Jack Housing With Through-Hole for Damaged Plug Removal

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices face challenges in removing a damaged plug without disassembly, leading to electrical connection failures and the need for product replacement.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device incorporates a housing with a through-hole and an additional opening portion that allows for the removal of a damaged plug without disassembling the product, using a protruding device or an extrusion member with a projection portion, and optionally an elastic body or partition for plug extraction and dust prevention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the jack is sealed without additional openings, then the structural integrity and dust prevention are improved, but the ability to remove damaged plugs is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust preventionVSAvoiddamaged plug removal
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into multiple opening portions: a first opening portion for normal plug insertion and a second opening portion for damaged plug removal. This segmentation allows the housing to serve multiple functions while maintaining structural integrity and dust prevention capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An extrusion member with a projection portion acts as an intermediary tool. The projection portion engages with the damaged plug to enable its removal through the second opening portion, facilitating repair without requiring full disassembly of the housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the housing is designed as a single integrated piece, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the ease of repair is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing manufacturingVSAvoidproduct repairability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is designed with functionally separated opening portions that can be formed as a single integrated structure. This maintains manufacturing simplicity while enabling specialized access paths for different maintenance operations, particularly for removing damaged plugs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second opening portion is specifically designed to allow extraction of damaged plugs without requiring extraction or disassembly of the entire housing structure. This enables localized repair operations on an integrated housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If no extrusion member is provided, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation for plug removal is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidplug removal operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The extrusion member with projection portion serves as a simple intermediary tool that bridges the gap between the operator and the damaged plug. The projection portion mechanically engages with the plug, enabling removal through the second opening portion with minimal complexity added to the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The extrusion member is designed to be operated manually through the second opening portion, allowing users to perform plug removal operations themselves without requiring specialized tools or complex mechanisms. The operation portion of the extrusion member provides direct manual actuation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3709453B1Electronic device with a jack that can be electrically connected to a plug
Publication Date: 2022.07.20 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3709453B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3709453B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3709453B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

An electronic device includes a jack including a first opening portion through which a plug can be inserted along a first axis, and coming into contact with the plug at an electrode; and a housing formed separately from the jack. The jack includes a second opening portion facing the first opening portion along the first axis, and a through-hole connecting the first opening portion and the second opening portion along the first axis. The housing includes a third opening portion opening on a same side as the first opening portion and opening at a position where a plug can be inserted from outside the housing into the first opening portion, and a fourth opening portion facing the third opening portion along the first axis and opening at a position where the plug can be discharged to an outside of the housing through the second opening portion.