Inclined Guide Rails for Battery Insertion Damage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face the challenge of preventing battery surface damage during insertion into the battery compartment without increasing device thickness or compromising structural strength, as widening the gap or flattening the compartment has limitations.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device incorporates inclined guide rails and grooves in the battery compartment and battery, respectively, which maintain a wider gap at the beginning of insertion, preventing contact and allowing for a reinforcing rib for structural support without thickening the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the battery compartment is designed with a flat bottom surface, then the device thickness can be reduced, but the battery may contact the housing during insertion causing surface damage
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rails are designed with an inclined surface that performs the protective function in advance during the insertion process. As the battery is inserted, the inclined guide rail surface guides the battery bottom surface to approach the housing main surface gradually, preventing direct impact contact before the battery fully enters the compartment. This preliminary guiding action resolves the contradiction by protecting the battery surface while maintaining a flat compartment bottom.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a gap is widened between the battery and battery compartment at the beginning of insertion, then battery surface damage is prevented, but the device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rails transform the gap distance parameter from a constant large value to a variable that changes during insertion. The inclined surface creates a dynamic gap progression: large gap at insertion start (protecting battery), gradually decreasing gap as insertion progresses, and zero gap when fully inserted. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction by providing protection only when needed without permanently increasing device thickness.
3Length of stationary object
If the battery compartment is flattened to reduce device thickness, then compactness is improved, but structural strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rails are positioned locally at the insertion entrance region of the battery compartment, providing structural reinforcement only where needed during the insertion process. The rest of the compartment bottom remains flat and thin, maintaining overall device compactness. This localized quality approach resolves the contradiction by strengthening only the critical insertion zone without increasing overall device thickness.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a battery and a housing whose battery compartment has a main surface and a pair of side surfaces. The main surface is configured to face the bottom surface of the battery and the side surfaces are configured to face the respective side surfaces of the battery. Each of the side surfaces has a guide rail for the battery. Each of the guide rails has a first end at a primary end of the housing and a second end. Each of the guide rails is inclined such that the distance between the first end of the guide rail and the main surface of the battery compartment is greater than the distance at the second end.