Smart Glasses Hinge Assembly With Cable-Guided Extra-Flex Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart glasses hinges suffer from cable damage or breakage due to excessive stress during rotation, and lack the flexibility to achieve an 'extra-flex' operating position beyond 90 degrees, compromising comfort and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly for smart glasses that incorporates a support plate and support body with a masking and guide body for the electrical cable, allowing for angular delays and a bistable design with an extra-opening position, preventing excessive stress on the cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a common hinge is used to connect the temple to the frame, then the hinge allows rotation between opening and closing positions, but the cable excessively bends and deteriorates or breaks under stress during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cable management system with a cable guide and cable retention structure that acts as an intermediary between the hinge mechanism and the cable. This intermediary structure guides the cable through a dedicated path and retains it in place during temple rotation, preventing the cable from directly experiencing the bending stress that would otherwise cause deterioration or breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the hinge body for rotation, the cable management system for cable protection, and the mounting structures for attachment. This segmentation allows the cable to be isolated from the primary rotational stress through dedicated cable retention features, while the hinge maintains its rotational functionality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a bistable hinge is used to keep the temple stationary in operating position, then the temple remains stable in opening or closing position, but the hinge cannot reach an extra-flex operating position beyond 90 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system incorporates dynamic elements including a spring mechanism that provides bistable positioning for stability, combined with flexible cable management components that enable extra-flex positioning. The spring maintains stable operating positions while the flexible cable retention structure allows the temple to be positioned beyond the traditional 90-degree limit when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism utilizes parameter changes in the spring force and cable flexibility to transition between different operating modes. The spring provides restoring force for stable positioning, while the flexible cable management system allows the temple angle parameter to extend beyond the conventional bistable range when required.
3Reliability
If a bistable and flexible hinge is designed to accommodate cable stress, then the cable is protected from damage, but the hinge structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cable management functions with the hinge structure by integrating the cable guide and cable retention features directly into the hinge body. This consolidation combines the cable protection function with the existing hinge mechanism, providing cable protection without requiring a completely separate complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge assembly is designed with multi-functionality, where the cable management system serves multiple purposes: guiding the cable during rotation, retaining the cable in position, and enabling both bistable and extra-flex operating positions. This universal design provides comprehensive cable protection while avoiding the need for multiple separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
Hinge assembly for smart glasses (100) comprising: a support plate (110) which comprises a first cantilevered portion (113) and a second cantilevered portion (114), the support plate (110) comprising an opening (190) between said first cantilevered portion (113) and said second cantilevered portion (114), the support plate (110) comprising a first side wall (128) and a second side wall (129) connecting said first cantilevered portion (113) to said second cantilevered portion (114): a support body (130) rotatably coupled to the support plate (110); a masking and guide body (180) for an electrical cable (220) interposed between the cantilevered portions (113, 114), the masking and guide body (180) for the electrical cable (220) comprising a first rest portion (183) and a second rest portion (184) spaced from each other and at least one bridge element (185) connecting the rest portions (183, 184) to each other, the rest portions (183, 184) facing each other and defining a free gap between them, the distance between said side walls (128, 129) is such as to determine a first angular delay between the rotation of the support body (130) and the rotation of the masking and guide body (180) for the electrical cable (220) and a second angular delay between the rotation of the support body (130) and the rotation of the masking and guide body (180) for the electrical cable (220).