tools that use brushless DC electric motors. 
     Adding the additional electronics that brushless DC electric motors require can be difficult because of space constraints, especially when a display and corresponding display control buttons are also necessary. Display assemblies utilize protective frames to protect components of the displays. Typically, display assemblies require fasteners to retain protective frames to the display housings. The tool thus must include space to accommodate the fasteners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates broadly to a display assembly with a housing, a frame, one or more buttons, and a display unit, such as an LCD or LED. The housing, frame, buttons, and display unit are shaped to correspond with external geometry of the tool housing, such as, for example, arcuate or cylindrically shaped. The housing includes one or more protrusions adapted to engage the frame to retain the frame to the housing. By using protrusions for retaining the frame to the housing, fasteners are eliminated and space for the fasteners in the tool housing are no longer needed. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention broadly comprises a tool having a tool housing portion and a display assembly disposed in the tool housing portion. The display assembly includes a display housing having a protrusion, a frame having an aperture adapted to receive the protrusion to couple the frame to the display housing, and a display unit disposed between the display housing and the frame. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention broadly comprises a display assembly. The display assembly includes a display housing having a protrusion, a frame having an aperture adapted to receive the protrusion to couple the frame to the display housing, and a display unit disposed between the display housing and the frame. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention broadly comprises a frame of a display assembly. The frame includes an aperture adapted to receive a protrusion of a display housing to couple the frame to the display housing, a display driver opening, and a ribbon cable holder. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary tool, such as a motorized ratchet tool, including a display assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an exemplar display assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of the display assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, disassembled perspective view of the display assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective side view of a display housing of the display assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of an exemplar frame of the display assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, embodiments of the invention, including a preferred embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to any one or more embodiments illustrated herein. As used herein, the term “present invention” is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but is instead used to discuss exemplary embodiments of the invention for explanatory purposes only. 
     The present invention broadly comprises a display assembly. In an embodiment, the display assembly is disposed in a motorized hand tool, such as, for example, a motorized ratchet tool. The display assembly includes a housing, a frame, one or more buttons, and a display unit, such as an LCD or LED. In an embodiment, the housing, frame, buttons, and display unit are arcuate or cylindrically shaped to correspond with external geometry of the tool housing. The housing includes one or more protrusions adapted to engage the frame to couple the frame to the housing. By using protrusions for coupling the frame to the housing, fasteners are eliminated, thereby requiring less space compared to current solutions. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a tool  100 , such as, for example, a motorized ratchet tool, includes a tool housing portion  102  and a driver portion  104  coupled to the tool housing portion  102 . The driver portion  104  is adapted to apply torque to a work piece and may include a drive lug  106  adapted to engage a tool (e.g., socket or bit) to drive the work piece, for example, in a well-known manner. The drive lug  106  is operatively coupled to and driven by a motor (not shown) via a ratcheting mechanism (not shown) of the driver portion  104  in a well-known manner. The driver portion  104  also includes a selector knob  108  adapted to select a rotational drive direction of the drive lug  106  (i.e., clockwise or counter-clockwise). In an embodiment, the driver portion  104  is a ratchet head of a ratchet tool. 
     The tool housing portion  102  operably houses one or more of the motor adapted to drive the drive lug  106 , a trigger  110  adapted to actuate the motor, a power source (not shown) adapted to provide electrical power for the motor, such as, for example, a battery, one or more PCBs for motor and/or display control, and a display assembly  112  (described in more detail below). In an embodiment, the housing portion  102  is assembled from first and second clamshell housing portions  114 ,  116  coupled together to cooperatively form the tool housing portion  102 . The housing portion  102  may also include a handle portion  118  that a user may grip or hold during operation of the tool  100 . 
     The first and second clamshell housing portions  114 ,  116  are configured to couple together and couple the driver assembly  104  to the tool  100 . When assembled, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, the first and second clamshell housing portions  114 ,  116  retain the display assembly  112  therein. In an embodiment, the first and second clamshell housing portions  114 ,  116  cooperatively form a display opening or window  120  when coupled together. The display opening  120  includes a peripheral lip  122  disposed at least partially around the perimeter of the display opening  120  to retain the display assembly  112  in the first and second clamshell housing portions  114 ,  116 . 
     The motor can be, for example, an electric motor operably coupled to the power source via the trigger  110 . The power source can be external (e.g., an electrical wall outlet, generator, external battery, etc.) or internal (e.g., a removable and rechargeable battery). The trigger  110  can be adapted to cause the motor to be turned ON and OFF, or cause electric power/voltage to flow from the power source to the motor or cease flow from the power source to the motor. 
     The trigger  110  can be an actuation mechanism that employs a push button actuator or other type of actuator. For example, the user can depress the trigger  110  inwardly to selectively cause power to be drawn from the power source to cause the motor to rotate and provide torque to the driver assembly  104  in a desired rotational direction. Any suitable trigger  110  or switch can be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the trigger  110  can be a toggle actuator, a touch sensitive actuator, a slide actuator, or other suitable actuator or device. In another example, the trigger  110  can be biased such that the trigger  110  is depressible inwardly, relative to the tool housing portion  102 , to cause the tool  100  to operate, and releasing the trigger  110  causes the trigger  110  to bias outwardly, relative to the tool housing portion  102 , to cease operation of the tool  100  via the biased nature of the trigger  110 . The trigger  110  may also be a variable speed type mechanism. In this regard, relative actuation or depression of the trigger  110  causes the motor to operate at variable speeds, depending on the depression level of the trigger  110 . 
     The display assembly  112  includes a display unit  124 , a display housing  126 , a frame  128 , and one or more buttons  130 . The display assembly  112  has a shape that substantially corresponds to an external geometry of the tool housing portion  102 . For example, each of the display unit  124 , display housing  126 , frame  128 , and one or more buttons  130  is curved, arcuate, or cylindrically shaped. 
     The display unit  124  is disposed between the display housing  126  and the frame  128 . The display unit  124  is adapted to indicate tool information to the user. In an embodiment, the display unit  124  includes a LCD or LED. The tool information can include, for example, a tool status, such as, for example, a power level of the power source, a selected driving direction of the drive lug  106 , a power state of the motor, output torque of the tool  100 , etc. The display unit  124  can further include a display driver  132  adapted to generate signals with suitable voltage, current, timing and demultiplexing to cause the display unit  124  to show the desired text or image. The display unit  124  further includes a ribbon cable  134  adapted to electrically couple the display unit  124  to a PCB, and a lens  146  adapted to protect the display unit  124 . The display unit  124  and/or the lens  146  may include one or more components or layers. For example, display unit  124  and/or the lens  146  may include light guide(s), substrate(s), polarizer(s), diffuser(s), reflector(s), and other such components or layers. 
     The display housing  126  includes a display opening  136  adapted to allow the display unit  124  to be viewed by a user. In an embodiment, the display opening  136  is adapted to receive the lens  146 . The display housing  126  further includes one or more protrusions  138  extending from the display housing  126  and adapted to engage the frame  128  to couple the frame  128  and the display unit  124  together. In an embodiment, the protrusions  138  are hooks. The length of the protrusions  138  are sized to properly hold the frame  128  to apply a compressive force to the display unit  124  between the frame  128  and display housing  126 . Although four protrusions  138  are illustrated, any number of protrusions  138  can be used to retain the frame  128  and the display unit  124  to the display housing  126 . 
     The frame  128  is adapted to provide protection to the display unit  124  by serving as a structural “backbone” of the display assembly  112 . In an embodiment, the frame  128  includes a display driver opening  140 . The display driver opening  140  allows for improved cooling of the display driver  132 , thereby lessening a chance of damage to the display driver  132  due to overheating. In an embodiment, the frame  128  further includes one or more ribbon cable holders  142  adapted to retain the ribbon cable  134  to the frame  128 . Although two ribbon cable holders  142  are illustrated, the invention is not limited as such and any suitable number of cable holders can be used. The frame  128  further includes apertures  144  adapted to receive and engage the protrusions  138  of the display housing  126  to be retained thereto. Although four apertures  144  are illustrated, the invention is not limited as such and any suitable number of apertures corresponding to the number of protrusions  138  can be used. In an embodiment, the frame  128  is constructed of a plastic material. 
     The one or more buttons  130  are also disposed on the display housing  126 . The buttons  130  are coupled to the display unit  124  in a well-known manner and are adapted to receive a user input, such as, for example, selecting what is to be shown on the display unit  124 , for selecting tool parameters, such as, for example, the driving direction of the drive lug  106 , and/or for otherwise manipulating the display unit  124  to control the tool  100  and/or parameters of the tool  100 . The buttons  128  can be made of an elastomer material, such as, for example, rubber. 
     As discussed above, the aspects of the present invention are described in terms of a motorized ratchet tool, as shown. However, it should be understood that aspects of the present invention could be implanted in other hand tools or implements. For example, and without limitation, the hand tool can be ratchet wrench, open wrench, screw driver, nut driver, drill, or any other tool capable of applying torque to a work piece. 
     As used herein, the term “coupled” can mean any physical, electrical, magnetic, or other connection, either direct or indirect, between two parties. The term “coupled” is not limited to a fixed direct coupling between two entities. 
     The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the inventors&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.