Coupling member and housing

Solution Overview

Problem

The corner reinforcement portions in existing frame structures lack sufficient strength, necessitating a solution to enhance both weight reduction and strength improvement in coupling members for housing assemblies.

Innovation Solution

A coupling member design featuring a flat plate-like structure with specific bent portions and a fillet, where the bend radii of the outer surfaces match those of the extending members, allowing for improved connection strength without increasing weight by distributing loads effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If corner reinforcement portions with three-directional bent lines are used to couple frames, then assembly operation time is reduced and assembly precision is improved, but the strength of the coupling member is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly operation timeVSAvoidstrength of corner reinforcement portion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming bent portions with specific bend radii that match the extending members. The first bent portion has a bend radius equal to the first radius of curvature of the first extending member, and the second bent portion has a bend radius equal to the second radius of curvature of the second extending member. This curvature matching creates optimal contact surfaces that significantly improve coupling strength while maintaining the lightweight plate-like structure and efficient assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Manufacturing precision

If corner reinforcement portions with three-directional bent lines are used to couple frames, then assembly precision is improved, but the strength of the coupling member is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly precisionVSAvoidstrength of corner reinforcement portion

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by forming bent portions with specific bend radii that match the extending members. The first bent portion has a bend radius equal to the first radius of curvature of the first extending member, and the second bent portion has a bend radius equal to the second radius of curvature of the second extending member. This curvature matching creates optimal contact surfaces that significantly improve coupling strength while maintaining the lightweight plate-like structure and efficient assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating specific curved contact surfaces at the bent portions with precise radii of curvature. These localized curved surfaces are designed to match the geometry of the extending members, concentrating the coupling strength enhancement at the critical contact points rather than uniformly thickening the entire coupling member, thus maintaining lightweight construction while improving strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If coupling members are designed to improve strength, then structural integrity is enhanced, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of coupling memberVSAvoidweight of coupling member

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses curvature matching at the bent portions to achieve high coupling strength without increasing overall member thickness or weight. By designing bent portions with specific radii that match the extending members, the coupling efficiency is maximized through optimal contact geometry rather than through mass increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a thin plate-like structure for the coupling member that achieves high strength through geometric design rather than material quantity. The bent portions with matched radii of curvature create efficient load transfer paths in this thin structure, demonstrating that strength can be achieved through form rather than mass.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS11933336B2Coupling member and housing

Publication Date: 2024.03.19 TMEIC CORP

AI summary

A coupling member includes: first, second, and third portions each having a flat plate-like shape; and a fillet portion. The first portion has a first side and a second side orthogonal to each other. The second portion is bent at the first side relative to the first portion, and extends to an inner surface of the first portion. The third portion is bent at the second side relative to the first portion, and extends to an inner surface of the first portion. A bend radius of an outer surface of the coupling member at the first side is equal to a bend radius of a surface of a first extending member facing the first side. A bend radius of an outer surface of the coupling member at the second side is equal to a bend radius of a surface of a second extending member facing the second side.