Portable Computer Housing Bridge Structure for Weight Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable computers face a challenge in reducing weight and thickness while maintaining mechanical strength, especially in the display-side housing where antennas for radio communications are integrated, requiring a balance between lightness and structural integrity.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a lower housing, an upper housing with a main bridge structure for structural support, and a cosmetic cover to accommodate a display module, using die-cast light alloys and plastic materials to achieve reduced weight and thickness without compromising mechanical strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the housing is made thinner and lighter to meet portability demands, then weight and thickness are reduced, but mechanical strength is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of housingVSAvoidmechanical strength of housing

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple functional layers: a cosmetic cover for appearance, a thin upper housing for weight reduction, and a main bridge structure for structural support. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in its function, enabling the overall housing to be lighter while maintaining strength through the distributed bridge structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The main bridge structure is strategically positioned at critical locations within the housing to provide localized structural support. Rather than uniformly thickening the entire housing, the reinforcement is concentrated where mechanical strength is most needed, allowing the rest of the housing to remain thin and lightweight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Length of moving object

If the housing is made thinner to reduce thickness, then overall thickness is reduced, but structural support capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethickness of housingVSAvoidstructural support capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The main bridge structure extends in the thickness dimension of the housing, creating a three-dimensional reinforcement system. This vertical dimensionality allows the bridges to span across the thin housing and provide structural support without increasing the overall thickness of the cosmetic cover or external dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing employs a composite structure combining different materials and functions: the cosmetic cover uses aesthetically pleasing materials, while the main bridge structure uses materials optimized for mechanical strength. This composite approach allows the thin housing to achieve both reduced thickness and enhanced structural support through material differentiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS7755884B2Apparatus for reducing weight and thickness of a portable computer

Publication Date: 2010.07.13 LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH

AI summary

An apparatus for reducing weight and thickness of portable computers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a lower housing, an upper housing and a cosmetic cover. The lower housing is configured to accommodate electronic elements therein. The upper housing, which has an opening inside, includes a periphery connected to the lower housing and a main bridge structure connected from one edge of the periphery to another edge of the periphery for providing structural support to the upper housing in the opening and for accommodating a display module therein. The cosmetic cover is configured to cover the upper housing.