Waterproof Button Assembly With Sealed Housing And Engagement Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional push-button assemblies in electronic devices are vulnerable to water damage due to inadequate sealing, as their seal components degrade over time and cannot guarantee a perfect seal without compromising the button's functionality.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof button assembly featuring a housing made of a single, integral component with no through holes, where a button is positioned within the housing, and engagement components retain the button, preventing water from reaching the sensing component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If seal components (e.g., rubber diaphragms, O-ring seals) are used to prevent water entry, then water protection is improved, but the seal components become less effective over time due to abrasion, cracking and fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the button opening from the housing structure, extracting the vulnerability point that required sealing. By eliminating the through-hole and placing the button entirely within the sealed housing volume, the design removes the need for seal components that would otherwise be exposed to water and degrade over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the button assembly into distinct functional zones: the button mechanism itself and the sensing component are separated by the housing barrier. This segmentation allows the sensing component to remain in a protected, sealed environment while the button interface remains accessible, eliminating the need for seals at the interface between these components.
2Ease of operation
If through holes are provided in the housing for button operation, then button functionality is enabled, but seal components cannot guarantee a perfect seal without negatively affecting push-button function or actuation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing a through-hole and attempting to seal it, the patent inverts the approach by containing the button entirely within the sealed housing. The button actuates internal mechanisms without requiring an opening in the housing, thus maintaining both water protection and button functionality simultaneously.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If seal components are implemented to minimize water damage risk, then water protection is partially improved, but they cannot completely prevent damage due to operational openings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the button opening from the housing structure, eliminating the vulnerability point that required sealing. By placing the button entirely within the sealed housing volume, the design achieves complete water protection without compromising button functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A waterproof button assembly. The waterproof button assembly may include a housing including an opening and a button. The button may be positioned at least partially within the housing via the opening. The assembly may also include a plurality of engagement components positioned on opposite-distal ends of the button. The plurality of engagement components may be configured to retain the button within the housing. The engagement components may extend distally from the button, such that a portion of the engagement components may be positioned within apertures formed in the sidewall of the housing. The assembly may also include a plurality of supports, a tactile dome in contact with the button and at least one of the plurality of supports. A sensing component of the assembly may be positioned adjacent the housing and in alignment with the button and/or tactile dome for sensing actuation of the button within the assembly.