Transmitting/receiving device

Abstract

A portable transmitting/receiving device, in particular in the form a remote control device for lifting and industrial devices, has a housing that has a receiving portion for accommodating an electronic controller and for mounting at least one operating element (such as a joystick, switch, regulator, or touchscreen with virtual operating elements). Additionally, the housing extends in the vertical direction from a lower-face base contour to an upper-face terminating contour and is perpendicularly delimited by a lateral contour. At least a substantial part of the housing is made of a molded housing part made of an elastomer, the molded housing part forming at least the upper-face terminating contour and the lateral contour. The molded housing part forms a basin that delimits the receiving area and that has a circumferential wall that is completely made of an elastomer and that has a closable opening.

Claims

1. A portable transmitting/receiving device, in particular in form of a wireless remote control device comprising: a housing which has a receiving portion for accommodating an electronic controller and for mounting at least one operating element and which extends in a vertical direction from a lower-face base contour to an upper-face terminating contour and is perpendicularly delimited by a lateral contour, a substantial part of the housing being made of a molded housing part forming at least the upper-face terminating contour and the lateral contour, characterized in that the molded housing part forms a basin which delimits the receiving portion and which has a circumferential wall that is completely made of an elastomer and which has a closable opening.

2. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper-face terminating contour and the lateral contour are formed by an integrally molded part of the molded housing part.

3. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the molded housing part is made of a uniform elastomer material.

4. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that a rechargeable battery compartment is embedded in the circumferential wall.

5. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 4, characterized in that a sealable routing path is embedded in the molded housing part between the rechargeable battery compartment and the receiving portion.

6. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the molded housing part made of elastomer additionally forms the base contour.

7. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the molded housing part made of elastomer forms a base plate delimiting the receiving portion at the bottom.

8. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the molded housing part made of elastomer forms a mounting plate delimiting the receiving portion at the top.

9. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper-face terminating contour protrudes in the vertical direction beyond the at least one operating element.

10. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper-face terminating contour is formed by a handle arrangement of the molded housing part.

11. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 10, characterized in that the handle arrangement is formed circumferentially.

12. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the base contour forms at least one steady contact area by means of which the transmitting/receiving device may be deposited.

13. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the molded housing part accommodates at least one rigid plate for bracing the housing.

14. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 13, characterized in that one first rigid plate is formed by a mounting plate to which the at least one operating element is mounted pivotably.

15. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 13, characterized in that a second rigid plate is formed by a base plate delimiting the receiving portion at the bottom.

16. A transmitting/receiving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastomer is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention, showing:

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of an inventive transmitting/receiving device.

(3) FIG. 2 a lateral view of the transmitting/receiving device towards II From FIG. 1 and

(4) FIG. 3 a perspective exploded view of the remote control device according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIGS. 1 to 3 depict a wireless transmitting/receiving device 2, such as for example for a crane, which has a housing 4. The housing 4 forms a box-shaped receiving area 6 serving to accommodate electrical and electronic components 8 in an electronic controller, as illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 2. In addition, there are several operating elements 14 mounted on a bearing plate 10 comprising among others two joysticks and which forms an upper surface 12 of the housing 4.

(6) The box-shaped receiving area 6 is substantially delimited or formed by a molded housing part 16 of the housing 4 which is made in one piece and of a thermoplastic elastomer. Relative to the alignment to be taken up under normal use of the transmitting/receiving device 2 in the vertical direction V said housing forms both a continuous lower-face base contour 18 and a continuous upper-face terminating contour 20. In addition, the molded housing part 16 is perpendicularly forming a continuous lateral contour 22 extending in all horizontal directions which is formed by a circumferential wall 24 extending at the height of the receiving area 6.

(7) Thus the respective outermost areas of the transmitting/receiving device 2 are effectively formed in all spatial directions by the elastic molded housing part 16.

(8) The upper-face terminating contour 20 is formed by a circumferential ring-shaped handle arrangement 26 extending at the upper end of the transmitting/receiving device 2. The handle arrangement 26 relative to the operating elements 14 is such that it protrudes beyond said elements and in particular beyond the two joysticks in the vertical direction and that the axes of the unactuated joysticks and a virtual plane clamped by the circumferential handle arrangement 26 intersect.

(9) The lower-face base contour 18 is formed by a peripheral edge 28 of the molded housing part 16 and at the corners it forms contact areas 30 which are set apart from each other by means of which the transmitting/receiving device 2 may be deposited on a ground in a defined alignment (not illustrated). Embedded in the edge 28 is a rigid removable base plate 32 which closes the receiving area 6 to the bottom. The electrical and electronic components 8 accommodated in the receiving area 6 may be accessed through said receiving area, as required.

(10) As an alternative to the illustrated embodiment the upper-face mounting plate 10 or the base plate 32 may be integrated in the molded housing part 16 made of elastomer. The mounting plate 10 or base plate 32 thus made of elastomer as well may be provided with additional reinforcement ribs, for example, in order to ensure the respective necessary flexural rigidity. Thereby the molded housing part 16 forms a basin-like part in addition to the handle arrangement 26 which delimits the receiving area 6 and which has either an upper-face or lower-face opening depending on the embodiment (not illustrated).

(11) The housing 4 may thus be formed completely of the one-piece molded housing part 16 and made of elastomer except for the element necessary to close the opening. The opening can then be closed by attaching the mounting plate 10 or the base plate 32, for example, which may advantageously be made of elastomer as well.

(12) Furthermore, as an alternative to the illustrated embodiment which provides for a rechargeable battery receiving area 34 which is separately formed for and accommodated in the receiving area 6 (refer to FIG. 3), a rechargeable battery compartment 36 which is integrated in the molded housing part 16 may be provided for in which a rechargeable battery pack 38 may be received, for example, as illustrated by dot-and-dash lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. In order to be able to connect the rechargeable battery pack 38 to the electrical/electronic elements 8 accommodated in the receiving area 6 additional slot-like routing paths 40 are embedded in the upper surface 12 in which connection cables may be run, for example. Subsequently a sealant may be applied to the routing paths 40 in order to seal both the receiving area 6 and the rechargeable battery compartment 36 towards the outside.