Drop Tester Holder With Translatable Fingers for Edge Drops

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional holders fail to securely hold drop units in desired orientations for edge and corner drops, requiring manual handling of heavy units, which poses safety risks during testing.

Innovation Solution

A holder with translatable fingers and a locking mechanism that adapts to various drop unit shapes and sizes, allowing secure positioning without manual intervention, coupled with a drop tester to control drop height and orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional holders are used to hold drop units, then the structure is simple, but the holder cannot securely hold drop units in desired orientations for edge and corner drops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure holding capabilityVSAvoidholder structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is divided into multiple independent fingers that can be positioned and locked individually. Each finger can be adjusted to contact specific portions of the drop unit, allowing secure holding of various orientations (flat, edge, corner drops) while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The holder incorporates translatable fingers that can move between different positions and be locked in place. This dynamic capability allows the same holder structure to adapt to different drop unit orientations and sizes, achieving secure holding without requiring multiple different holder designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If manual handling is used for heavy drop units, then the device complexity is reduced, but safety risks increase during testing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator safetyVSAvoidholder mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holder with its translatable and lockable fingers can automatically grip and secure heavy drop units without requiring manual handling by operators. The mechanism serves itself by using the drop unit's own weight and shape to engage the fingers, eliminating the need for operator intervention and thereby improving safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional holders are used, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the adaptability to various drop unit shapes and sizes is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of drop unit variationsVSAvoidholder configuration simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is designed with multiple translatable fingers that can be positioned to accommodate various drop unit shapes, sizes, and orientations (flat, edge, corner drops). This universal design allows a single holder structure to perform multiple functions that would otherwise require different specialized holders, while the locking mechanism maintains ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12449338B2Holder for drop tester

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 AMD DESIGN LLC

AI summary

A holder is provided. The holder includes a body and a plurality of fingers received by the body. Each of the plurality of fingers are operable to be translatable within the body to modify the configuration of the fingers. The fingers are operable to be reconfigured to correspond with a drop unit such that the drop unit is held in a desired orientation between the fingers and a drop leaf of a drop tester.