Tilting Cam Hard Disk Ejection Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing design of boxes for removable hard disks requires complex and costly mounting of a tilting cam, which involves multiple sheet metal thicknesses and a rigid pivot pin, making the fabrication process cumbersome and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A box design featuring a tilting cam secured by snap-fastening using a tab and lug mechanism, eliminating the need for a rigid pivot pin and allowing the cam to pivot freely, with a lever for actuation and a ramp for easy engagement, facilitating the ejection of the hard disk without the need for additional metal thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rigid pivot pin rigidly secured to the box body is used to mount the tilting cam, then the cam can pivot freely to eject the hard disk, but the fabrication cost and complexity increase due to requiring multiple sheet metal thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pivot pin from the mounting structure, eliminating the need for a rigidly secured pin. Instead, the cam is mounted directly to the box body through snap-fastening engagement features (tabs and lugs) that allow free pivoting without requiring a separate stationary pin component.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure is segmented into discrete engagement features (tabs with slots and lugs with holes) that can be independently formed in the box body and cam. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard sheet metal processes, reducing overall complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple sheet metal thicknesses are provided to secure a rigid pivot pin, then the cam can be rigidly mounted, but the fabrication cost and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the mounting parameter from rigid mechanical attachment (screws, welds, or thickened sections for pin security) to elastic snap-fastening. The tabs and lugs are designed to flex elastically during assembly and operation, providing secure mounting through elastic deformation rather than rigid mechanical fastening.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting structure is self-servicing through the snap-fastening mechanism. The tabs and lugs automatically engage and disengage through elastic deformation, eliminating the need for external fastening operations or complex assembly procedures. The structure secures itself through the inherent elasticity of the formed features.
3Ease of manufacture
If a tab and lug snap-fastening mechanism is used to mount the cam, then the mounting process is simplified and material costs are reduced, but the cam must be designed with specific engagement features
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the mounting features directly into the cam and box body structures. The tabs are formed as integral parts of the box body, and the lugs are formed as integral parts of the cam, eliminating the need for separate mounting components and simplifying the overall assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab and lug features serve multiple functions: they provide structural connection between components, enable elastic snap-fastening mounting, and allow for easy assembly and disassembly. These features are integrated into the existing structural elements of the box body and cam, making them multi-functional rather than adding separate specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
A box is provided for receiving a removable element. The box is a generally rectangular box fitted with a tilting cam of cut-out sheet metal situated in the rear portion of the box body, the tilting cam having an actuation end and an ejection end situated on either side of a central portion of said cam for the purpose of ejecting the removable element when the cam is tilted about its central portion. The box body has in the rear portion of its top face a tab including a base extended by a tongue that extends parallel to said top face while being spaced apart from said top face, together with a lug projecting from the top face and situated facing a free end of the tongue. The tilting cam is secured to the box body by snap-fastening, having its central portion engaged firstly between the tongue and the top face of the box body, and secondly between the lug and the base.