Textured LED Opening in Connector Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector inserts and receptacles have indicators that are difficult to manufacture, prone to reflections, and provide inconsistent indications due to angle-dependent appearances, leading to potential user errors in connection confirmation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light-emitting diode (LED) with light pipes to direct light through a textured opening filled with a transparent or translucent material, such as adhesive or plastic, which diffuses light uniformly and reduces reflections, ensuring a consistent indication regardless of viewing angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a smooth opening surface is used for the LED indicator, then the manufacturing process is simple, but reflections occur and the appearance varies with viewing angle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a textured coating material to the opening surface that creates a non-uniform, diffuse reflective surface. This local modification changes the optical properties of the surface to scatter light in multiple directions, ensuring consistent appearance from different viewing angles while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of coating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface parameters of the opening by applying a textured coating that alters the micro-structure of the surface. This parameter change transforms the smooth surface into a textured one, which diffuses light and eliminates angle-dependent appearance variations without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If a textured surface is applied to the LED opening, then reflections are reduced and appearance consistency is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coating material as an intermediary substance between the opening surface and the external environment. This coating layer serves as a mediator that provides the desired light-diffusing properties while being applied through standard coating processes, thus adding minimal complexity to the manufacturing workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a coating material that can be applied as a thin, relatively simple layer rather than requiring complex permanent structural modifications. The coating acts as a surface treatment that achieves the optical diffusion effect without necessitating intricate manufacturing steps or expensive specialized equipment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the opening is left unfilled, then the manufacturing process is simplest, but reflections occur and appearance is unattractive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a textured coating material to the opening surface that creates a non-uniform, diffuse reflective surface. This local modification changes the optical properties of the surface to scatter light in multiple directions, ensuring consistent appearance from different viewing angles while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of coating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the harmful reflective property of the smooth opening surface into a beneficial light-diffusing property by applying a textured coating. The coating converts the direct reflection that causes glare and angle-dependent appearance into diffuse scattering that provides consistent, attractive appearance from all angles.
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 solution provides easy-to-manufacture, attractive, and reliable connection indicators that reduce reflections and maintain consistency across different viewing angles, enhancing user confidence in connection status.
Implementation Method 1
This texturing may improve the appearance of the indication, and diffuse emitted light such that the indication appears consistent despite changes in viewing angles.
Implementation Method 2
A specific embodiment of the present invention may provide a textured surface on the indication. The indication may be an opening in a housing for light emitted by an LED, where the opening has been filled using an adhesive, plastic, or other material. This texturing may improve the appearance of the indication, and diffuse emitted light such that the indication appears consistent despite changes in viewing angles.
Data Source
AI summary
Connector inserts and receptacles that may have indicators that are easy to manufacture, may have an attractive appearance, reduce reflections, and may provide a consistent indication independent of viewing angle. One example may provide a connector insert having an opening to provide light from an LED. The opening may be filled with an adhesive or other material. A surface of the adhesive may be textured, for example by chemical etch, laser, sand or glass bead blasting, through the use of texture tape or other stamp, or in other ways. An entire connector or just the indication itself may be etched. Masking may be used to protect a connector body during texturing.