Portable Watch Back Lid Alignment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable watch assembly requires a back lid alignment correcting operation to align the lid marking with the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock direction, which is time-consuming and unnecessary.
Innovation Solution
A portable watch design featuring an annular lid mounting portion with a thread and a detent portion, combined with a lid plate having an annular projection and an engaging portion, allows the lid marking to be aligned with the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock direction without the need for a correcting operation by engaging the detent and engaging portions, ensuring the lid marking remains aligned during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a back lid alignment correcting operation is performed to align the lid marking with the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock direction, then the appearance quality of the wristwatch is improved, but the assembly time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detent portion is pre-formed on the lid mounting portion at the correct angular position, and the engaging portion is pre-formed on the lid plate. During assembly, the engaging portion automatically engages with the detent portion, preliminarily positioning the lid plate in the correct orientation before the holding ring is fully tightened. This preliminary alignment action eliminates the need for subsequent alignment correcting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The detent portion and engaging portion serve as intermediary alignment mechanisms between the lid mounting portion and the lid plate. These engagement features mediate the alignment process by providing a mechanical constraint that automatically establishes the correct angular relationship, replacing the need for operator intervention to correct alignment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an interposed component with elastic blocking member is used to allow rotation for alignment correction, then the alignment flexibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex interposed component with elastic blocking member is removed from the structure. Instead, a simple detent portion is directly formed on the lid mounting portion, and a corresponding engaging portion is formed on the lid plate. This extraction of the intermediate component simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the alignment function.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment function is merged directly into the lid mounting portion and lid plate through the detent and engaging portions. The alignment mechanism is combined with the fastening mechanism, where the same structural features that secure the lid also provide the alignment constraint, eliminating the need for separate alignment components.
3Reliability
If multiple components are used for back lid mounting, then the mounting reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detent portion and engaging portion serve multiple functions: they provide alignment constraint, prevent rotational displacement during tightening, and establish the correct angular position. This multi-functionality is achieved within the existing lid mounting structure without adding separate components, maintaining reliability while improving manufacturability.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable watch has a watch case body having front and back sides. A time display portion is disposed at the front side of the case body for displaying time. The back side of the case body has a lid-receiving surface and a concavity that opens at the lid-receiving surface. A back lid is disposed on the lid-receiving surface to close the interior of the watch case body from the back side thereof, and the back lid has marking indicia and a projection that engages with the concavity in the back side of the watch case body to position the back lid in a predetermined position in which the marking indicia align with the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock direction of the time display portion. A holding ring is threaded onto the watch case body with the back lid clamped therebetween to removably attach the back lid to the watch case body while maintaining the back lid in the predetermined position.