Electronic Apparatus Contact Layout for Stable Accessory Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication errors occur when contacts between an electronic apparatus and an accessory become disconnected during operation, particularly if the contact for detecting accessory attachment remains connected but the contact for enabling communication becomes disconnected.
Innovation Solution
The electronic apparatus and accessory are designed with a specific arrangement of contacts, where the attachment detection contact is positioned closer to the communication request contact than the contact at the end, and the distance between these contacts is shorter than the distance to the contact at the opposite end, minimizing the impact of clock noise and ensuring stable grounding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If contacts are arranged in a row for accessory attachment and communication, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but communication errors occur when contacts become disconnected during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different functions to different positions in the contact arrangement. The attachment detection contact is placed at one end while communication contacts are positioned at the other end, creating functional zones with different reliability requirements. This spatial differentiation allows the system to maintain simple linear structure while improving communication reliability through strategic contact placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact arrangement is segmented into distinct functional groups: attachment detection contacts separated from communication contacts. This segmentation ensures that disconnection events affect only specific functions rather than the entire communication system, thereby maintaining overall system reliability while preserving manufacturing simplicity.
2Speed
If the attachment detection contact is positioned closer to the communication request contact, then the distance for signal transmission is reduced, but the arrangement must be precisely controlled to avoid disconnection issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-positioning the attachment detection contact at a specific location relative to communication contacts before the accessory is attached. This advance arrangement ensures that when the accessory is mounted, the detection contact is already in optimal position to detect attachment status without requiring high-precision alignment during the attachment process itself, thus reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining fast signal transmission.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple contacts are used for attachment detection and communication, then the functionality is enhanced, but the complexity of the contact arrangement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the contact arrangement to serve multiple functions through a unified linear structure. The same row of contacts handles both attachment detection and communication tasks, with different contacts assigned to different functions. This multi-functional approach enhances system versatility while avoiding the need for separate complex contact systems, thereby controlling device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus includes a plurality of contacts electrically connectable to an accessory and arranged in a first direction orthogonal to a direction in which the accessory is attached. The contacts include an attachment detection contact to detect an attachment of the accessory to the electronic apparatus, and a communication request contact for a communication request from the accessory to the electronic apparatus. The attachment detection and communication request contacts are disposed between a contact closest one end and a contact closest to another end in the first direction. The attachment detection contact is disposed between the communication request contact and the contact closest to the one end. In the first direction, a distance between the attachment detection contact and the communication request contact is shorter than that between the communication request contact and the contact closest to the other end.