Multi-Layer Enclosure Using Segmented Materials for Complex Geometries
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic device enclosures are limited in their ability to form complex geometries and provide both structural integrity and visual appeal, often requiring separate housing components and material removal operations.
Innovation Solution
The use of multiple functional components such as circuit boards, display layers, and keypad substrates to form the exterior surfaces of the enclosure, allowing for a layered construction that defines both the exterior and interior cavities, eliminating the need for additional shells and enabling complex geometries without material removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional single-material enclosures are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but the ability to form complex geometries and provide both structural integrity and visual appeal is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is divided into multiple layers (first layer, second layer, third layer) that can be formed separately and then assembled. Each layer can be optimized for specific functions such as structural support, aesthetic appearance, or display integration, enabling complex geometries without requiring a single complex mold
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses enclosures formed of multiple materials (e.g., glass, metal, plastic) combined in a layered structure. This allows different materials to contribute their unique properties - structural integrity from metal layers, aesthetic appeal from glass layers, and flexibility from plastic layers - creating complex geometries that would be impossible with a single material
2Shape
If separate housing components are used to achieve complex geometries, then manufacturing flexibility increases, but manufacturing time and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure layers are pre-formed using appropriate manufacturing processes (e.g., glass blowing, metal stamping, plastic injection) before assembly. This preliminary formation of complex geometries in separate layers allows each layer to be optimized for its specific manufacturing process, reducing overall manufacturing time compared to attempting to form the entire complex geometry in a single operation
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple layers that would traditionally be separate housing components are merged into a single integrated enclosure structure through adhesive bonding or other joining methods. This merging maintains the manufacturing flexibility of separate components while reducing assembly complexity and time by creating a unified structure that functions as a single enclosure unit
3Shape
If material removal operations are used to form complex geometries, then design flexibility increases, but material waste and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of starting with a solid block and removing material to create complex geometries, the patent inverts the approach by building complex geometries through the addition and assembly of multiple pre-formed layers. This additive approach eliminates material removal operations entirely, preventing material waste while maintaining design flexibility for complex shapes
4Strength
If additional shells are used to provide structural integrity, then strength increases, but device complexity and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure layers are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. For example, a glass layer provides both aesthetic appearance and structural protection, while a metal layer provides both structural support and electromagnetic shielding. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional dedicated structural shells, maintaining strength while reducing overall enclosure complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes an enclosure formed of a plurality of layers cooperating to define an interior volume. The enclosure includes a first layer formed of a first material and defining a user input surface of the enclosure and a first portion of a side surface of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes a second layer, formed of a second material different from the first material, positioned below the first layer and defining a second portion of the side surface of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes a third layer, formed of a third material different from the first and second materials, positioned below the second layer and defining a bottom surface of the enclosure and a third portion of the side surface of the enclosure.