Adjustable Retainer Clip for Accessory Fit and Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accessory carriers face challenges in securely retaining accessories due to size and shape variations among different manufacturers, leading to issues with fit, retention, and user preference, as well as wear and environmental changes, which existing designs struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A retainer clip that applies retention and drag forces to the back or surface of an accessory rather than constricting the entire accessory body, allowing for adjustments to accommodate various sizes and shapes, and compensating for wear and environmental changes through a design with a body, arm, and stop pin mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the carrier is designed to constrict the sides of the accessory to improve retention, then retention force is improved, but the carrier becomes heavier and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The retention system is segmented into a separate retainer clip component that can be independently adjusted. The retainer clip includes an arm with a tip that can be positioned at different locations along the accessory, allowing retention force to be applied at optimal points without requiring the entire carrier structure to be complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer clip features an adjustable arm that can be repositioned along the accessory to adapt to different sizes and shapes. The arm can be flexed and locked into different positions, providing dynamic adaptability rather than a fixed rigid structure, which simplifies the overall carrier design while maintaining reliable retention.
2Reliability
If the carrier constricts a longer length of the accessory to improve retention, then retention is improved, but drag increases making insertion and removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of constricting a long portion of the accessory, the retainer clip concentrates retention force at a localized point through its tip. The tip can be positioned to engage specific features of the accessory, providing strong retention with minimal contact area, thereby reducing drag during insertion and removal while maintaining secure retention.
3Weight of moving object
If the carrier is made thin and shallow to reduce weight and profile, then portability is improved, but the constricting force is applied to only a small area reducing retention effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer clip acts as an intermediary component between the thin carrier shell and the accessory. It concentrates and transmits retention force through its arm and tip structure, allowing a thin, lightweight carrier to achieve effective retention by funneling force through the adjustable retainer clip rather than relying on the carrier shell thickness.
4Manufacturing precision
If the carrier is designed to fit specific accessory sizes and shapes, then retention precision is improved, but adaptability to different manufacturers and sizes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer clip is designed as a universal component that can accommodate multiple accessory sizes and shapes. The adjustable arm can be positioned at different locations and angled to engage various features of different accessories from different manufacturers, allowing a single carrier design to serve multiple functions and maintain precise fit across different accessory types.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer clip allows users to adjust parameters such as arm position, arm angle, and tip location to match the specific dimensions and features of different accessories. This adjustability enables precise fitting for each accessory type while maintaining compatibility across a wide range of manufacturers and sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
A retainer clip including a body having a first end, second end, top, bottom, first side and second side. An arm extends from the body at a junction on the second end of the body. The arm is preferably folded so as to extend along the bottom of the body such that the arm is spaced from the body. The body includes an aperture which extends through the body from the top to the bottom. A stop pin is positioned in the aperture and is capable of extending into the space between the bottom of the body and the arm.