Inclined-Plane Seal for Weather-Sealed Consumer Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer electronics devices face challenges in maintaining a seal against moisture ingress, particularly in outdoor conditions, due to complex hinge and locking catch designs that increase manufacturing costs and complexity, and traditional sealing planes that can compromise the seal when the cover is snapped into place.
Innovation Solution
A consumer electronics device with a housing and a cover that features a compressible seal with an inclined lower surface, forming a non-planar sealing area when compressed, and a rib extending beneath the top surface to ensure effective sealing, along with hooks and catches for secure locking, allowing for easy access and protection from environmental moisture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hinge and locking catch designs are used to seal the interior, then moisture protection is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex hinge and locking catch mechanisms from the sealing system, retaining only the essential snap-fit feature while eliminating unnecessary components that increased complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is integrated directly into the snap-fit feature itself, combining what were previously separate functions (sealing and mechanical attachment) into a unified structure that reduces component count
2Reliability
If conventional horizontal and vertical sealing surfaces with tight corners are used, then the cover can be securely attached, but assembly difficulty increases and seal reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional horizontal and vertical sealing surfaces with an inclined-plane sealing surface, creating a sloped geometry that facilitates easier assembly while maintaining effective seal contact between the cover and housing
3Reliability
If the seal is fully compressed before lateral sliding, then sealing effectiveness is achieved, but the installation process requires significant force and becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined-plane sealing surface performs preliminary compression of the seal during the sliding motion itself, eliminating the need for separate full-compression steps before installation and reducing the force required throughout the process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static compression process into a dynamic one, where the seal is progressively compressed along the inclined plane as the cover slides into place, allowing continuous adaptation of compression force during motion rather than requiring peak force at a single point
4Reliability
If the seal is compressed to form a seal against snap force, then sealing is achieved, but the opposing forces can cause the cover to unsnap
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined-plane sealing surface creates an asymmetric geometry where the compression force and snap-fit force act in the same directional sense rather than opposing each other, allowing both forces to work cooperatively to secure the cover attachment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a simple, cost-effective method to form a reliable seal between the cover and housing, minimizing the risk of moisture entry while maintaining ease of assembly and operation, achieving an IP65 rating for water resistance.
Implementation Method 1
When the cover is moved to the closed position, the cover compresses the seal along a planar surface. Once the seal is compressed, a sealing area is formed between the cover and the housing that is non-planar.
Implementation Method 2
The seal may have an inclined lower surface... The seal may also have a top edge that extends along a top horizontal plane
Data Source
AI summary
An outdoors consumer electronics device such as a camera contains electrical equipment this is isolated from exterior moisture. The consumer electronics device includes a housing configured to contain the electrical equipment, a seal mounted to the housing, and a cover that is releasably installable onto the housing. The seal includes a top surface that forms an inclined plane related to a bottom plane extending through the bottom edges of the seal. When the cover is installed onto the housing, the seal is compressed along a planar surface. Once the seal is compressed, moisture is prevented from entering the interior of the housing. While the seal that is formed when the cover is mounted to the housing is planar, the sealed area is non-planar.