Pop-up Flash Sealing with Elastic Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging devices with pop-up flash mechanisms face challenges in achieving effective drip-proof sealing between the camera body and the flash light emitter, leading to potential water infiltration.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an elastic deformation member, such as silicone rubber packing, that deforms to seal the clearance between the imaging device body and the flash light emitter, ensuring a drip-proof specification by being pressed and deformed in the stored state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the flash light emitter is coupled to the camera body only by hinge shafts without additional sealing structures, then the mechanism complexity is reduced and fitting accuracy is simplified to manage, but the drip-proof sealing capability deteriorates due to potential water infiltration through clearances
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic deformation member (sealing member) is introduced as an intermediary element between the flash light emitter and camera body. This mediator fills and seals the clearance formed by the hinge shafts, preventing water infiltration while allowing the simple hinge shaft coupling mechanism to remain in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is made of elastic deformation material that can deform to conform to the clearance geometry between the rigid components. This flexible sealing approach effectively seals irregular clearances without requiring precise manufacturing tolerances or complex rigid sealing structures.
2Reliability
If the clearance between the imaging device body and flash light emitter is sealed using rigid sealing structures, then the drip-proof capability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase and assembly difficulty worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing approach transitions from rigid dimensional control to elastic deformation. By changing the physical state and mechanical properties of the sealing element to be elastic rather than rigid, the system can accommodate variations in manufacturing tolerances while maintaining effective sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic deformation member acts as a flexible sealing element that can adapt to the actual clearance dimensions formed during assembly. This flexibility eliminates the need for high-precision manufacturing and fitting, as the elastic material deforms to seal whatever clearance exists within reason.
3Reliability
If an elastic deformation member is added to seal the clearance, then the drip-proof sealing capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted as a separate, dedicated elastic deformation member rather than attempting to achieve sealing through the primary mechanical coupling structures. This separation allows the hinge shaft mechanism to remain simple while the sealing function is handled by the specialized elastic component.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic deformation member provides sealing functionality with a simple, single-component structure. Rather than adding complex multi-part sealing assemblies, the flexible nature of the elastic material allows a single component to perform the sealing function effectively.
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 solution effectively prevents water infiltration by ensuring both paths from the outside to the inside of the camera body and the flash light emitter are sealed, enhancing the device's drip-proof capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic deformation member is pressed and deformed between the flash light emitter and the imaging device body in the stored state, thereby drip-proof sealing a clearance between the imaging device body and the flash light emitter
Data Source
AI summary
A digital camera (an imaging device) includes: a camera body (an imaging device body); a flash light emitter having a stored state in which the flash light emitter is stored in the camera body and a projected state in which the flash light emitter projects from the camera body; and a packing (an elastic deformation member). The digital camera has a drip-proof specification in which the packing is pressed and deformed between the flash light emitter and the camera body in the stored state, thereby drip-proof sealing a clearance between the camera body and the flash light emitter.