Rotatable Non-Flush Navigation Button for Clamshell Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Clamshell handheld devices face challenges in incorporating non-protruding navigation buttons due to space constraints, which can lead to button damage or increased device thickness when closed, and flush mounts can compromise usability and circuitry space.
Innovation Solution
A handheld device design featuring a rotatable coupling between the lid and base, allowing a non-flush navigation button to be accessible in both opened and closed configurations, with a method that detects configuration changes and adjusts the button's orientation accordingly, enabling efficient navigation without the need for depressions or protrusions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If protruding navigation buttons are provided on the base, then button accessibility is improved, but device thickness increases due to the need for depressions to accommodate the buttons when closed
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation button is made rotatable relative to the base, allowing it to dynamically change its position between a protruding state (when the device is open) and a retracted state (when the device is closed). This dynamic movement resolves the contradiction by enabling the button to be accessible when needed while not increasing device thickness when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The button assembly is segmented into a button component and a base component, with the button rotatably coupled to the base. This segmentation allows the button to be independently positioned - protruding from the base when the device is open for accessibility, and rotating to a retracted position when closed to avoid increasing device thickness.
2Length of stationary object
If flush mount buttons are provided in depressions on the base, then device thickness is reduced, but button usability deteriorates due to limited space and difficulty of access
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a static flush mount, the button is made dynamic and rotatable. When the device is open, the button rotates to protrude from the base, providing ample space and ease of access for the user's finger, while maintaining thin device profile when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The button is given rotational freedom in a third dimension (rotating about an axis), allowing it to transition between protruding and retracted positions. This dimensional change enables the button to achieve both flush mounting (when retracted) and good usability (when protruding) at different times.
3Ease of operation
If protruding buttons are accommodated with depressions in the base, then button accessibility is maintained, but circuitry space is reduced due to the depression occupying valuable space
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable button mechanism allows the button to protrude only when needed (when the device is open), eliminating the need for a permanent depression in the base. This dynamic positioning preserves maximum base area for circuitry placement while maintaining button accessibility during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The button is pre-configured to rotate into a protruding position before the device is opened, and to automatically retract before closing. This preliminary action ensures the button is accessible when needed without requiring permanent structural modifications like depressions that would consume circuitry space.
Data Source
AI summary
A handheld device comprising a first portion and a second portion rotatably coupled to the first portion. The handheld device is movable between an opened configuration and a closed configuration. A non-flush navigation button is coupled to one of the first and the second portion wherein the non-flush navigation button is disposed in a position that is accessible for manipulation in both the opened and the closed configurations.