Handheld Device Multi-Body Gear Mechanism for Expanded Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld electronic devices face challenges in maximizing usable surface area within their limited space, particularly as touch screen technology replaces conventional key press functions, necessitating innovative designs to enhance component arrangement and user interaction.
Innovation Solution
A handheld electronic device design featuring a first body, a pivot member, a second body, and a gear set, where the second body is slidably coupled with the first body and the third body, allowing the second body to be driven by the gear set to shift opposite to the first body, and then tilt relative to the first body, thereby expanding the usable surface by combining the display surfaces of the second and third bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the device uses a compact stacked design to minimize dimensions, then portability is improved, but the usable surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic transformation mechanism where the device transitions from a compact stacked configuration to an expanded configuration with multiple bodies at different orientations. The second body can be tilted relative to the first body, and the third body can be tilted relative to the second body, allowing the device to dynamically change its usable surface area while maintaining a compact form when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement by stacking multiple bodies in different orientations. The second body is tilted at an angle relative to the first body, and the third body is tilted relative to the second body, effectively using vertical and angular dimensions to expand the usable surface area without significantly increasing the device's footprint when compacted.
2Volume of moving object
If multiple bodies are stacked to minimize device size, then portability is improved, but the complexity of the coupling mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested stacking arrangement where the second body is disposed on the first body, and the third body is disposed on the second body. This nested configuration allows multiple functional bodies to be compacted into a small volume while maintaining relatively simple coupling interfaces between each successive body, reducing the overall complexity compared to alternative multi-body designs.
3Area of moving object
If the device expands to provide larger usable surface, then component arrangement flexibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the device into multiple independent bodies (first body, second body, third body) that can be independently positioned and oriented. Each body can be tilted at different angles and positions, allowing flexible arrangement of components and display surfaces without requiring a single complex monolithic structure, thereby managing complexity through modular segmentation.
Data Source
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Figure 1C
AI summary
A handheld electronic device including a first body, a second body, a third body, a gear set and a pivot member pivoted on the first body is provided. The second body having a first rack is slidably coupled with the first body. The third body having a second rack is slidably coupled with the pivot member. The gear set is disposed on the first body and coupled with the first rack and the second rack. When the third body shifts a first distance relative to the first body along a first operating direction and drives the gear set, the second body is driven to shift with respect to the first body along a second operating direction opposite to the first operating direction and exposed by the third body. After the second body is exposed by the third body, the third body is tilted with respect to the first body by the pivot member pivoted on the first body.