NED Housing Shell With Molded Boss Clusters for Precision Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Near-Eye-Display (NED) devices face challenges in maintaining precise positional relationships between hardware components and the housing due to geometric tolerance stackup and thermal instability, and are hindered by the weight and design constraints imposed by dedicated support structures.
Innovation Solution
The integration of pre-molded boss clusters into the housing shell using thermal compression molding, which allows for precise mounting of hardware components without the need for a dedicated support structure, reducing weight and enabling miniaturization while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If hardware components are mounted to the component housing indirectly via a dedicated support structure, then the housing can protect and aesthetically present the components, but geometric tolerance stackup occurs between the hardware components and the component housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support structure and component housing into a single integrated housing shell formed by injection molding. The boss clusters are molded as integral parts of the housing shell, eliminating the need for separate support structures and indirect mounting. This direct integration eliminates geometric tolerance stackup between separate components while maintaining structural support and protective functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing shell serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support through integrated boss clusters, protects hardware components through its enclosing structure, and provides aesthetic appearance through its molded surface. The boss clusters themselves serve dual purposes as both structural support elements and mounting features for hardware components.
2Reliability
If injection molded materials are used for both the component housing and support structure, then manufacturing is simplified, but thermal expansion causes unstable positional relationships during operation
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the support structure and component housing into a single molded housing shell, the patent eliminates the interface between two separate injection molded parts. This eliminates the relative thermal expansion and contraction that would occur between separate parts, maintaining stable positional relationships during temperature variations while operation.
3Weight of moving object
If a dedicated support structure is used to mount the component housing and hardware components, then mounting is simplified, but the overall weight of the NED device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the dedicated support structure by integrating its functions into the housing shell. The boss clusters are formed as integral parts of the housing shell through injection molding, providing mounting capability without adding separate structural components. This reduction in part count directly reduces overall device weight while the molding process maintains manufacturing simplicity.
4Volume of moving object
If a dedicated support structure is used for mounting, then structural support is provided, but the ability to miniaturize the NED device is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the support structure and housing into a single integrated component, the patent eliminates the volume occupied by separate support structures and their mounting interfaces. The boss clusters are formed within the housing wall thickness, maximizing internal space while maintaining structural support. This integration provides greater design flexibility for miniaturization and component layout optimization.
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
This approach mitigates geometric tolerance stackup, reduces weight, and allows for more precise feature location, enabling the miniaturization and improved design flexibility of NED devices.
Implementation Method 1
a selected housing shell material such as a thermosetting epoxy resin impregnated carbon fiber reinforced (CFRP) fabric may be thermal compression molded over the housing shell mold core
Implementation Method 2
thermosetting epoxy resin impregnated carbon fiber reinforced (CFRP) fabric may be thermal compression molded
Implementation Method 3
injection molding a carbon-filled thermoplastic material into the mold over and around the insert
Implementation Method 4
After being shot into the mold, the carbon-filled thermoplastic material cools and hardens over the insert
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A Near-Eye-Display (NED) device having a housing shell (102) that is integrated with molded boss clusters (104, 604) for precision mounting of hardware components. The techniques disclosed herein include forming a housing shell (102) directly over one or more pre-molded boss clusters (104, 604) that have been inserted into cavities of a housing shell mold core (606). For example, with the pre¬ molded boss clusters (104, 604) already inserted into the cavities, a selected housing shell material (602) such as a thermosetting epoxy resin impregnated carbon fiber reinforced (CFRP) fabric may be thermal compression molded over the housing shell mold core (606). Individual ones of the pre-molded boss clusters (104, 604) include one or more "three-dimensional (3D)" bosses (106) for mounting various hardware components of the NED device. The bosses (106) may protrude from an inner surface (110) of the housing shell (102) and may provide interior mounting features without affecting the appearance of the outer surface (112) of the housing shell (102).