Portable Device Glass Cover Support Structures for Drop Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices face premature failure due to misalignment of operational components, such as camera modules, when subjected to drop events, as the precise assembly process fails to maintain alignment effectively.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of support structures like back walls, trim structures, brace structures, and weld washers to secure operational components within the device's enclosure, ensuring they remain aligned and in place even after exposure to drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If precision fit assembly process is used for operational components, then initial alignment is achieved, but components become susceptible to misalignment during drop events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring support structures (back walls, trim structures, brace structures, weld washers) within the enclosure before operational components are installed. These support structures are positioned in advance to provide alignment references and physical constraints, ensuring that when components are assembled, they automatically maintain predetermined alignment without requiring complex post-assembly adjustments or relying solely on precision fit alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces support structures as intermediary elements between the enclosure and operational components. These intermediaries (back walls, trim structures, brace structures, weld washers) act as mediators that transfer and maintain alignment forces, protecting the precision fit assembly from drop-induced misalignment by providing a stable intermediate framework that absorbs and distributes mechanical stresses.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operational components are included in the device, then functionality is enhanced, but susceptibility to misalignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the enclosure into multiple specialized support structures (back walls, trim structures, brace structures, weld washers), each responsible for supporting specific operational components. This segmentation allows each component to have its own dedicated support system, maintaining individual alignment precision while accommodating multiple diverse components within the same enclosure without mutual interference.
Data Source
AI summary
According to some embodiments, a portable electronic device is described. The portable electronic device includes a housing member defining an external sidewall, a first glass cover and a second glass cover, where the second glass cover includes a first region having a first exterior surface, a second region having a second exterior surface vertically displaced from the first exterior surface, where the second region includes a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, and a transition region having an exterior surface that extends between the first exterior surface to the second exterior surface. The portable electronic device further includes a first camera module disposed within the first opening, a second camera module disposed within the second opening, a strobe module disposed within the third opening, and a trim structure having an edge that overlays the second region of the second glass cover.