COMPARE OKW'S LARGER PLASTIC ENCLOSURES FOR HANDHELD ELECTRONICS

HANDHELD ELECTRONICS: OVERCOMING THE DESIGN DILEMMA…

Handheld electronics have always been limited by one overriding factor – the size of the human hand. Whatever your handheld device, it must be comfortable to hold and operate for long periods of time.

Make the device too large and it crosses the line that separates handheld from portable electronics. Yes, your product might be easy to carry around…but how easy is it to hold in one hand and operate with the other? Or to use with just one hand?

As technology advances and devices get smaller, it’s all too easy to assume that this will become less of an issue. However, the reality is very different: there’s no shortage of product designers requiring larger handhold enclosures for their feature-rich electronics.

They need handheld housings that are capacious enough to accommodate large circuit boards and controls…but so smoothly contoured and well balanced that they’re as unputdownable as a bestselling novel.

And that’s where we come in, with 19 different handheld enclosure models. They range from tiny remote control fob housings such as MINITEC S (2.00" x 1.26" x 0.51") to large portable instrument enclosures such as CARRYTEC L (13.70" x 11.92" x 4.61").

Within those 19 models are five enclosures that make light work of bulky handheld electronics which cannot be miniaturized any further than they already have. These enclosures are all highly versatile and have some excellent technical features to offer…

DATEC-MOBIL-BOX – FOR MOBILE DATA RECORDING AND MORE

Aside from data recording and transfer, DATEC-MOBIL-BOX is also ideal for test and measurement, stock and sales logging and digital control – and all in the kind of challenging factory and outdoor environments that would otherwise pose a threat to sensitive electronics.

The sheer size of the DATEC-MOBIL-BOX range should tell you immediately that this is a popular model. There is a wide choice of standard versions to accommodate displays including: LCD Type 2" LC glass module, LCD Type 2 x 16 compact/standard, LCD Type 4 x 16 standard, LCD Type 2 x 20 miniature, LCD Types 4 x 20 – or no display at all. IP 65 protection is provided by the optional sealing kits.

The top has a large recess to protect a membrane keypad, and there are flat surfaces for installing interfaces – notably along the sides. Acrylic windows (accessory) protect the display area and help to ensure the high ingress protection rating.

DATEC-MOBIL-BOX is offered in three sizes: S (5.98″ x 3.27″ x 1.32″) and L (9.92″x4.76″x1.97″) are available with/without a battery compartment. Size M (7.68″x3.98″x1.73"/2.32″) can be specified with a battery compartment lid only (battery holders are sold separately).

The enclosures are molded from tried-and-trusted ABS (UL 94 HB) as standard in either off-white (RAL 9002) or black (RAL 9005). V-0 special materials and custom colors are also available on request.

Accessories include secure wall suspension elements with locking clasps, tilt foot bars for desktop use, display windows, sealing kits, battery compartments (1/2 x 9 V, 4 x AA), battery clips (1/2 x 9V, 2/4 x AA ), a battery spacer, a plug-in contact (9 V), a soft-touch TPE protector to absorb impacts and protect surfaces (size L), anti-slide feet for desktop use, and a ring eyelet.

View DATEC-MOBIL-CASE range >>

DATEC-CONTROL HANDHELD ENCLOSURES FOR LARGE GRAPHICS DISPLAYS

DATEC-CONTROL (IP 65 optional) puts large graphic displays in the palm of your hand – and yet these enclosures are so comfortable to hold. The rounded display section might be large but the holding area is easy to grasp.

Even the largest version of these enclosures has a reassuring balance to it, making quick work of mobile data collection and transfer, measuring and control, medical and wellness technology, smart factory and Industry 4.0 applications.

There are four sizes to choose from:

• XS (7.87" x 2.28"/3.70" x 1.56"), IP 65 optional – with/without screw-in battery cradles (2/3 x AA, 1 x 9 V). The battery compartment lid can be secured with either a latch and/or screw fitting.
• S (8.98" x 2.83"/4.61" x 1.85"), IP 65 optional – with/without screw-in battery cradles (4 x AA, 1 x 9 V). The battery compartment lid offers latch and/or screw fixing.
• M (9.57" x 3.54"/5.12" x 2.36"), IP 54 optional – with/without plug-in battery packs (up to 5 x AA cells) with mounting for PCMCIA holders.
• L (10.47" x 3.54"/5.67" x 2.36"), IP 54 optional – with/without plug-in battery packs (up to 5 x AA cells) with mounting for PCMCIA holders.

Like DATEC-MOBIL-BOX, the enclosures have generous recesses to protect displays and membrane keypads. And again, they’re all molded from off-white (RAL 9002) or black (RAL 9005) ABS (UL 94 HB).

There is a large range of accessories including secure wall suspension elements, docking stations, soft-touch TPE protectors, sealing kits, battery compartments, clips, contacts (including 9 V plug-in), a spacer, end plates, display windows, a cable strain relief clamp and a ring eyelet.

View DATEC-CONTROL range >>

HAND-TERMINAL FOR MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEMS

HAND-TERMINAL (IP 65 optional) has a very large display area, offering plenty of space for operating elements and displays. Meanwhile, the smaller curved underside is beautifully contoured, making these large enclosures great to grip. And the flat sides are a good place to site an emergency stop button (or other pushbuttons).

Specify HAND-TERMINAL for machine control in production and assembly, terminals in programing and teach-in applications, measurement and control, mobile terminals, programmers, data collection units and more.

HAND-TERMINAL (8.66″ x 4.72″ x 2.56″) is available in two versions: one with a closed top, the other designed for an aluminum front panel assembly. Both versions have a recessed operating area and a battery compartment (4 x AA, 1/2 x 9 V).

Unlike DATEC-MOBIL-BOX and DATEC-CONTROL – which are ABS enclosures – HAND-TERMINAL is molded from a tougher PC+ABS blend. Polycarbonate is the plastic used for bulletproof glass and riot shields so it adds strength and resilience. This PC+ABS blend also has a superior flammability resistance – UL 94 V-0, compared with the UL 94 HB of ABS.

The standard colors for HAND-TERMINAL are off-white (RAL 9002) or black (RAL 9005). Accessories include battery compartments (1/2 x 9V, 4 x AA), battery clips, a plug-in contact (9 V), a battery spacer, sealing kits and an aluminum front panel.

View the HAND-TERMINAL range >>

DATEC-COMPACT FOR PORTABLE DEVICES USED OUTDOORS

It’s all too easy to forget that an enclosure as small, ergonomic and convenient as the appropriately named DATEC-COMPACT can be as large as 8.11" x 4.33" x 1.85" (L) – offering lots of room for components.

DATEC-COMPACT (IP 65) is built to withstand the rigours of the outdoors, safeguarding electronics from dust and water ingress. This makes it perfect for applications such as mobile data recording, measuring and control, and environmental technology. It’s also recommended for demanding and challenging environments in healthcare, laboratories, Industry 4.0 and smart factories. However, an IP 41 version without sealing is also available – reducing unit cost for applications where ingress protection is not an issue.

DATEC-COMPACT is available with/without a battery compartment (AAA/AA). In versions with a battery compartment, SD cards and USB connectors can be inserted within this sealed section, giving them added protection.

Like many other OKW enclosures, DATEC-COMPACT has a large recessed operating area for a membrane keypad or display. Soft contours make the enclosures pleasant to hold and operate – even with gloved hands. The enclosures are assembled with tamperproof Torx screws – an important consideration for the medical sector.

Aside from the aforementioned size L, DATEC-COMPACT is also available in sizes S 5.35" x 2.91" x 1.26" and M 6.77" x 3.62" x 1.54". All the enclosures are molded from UV-stable ASA+PC (UL 94 V-0) in either off-white (RAL 9002) or lava as standard.

Accessories include docking stations, wall holders, contact pins and spring contacts (for easy charging), battery clips (3 x AA, 3 x AAA), anti-slide feet for desktop use, and Torx screwdrivers and screws.

View DATEC-COMPACT range >>

SMART-CASE XL – FOR A SMALLER OPTION

SMART-CASE (IP 65 optional) is one of our bestselling models so it would be remiss not to mention the fact that it’s available in an XL version – 6.61" x 2.93" x 1.39" – either with or without a battery compartment. Versions without a battery compartment can be specified with or without a cable gland.

Size XL is as ergonomic as sizes XS, M and L, with tapering curves that sit well in the hand. This ensures SMART-CASE is specified for a huge range of remote control and mobile USB applications in medical, social care, household and industrial environments. Inside, there are fastening pillars and fixing supports for PCBs and components.

The enclosures are molded from ABS (UL 94 HB) or infrared-transparent PMMA for remote control applications. The standard colors are off-white (RAL 9002) and black (RAL 9005) for ABS and black only for PMMA.

Accessories for SMART-CASE XL include docking stations, wall holders (and adhesive foils), holding clamps for tubes, belt/pocket clips, and a pull-relief clamp for cable-connected applications. There are also battery clips (2 x AA and 9V).

View SMART-CASE range >>

SPECIFY LARGE HANDHELD ENCLOSURES FULLY CUSTOMIZED

All OKW enclosures – large or small, handheld or otherwise – can be customized to your exact requirements. We carry out all the work in-house to ensure quality, consistency and prompt delivery. Services include:

• CNC machining of apertures for displays, controls and interfaces
• lacquering – including a new wider range of color options for soft-touch lacquers
• printing of legends, logos and graphics
• laser marking – for consecutive numbering and machine readable QR codes, barcodes and DataMatrix codes
• decor foils – photo quality, in batches as small as one unit
• special materials – custom colors and a V-0 flammability rating
• Shielding – protection against EMI/RFI
• installation/assembly of accessories.

View full range of customization services >>

GET EXPERT TECHNICAL ADVICE ON HANDHELD ENCLOSURES

Contact the team at OKW for expert technical advice on specifying the best standard or customized enclosures for your handheld electronics. Request a sample to feel how ergonomic they are.