Pre-Weakened Frangible Substrate for Triggered Self-Destruction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic systems lack the capability to self-destruct in a controlled, triggerable manner, which is essential for applications such as security and supply chain integrity.
Innovation Solution
A self-destructing device comprising a frangible substrate with a pre-weakened area and a thermally coupled heater that generates heat upon activation, causing the substrate to fracture into small pieces, facilitated by a power source and trigger circuitry that includes a sensor and switch to initiate the self-destruction process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a frangible substrate is designed to self-destruct through heating, then security and supply chain integrity are improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for heater, power source, and trigger circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components (heater, power source, trigger circuitry with sensor and switch) into an integrated self-destructing device system. The heater is thermally coupled to the frangible substrate, the power source connects through switch and sensor circuitry, creating a unified device that performs security function through coordinated operation of all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible substrate is pre-conditioned with pre-weakened areas before deployment. This preliminary action creates predetermined fracture zones that will propagate when thermal energy is applied, ensuring reliable self-destruction without requiring complex real-time control mechanisms during the actual destruction event.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the substrate is pre-weakened to reduce fracture energy, then the energy required for self-destruction is reduced, but the substrate strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is weakened only in specific pre-weakened areas rather than uniformly throughout. These localized weak zones are positioned at predetermined locations where fracture initiation is desired, allowing the rest of the substrate to maintain sufficient strength for normal operation while requiring reduced energy for controlled destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-weakened areas are created during manufacturing or prior to deployment, establishing predetermined fracture pathways in advance. This preliminary modification of substrate structure reduces the energy threshold for fracture propagation without significantly compromising overall substrate integrity during normal use.
3Reliability
If the heater generates sufficient heat to cause substrate fracture, then self-destruction is achieved, but the substrate may deform or melt before fracturing
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-weakened areas create predetermined fracture zones that guide crack propagation at lower temperatures. This ensures the substrate fractures along intended pathways before thermal energy can cause unwanted deformation, melting, or other thermal damage to the substrate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is designed to fracture into multiple segments or pieces through propagation of cracks from pre-weakened areas. This segmentation occurs through controlled fracture rather than uniform thermal degradation, maintaining the integrity of individual fragments while achieving complete substrate destruction.
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
Enables controlled and efficient self-destruction of the device into small pieces, reducing the energy required for substrate fracture and ensuring reliable destruction of both the substrate and any attached components, thus addressing the need for secure and tamper-proof electronic systems.
Implementation Method 1
When the heater is coupled to the power source, the heater generates heat sufficient to initiate self-destruction of the frangible substrate
Implementation Method 2
The sensor generates a trigger signal when exposed to a trigger stimulus
Data Source
AI summary
A self-destructing device includes a frangible substrate having at least one pre-weakened area. A heater is thermally coupled to the frangible substrate proximate to or at the pre-weakened area. When activated, the heater generates heat sufficient to initiate self-destruction of the frangible substrate by fractures that propagate from the pre-weakened area and cause the frangible substrate to break into many pieces.