Elastic Sealing Structure for Wearable Antenna Load Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional antenna apparatuses face issues with electronic devices detaching from flexible sheets due to bending and motion, leading to load-induced detachment when worn by subjects.

Innovation Solution

A substrate structure with an elastic body molded through communication holes and plate portions that interpose the electronic device, providing a bias to alleviate load and maintain connection during bending, featuring a sealing structure with a circular outer edge and integrated elastic members.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the flexible sheet is bent according to the physical shape or motion of the subject, then the antenna apparatus can be worn comfortably, but the electronic device may be detached from the flexible sheet due to load

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewearabilityVSAvoidattachment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic body is provided between the electronic device and the flexible sheet to cushion and absorb the load generated when the flexible sheet is bent during wear. This beforehand cushioning prevents the load from directly acting on the adhesive bonding, thereby maintaining attachment reliability while allowing the flexible sheet to conform to the subject's body shape and motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Ease of manufacture

If an adhesive member is used to fix the electronic device to the flexible sheet, then the device can be mounted simply, but the device may detach under bending load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting simplicityVSAvoidattachment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic body serves as an intermediary element between the electronic device and the flexible sheet. It is provided in the bonding area to mediate the load transmission, allowing the adhesive member to maintain effective bonding while the elastic body absorbs the bending stresses, thus preventing detachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the electronic device is directly mounted on the flexible sheet, then the structure can be kept simple, but the receiving characteristics may deteriorate due to bending

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidreceiving characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic body is selectively provided only in the bonding area where the electronic device contacts the flexible sheet, rather than throughout the entire structure. This localized approach maintains simplicity while effectively protecting the electronic device and maintaining receiving characteristics by isolating the bonding area from bending stresses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 substrate structure effectively alleviates load on electronic devices, maintaining reception characteristics and preventing water ingress while reducing costs through a simple, reliable sealing mechanism.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic body which is provided in a bonding area between the flexible sheet and the electronic device and covers a part of the outer periphery of the substrate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2832281B1Sealing structure and antenna device
Publication Date: 2017.07.12 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)
  • EP2832281B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2832281B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2832281B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A sealing structure for an electronic device, and an antenna apparatus, which are able to alleviate load caused on the electronic device when a flexible sheet is bent, are provided. A sealing structure 9 that seals an electronic device 41b mounted on a polygonal sheet 40 that is bendable has: a first resin plate portion 91 and a second resin plate portion 92, which are hard and interpose the electronic device 41b via the polygonal sheet 40 from a top surface and a back surface of the polygonal sheet on which the electronic device 41b is mounted; and an elastic body 93 that is provided on an outer periphery of the first resin plate portion 91 and the second resin plate portion 92 and integrally molded so as to press the first resin plate portion 91 and the second resin plate portion 92 against the polygonal sheet 40.