Flexible Card Tray for Mobile Terminal Misalignment Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile terminals face a high error rate due to tolerances between internal components and the case during assembly, which can lead to issues with inserting and stabilizing memory or SIM cards, especially when the card tray's cover and support parts do not align properly.
Innovation Solution
A mobile terminal design featuring a card tray with a flexible part connecting the cover and support parts, allowing for variable positioning to compensate for misalignments, and double-injection molding for enhanced bonding and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid card tray structure is used, then the structural stability is improved, but the alignment accuracy deteriorates due to tolerance accumulation during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The card tray transitions from a rigid structure to a flexible structure that can dynamically adapt its shape. The flexible part allows the card tray to deform and compensate for misalignments between the opening and card socket, ensuring proper insertion while maintaining structural integrity through elastic deformation rather than rigid fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the card tray material is changed from rigid to flexible, allowing it to undergo elastic deformation. This parameter change enables the card tray to adjust its geometry in response to assembly tolerances, maintaining alignment accuracy despite variations in component positions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible card tray is used, then the alignment adaptability is improved, but the structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The card tray employs a flexible part made from elastomeric material that functions as a flexible shell. This flexible structure provides the necessary adaptability to accommodate misalignments while maintaining sufficient structural strength through the inherent properties of the elastomeric material and its geometric design.
Solution Approach 2:
The card tray is constructed as a composite structure combining a support part and a flexible part made from different materials with distinct properties. The support part provides structural strength and stability, while the flexible part provides alignment adaptability, creating a composite system that achieves both requirements simultaneously.
3Strength
If the cover part and support part are rigidly connected, then the structural rigidity is improved, but the error compensation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The card tray is segmented into distinct functional parts: a support part for structural support, a flexible part for error compensation, and a cover part for protection. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally, with the flexible part serving as a buffer zone that absorbs assembly errors without compromising the overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible part acts as an intermediary element between the rigid support part and the environment. It mediates the transmission of forces and deformations, allowing the rigid support part to maintain structural strength while the flexible intermediary compensates for alignment errors through elastic deformation.
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
This design reduces the error rate by enabling proper alignment and insertion of cards even when tolerances occur, ensuring stable connection and reduced initial and operational errors.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible part provided to connect the support part and the cover part with each other and configured to be insertedly fitted to a circumference of the opening, and when the shape of the flexible part is varied, relative positions of the cover part and the support part are varied
Implementation Method 2
The cover part and the flexible part and the support part and the flexible part may double-injection molded to each other
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile terminal further comprises: a case having an opening formed therethrough so as to communicate with the inside thereof; and a card tray inserted in the opening, wherein the card tray further comprises a cover part for covering the opening; a support part positioned inside the opening and comprising a seating part on which a card is stably placed; and a flexible part connecting the support part and the cover part and fitted/coupled to the circumference of the opening. The mobile terminal wherein the relative position of the cover part to the support part changes with morphological changing of the flexible part allows the positions of the cover part and the support part in the card tray to be flexibly variable. Therefore, even when positions of the opening and a card socket are mismatched, a card can be mounted in the mobile terminal, thus reducing an initial detective rate and an operationally detective rate.