FLUID INGRESS RESISTANT MAGNETIC STRIPE READER ASSEMBLY

1 . A portable point of sale terminal comprising:

a housing;

an electronics compartment within the housing;

a magnetic stripe reader coupled to the housing, the magnetic stripe reader including a flexible printed circuit board to transmit an electronic signal to the electronics compartment, the reader including a holder secured within the terminal, wherein the holder includes a cavity in which a magnetic head is mounted for translational movement, the flexible printed circuit board including a first end coupled to the magnetic head in the cavity, the cavity surrounding the magnetic head to isolate the head from the electronics compartment, and further wherein the cavity includes an opening and the flexible printed circuit board is routed through the opening, and further including a gasket adhered to the holder at the opening and sealing the cavity opening where the flexible printed circuit board passes through, the opening allowing the flexible printed circuit board to pass through the holder and into the electronics compartment, while the gasket seals the opening and the flexible printed circuit board against fluid ingress into the electronics compartment.

2 . The terminal of claim 1 wherein the opening is offset from the lower surface of the cavity.

3 . The terminal of claim 1 wherein the gasket at the opening is substantially flat.

4 . The terminal of claim 3 wherein the gasket is adhered to the back of the cavity.

5 . The terminal of claim 1 wherein the housing includes flanges, and further wherein the holder includes flanges that mate against the flanges on the terminal housing.

6 . The terminal of claim 1 wherein the holder includes an alignment assembly for locating a head of the magnetic stripe reader.

7 . The terminal of claim 6 wherein alignment assembly includes locating pins for the head.

8 . The terminal of claim 7 wherein the pins are integrally formed within the holder.