Terminal Cover Interlock for Safe Hard Disk Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hard disks cannot be safely inserted or removed while powered on, risking damage and data loss, necessitating a protective mechanism for home terminal users.

Innovation Solution

A terminal design featuring a detachable cover with a protection switch that powers off the hard disk before removal, using a central processing unit to detect the switch's electrical signal variation and initiate data protection and power-off procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a hard disk is made detachable for convenient user replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of damage during random insertion or removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconvenience of hard disk replacementVSAvoidhard disk safety during insertion/removal
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting cover opening through the touch switch and automatically powering off the hard disk before the user physically removes it. This preliminary power-off action prevents data loss and damage that would occur during random removal, thus maintaining reliability while preserving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a lock mechanism is added to prevent random hard disk removal, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against random hard disk removalVSAvoidcomplexity of defense apparatus
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover body serves as an intermediary element that mediates between the user and the hard disk. When opened, it triggers the touch switch which then controls the power-off sequence. This intermediary mechanism provides protection against random removal without requiring a complex direct lock between the hard disk and chassis, thus improving reliability while limiting complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the hard disk is powered off before removal, then reliability is improved, but loss of time occurs during the power-off process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of data loss during removalVSAvoidtime required for power-off before removal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the power-off action preliminarily and automatically when the cover is opened, as detected by the touch switch. This eliminates the need for user-initiated power-off sequences and minimizes perceived time loss, as the process occurs automatically in the background during the natural cover-opening action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3188187B1terminal
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3188187B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3188187B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3188187B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a terminal, and the terminal includes a body, a cover body covering the body, a circuit board mounted in the body, a central processing unit welded on the circuit board, a control part mounted on the cover body, and a protection switch welded on the circuit board, where a hard disk slot for accommodating a hard disk is disposed in the body, the cover body is detachably mounted on the body, and is configured to seal the hard disk in the hard disk slot, the cover body is opened to drive the control part to open the protection switch, an electrical signal variation is generated due to opening of the protection switch, and after detecting the electrical signal variation, the central processing unit instructs the hard disk to perform data protection and powers off the hard disk.