Button Rod Waterproof Seal Structure That Prevents Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waterproof structures in electronic devices, such as those using O-ring molds, suffer from parting lines that degrade waterproof performance and twisting issues during key button movements, affecting both waterproofing and click feeling.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof member with specific convex and concave surfaces is designed to fit around a rod and the device body, ensuring close contact and preventing twisting, while maintaining waterproof integrity during linear movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a waterproof member having an O-ring structure is manufactured with a mold, then the waterproof member can be mass-produced efficiently, but a parting line is formed on the close-contact line of the waterproof member, degrading waterproof performance
Solution Approach 1:
The waterproof member is divided into multiple segments corresponding to different mold cavities. Each segment can be independently molded and then assembled, allowing the parting lines to be positioned away from the close-contact sealing surfaces. This segmentation enables mass production while preserving waterproof integrity at the contact lines.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastic member is introduced as an intermediary between the rod and the waterproof member. This elastic member compensates for dimensional variations and ensures reliable sealing at the close-contact lines, effectively masking the impact of parting lines formed during mold manufacturing.
2Ease of manufacture
If the waterproof member has a circular O-ring structure, then it can be easily manufactured with a mold, but the waterproof member may be twisted during key button movement, degrading the click feeling
Solution Approach 1:
The waterproof member transitions from a symmetric circular O-ring structure to an asymmetric segmented structure. This asymmetry allows the close-contact lines to be strategically positioned away from parting lines and enables the structure to accommodate linear movement without twisting, improving both manufacturability and operational feel.
Solution Approach 2:
The waterproof member is designed with flexible segments that can dynamically adapt to the linear movement of the key button. This dynamic structure prevents twisting during operation while maintaining the ease of mold manufacturing for each segment.
3Device complexity
If the waterproof member uses a simple O-ring structure, then the device structure is simple, but the close-contact line may not provide sufficient sealing, allowing water and foreign materials to ingress
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the waterproof member are designed with different properties. The close-contact lines are specifically engineered with enhanced sealing characteristics, while other regions maintain simplicity. This local differentiation ensures superior sealing performance at critical interfaces without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The waterproof member utilizes composite material structures combining different material properties in various regions. This allows the close-contact lines to have enhanced sealing capabilities while other parts maintain structural simplicity, achieving high sealing performance with moderate complexity increase.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure comprises: a body having a passage; a physical button having a rod passing through the passage; an inner surface having a first convex surface and a second convex surface formed to be spaced apart from the first convex surface; a through-hole formed by the inner surface; an outer surface having a third convex surface and a protruding surface formed to be spaced apart from the third convex surface; a bottom surface formed between the inner surface and the outer surface; and a waterproof member having a fourth convex surface formed in the direction facing the bottom surface, wherein the waterproof member is arranged between the body and the rod, the rod is inserted to pass through the through-hole, and the waterproof member can be arranged such that the first convex surface and the second convex surface comes into close contact with the rod, and the third convex surface and the protruding surface come into close contact with one surface of the body. Other various embodiments identified through the specification are possible.