Tactile Feedback Mechanism for Battery Pack Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in determining the correct force and distance to release battery packs from cordless power tools, as existing mechanisms lack clear tactile feedback, making it frustrating to disengage the battery pack without excessive force or uncertainty.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a tactile feedback mechanism, such as a buckle spring or magnetic system, that provides a distinct change in resistance force at a trigger point, allowing users to easily release the battery pack by reducing the required application force, indicated by a tactile snap or click sensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional latch mechanism is used without tactile feedback, then the device structure remains simple, but the user cannot determine the correct force and distance to release the battery pack, leading to operational difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements tactile feedback through a spring mechanism that provides a detectable change in resistance force during the release member's actuation stroke. This feedback mechanism allows the user to sense when the latch is fully disengaged, eliminating uncertainty about the release process while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spring as an intermediary element between the release member and the latch mechanism. This spring provides tactile feedback by creating a detectable force change during actuation, serving as a mediator that communicates the latch status to the user without requiring complex electronic or visual systems.
2Ease of operation
If excessive force is applied to release the battery pack, then the battery pack can be removed, but the mechanism may be damaged or the operation becomes frustrating
Solution Approach 1:
The tactile feedback mechanism provides real-time information to the user about the latch disengagement status through force changes. This feedback allows the user to apply force progressively and stop when the latch is fully released, preventing application of excessive force that could damage the mechanism while ensuring reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism creates a region of reduced resistance force during the actuation stroke, allowing the user to apply partial force rather than requiring excessive force throughout the entire movement. This partial action approach enables safe and reliable release without over-stressing the latch components.
3Reliability
If the release member has a long actuation stroke distance, then the latch can be reliably disengaged, but the user experiences uncertainty about when release is complete
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-based tactile feedback mechanism generates detectable force changes at specific points during the release member's actuation stroke. This feedback provides the user with information about the latch disengagement progress and completion, eliminating uncertainty even when the actuation stroke distance is long, while maintaining reliable latch disengagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs force changes as a sensory indicator (analogous to color changes in visual systems) to communicate the release status to the user. The detectable change in resistance force serves as a tactile signal that informs the user when the latch is disengaged, compensating for the loss of visual or other sensory feedback during the actuation process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tactile feedback mechanism reduces the force needed to release the battery pack by up to 50%, providing clear indication when the latch is disengaged, making the process easier and more intuitive for users.
Implementation Method 1
The buckle spring can be oriented to extend horizontally in the battery housing body and buckles in response to a transversely applied force applied by a manual actuation of the at least one release member
Implementation Method 2
The at least one spring mount member is configured to translate inwardly to deflect a medial portion of the buckling spring to generate the tactile feedback
Data Source
AI summary
Battery packs include a battery pack housing, at least one battery release member held by the battery housing, a (blind) latch held by the battery pack housing in communication with the battery release member that releaseably locks the battery pack to a device, and a tactile feedback mechanism that is held by the battery pack housing and is in communication with the battery release member. The tactile feedback mechanism generates a tactile feedback that reduces or increases an application force required by a user to manually actuate the at least one release member. The tactile feedback transmitted through the at least one battery release member. The tactile feedback is generated when the at least one release member has been manually actuated by the user a sufficient distance to allow the user to easily remove the battery pack from the device.