Articulated Stand Ball Joint With Internal Cable Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing articulated stands face difficulties in providing a reliable electric connection for electronic devices due to challenges in routing thick cables, such as coaxial cables, through ball joints, which leads to wear and disconnection issues.
Innovation Solution
An articulated stand design featuring a ball pivot with a chamber and a connector for cable management, where the cable connector is securely accommodated within the chamber and a passage with a greater diameter than the chamber, allowing for cable accommodation regardless of the ball joint's position, along with a looped cable configuration to prevent wear and disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cable is passed through a ball joint without connection, then the assembly of an electronic device is simplified, but the cable is subjected to wear and disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the connector within the ball pivot chamber before final assembly. The connector is positioned and secured in advance, allowing the cable to be routed through a dedicated passage without subsequent wear or disconnection issues, thus maintaining assembly ease while ensuring reliability
2Reliability
If a thick cable such as a coaxial cable is used for cameras, then the cable provides sufficient power and data transmission, but the cable routing through a ball joint becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cable routing path into distinct functional zones: a chamber for connector accommodation, a dedicated passage for cable routing with greater diameter, and a free space for cable accommodation. This segmentation allows thick coaxial cables to be routed easily through the articulated stand without increasing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a simple linear cable path to a three-dimensional routing structure with a chamber, passage, and free space. This dimensional change provides multiple spatial dimensions for cable management, making it easier to route thick cables while maintaining a compact overall design
3Device complexity
If the passage has the same diameter as the chamber, then the design is simpler, but the cable connector cannot be accommodated regardless of ball joint position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by creating a hierarchical structure where the chamber (smaller diameter) is nested within the passage (greater diameter). The connector is accommodated in the chamber, while the larger passage allows the cable and connector to move freely regardless of ball joint position, providing both adaptability and maintaining design simplicity
Data Source
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AI summary
An articulated stand (100) for holding an electronic device (140), the articulated stand (100) comprising: a first part (110) defining a ball pivot (111) and suitable for holding the electronic device (140); and a second part (120) comprising a ball housing portion (121) receiving the ball pivot (111) to form a ball joint; wherein the ball pivot (111) has a chamber (112) and a connector (114) accommodated at least partially in the chamber (112), for plugging a cable connector (151) through the ball pivot (111) and the ball housing portion (121).