Terminal case

Abstract

A housing of a terminal is formed by at least one lower cover and an upper cover. The housing the lower cover and upper cover are fixed together in an articulated manner, the articulated fixing being able to take up at least one position closing the housing and a position opening the housing, in which the lower cover and upper cover are joined together.

Claims

1. A case for a terminal, comprising: at least one lower cover and one upper cover; and a hinged fastener joining said lower cover and upper cover to each other, said hinged fastener being adapted to taking at least one position of closure of the case and one position of opening of the case, in which said lower cover and upper cover are fixedly attached, wherein the hinged fastener is implemented by a rotation shaft passing through said lower cover in its width and having two ends at which said upper cover is fixed, wherein at least one of said ends of said rotation shaft have a lock for locking said upper cover to said lower cover, and said lock is adapted to cooperate with a blocking element on said upper cover to take at least one position for locking said covers to each other and a position for unlocking said covers from each other.

2. The case according to claim 1, wherein said upper cover gets fixed to said lower cover by deformation of at least one of said covers and orientation of said covers relative to each other at a predetermined angle.

3. The case according to claim 1, wherein said lock includes at least one interior recess and said blocking element includes a cavity having at least one protrusion adapted to getting inserted into said at least one recess of said lock to block it.

4. The case according to claim 1, wherein said lock includes a means for attaching a cord.

5. The case according to claim 1, wherein said rotation shaft is situated at said one end of said lower cover that has a housing for a roll of paper.

6. A terminal comprising: a case for a terminal, comprising: at least one lower cover and one upper cover; and a hinged fastener joining said lower cover and upper cover to each other, said hinged fastener being adapted to taking at least one position of closure of the case and one position of opening of the case, in which said lower cover and upper cover are fixedly attached, wherein the hinged fastener is implemented by a rotation shaft passing through said lower cover in its width and having two ends at which said upper cover is fixed, wherein at least one of said ends of said rotation shaft have a lock for locking said upper cover to said lower cover, and said lock is adapted to cooperate with a blocking element on said upper cover to take at least one position for locking said covers to each other and a position for unlocking said covers from each other.

Description

5. LIST OF FIGURES

(1) Other features and advantages of the invention shall appear more clearly from the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of a simple illustratory and non-exhaustive example and from the appended drawings, of which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a case of a terminal according to one particular embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a rear view of a case of a terminal according to one particular embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a top view of a case of a terminal according to one particular embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIGS. 4a to 4c present an example of means of locking and means of blocking means of hinged fastening according to one particular embodiment of the invention.

6. DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

6.1 General Principle

(6) The general principle of the invention relies on the use of means of hinged fastening to fasten the two parts (lower cover and upper cover) of a terminal case, in such a way as to reinforce the fall resistance of the case while complying with the constraints of limited terminal size.

(7) Thus, the use of such means of hinged fastening does away with the need to use additional screws to ensure efficient closure of the case while ensuring optimal fall resistance of the terminal.

(8) These means of hinged fastening also make it possible to keep the lower and upper covers fixedly joined together even in the open position, thus making for easier maintenance of the terminal. In particular, since the two covers remain fixedly joined, the identification label, usually glued to the lower cover, itself also remains attached to the upper cover.

6.2 Description of One Embodiment

(9) According to one particular embodiment of the invention, illustrated especially in FIGS. 1 to 3, the case of the terminal is formed by two parts 11 and 12 respectively denoted as the lower and upper covers fastened to each other by hinged fastening means (hinged fastener) 13, partially illustrated in FIG. 1.

(10) In particular, according to this particular embodiment of the invention, the hinged fastener 13 is constituted by a rotation shaft (20, 30) (illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3) integrated into the lower cover 11, for example at the housing for the paper roll. In different variants of this embodiment, this rotation shaft can be placed at other positions of the lower cover, depending for example on the layout of the components inside the terminal.

(11) This rotation shaft passes through the lower cover 11 in its width and its two ends 201 and 202 correspond to the fastening points of the upper cover 12.

(12) Thus, once fastened to each other, the two covers are fixedly joined and mobile relative to each other along the rotation shaft (20, 30).

(13) In this way, when the terminal case needs to be opened for purposes of maintenance, the upper cover can remain fixed to the lower cover 11 while enabling access to the internal components/elements of the terminal.

(14) In addition, the hinged fastener 13 is distinguished from the use of screws by their higher resistance to the falling of the terminal, due especially to the intrinsic elasticity of the fastener, unlike in the example of screw-fastening sleeves which can break during a fall.

(15) Finally, the hinged fastener 13 has little impact on the size of the case and therefore of the terminal, the rotation shaft being easily integrated into a part of the case that is provided to house the roll of paper and it therefore has no impact on the thickness of the case.

(16) Besides, these means of hinged fastening 13 enable reliable closure of the case firstly because of the very principle of insertion of the lower cover 11 into the upper cover 12 and secondly because of a lock provided on either or both of the ends (201, 202) of the rotation shaft described in detail here below.

(17) Indeed, the very principle of fastening of the two covers provides for a clipping of the upper cover 12 to the lower cover 11 at the ends (201, 202) of the rotation shaft (20, 30) by deformation of the upper cover 12 to insert the lower cover 11.

(18) This insertion is done in two steps, and the lower cover 11 is preferably tilted relative to the upper cover 12 so as to limit the resistance at the time of insertion. Thus, the upper cover 12 is first of all fixed to one end of the rotation shaft of the lower cover and then to the other end in forcing the insertion in such a way that when the upper cover 12, once fastened, recovers its initial form, it is placed flat against the lower cover 11 thus providing for solid fastening.

(19) It must be noted that these means of hinged fastening 13 do not require any tool or additional equipment to fasten the covers to each other, unlike in the use of screws.

(20) In addition, as indicated here above, this particular embodiment of the invention provides for a lock 31 (illustrated especially in FIGS. 3, 4a to 4c) on either or both of the ends of the rotation shaft associated with blocking element 42 (FIG. 4b) on the upper cover 12 firstly enabling the case to be kept closed and secondly preventing a withdrawal of the lower cover by simple reverse deformation when the case is closed.

(21) For example, the lock 31 consists of a sort of lock that makes a quarter turn when the case is closed, once the two covers are fixed to each other, and gets blocked by the blocking element 42 provided on the upper cover 12, at the position of its fastening to the lower cover 11.

(22) For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4a, the lock 31 comprises one or more recesses 40 intended to cooperate, when the case is closed, with blocking element 42 provided on the upper cover 12.

(23) For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4b, the blocking element 42 consists of two protrusions, within a hole provided at the fastening of the upper cover 12 to the cover 11 intended for insertion into the recesses 40 of the lock 31.

(24) FIG. 4c illustrates this situation of blocking of the hinged fastener 13, according to this embodiment of the invention, by cooperation of the lock 31 with the blocking element 42.

(25) In this way, when there is a fall especially, the case is kept closed.

(26) It must be noted here again that this cooperation of the lock with the blocking element does not require any tool or additional equipment to lock the fastening of the covers to each another.

(27) Advantageously, according to one variant of this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4a, the lock also provides the function of attaching a cord, for example for a mobile use of the terminal. Indeed, it is possible to be able to secure the mobility of the terminal by a cord, or a strap, passed around the wrist (or neck where there is attachment to both sides) and prevent the terminal from falling when the user involuntarily lets go of it. This known function in certain existing terminals is herein advantageously integrated into the lock provided on either or both the ends of the rotation shaft of the means for fastening the covers of the case.

(28) Thus, the lock 31 comprises a passage 41 for the insertion of a strap.

(29) To reinforce the solidity of this passage 41 during the mobile use of the terminal, several recesses 40 are provided, enabling the stresses on the parts to be distributed and thus preventing deformation or even a breakage of parts.

(30) At least one embodiment of the present disclosure overcomes the different drawbacks of the prior art.

(31) At least one embodiment provides a technique that can be used to take account of the size constraints of a terminal while at the same time providing a terminal case that offers optimal fall resistance.

(32) Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more examples, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure and/or the appended claims.