Door A/V Device with Viewer and Flexible Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio/video (A/V) devices for home security often have limited field of view due to installation constraints, may damage barriers during installation, and can obstruct wireless communication, while also lacking fire-resistant features.
Innovation Solution
An A/V device design that allows installation through existing openings in barriers, using a viewer to maintain the existing hole, with a flexible connector for electrical connection, and includes fire-resistant rings to maintain structural integrity during fires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If A/V device is installed through existing openings in barriers, then installation efficiency is improved and barrier integrity is preserved, but device complexity increases due to integration of viewer and flexible connector
Solution Approach 1:
The A/V device is nested within the viewer assembly, which itself is installed within the existing barrier opening. The camera, microphone, speaker, and electrical connector are all integrated within the viewer structure, allowing the entire system to be installed through a single pre-existing opening without requiring separate mounting holes or complex external wiring.
Solution Approach 2:
The viewer assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a peephole/viewer for the barrier and as the housing for the A/V device. The same opening in the barrier that accommodates the viewer also provides access for electrical connections, eliminating the need for separate installation pathways and reducing overall system complexity despite the multi-functional integration.
2Stability of the object's composition
If A/V device is installed through existing openings, then barrier integrity is preserved, but field of view may be limited by opening size
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is positioned at an angle relative to the barrier surface, looking through or around the viewer opening rather than directly through it. This angular positioning allows the camera to capture a wider field of view that extends beyond what would be visible through a straight-on view of the opening, effectively using three-dimensional spatial arrangement to overcome the two-dimensional limitation of the opening size.
3Strength
If rigid connector is used for electrical connection, then structural strength is improved, but barrier integrity is compromised during installation
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible electrical connector is used instead of a rigid one, allowing the connector to bend and flex as it passes through the barrier opening and viewer assembly. This flexibility enables the electrical connection to be established through the existing opening without requiring additional structural modifications or creating stress points that would compromise the barrier's integrity, while still providing sufficient mechanical strength for reliable electrical contact.
Data Source
AI summary
An audio/video (A/V) device may include or accommodate a viewer through a barrier. For example, an A/V device may include a first component for installation on an exterior surface of a door, a second component for installation on an interior surface of the door, a viewer that extends through an opening in the door, and a flexible connector that electrically couples the first component and the second component. In some instances, the first component may include an opening for the viewer, a camera, and an input device in substantial vertical alignment. The A/V device may further include a shutter that moves between a first position, in which the shutter is proximate to the viewer, and a second position, in which the shutter is not proximate the viewer. Additionally, the A/V device may include rings interposed between each of the first and second components and the door.