Breaker Housing Segmentation for Downsizing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing breakers for electronic devices are difficult to downsize due to increased thickness caused by the thermally responsive elements, limiting their mounting flexibility and rigidity.

Innovation Solution

A housing design featuring a case with a thermoplastic resin composition and a cover piece attached via a protrusion system, allowing for reduced thickness while maintaining rigidity and strength, using a thermoplastic resin composition with specific heat deflection properties and a method of manufacturing that includes heating and deformation of protrusions to secure the cover piece.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the cover piece is insert molded to the lid member to enhance rigidity and strength, then the structural strength is improved, but the total thickness increases making downsizing difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverigidity and strength of caseVSAvoidthickness of breaker

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The case is divided into separate components: the lid member (resin), cover piece (metal), and base member (resin), which are assembled together using protrusions and fitting portions rather than being molded as a single integrated piece. This segmentation allows for optimized thickness of each component while maintaining overall structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover piece is fitted over the protrusions that extend from the lid member, creating a nested structure where the metal cover piece surrounds the resin protrusions. This nested arrangement provides structural reinforcement without requiring the cover piece to be fully integrated through insert molding, thereby reducing overall thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the total thickness of lid members is increased to enhance rigidity, then the structural stability is improved, but the degree of freedom in mounting is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmounting flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the case into assembleable components with standardized protrusion and fitting portion interfaces, the housing achieves structural stability through proper component integration while maintaining mounting flexibility. The separate components can be optimized for different functions without being constrained by a single thick integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The structural reinforcement is achieved through the three-dimensional nested arrangement of the cover piece over the protrusions, rather than simply increasing thickness in one dimension. This allows stability to be obtained through spatial configuration rather than increased material volume, preserving mounting flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If the thickness of the central region is increased to support the thermally responsive element, then the structural support is improved, but the breaker cannot be downsized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidoverall size of breaker

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cover piece is fitted over the protrusions in a nested arrangement, providing structural support to the central region where the thermally responsive element is mounted. This nested structure delivers the necessary structural reinforcement without requiring increased overall thickness, enabling downsizing of the breaker while maintaining support capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 design enables the downsizing of breakers without compromising rigidity and strength, enhancing mounting flexibility and preventing short-circuits through the protrusion system, while maintaining effective thermal responsiveness.

Implementation Method 1

the case is formed of a thermoplastic resin composition having heat deflection temperature under load in a range equal to or higher than 120 degrees Celsius and equal to or lower than 320 degrees Celsius

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat deflection: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

a fourth step for deforming the first protrusion by heating at least one of the first protrusion and the cover piece

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal deformation: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS11158471B2Housing of electronic device, method of manufacturing housing of electronic device, and breaker having the same

Publication Date: 2021.10.26 BOURNS KK

AI summary

Provided is a breaker capable of further downsizing without impairing rigidity and strength of a case. The breaker 1 comprises a fixed contact 21, a movable piece 4 having and pressing a movable contact 41 to the fixed contact 21, a thermally responsive element 5 for moving the movable piece 4 to separate the movable contact 41 from the fixed contact 21 by deformation thereof responding to temperature change, a case for containing the fixed piece 21, the movable piece 4 and the thermally responsive element 5, and a cover piece 8 attached on the case 7. The case 7 has an end face 72 on which the cover piece 8 is disposed, a containing recess 73 caved from the end face 72 and forming a space to which the movable piece 4 and the thermally responsive element 5 are contained, and a first protrusion protruding from the end face 72 and to which the cover piece 8 is fitted.