Portable Radio Cover Weight Reduction via Adapter Relocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional portable radios face difficulties in opening and closing due to the weight of the adapter, which is housed in the cover, and there is a risk of adapter damage or interference with other components, leading to complex and cumbersome operation.

Innovation Solution

The adapter compartment is relocated to the device body, allowing the cover to be lighter and easier to open, with the adapter and battery compartments positioned differently to facilitate simultaneous accommodation and protection, and the adapter compartment is designed to accommodate various types and orientations of adapters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the adapter is disposed in the cover, then the adapter can be accommodated in the housing, but the weight of the adapter makes the opening and closing operation of the cover more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadapter accommodationVSAvoidcover opening and closing operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a cover and a body portion, with the adapter compartment specifically formed in the body portion rather than the cover. This segmentation allows the cover to be lighter and easier to operate while the adapter is securely accommodated in the body portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter compartment is extracted from the cover and relocated to the body portion of the housing. This extraction removes the weight of the adapter from the cover, facilitating easier opening and closing operations while maintaining adapter accommodation functionality in the body portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the adapter is disposed in the cover, then the adapter can be accommodated, but the adapter may slip out of the restraining band and cause damage to other components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadapter accommodationVSAvoiddamage to other components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A restraining band is introduced as an intermediary component between the adapter and the adapter compartment. The restraining band secures the adapter within the compartment, preventing it from slipping out and causing damage to other components while maintaining proper accommodation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The restraining band is provided in advance to prevent the adapter from escaping the adapter compartment. This preventive measure cushions against the potential harmful effect of the adapter slipping out and damaging other components before such damage can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If the battery compartment and adapter compartment are both formed in the cover, then both can be accommodated, but the cover becomes larger and opening and closing operations become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimultaneous accommodation of battery and adapterVSAvoidcover structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into distinct functional areas: the cover and the body portion. The battery compartment and adapter compartment are both formed in the body portion, allowing simultaneous accommodation of both components while keeping the cover simpler and easier to operate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter compartment is positioned in the body portion at a location that does not interfere with the battery mounting path. This spatial arrangement in another dimension allows both compartments to coexist without increasing cover complexity or interfering with each other's operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3214766B1Electric device
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 KOKI HLDG CO LTD
  • EP3214766B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3214766B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3214766B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

To provide an electric device that includes a compact cover that is easy to open and close. A portable radio 1 includes: a housing 2 including a device body 2A and a cover 2B, the device body 2A including an adapter compartment 9 configured to accommodate an adapter 8 connectable to an external power supply and a battery compartment 7 disposed at a different position from the adapter compartment 9 and configured to accommodate a battery 6, the cover 2B being configured to expose and close the adapter compartment 9 and the battery compartment 7; an adapter connector 21 provided at the device body 2A and connectable to the adapter 8; and a speaker 23 configured to be operated by accommodating the battery 6 in the battery compartment 7 or by connecting the adapter 8 to the adapter connector 21 and the external power supply.