Magnetic Fastening Assembly With Mechanical Locking for Secure Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for securely fastening functional units to receiving units, such as in portable electronic devices, often fail to provide reliable attachment, especially when users wear gloves or head protective gear, due to difficulties in precise alignment and secure retention.
Innovation Solution
A combination of magnetic and mechanical locking mechanisms, including active and passive magnets for self-centering and secure attachment, along with inclined surfaces and snap-lock units, ensures reliable fastening and easy detachment, even in challenging conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If magnetic fastening is used to enable easy attachment and detachment, then ease of operation is improved, but reliable fastening and secure retention deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines magnetic fastening mechanism with mechanical locking mechanism (catch element and trap element) into a single fastening device. The magnetic mechanism provides easy attachment and detachment, while the mechanical locking mechanism ensures secure retention and reliable fastening. Both mechanisms work together in the same device to resolve the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening device is divided into two functional segments: a magnetic fastening segment for easy attachment/detachment operations, and a mechanical locking segment for secure retention. This segmentation allows each mechanism to specialize in its strength while working together to provide both ease of operation and reliable fastening.
2Reliability
If mechanical locking mechanisms are used to ensure secure retention, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical locking mechanism is designed to engage automatically when the functional unit is attached to the receiving unit, without requiring manual operation. The catch element and trap element self-engage through the attachment motion itself, eliminating the need for separate locking actions and maintaining ease of operation while providing secure retention.
3Force
If magnets are positioned close to each other for strong attractive forces, then fastening strength is improved, but interference with electronic components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions magnets at specific locations on the housing, away from electronic components such as capacitors and RF antennas. The magnetic fastening function is localized to the connection interface between functional unit and receiving unit, while electronic components are kept in separate zones不受magnetic interference. This spatial differentiation allows strong magnetic attraction at the connection point without affecting sensitive electronics.
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 magnetic and mechanical locking system provides strong, reliable attachment and easy detachment, enhancing usability by facilitating correct positioning and secure fastening of functional units to receiving units, even when precision alignment is difficult, and preventing unintentional detachment.
Implementation Method 1
the magnets attract each other and thus pull the functional unit to the correct place relative to the receiving unit
Implementation Method 2
the strong attractive forces reliably hold the functional unit attached to the receiving unit when the functional unit and the receiving unit are in their connected state
Data Source
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AI summary
A fastening device 100 for releasably fastening a functional unit 102 in a connection direction to a receiving unit 104. Said functional unit 102 and said receiving unit 104 each have a longitudinal direction L, a transverse direction T and a height direction H. Said fastening device 100 comprises at least one pair of magnets 110, at least one functional unit magnet 112 being allocated at or close to a functional unit abutment surface 106, and at least one receiving unit magnet 114 being allocated at or close to a receiving unit abutment surface 108. Said magnets 112, 114 of said at least one pair of magnets 110 exert an attractive force to each other. According to further aspects, a combination of such a fastening device 100 with a functional unit 102 and a receiving unit 104, as well as a combination of a head protective gear and a fastening unit 100 according are provided.