Tritium Light Housing Snap Latch for Rugged Assembly

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting elements with gaseous tritium light sources face challenges in achieving safe and rugged assembly while maintaining design freedom, as the required elasticity of the plastic housing compromises strength and protective functionality.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a latching element with radially sprung flexible springs and inwardly oriented snaps, allowing for a separate consideration of the plastic housing's design requirements, enabling a safe, rugged, and user-friendly assembly with enhanced protection of the gaseous tritium light source, where the flexible spring forms part of the housing shell and the snaps provide a secure hold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the plastic housing is designed with high elasticity to enable safe insertion of the gaseous tritium light source, then the ease of operation during assembly is improved, but the strength and protective function of the housing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidprotective strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into two functional segments: a resilient section (or integrated resilient element) that provides elasticity for safe insertion, and a rigid section that provides structural strength and protection. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its properties independently without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the housing are assigned different mechanical properties: the region requiring elasticity (for insertion) is made resilient, while the region requiring strength (for protection) is made rigid. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between ease of assembly and protective strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the plastic housing is designed with high rigidity to provide strong protection, then the strength and protective function are improved, but the ease of operation during assembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotective strengthVSAvoidease of assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into two functional segments: a resilient section (or integrated resilient element) that provides elasticity for safe insertion, and a rigid section that provides structural strength and protection. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its properties independently without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the housing are assigned different mechanical properties: the region requiring elasticity (for insertion) is made resilient, while the region requiring strength (for protection) is made rigid. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between ease of assembly and protective strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a separate resilient element is used for the latching mechanism, then the design freedom of the housing structure is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign freedomVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The resilient element is merged with the housing structure itself, forming an integrated resilient section or resilient housing portion. This eliminates the need for separate resilient components, reducing part count and assembly complexity while maintaining full design freedom for the latching mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient section of the housing serves multiple functions: it provides the elastic force for the latching mechanism, maintains structural integrity, and enables safe insertion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This approach allows for a non-damaging and user-friendly assembly with robust protection of the gaseous tritium light source, offering high design freedom and increased ruggedness while simplifying the assembly process.

Implementation Method 1

the latching element is formed by at least one catch element, which catch element has a radially sprung flexible spring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11764053B1Lighting element

Publication Date: 2023.09.19 MB MICROTEC AG

AI summary

A lighting element with a gaseous tritium light source and an elongated plastic housing that at least partially encloses the gaseous tritium light source with its housing shell and forms a latching element that snaps together with the gaseous tritium light source, which can be inserted into the plastic housing, and holds it in the plastic housing. A rugged lighting element can be produced if the latching element is formed by at least one catch element, which catch element has a radially sprung flexible spring and at least one, preferably two, inwardly oriented snaps with an indentation for snapping together with the gaseous tritium light source.