Double Hook Snap Fit Housing for Vehicle Sensor Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mountable circuit assemblies, such as remote sensing units, face challenges in maintaining structural integrity and minimizing deflection during locking mechanisms engagement, which can lead to damage and improper orientation, especially when securing sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes on vehicle body panels.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a housing with first and second locking features aligned to engage a mounting portion, distributing force and minimizing deflection by using posts with alternating contact points and symmetric locking mechanisms to secure the housing to the vehicle body panel, ensuring proper orientation and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single locking feature is used to engage the post, then the device complexity is reduced, but the deflection of the post increases causing structural integrity issues
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into multiple locking features (first locking feature and second locking feature) that engage with the post at different locations. This segmentation distributes the locking forces and reduces post deflection while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking features are positioned at different orientations and locations around the post, utilizing three-dimensional spatial distribution. This multi-dimensional arrangement ensures balanced force distribution and minimizes deflection in any single direction.
2Strength
If multiple locking features are used to reduce deflection, then the structural integrity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking features are positioned asymmetrically around the post at specific orientations, allowing the structure to achieve optimal force distribution and structural integrity while avoiding unnecessary symmetry that would increase complexity without additional benefit.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking features are pre-positioned and aligned during manufacturing to engage with the post in a predetermined sequence and orientation. This preliminary alignment ensures proper engagement and force distribution during assembly, reducing the need for complex adjustment mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If the locking features are not aligned, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the post deflection during insertion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking features are pre-aligned and pre-positioned during the housing manufacturing process, ensuring they are correctly oriented relative to each other before assembly. This preliminary action maintains manufacturing simplicity while guaranteeing proper alignment during post insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves as an intermediary that maintains the precise alignment between locking features and the post. The housing acts as a rigid framework that ensures proper orientation and spacing, transferring alignment precision from the manufacturing process to the final assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A mountable circuit assembly is provided. The mountable circuit assembly may be a remote sensor assembly for mounting on body panel of a vehicle assembly. The assembly may include a sensor circuit, a housing and a mounting portion. The housing may include a cavity for receiving the sensor circuit. The housing may include first and second locking features. The first locking feature may be on an opposite side of a lock opening from the second locking feature. The mounting portion may be configured to lock into the body panel opening in the body panel. The mounting portion may have a post such that the first locking feature and the second locking feature engage the mounting portion inside the one or more post openings to fasten the housing to the mounting portion. The first and second locking features may be aligned to reduce deflection of the post during insertion.