Camera Housing Draw Latch for Water-Tight Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera housings often have complex and difficult-to-use mechanisms for securing and removing cameras, especially when complete enclosure is needed for protection in harsh environments like underwater conditions, which complicates user experience.
Innovation Solution
A camera housing design featuring a first and second housing portion with a draw latch, where the draw latch is pivotally coupled to a base hinge and includes a bent wireform with specific segments, providing a secure and water-tight seal when closed, allowing easy camera access and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex securing mechanism is used to securely enclose the camera in harsh environments, then the reliability and protection are improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple portions (first housing portion, second housing portion, door) that can be separately assembled and secured. The draw latch mechanism is segmented into a draw member, bent wireform, and hook components that work independently but coordinate together to provide secure enclosure while maintaining simple operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The draw latch mechanism is extracted as a separate, dedicated component from the housing structure itself. This allows the securing function to be isolated to a specific mechanism that can be designed for both security and ease of operation, rather than integrating it into the overall housing design where it might compromise either function.
2Reliability
If a secure coupling mechanism is used to form a water-tight seal, then the reliability in harsh environments is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The draw latch mechanism combines multiple functions into a single integrated assembly: the draw member provides the securing action, the bent wireform provides flexibility and sealing pressure, and the hook provides the anchoring point. This merging of functions reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing overall complexity while maintaining the water-tight seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The bent wireform acts as a flexible element that can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations while maintaining the water-tight seal. This flexibility allows the seal to conform to the mating surfaces without requiring precision-engineered rigid sealing structures, thereby reducing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A camera housing includes a first and second housing portion and a draw latch. The first housing portion includes a monolithic panel base hinge. The second housing portion is pivotally coupled to the first housing portion. The draw latch secures the first and second housing portions to enclose a camera. The draw latch is coupled to the first housing portion and coupleable to the second housing portion. The draw latch includes a draw hook and a mid-linkage. The mid-linkage includes a draw hook hinge end, a draw hook lip end, and first and second segments. The draw hook hinge end rotatably connects to the draw latch. The first segment couples first sides of the draw hook hinge end and the draw hook lip end to one another. The second segment couples the draw hook hinge end and the draw hook lip end together. The mid-linkage is plastic and substantially rigid.