Elastomeric Bumper Enclosure for Shock Energy Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rugged electronic device enclosures are costly, heavy, and bulky due to their rigidity, which increases the risk of damage to internal assemblies during physical shocks as they do not effectively dissipate impact energy through deformation.
Innovation Solution
An enclosure design featuring overmolded inserts made of resilient materials that can elastically deform under physical shocks, allowing controlled energy dissipation and assembly protection by selecting deformation locations and types, such as translational or rotational movements, to absorb and dissipate shock energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional rugged enclosures use rigid materials (aluminum unibody, magnesium alloy, impact-resistant plastics), then the enclosure can survive shocks and maintain structural integrity, but the rigidity transfers shock energy to internal assemblies causing damage and increases device weight and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the enclosure by incorporating elastomeric materials and resilient bumpers that can deform elastically under shock loads. This allows the enclosure to absorb and dissipate shock energy through controlled deformation rather than rigid resistance, reducing energy transfer to internal assemblies while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction combining rigid enclosure materials with elastomeric resilient bumpers. This composite approach allows different parts of the enclosure to have different mechanical properties - rigid sections maintain structural integrity while elastomeric sections absorb shock energy, resolving the contradiction between strength and shock energy management.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If resilient bumpers and resilient mounts are added to absorb shock energy, then assembly damage is reduced, but device cost, weight, and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies resilient properties locally at critical shock-absorption points (corners and edges) rather than making the entire enclosure resilient. This localized application of elastomeric bumpers provides shock energy absorption where most needed while keeping the rest of the enclosure lightweight and compact, avoiding unnecessary weight and bulk increases.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the enclosure is designed to be elastically deformable to dissipate energy, then assembly protection is improved, but enclosure rigidity and structural stability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the enclosure into rigid structural sections and localized resilient elements. The rigid sections maintain overall structural stability and assembly positioning, while the segmented resilient bumpers at specific locations provide elastic deformation for energy dissipation. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of structural stability and shock energy dissipation.
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 enables the creation of lightweight, cost-effective rugged enclosures that can absorb and dissipate shock energy, reducing the risk of damage to internal assemblies while maintaining functionality after impacts.
Implementation Method 1
the compartment being elastically deformable under physical shock to dissipate energy to inhibit damage to the at least one assembly of electronic components
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure is provided for a device comprising one or more electronic assemblies where the enclosure deforms under a shock in one or more selected manners to dissipate the shock energy. The deformation, which is elastic deformation, occurs at selected parts of the enclosure and/or in selected translations and/or rotations where those selections are made by the designer of the enclosure. By being able to define where and how the deformations will occur, the electronic assemblies can be located, mounted and interconnect within the enclosure such that the deformation does not adversely affect the assemblies or device.