Circuit Board Corner Support Assembly for Flexible Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing support arrangements for circuit boards in induction cooktops are inflexible and costly due to their large size and need for adaptation to different board shapes and sizes, limiting the flexibility of the hob and increasing development costs.

Innovation Solution

A support arrangement using electrically insulating support elements that encompass only the corner areas of the circuit board, featuring a bearing surface and perpendicular stops for secure mounting, along with positive-locking elements for attachment to a metal base, allowing for flexible adaptation to various board sizes and shapes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If support elements completely surround the circuit board with four lateral stops, then the circuit board is securely held in position, but the support arrangement becomes inflexible and requires adaptation to different board shapes and sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure holding of circuit boardVSAvoidadaptability to different board shapes and sizes
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is segmented into only two stops instead of four, supporting only the corner area of the circuit board. This segmentation allows the same support element design to be used across different board shapes and sizes while maintaining secure positioning through the corner-focused support approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lateral stops are extracted from surrounding the entire board perimeter and concentrated only at the corner area. This extraction reduces the support element size and eliminates the need to adapt to different board shapes while still providing reliable positioning through the corner stops.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If support elements are adapted to different circuit board shapes and sizes, then each board configuration is optimized, but development costs increase and the hob becomes inflexible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptimized support for specific board configurationsVSAvoiddevelopment costs and construction flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is designed as a universal component that can be used across all circuit board configurations. By focusing support only on the corner area with two stops, the same support element design serves multiple functions for different board shapes and sizes, eliminating the need for configuration-specific adaptations and reducing development costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If support elements are reduced to only corner support, then flexibility and cost-effectiveness improve, but the security of holding the circuit board may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility to different board configurationsVSAvoidsecure holding of circuit board
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support element concentrates its support function locally at the corner area of the circuit board rather than distributing support across the entire board perimeter. This local quality approach provides sufficient securing through the corner stops while maintaining flexibility for different board configurations, as the corner area is critical for positioning regardless of board shape or size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2256416B1Support assembly
Publication Date: 2015.01.14 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2256416B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2256416B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2256416B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention is based on a carrier arrangement with at least one electrically insulating support element (10) for supporting a circuit board (12) on a metal base (14). It is proposed that the support element (10) encompasses exactly one corner region (16) of the circuit board (12) in which two side edges (18, 20) of the circuit board (12) meet.