Portable Device Elastic Contact Key Blade Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable electronic key devices experience looseness between the key plate and case due to manufacturing errors or material dimension changes over time, leading to unwanted vibrations and noise during vehicle travel.

Innovation Solution

A portable device design featuring a case with a circuit board, an extending member held by an elastic contact, and an elastic sheet that covers the circuit board, suppressing looseness by applying an elastic force to maintain the extending member's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the key plate is fixed to the case with a bolt, then the key plate can be securely attached, but clearance and looseness occur due to manufacturing errors and material dimension changes over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing strengthVSAvoidposition stability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a spring member that provides elastic force to the extending member, allowing the fixing structure to dynamically adapt to dimensional changes in the case material over time. The spring member compensates for clearance and looseness by maintaining continuous elastic pressure, transforming a static bolt fixation into a dynamic system that self-adjusts to dimensional variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the fixing mechanism from rigid (bolt) to elastic (spring member). The spring member's elastic properties allow it to deform and adapt to dimensional changes in the case, maintaining reliable contact and positioning despite manufacturing errors or material expansion/contraction over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the key plate is securely fixed, then positioning stability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition stabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the spring member with the extending member as an integrated assembly, where the spring member is disposed on the extending member. This combination reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the reliability benefits of elastic fixation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring member automatically compensates for clearance and looseness through its elastic properties, eliminating the need for additional adjustment mechanisms or complex assembly procedures. The self-adjusting nature of the spring member simplifies the fixing structure while ensuring reliable positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If clearance is provided between the key plate and case, then assembly ease is improved, but looseness and collision noise occur during vehicle travel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidcollision noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spring member creates a dynamic fixing system that maintains elastic pressure on the extending member, preventing collision noise while still allowing for assembly tolerance. The elastic force continuously pushes the extending member against the case wall, eliminating harmful collisions during vehicle travel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of clearance and looseness into a beneficial elastic cushioning effect. The spring member uses its elastic deformation to absorb vibrations and prevent direct collisions between the key plate and case, transforming what would be harmful impacts into controlled elastic responses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design effectively prevents looseness and noise by maintaining the key blade's position, ensuring reliable operation and reducing the risk of impact damage to the device.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic contact that is held between the wall and the rear end part and urges the extending member in the first direction with an elastic force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3957810B1Portable device
Publication Date: 2023.04.05 ALPS ALPINE CO LTD
  • EP3957810B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3957810B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3957810B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A portable device (10) has: a case (12); a circuit board (130) disposed in the case (12); and an extending member (14) extending toward the outside of the case (12) in a first direction, the extending member (14) having a rear end part (14B) on the same side as the end in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the rear end part (14B) being held in a holding part (102D) in the case (12). The case (12) has a wall (102Ba) disposed opposite to the rear end part (14B). The portable device further has an elastic contact (143) that is held between the wall (102Ba) and the rear end part (14B) and urges the extending member (14) in the first direction with an elastic force.