GB2273595A

GB2273595A - Housing with readable structures

Info

Publication number: GB2273595A
Application number: GB9325627A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Claus Kemmner
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1992-12-17
Filing date: 1993-12-15
Publication date: 1994-06-22
Also published as: ITMI932638A0; ITMI932638A1; ITMI930973U1; ITMI930973V0; GB9325627D0; DE9217221U1

Abstract

For a housing (1) for technical products, in particular for electric hand-tools (2), having readable structures (5) disposed on the housing wall (3, 4), in particular data-symbols, such as type plate data, relating to name of manufacturer, time of manufacture, type of product, substances used, the object of an arrangement of the readable structures (5) which is secure against loss and destruction is achieved by the fact that the readable structures (5) are disposed indirectly and/or directly at at least one specific location on the housing (1), covered outwardly by the material of the housing (1), in particular in machine-readable form in the housing wall (3, 4), integrated within its contour. <IMAGE>

Description

Housing with readable structures Prior Art The invention derives from a housing according to the generic type of Claim 1.

Housings of electric hand-tools are hitherto provided with type plates made from plastics film, aluminium plates or plastics plates. Applied to the type plates are readable structures representing machine data or material data or the like of the electric hand-tool or housing.

These plates are riveted or glued onto the housing or inserted into prepared pockets. The plates are expensive.

Due to the large number of separate plates necessary for the numerous machine types, they demand complex stockkeeping. Moreover, in the manufacture of the housing or machine hand-tool, additional expenditure with regard to transportation and assembly occurs.

With respect to type plates, there is the danger that they will become lost by inadvertent detachment from the housing or that the readable structures will become unreadable as a result of damage, abrasion or similar wear.

Advantages of the invention The housing according to the invention, having the characterizing features of Claim 1, has the advantage in contrast to the above that the readable structures which, once fitted at predetermined locations, preferably in the manufacturing process, remain permanently readable, in particular automatically machine-readable, for example by so-called "scanners". The fact that the surface area of the data-carrier is not limited as in a type plate enables a larger number of information items, for example on [sic] hints for servicing and recycling measures, e.g.

for the substances used, to be fitted to it without disturbing the aesthetic appearance of the housing, i.e.

without being visibly distinct from the housing in terms of shape or colour. A further advantage of the invention consists in the fact that the readable structures are protected by the housing itself.

By virtue of the features of the contingent claims, advantageous refinements and improvements of the housing specified in Claim 1 are possible. It is particularly advantageous from an economic viewpoint to apply structures by altering the rearward-facing surface and/or by altering the thickness of the housing wall.

Drawing An illustrative embodiment of the invention are [sic] explained in greater detail in the following description with reference to the associated drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a side view of a machine hand-tool housing and Fig. 2 shows an enlargement of a region of the above named housing having readable structures.

Description of the illustrative embodiment The housing 1, represented in Figure 1, of a machine hand-tool 2 having a shape which is optimized for handling purposes has a large number of outer, curved surface regions 3 which are unsuitable for receiving type plates and are prone to high levels of abrasion during use, but which can readily support, on their inner side 4, readable structures in the form of one or more embossed bar codes 5, without these being endangered by wear from outside.

The outwardly facing surface 3 of the housing 1 is smooth.

The readable structures can be fitted to the housing 1 by different techniques, hot-stamping, milling, welding-on or gluing, casting during the manufacture of the housing part, e.g. insert parts for the die mould, or by partial through-dyeing of the housing wall using dyes which, in the spectral range of light visible to the human eye, are not discernible or, for example, also by the embossing of braille symbols.

That detail of the surface region 3 according to Figure 1, which detail is shown in Figure 2, enlarged and turned by 900, clearly illustrates the relief-like bar code 5 on the inner side 4 of the housing 1.

The thickness s of the housing wall, measuring approx.

0.8 mm, is slightly reduced in places by embossings at predetermined locations on the inner side 4, so that the strength is not adversely affected.

Particularly advantageous is the fact that the need to glue and seal and to mount type plates is now obviated or that, in designing the housing, type plate surfaces can be left out of consideration from the very beginning.

Claims

1. Housing for technical products, in particular for electric hand-tools (2), having readable structures (5) disposed on the housing wall (3, 4), in particular datasymbols, such as type plate data relating to name of manufacturer, time of manufacture, type of product and the like, characterized in that the readable structures (5) are disposed indirectly and/or directly at at least one specific location on the housing (1) and are disposed fully covered, at least outwardly, by the material of the housing (1), preferably invisible to the human eye without artificial aids, in particular in machine-readable form in the housing wall (3, 4), integrated within its contour.

2. Housing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the readable structures (5) are disposed coded, in particular as line or bar codes, on the inner and/or outer sides (3, 4) of the housing (1).

3. Housing according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the readable structures (5) are applied by embossing in the material of the inner side (4).

4. Housing according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the readable structures (5) are applied by etching or radiation treatment of the housing material, such as, for example, IR, W or laser light treatment.

5. Housing according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the readable structures (5) are applied by reshaping or machine-cutting of the material of the inner side (4) of the housing (1), such as, for example, milling, engraving or roller-burnishing.

6. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that relief-like alterations to the wall thickness of the housing (1) represent the readable structures (5).

7. Housing according to Claim 1, 2 or 4, characterized in that the readable structures (5) are formed by means of dyes invisible to the human eye, in particular through-dyed through the housing wall (3, 4), or by an auxiliary substance which bears the structures (5) and is invisible to the human eye, such as, for example, metallic or magnetic elements.

8. Housing according to one of Claims 1, 2 or 7, characterized in that the housing (1) consists of castable plastic in which the structures (5) are incorporated by casting, in particular during manufacture of the housing (1).

9. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structures (5) can be read using an ultrasonic sensor.

10. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structures (5) have the form of braille.

11. A housing substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.