Portable Keyboard Structure with Plastic Substrate and Metal Support Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable electronic devices with metal frames are heavy, costly, and face portability issues due to their weight, despite efforts to enhance strength and fall resistance.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight portable keyboard structure composed of a plastic substrate, metal support plates, a plastic bottom cover, and buffer members, where the metal support plates are secured between the plastic substrate and bottom cover, and buffer members provide impact protection and structural reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a high-strength metal structure is used for the main frame, then the structural strength and fall resistance are improved, but the overall weight increases causing portability difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining plastic substrate with metal support plates at critical corners. The plastic substrate provides lightweight base structure while metal support plates reinforce high-stress areas, achieving both weight reduction and maintained strength. This composite approach allows the device to meet military falling specifications without the weight penalty of a full metal construction.
2Reliability
If a high-strength metal structure is used for the main frame, then the fall resistance is improved, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using expensive metal throughout the entire frame, the patent applies metal support plates only at the four corner positions where impact forces are most likely to occur during drops. This localized reinforcement strategy achieves the required fall resistance at significantly lower material and production costs compared to full metal construction.
3Weight of moving object
If aluminum-magnesium alloy is used to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced compared to metal, but a weight difference still exists from plastic housing structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a plastic substrate as the primary lightweight structure, achieving weight reduction compared to metal alloys. Metal support plates are strategically placed at corners to provide localized strength enhancement, allowing the plastic housing to meet strength requirements without the weight penalty of aluminum-magnesium alloy construction.
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 significantly reduces weight, lowers production costs, maintains structural strength, and enhances fall resistance while providing better portability and impact absorption.
Implementation Method 1
The buffer members are respectively configured corresponding to the metal support plates, and each buffer member includes a fixing portion and a protection portion... the protection portions respectively envelop corner of the plastic substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A portable keyboard structure includes a plastic substrate, multiple metal support plates, a plastic bottom cover and multiple buffer members. The plastic substrate has a mounting surface, the metal support plates are mounted on corners of the mounting surface, the plastic bottom cover is disposed corresponding to the mounting surface and in conjunction with the plastic substrate clamps and secures the metal support plates, and the buffer members are respectively configured corresponding to the metal support plates. Each buffer member includes a fixing portion and a protection portion, the fixing portion are respectively disposed at the corresponding metal support plates, and the protection portions respectively envelop corners of the plastic substrate. Thus, the weight of the keyboard structure is significantly reduced, the production cost is lowered, and certain structural strength and fall-resistance are maintained at the same time.