Segmented Button Waterproof Seal for Click Feel and Ingress Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waterproof structures in electronic devices suffer from degraded waterproof performance due to parting lines in O-ring designs and compromised click feeling of key buttons during straight movements or reciprocating actions.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof structure featuring a waterproof member with convex and concave surfaces that maintain close contact with a rod and the device body, preventing water and foreign material ingress while enhancing key button manipulation feel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an O-ring waterproof member is manufactured with a mold, then manufacturing is simplified, but a parting line is formed on the close-contact line causing degraded waterproof performance
Solution Approach 1:
The waterproof member is divided into multiple segments along its circumferential direction, with gaps formed between adjacent segments. This segmentation allows the waterproof member to be manufactured without parting lines on the close-contact surface while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Elastic members are introduced as intermediaries between the waterproof member segments and the rod. These elastic members fill the gaps between segments and press the waterproof member against the rod, enabling waterproof sealing without requiring a continuous molded structure that would create parting lines.
2Reliability
If an O-ring waterproof member is used, then waterproofing is achieved, but the circular shape causes twisting during straight movement degrading click feeling
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the waterproof member and introducing gaps between segments, the structure allows linear movement of the rod without causing twisting. The gaps provide space for the segments to move independently, maintaining the waterproof seal while enabling smooth straight reciprocating motion with proper click feeling.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the waterproof member structure are assigned different functions: the close-contact surfaces maintain tight sealing with the rod, while the gap regions between segments provide flexibility for linear movement. This local differentiation resolves the conflict between waterproofing and movement smoothness.
3Reliability
If a waterproof member with close-contact line is used, then waterproof sealing is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to mold design constraints
Solution Approach 1:
Segmenting the waterproof member eliminates the need for complex mold designs with parting lines on close-contact surfaces. Each segment can be manufactured separately with simpler molds, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining effective waterproof sealing through the assembled structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a body having a passage, a physical button having a rod passing through the passage, an inner surface having a first convex surface and a second convex surface formed to be spaced apart from the first convex surface, a through-hole formed by the inner surface, an outer surface having a third convex surface and a protruding surface formed to be spaced apart from the third convex surface, a bottom surface formed between the inner surface and the outer surface, and a waterproof member having a fourth convex surface formed in the direction facing the bottom surface, wherein the waterproof member is arranged between the body and the rod.