Electronic Cover Fastening With Sealed Screwless Housing Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The use of screws for fastening electronic device covers can damage the exterior design and lower productivity during assembly, necessitating a need for improved assembly and productivity while maintaining a seal between the housing and cover.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device design featuring a housing with a coupling protrusion and hole, a movable fastening member, and a sealing member between the coupling hole, allowing air injection or suction to couple the cover to the housing without screws, enhancing productivity and maintaining a seal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If screws are used for fastening the cover to the housing, then the connection strength is improved, but the exterior design is damaged and productivity is lowered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidassembly productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes screws from the visible exterior surface, extracting the harmful element (screws damaging design) while maintaining the fastening function through alternative means (screwless fastening structure with coupling protrusions and holes)

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces coupling protrusions and coupling holes as intermediary structures that enable fastening without exposed screws. These intermediaries transfer the fastening function from traditional screw mechanisms to integrated structural features

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If screws are used for fastening the cover to the housing, then the connection strength is improved, but the exterior design is damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidexterior design
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes screws from the visible exterior surface, extracting the harmful element (screws damaging design) while maintaining the fastening function through alternative means (screwless fastening structure with coupling protrusions and holes)

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different structural qualities to different locations: the exterior surface maintains smooth aesthetic quality while the interior coupling structures provide mechanical fastening functionality, separating form and function spatially

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If traditional fastening methods are used, then the sealing between housing and cover is achieved, but the assembly time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is pre-installed on the housing before the cover is attached. This preliminary action ensures sealing is already in place before final assembly, reducing assembly time while maintaining sealing reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical screw fastening with a snap-fit or press-fit mechanism using coupling protrusions and holes, which can be assembled more quickly while maintaining both sealing and connection strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This design reduces assembly time and maintains an improved external design by eliminating the need for screws, thus improving productivity and sealing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the cover further comprises an air hole formed in an outer surface of the cover to move the fastening member with respect to the coupling hole by injecting or sucking air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a sealing member disposed between an inner wall forming the coupling hole and the fastening member to seal the coupling hole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentEP4177678B1Electronic device and manufacturing method therefor
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4177678B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4177678B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4177678B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is an electronic device. The electronic device includes a housing provided to accommodate a printed circuit board, , a cover coupled to the housing, and including a coupling protrusion protruding to a side of the housing to be accommodated in the housing, and including a coupling hole formed in the coupling protrusion, a fastening pin arranged in the coupling hole and configured to couple to the housing, and a sealing member arranged between an inner wall forming the coupling hole and the fastening pin to seal the coupling hole. Various other embodiments are possible.