Wearable Charging Interface Layout for Underwater Short-Circuit Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable devices face the risk of short circuits in their charging interfaces when exposed to water during charging, particularly in scenarios like rain or swimming, due to water contact with charging terminals.
Innovation Solution
The charging interface features spaced mounting portions for positive and negative terminals, with a gap and insulating barrier to prevent water connection, and includes a magnetic device for secure alignment and sealing to ensure waterproofing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the charging terminals are placed close together to reduce device size, then the device compactness is improved, but the risk of short circuit due to water connection increases
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating barrier is introduced as an intermediary element between the positive and negative charging terminals. This barrier physically separates the two terminals and prevents water from creating a conductive path between them, thus maintaining reliability while allowing the terminals to be positioned closer together for compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging interface is segmented into distinct zones by the insulating barrier, which divides the space between terminals into separate regions. This segmentation ensures that even if water is present, it cannot bridge the gap between opposite polarity terminals, maintaining electrical isolation while enabling compact terminal arrangement.
2Ease of manufacture
If the charging interface is designed without additional waterproof structures to simplify manufacturing, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the waterproof performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating barrier serves a dual function: it provides electrical insulation between terminals and simultaneously acts as a waterproof element. By combining these two functions into a single component, the design achieves reliable waterproof performance without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating barrier is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: electrical insulation, physical separation of terminals, and waterproofing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, maintaining ease of manufacture while ensuring comprehensive waterproof protection.
3Reliability
If the gap between mounting portions is increased to prevent water connection, then the short circuit prevention is improved, but the charging interface area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating barrier enables a compact gap design by providing active water blocking. Instead of relying on large passive spacing, the barrier actively prevents water from bridging the gap, allowing the terminals to be positioned closer together while maintaining reliable short circuit prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating barrier changes the effective electrical and water resistance parameters of the gap. By introducing this barrier, the gap requires much smaller physical dimensions to achieve the same level of protection against water-induced short circuits, thus reducing the overall charging interface area.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a charging interface of a wearable device. The charging interface includes a charging receptacle and a charging terminal. The charging receptacle includes a charging receptacle base, a first mounting portion, a second mounting portion, and a third mounting portion. The first mounting portion, the second mounting portion, and the third mounting portion are connected to a first side of the charging receptacle base. The first side faces an exterior of the wearable device, and a third-party charging plug is connected to the charging interface from the first side. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are spaced apart. The charging terminal includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The positive terminal is mounted on the first mounting portion, and the negative terminal is mounted on the second mounting portion.