Tunable Shock Mount for Cover Glass Impact Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glass cover arrangements in small form factor electronic devices are susceptible to damage from impacts due to their thinness and rigidity, leading to cracking or breaking when dropped.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a tunable shock mount between the cover glass and the electronic device's housing to isolate the glass from the device's mass, providing compression and damping to mitigate damage from shocks, and using strengthened glass materials and chemical treatments to enhance durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the glass cover is made thinner to achieve a low profile device, then the device becomes more compact and aesthetically appealing, but the glass cover becomes more susceptible to cracking and breaking from impact forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shock-absorbing intermediary layer between the thin glass cover and the device housing. This layer acts as a mediator that absorbs impact forces during drops, protecting the glass from direct transmission of shock while maintaining the thin profile design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a coating or treatment to the glass cover before assembly that provides shock absorption capabilities. This pre-applied cushioning layer is designed to activate upon impact, reducing the force transmitted to the glass and preventing cracks before they can form.
2Strength
If the glass cover is made thicker to increase strength and impact resistance, then the glass becomes more durable against drops, but the device profile becomes bulkier and less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the glass cover by applying surface treatments or coatings that enhance shock absorption and crack resistance without increasing the base glass thickness. This allows the glass to maintain its thin dimensions while gaining improved impact resistance through modified material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining thin glass with a shock-absorbing layer or treatment. This composite approach allows the thin glass to benefit from the protective properties of the additional layer, achieving high impact resistance without the bulk of thick glass alone.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional glass materials are used in the cover, then manufacturing is simpler and cost-effective, but the glass is susceptible to scratching and cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses conventional glass as the base material for ease of manufacture but combines it with a protective coating or composite layer that enhances durability. This composite structure maintains the manufacturing simplicity of standard glass while adding scratch and crack resistance through the protective layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies surface treatments or chemical modifications to conventional glass that change its surface properties to resist scratching and cracking. These parameter changes enhance durability without requiring a complete change in base material or complex manufacturing processes.
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
The tunable shock mount effectively reduces the susceptibility of the cover glass to damage from drops by isolating it from the device's mass, while strengthened glass materials further enhance its resistance to cracking and breaking, thereby protecting the glass and internal components.
Implementation Method 1
providing compression and damping to mitigate damage from shocks
Implementation Method 2
providing compression and damping to mitigate damage from shocks
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, systems and methods for shock mounting glass for an electronic device are disclosed. The glass for the electronic device can provide an outer surface for at least a portion of a housing for the electronic device. In one embodiment, the shock mounting can provide a compliant interface between the glass and the electronic device housing. In another embodiment, the shock mounting can provide a mechanically actuated retractable. For example, an outer glass member for an electronic device housing can be referred to as cover glass, which is often provided at a front surface of the electronic device housing.