Protective Case Sliding Lock for Smartwatch Button Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart watches used outdoors often experience erroneous button operations due to the protruding button design, which can lead to accidental activation or deactivation, causing inconvenience and battery waste, as existing solutions do not effectively prevent such errors while maintaining operational sensation.
Innovation Solution
A protective case with a locking part that slidably interacts with a stop protrusion, allowing selective activation and deactivation of the button through a detachable operation unit, featuring a cover part with elastic properties and a locking mechanism that stabilizes the button operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the button is formed to protrude further to improve operational sensation, then the button operation becomes more tactile and responsive, but erroneous operation occurs more frequently during outdoor use
Solution Approach 1:
A pressing member is introduced as an intermediary component between the user's finger and the button. This pressing member can be selectively positioned to either press the button intentionally or block it from being pressed, thereby mediating between the user's operational intent and the button's response, preventing erroneous operations while maintaining tactile feedback
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing member is designed to be movable between two states: positioned to allow button operation and positioned to block button operation. This dynamic positioning capability enables the system to adapt between different operational modes (normal operation vs. error prevention) based on user intent, resolving the contradiction between operational sensation and reliability
2Reliability
If the button operation is disabled through application settings to prevent erroneous operation, then operation accuracy improves, but battery consumption increases and convenience deteriorates due to inability to toggle with one touch
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing member enables the button to serve itself in preventing erroneous operations through its own mechanical blocking capability, rather than relying on software-based disabling that consumes battery and requires complex settings. The physical blocking mechanism operates independently of power consumption and software configurations
3Ease of operation
If a pressing member is formed in the protective case to operate the button, then button operation is enabled through the case, but erroneous operation is easily generated
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing member's position is made dynamic rather than fixed. It can be intentionally positioned by the user to press the button when needed, and positioned to block the button when error prevention is desired. This dynamic control allows the system to distinguish between intentional operations and potential errors based on user intent
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 erroneous button operations while maintaining the operational sensation, allowing for convenient and stable button control during outdoor activities, as demonstrated by durability tests up to 4,000 cycles without significant degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a pressing member configured such that one end thereof is connected to the first cover to be elastically deformed in the through hole
Data Source
AI summary
A protective case includes: a cover part provided with an operation unit for operating a button when some member on one side thereof is moved toward the button located on the other side thereof, and configured to be detachably coupled to a product; and a locking part configured to be coupled to the operation unit to slide between the button and the member in the forward and backward directions, and also configured to be selectively spaced apart from the member and disposed adjacent to the member according to the movement to allow or block an operation of the button by the member. The protective case selectively and rapidly activates and inactivates a pressing member used to operate a button through a locking part that is reciprocally slid with a stop protrusion interposed therebetween and thus stably maintains the position thereof.