Hinge Unit Polygonal Axis for Earphone Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hanging type earphones with hinge units face issues in positioning and ease of use, as the hang member is not able to securely rotate within the earphone body, making it inconvenient to wear or remove.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a housing with pivotal portions and a hinge unit featuring a pivotal axis with a mating portion of an approximate regular polygon cross-section, allowing the hang member to rotate and lock into position within the earphone body, enabling secure fitting and easy switching between ears.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the hang member is rotatable in the earphone body through the hinge unit, then the ease of operation is improved, but the positioning reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mating portion of the axis automatically engages with the pivotal portion through its polygonal cross-section geometry. When the axis rotates into position, the mating surfaces self-lock without requiring additional locking mechanisms, allowing the earphone to be easily worn and removed while maintaining reliable positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The mating portion has an asymmetric polygonal cross-section (e.g., square or rectangular) that fits into a corresponding asymmetric recess in the pivotal portion. This asymmetric geometry provides directional stability and prevents over-rotation, ensuring the hang member positions correctly on the ear while maintaining rotation capability
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hang member can move from one sliding hole to another, then the adaptability is improved, but the positioning reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge unit is divided into discrete segments: the axis with its polygonal mating portion, the pivotal portion with recesses, and the hang member. This segmentation allows the axis to be inserted through multiple sliding holes (providing adaptability) while each hole provides a defined positioning point (maintaining reliability through the self-locking polygonal engagement)
Data Source
AI summary
A hanging type earphone with a hinge unit includes an earphone body, a hang member and a hinge unit. The earphone body has a connecting base defining a receiving space. The hinge unit received in the receiving space includes a positioning base, an axis cover and a pivotal axis having a mating portion whose cross-section is a polygon. The axis cover presses against the positioning base to form a pivotal space, one end of the pivotal axis is fixed in the hang member and the other end passes through the pivotal space, the mating portion mates with the side walls of the axis cover, thereby, the earphone body is positioned after rotating relatively to the hang member. Moreover, the pivot axis can be pulled out from the pivotal hole and then inserted into the pivotal space from the opposite direction, so the hanging type earphone can be hung on either ear of the user.