Buckle Assembly With Slider Lock to Prevent Screw Dropout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metal E-ring designs in electronic devices, such as laptop computers, are prone to falling off during disassembly, potentially causing short circuits and damage due to deformation, thread interference, or conductive fiber entrapment, which can lead to E-ring loss and circuit board burns.
Innovation Solution
A buckle assembly featuring a screw with a threadless area and a slider mechanism that includes a stop rib and guiding structures, where the slider moves relative to the housing to lock or unlock the screw, preventing it from falling out by forming a stop surface that supports the screw when unscrewed, thus preventing E-ring loss and ensuring safe disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a metal E-ring is used to fix the lower cover with a screw, then the assembly is simple and meets CRU requirements, but the E-ring may fall off during disassembly causing short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the original E-ring structure into two separate components: a buckle structure integrated with the lower cover and an independent retaining structure. This segmentation allows the buckle to remain fixed while the retaining structure prevents screw detachment, solving the reliability issue without compromising assembly simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining structure is nested within the buckle structure, forming a hierarchical assembly where the retaining structure fits into the buckle. This nested design ensures that when the buckle is attached to the lower cover, the retaining structure automatically secures the screw, preventing it from falling off during disassembly.
2Reliability
If the E-ring thickness is increased to prevent thread interference, then the E-ring is less likely to fall off, but the overall assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining structure incorporates a movable retaining member that can dynamically adjust its position. When the screw is inserted, the retaining member moves to engage with the screw and prevent it from falling off. This dynamic mechanism provides reliable retention without requiring a thick, static E-ring structure, thereby maintaining assembly simplicity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conductive fiber cloth is added for electrical grounding, then electrical safety is improved, but the fiber may be caught between the screw and E-ring causing the E-ring to fall off
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the grounding function from the E-ring assembly by providing a separate grounding path through the buckle structure itself. The buckle is designed with conductive elements that provide electrical grounding without requiring additional conductive fiber cloth between the screw and E-ring, thereby eliminating the risk of fiber entrapment and E-ring detachment.
Data Source
AI summary
A buckle assembly and an electronic device using the same are provided. The buckle assembly is adapted to be assembled on a housing of the electronic device. The housing has an inner surface and a first hole. The buckle assembly includes an assembly element, a slider, and an abutting member. The assembly element is assembled in the first hole along a first direction; the slider is disposed on the inner surface of the housing and is capable of moving relative to the housing along a second direction to lock or unlock the assembly element, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; and the abutting member is disposed on the inner surface of the housing and is used to abut against the slider when the slider locks the assembly element.