Bridge Push-Button Anchoring for Binding Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing push-button designs struggle to consistently provide desired tactile behavior, avoid binding, and meet manufacturing and cost requirements due to variability in manufacturing processes, lacking a design that is both reliable and easy to install across various electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A bridge-style push-button with resilient and differently oriented anchor portions that securely attach to a device, featuring a first anchor portion for slideable or rotatable engagement and a second anchor portion for perpendicular orientation, along with a resilient bridge portion and an actuating portion, facilitating ease of installation and absorption of manufacturing variances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional push-button designs are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but tactile behavior consistency and binding avoidance deteriorate due to manufacturing variability
Solution Approach 1:
The push-button is divided into separate components: a resilient bridge portion and distinct anchor portions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the bridge portion providing consistent tactile feedback through its resilient properties while anchor portions accommodate manufacturing variations through their attachment geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge portion is made of resilient material with specific elastic properties that maintain consistent tactile behavior across manufacturing variations. The resilience parameter allows the bridge to deform and return predictably, providing reliable tactile feedback despite variations in other manufacturing parameters.
2Ease of operation
If traditional push-button designs are used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but binding resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge portion is designed as a resilient, dynamic element that can deform elastically during actuation and return to its original position. This dynamic behavior prevents binding by allowing the structure to adapt to slight misalignments and manufacturing variations during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge portion functions as a flexible element that connects the anchor portions. Its flexibility allows it to accommodate dimensional variations and prevent binding during actuation, while still providing sufficient structural integrity for reliable operation.
3Reliability
If push-buttons are designed for secure attachment, then reliability is improved, but installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor portions are designed to self-align and self-attach to the device housing through their geometric features. The resilient bridge portion naturally tensions itself during attachment, providing secure fixation without requiring complex alignment procedures or additional fastening operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor portions feature asymmetric geometries that provide directional attachment characteristics. This asymmetry enables straightforward insertion in the correct orientation while preventing incorrect installation, simplifying the installation process while ensuring reliable attachment.
4Ease of manufacture
If cost-effective materials are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but tactile response quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge portion utilizes resilient materials with optimized elastic parameters that provide high-quality tactile feedback at low cost. By focusing material selection and processing efforts on the bridge portion's elastic properties rather than overall component complexity, the design achieves superior tactile response within cost constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient material properties are concentrated specifically in the bridge portion where tactile feedback is generated, while other portions use simpler, lower-cost materials. This local optimization of material quality ensures high tactile response where needed while maintaining overall cost-effectiveness.
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 solution provides improved tactile experience, reduced binding, and enhanced manufacturing tolerances, allowing for a reliable and cost-effective push-button design that effectively addresses the limitations of prior art by ensuring consistent performance across different electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a bridge portion, made of a resilient material, coupled to the first anchor portion and the second anchor portion
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology provides a bridge-style push-button with anchoring, a device comprising same, and a method of assembly. The push-button comprises a first anchor portion for coupling to the device, a second anchor portion for coupling to the device, a resilient bridge portion suspended between the anchor portions, and an actuating portion mounted on the bridge portion. The first anchor portion is mounted along a differently oriented axis from the second anchor portion. The first and second anchor portions may be slideably mounted, rotatably mounted, or both. The device comprises anchor sites for mounting of the push-button. The method of assembly comprises coupling the first anchor portion to the device before the second anchor portion.