Universal Cover Member for Fingerprint Authentication and Touchpad Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing diversity in user needs for electronic apparatuses, such as portable computers, leads to the need for multiple models with and without fingerprint authentication units, resulting in increased manufacturing costs due to the variety of cover members required for different configurations.
Innovation Solution
The design allows for a single type of cover member to be used for both models by selectively adopting switch boards and pad button sections with or without a fingerprint authentication unit, maintaining the same shape and reducing the number of cover member types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If different cover members are prepared for models with and without fingerprint authentication unit, then the position of touchpad buttons can be appropriately adjusted, but the number of cover member types increases leading to increased manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate both models with and without fingerprint authentication units. The cover member includes a through-hole that can selectively expose the fingerprint authentication unit or the touchpad buttons depending on the model configuration, allowing a single cover member design to serve multiple functions across different product variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is segmented into functional regions: a through-hole for the fingerprint authentication unit, touchpad buttons, and other structural elements. This segmentation allows the cover member to be configured for different models by selectively positioning or removing components rather than requiring entirely different cover member designs.
2Ease of operation
If different cover members are prepared for different models, then the fingerprint authentication unit and touchpad buttons can be properly positioned, but the variety of cover members increases leading to increased parts inventory
Solution Approach 1:
A single universal cover member design is used for both models with and without fingerprint authentication units. The cover member incorporates a through-hole that can selectively expose either the fingerprint authentication unit or the touchpad buttons, eliminating the need to maintain separate inventory for different cover member types.
Solution Approach 2:
The design merges the functionality of multiple cover member types into a single unified cover member structure. By combining the exposure of the fingerprint authentication unit and touchpad buttons within the same cover member through strategic placement of the through-hole and buttons, the parts inventory is reduced while maintaining proper positioning for both configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a pad button section and a switch board. The housing includes a cover member including an opening part. One of a first switch board on which a fingerprint authentication unit is mounted, and a second switch board on which no fingerprint authentication units are mounted is selectively adopted as the switch board. One of a first pad button section including a fingerprint authentication cover between buttons, and a second pad button section in which a pair of buttons are adjacent to each other is selectively adopted as the pad button section. The cover member is identical in shape between a case where the first pad button section is adopted and a case where the second pad button section is adopted.