Concealed Tracking Mount Housing for Theft-Resistant Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless tracking devices are vulnerable to theft and dislodgment due to their visibility and susceptibility to collisions, especially when attached to sports equipment.
Innovation Solution
Mounts comprising a housing with an internal volume to secure tracking devices and a coupler for attachment to articles, featuring adhesive, magnetic, or mechanical fasteners, and designed to minimize visibility and prevent unauthorized removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless tracking devices are attached to sports equipment, then tracking functionality is achieved, but the devices become vulnerable to theft and dislodgment due to visibility and collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device is nested within a housing that is part of the mount assembly. The housing completely encloses the tracking device, providing physical protection and making the device invisible while maintaining its tracking functionality. This nesting approach directly addresses the vulnerability to theft by hiding the device and to dislodgment by securing it within the housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount is divided into separate functional components: a housing for containing the tracking device, a coupler for attachment to the article, and optionally a cover for access control. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the housing for protection and concealment, the coupler for secure attachment, and the cover for controlled access - thereby improving overall attachment security and reducing vulnerability.
2Ease of operation
If tracking devices are made visible on sports equipment, then easy access and identification are achieved, but theft risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device is nested within the housing, making it invisible from the outside while maintaining accessibility through the cover mechanism. The cover can be opened to access the device for legitimate purposes, but the enclosed structure prevents unauthorized removal, thereby reducing theft risk without significantly compromising ease of operation for authorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing and cover create different access conditions for different users. For authorized users, the cover provides easy access to the device. For potential thieves, the enclosed structure with controlled access points (such as screw holes requiring specific tools) creates local quality differences that deter theft while maintaining operational ease for legitimate users.
3Reliability
If tracking devices are securely mounted to prevent dislodgment, then attachment reliability is improved, but the mounting structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and coupler are merged into a single integrated mount assembly. The housing that contains the tracking device is structurally combined with the coupler that attaches to the article, eliminating the need for separate mounting components. This merging reduces overall complexity while maintaining secure attachment, as the same structural elements serve both containment and attachment functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it contains and protects the tracking device, provides structural connection to the coupler, and contributes to the overall attachment mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing complexity while improving attachment reliability through integrated design.
Data Source
AI summary
Mounts (10) for securing a device (12) to an article (14) comprise a housing (16) having an internal volume (18) configured to selectively receive and retain the device (12) in the housing (16); and a coupler (20) attached to the housing (16) and configured to be operatively attached to the article (14).