Automotive Electronic Key Push Piece Orientation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive vehicle electronic keys often experience button loosening, leading to involuntary twisting or rotation, affecting both aesthetics and functional performance due to repeated use.
Innovation Solution
An electronic key design featuring a housing with a button mechanism that includes a push piece, a support section, and an elastic membrane with pins that apply a force perpendicular to the pushing direction, reducing movement of the push piece relative to the housing in at least one direction, thereby maintaining the button's orientation within a desired tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the button is repeatedly pushed by the user, then the button can execute the locking and unlocking action multiple times, but the button becomes loose in rotational and translational directions, affecting aesthetics and function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastic membrane as a flexible thin film that covers the button mechanism. This membrane provides a flexible yet constraining surface that maintains the button's position stability while allowing repeated pushing operations. The elastic nature of the membrane enables it to deform with button pressure while maintaining overall structural integrity and positional constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pins that apply forces in directions perpendicular to the pushing direction. These pins change the mechanical parameters of the button system by adding lateral constraints that prevent rotational and translational loosening. The pins modify the force distribution parameters, applying corrective forces that maintain button orientation and position during repeated use.
2Ease of operation
If the button becomes loose in rotational direction, then the button can twist or rotate about its axis, but this results in aesthetically displeasing arrangement and affects correct technical functioning
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic membrane acts as a flexible constraint that allows the button to be pushed while preventing excessive rotation. The membrane's flexibility accommodates the pushing motion while its elastic recovery and tension maintain the button within acceptable rotational tolerances, ensuring both ease of operation and functional reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pins apply lateral forces that change the rotational parameters of the button system. By applying forces perpendicular to the pushing direction, the pins create a restoring effect that prevents the button from rotating beyond acceptable limits, thereby maintaining functional reliability while allowing necessary operational freedom.
3Ease of operation
If the button becomes loose in translational direction, then the button can take on a tilted or lopsided form, but this affects the correct technical functioning of the button
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic membrane provides a flexible yet precise constraint system that maintains button orientation during pushing operations. The membrane's elasticity allows the button to move freely in the pushing direction while maintaining precise orientation through the membrane's tension and recovery properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The pins introduce lateral force parameters that counteract translational loosening. By applying forces in directions perpendicular to the pushing direction, the pins maintain the button's orientation precision while allowing the necessary pushing motion, effectively decoupling the two degrees of freedom.
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 effectively prevents button loosening and maintains the push piece's orientation, ensuring correct technical functioning and aesthetic appeal by limiting translational and rotational movement, thus enhancing the durability and usability of the electronic key.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic membrane arranged fixedly inside the housing so as to present a portion pressable by pushing the push piece in the pushing direction, thereby actuating the button mechanism, the elastic membrane comprising one or more pins protruding in a direction opposite to the pushing direction, each pin being arranged so as to apply a force to the support section in a direction perpendicular to the pushing direction
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure provides an electronic key (150) for an automotive vehicle comprising a housing (120) comprising a face (123) having a hole (117), a button mechanism including a push piece (118), a support section (119) relative to which the push piece (118) is fixed, and an elastic membrane arranged fixedly inside the housing (120). The elastic membrane comprises one or more pins (104a, 104b) protruding in a direction opposite to the pushing direction, each pin (104a, 104b) being arranged so as to apply a force (F) to the support section (119) in a direction perpendicular to the pushing direction, thereby reducing movement of the push piece (118) relative to the housing (120) in at least one direction. This forms an improved electronic key for an automotive vehicle.