Sliding Protective Top Case for USB Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing USB devices face issues with protective covers being easily lost, prone to physical damage, and requiring complex mechanisms like sliding buttons or elastic components, which are costly and durable, making them inconvenient and expensive to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a sliding protective top case that uses cantilever locking and retaining arms to expose and protect the connector, eliminating the need for a sliding button or elastic component, featuring a simple design with fewer parts for easy manufacturing and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective cover is provided for the connector, then the connector is protected from damage, but the protective cover is easily lost and causes physical damage to the USB device
Solution Approach 1:
The protective top case is merged with the main body through a sliding mechanism that integrates the cover and body into a single unit. The top case slides along the main body and is retained by cantilever arms that engage with the bottom case, eliminating the need for separate retention mechanisms while ensuring the cover remains attached during handling and transport.
2Reliability
If a sliding button mechanism is used to extend and retract the connector, then the connector can be protected, but the mechanism is complex and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding button mechanism is completely removed from the design. Instead, the top case itself serves as the protective element that slides directly along the main body. The cantilever locking and retaining arms provide automatic engagement and retention without requiring a button actuator, significantly simplifying the mechanism while maintaining connector protection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cantilever locking and retaining arms automatically engage with the bottom case to hold the top case in its protective position. The mechanism is self-retaining and does not require external actuation or complex control systems, making the device simpler and more cost-effective to manufacture while still providing reliable connector protection.
3Ease of operation
If elastic components are used to press the main body to store the connecting portion, then the connector can be retracted, but frequent use decreases the durability of the elastic component
Solution Approach 1:
The design replaces durable but complex spring mechanisms with simpler cantilever arms made from cost-effective materials. While the cantilever arms have limited travel compared to spring systems, they provide sufficient retraction force for USB connector applications and can be easily replaced if needed, offering a cost-effective solution that eliminates expensive elastic components.
4Reliability
If multiple moving parts with a press button are used for the sliding mechanism, then the connector can be protected, but the device is difficult and very expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The protective mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the sliding top case, the cantilever locking arms, and the cantilever retaining arms. Each component has a specific function and can be manufactured separately using standard manufacturing processes, then assembled together. This modular approach simplifies production compared to integrating multiple moving parts into a single complex mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided for connecting to an external device. The electronic device includes a main body, a connector at a proximal end of the main body, a bottom case coupled to the main body at a distal end, and a top case slidably located opposite to the bottom case. The electronic device further includes a first cantilever locking arm and a second cantilever retaining arm on at least one side of the main body. The top case is slid towards the bottom case to expose the connector and the top case is slid towards the connector to cover the connector. The first cantilever locking arm includes an open locking mechanism and a close locking mechanism for maintaining the top case in an open state and a closed state respectively. The second cantilever retaining arm retains the top case on the main body.