Pivoting Thumb Screw Fastener for Compact Interface Cards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional screws require a hand-tool for installation and removal, making the process inconvenient and limiting the compactness of electronic components on a circuit board.
Innovation Solution
A fastener comprising a screw part with a head and body connected by a pivotally connected handle that can be operated by fingers or a hand tool, allowing for manual rotation without interfering with nearby electronic components, and an interface card design that accommodates this fastener for enhanced compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional screw is used that requires a hand-tool for installation and removal, then the screw can be securely fixed, but the installation and removal process becomes inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The handle part is designed to be pivotally connected to the head portion, allowing it to rotate between a first position (for manual operation) and a second position (for hand-tool operation). This dynamic configuration enables the fastener to adapt its operation mode based on the tool being used, improving ease of operation while maintaining secure fixation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener is designed to accommodate both manual operation (by fingers gripping the handle) and hand-tool operation (by inserting the tool into the recess). The handle part can serve as both a manual grip and a guide for hand-tool insertion, making the fastener multi-functional and resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and time consumption.
2Ease of operation
If a thumb screw mechanism is added to enable manual rotation, then ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle part serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a manual grip for finger operation, provides structural support for the head portion, and guides hand-tool insertion. By merging these functions into a single component, the design achieves manual rotation capability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotal connection between the handle part and head portion creates a simple mechanical linkage that enables manual rotation. This dynamic element adds minimal complexity while significantly improving ease of operation, as the handle can naturally pivot during both manual and hand-tool operation.
3Ease of operation
If the handle part is positioned for manual operation, then ease of operation improves, but it may interfere with nearby electronic components on the circuit board
Solution Approach 1:
The handle part is designed to pivot between positions, allowing the user to operate the fastener from different angles. This dynamic positioning capability enables manual operation without the handle being fixed in a position that would interfere with nearby electronic components, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and component interference.
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener including a screw part and a handle part. The screw part includes a head portion and a body portion that are connected to each other. A diameter of the body portion is smaller than a diameter of the head portion. The head portion includes a recess on a side of the head portion located away from the body portion. The handle part is pivotally connected to the head portion and pivotable between an operation position and a bent-down position. When the handle part is in the operation position, the handle part is partially located on a side of the head portion located away from the body portion. When the handle part is in the bent-down position, the handle part is located away from the side of the head portion located away from the body portion.