One-piece optical imager housing and method for releasably locking a one-piece housing assembly
View Patent ↗A one-piece housing for the enclosure and protection of an optical imager or other device and a method for locking a one-piece housing assembly in a folded configuration. The housing comprises three segments permanently joined by flexible hinges that allow the housing to quickly fold into a box to enclose an optical imager. To releasably maintain the housing in closed position, the assembly contains two locking tabs that snap-fit into depressions on a platform extending away from the main housing segment. One tab snap-fits directly into a depression on the top surface of the platform while the other tab snap-fits into a depression on the reverse surface of the platform. By locking into depressions on the top and reverse surfaces of the platform, the opposing tabs tightly grip the surfaces and releasably maintain the housing in the folded configuration.
1. A one-piece housing assembly for an electronic device, comprising:
a first segment having a base including a peripheral edge, a first wall integrally formed with and extending upwardly from said base, a second wall integrally formed with said base and extending upwardly from said base in spaced apart relation to said first wall, and a third wall integrally formed with said first and second walls and having a leading edge, wherein said third wall extends between said first and second walls and is spaced apart from said base to define a cavity dimensioned to hold an optical imager;
a second segment flexibly attached to said peripheral edge of said first segment by a first hinge;
a third segment flexibly attached to said second segment by a second hinge and having a forward edge; and
a locking mechanism integrally formed with and extending from said forward edge of said third segment and adapted to connect said forward edge of said third segment to said leading edge of said third wall when said second segment is moved about said first hinge and said third segment is moved about said second hinge to position said housing assembly in a closed configuration.
2. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first and second hinges are living hinges.
3. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein an aperture is defined in said second housing segment.
4. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 3 , wherein said second segment includes a shield extending perpendicularly from said second segment and positioned to at least partially surround said aperture and said optical imager when said housing assembly is in the closed position.
5. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a platform extending from said third wall opposite from said leading edge of said third wall.
6. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said locking mechanism comprises first and second locking tabs extending from said forward edge of said third segment.
7. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 6 , wherein said leading edge of said third wall includes first and second depressions formed therein that are configured to releasably mate with said first and second locking tabs.
8. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 6 , wherein said first and second locking tabs are T-shaped and said first and second depressions are correspondingly T-shaped to accept said first and locking tabs therein.
9. The one-piece housing assembly of claim 6 , wherein said first and second depressions are formed in opposing surfaces of said leading edge of said third wall so that said first tab interlocks with said first depression in a first direction and said second tab interlocks with said second depression in a second direction that is opposite to said first direction.