Tablet Case with Adjustable Joint and Detachable Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tablet cases are difficult to adapt to different user preferences in terms of appearance and are costly to manufacture, making them less versatile and user-friendly.
Innovation Solution
A tablet case design featuring a receptacle connected to a cover via an adjustable joint with a first coupling element, allowing for easy rotation between landscape and portrait orientations, and detachable from the cover, enabling various styling options and compatibility with different tablets, while being cost-effective to produce using conventional manufacturing methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If tablet cases are designed with fixed appearance and structure, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but adaptability to different user preferences and tablet models is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The tablet case is divided into separate components: a base case and a detachable cover. The cover can be removed and replaced independently, allowing users to change appearances without replacing the entire case. This segmentation enables cost-effective production of modular components while providing versatility through component interchangeability.
Solution Approach 2:
The base case is designed with universal features that can accommodate different tablet models and configurations. The detachable cover system allows a single base case to serve multiple aesthetic functions by accepting different cover designs, thereby achieving multi-functionality without increasing base manufacturing complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If tablet cases are designed as integrated units, then structural stability is improved, but ease of customization and adaptation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The case is segmented into a stable base structure and a detachable cover. The base maintains structural integrity and stability, while the removable cover enables customization. This segmentation allows the stable components to be manufactured once with proven durability, while the customizable cover can be easily exchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover attachment mechanism provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the cover to be attached and detached as needed. This dynamic feature enables customization without compromising the structural stability of the base case, as the base remains unchanged and stable while the cover provides the adaptive, customizable element.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional manufacturing methods are used for complex tablet cases, then production cost is reduced, but manufacturing precision and complexity handling are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The case design segments complex features into the detachable cover, which can be manufactured separately using conventional methods. The base case maintains simpler geometry suitable for cost-effective conventional manufacturing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific manufacturing requirements without compromising overall precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different manufacturing precision levels are applied locally to different components. The base case uses conventional manufacturing with standard precision requirements, while the cover, which may have more complex aesthetic features, can be manufactured with appropriate precision levels for its specific functions. This local quality approach optimizes production cost while maintaining necessary precision where required.
Data Source
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AI summary
A protective case for a portable electronic device includes a hinged cover comprising a set of boards connected by a flexible cover sheet, and a receptacle which is rotatably and detachably connected to the cover by an intermediate connector forming an adjustable joint. The intermediate connector is releasably coupled to a fixed coupling element which is contained within the thickness of one of the boards of the cover, so that the assembled cover can be manufactured by pressing in a conventional press or casemaker. The receptacle includes a flexible latch and a recess whereby the user can insert a fingertip to lift the device from the receptacle.