Mid-Plate Structure for Thin Robust Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile electronic devices face a challenge in balancing functionality and portability, as the desire for more features often leads to increased size, thickness, and weight, while maintaining handheld convenience requires devices to be smaller, thinner, and lighter, without compromising structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device construction method involving a unified structure combining unibody and mid-plate construction, where a plate and ring are bonded together, optionally coated with a polymer seal, forming a mid-plate structure that supports internal components and enhances structural stability and rigidity, allowing for a thinner, robust, and economically manufactured device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If more features and functionality are added to mobile devices, then device capability is improved, but device size, thickness, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the plate and ring into a unified mid-plate structure through bonding, creating a single integrated component that provides both structural support and signal routing functionality. This consolidation reduces the number of separate parts and overall device weight while maintaining the capabilities needed for modern mobile devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The mid-plate structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for internal components, routes signals between components, and maintains structural integrity. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate structural and signaling components, reducing overall device weight and complexity.
2Length of moving object
If device size and thickness are reduced for handheld convenience, then portability is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining a plate and ring bonded together to form the mid-plate structure. This composite design provides enhanced structural integrity and rigidity compared to a single material, while maintaining a thin profile suitable for handheld devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The device structure is segmented into distinct functional components (plate, ring, seal, housing units) that are bonded together. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity through the bonding interfaces.
3Stability of the object's composition
If unified structure combining unibody and mid-plate construction is used, then structural stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines unibody and mid-plate construction approaches into a unified structure where the plate and ring are bonded together. This merging provides the structural stability of unibody construction with the modular flexibility of mid-plate design, achieving both goals without excessive complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional construction methods are used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but device robustness and thinness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separable components (plate, ring, seal, housing units) that can be manufactured independently using standard processes and then assembled through bonding. This segmentation maintains manufacturing ease while enabling the creation of a robust, thin device structure that would be difficult to achieve with traditional unibody methods.
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 mid-plate structure enables a mobile device to be both thin and robust, supporting various components while maintaining structural integrity, enabling lower cost manufacturing and recycling, and allowing for reduced destruction during assembly and disassembly.
Implementation Method 1
a seal disposed between the ring and the plate, the plate and ring and seal forming a mid-plate structure; wherein the seal comprises a platform; and a housing unit bonded to the platform
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
Figure 2(C)
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a mobile device comprising a plate; the plate being adapted to accommodate a printed circuit board; a ring bonded to the plate; a seal disposed between the ring and the plate, the plate and ring and seal forming a mid-plate structure; wherein the seal comprises a platform; and a housing unit bonded to the platform.