Rotatable Housing Stepped Portion and Rib Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable information processing apparatuses, such as notebook computers, have a stepped portion on the housing that maintains strength but limits design flexibility due to a constant height, restricting the degree of freedom in housing design.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device incorporates a second housing with a stepped portion on its outer surface that decreases in size from one side to the other, and a rib on the inner surface that increases in height in the same direction, maintaining strength while allowing for increased design flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a stepped portion is provided on the housing to maintain strength, then the structural strength is improved, but the degree of freedom in housing design is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the stepped portion have a non-uniform height that varies in the intersecting direction, and the rib having a variable height that corresponds to the stepped portion's profile. This localized variation in dimensions allows the structure to maintain strength where needed while providing design flexibility in other areas, resolving the contradiction between strength and design freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of both the stepped portion and rib from constant dimensions to variable dimensions. The stepped portion's size decreases from one side to the other in the intersecting direction, and the rib's height increases correspondingly. This parameter variation enables the housing to achieve both structural integrity and design versatility.
2Ease of manufacture
If a constant height stepped portion is used, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the housing appearance becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the stepped portion and rib into an integrated structure where the rib extends through the housing thickness and the stepped portion is formed on the outer surface. This combined structure allows both components to be manufactured together in a single process, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving variable geometry for enhanced appearance and design flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a first housing and a second housing rotatably coupled to the first housing about a rotation axis and having a display disposed therein. The second housing includes a first outer surface on which the display is exposed and a second outer surface facing away from the first outer surface. A stepped portion is provided on the second outer surface, the stepped portion extending in an intersecting direction that intersects with the rotation axis and is parallel to the second outer surface. A rib extending in the intersecting direction is provided on a back surface of the second outer surface. At least a part of the rib is at a position overlapping the stepped portion in the intersecting direction.