Wire Lock System for Wearable Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for securing 3D components in electronic devices, such as screws and adhesives, face challenges in compactness, durability, and ease of disassembly for maintenance or upgrades, as they occupy valuable space and can degrade over time or fail to allow convenient detachment and reattachment.
Innovation Solution
A wire locking system that uses a cable threaded through grooves or channels in 3D components to secure them, allowing for easy disassembly and reassembly, with mechanical stops to prevent lateral motion and the cable providing vertical constraint, utilizing materials like shape-memory alloys for enhanced functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional methods (screws, adhesives) are used to secure components, then structural strength is achieved, but device compactness deteriorates and space is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible cable that can be routed through channels in 3D components and looped back to create a locking mechanism. This flexible cable approach replaces bulky screws and adhesive layers, achieving secure component attachment while maintaining a compact form factor and eliminating the need for additional fastening hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable is routed through internal channels within the 3D components themselves, nesting the locking mechanism inside the component structure rather than adding external fasteners. This integrates the securing function into the existing component geometry, maximizing space efficiency.
2Strength
If conventional methods (screws, adhesives) are used to secure components, then structural strength is achieved, but ease of disassembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cable-based locking mechanism transitions from a static permanent bond (adhesive) or complex multi-step removal (screw) to a dynamic reversible state. The cable can be easily manipulated to unlock and release components, enabling simple disassembly for maintenance or upgrades while maintaining secure attachment during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted as a separate, removable cable element that can be independently manipulated to achieve attachment or detachment without affecting the main components. This allows the cable to be pulled or repositioned to release components cleanly, facilitating easy repair and upgrade operations.
3Reliability
If mechanical stops are added to prevent lateral motion, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical stops are integrated directly into the cable structure itself, merging the lateral constraint function with the existing locking element. By incorporating stops as part of the cable design rather than adding separate stop components, the solution achieves reliable prevention of lateral motion while minimizing additional structural complexity.
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
The wire locking system provides a secure, space-efficient, and versatile method for coupling and decoupling components, allowing for easy maintenance and upgrades while maintaining structural integrity, and can be designed for various coupling requirements with tailored cable shapes and materials.
Implementation Method 1
The cable vertically constrains the head-mountable display frame and the cover glass together
Implementation Method 2
A segment of at least one of the cable or the lumen includes a tapered cross-section
Implementation Method 3
The cable includes a shape-memory material
Implementation Method 4
The locking member is sized to have an interference fit with the first groove and the second groove when inserted into the first groove and the second groove
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable apparatus includes a head-mountable display frame, a first mechanical stop, a cover glass, a second mechanical stop, and a cable. The head-mountable display frame includes a first interface portion defining a first channel. The first mechanical stop is defined by the head-mountable display frame. The cover glass is attachable to the head-mountable display frame and includes a second interface portion defining a second channel. The second mechanical stop is defined by the cover glass, and is positionable against the first mechanical stop when the first interface portion is mated to the second interface portion, and the first interface portion and the second interface portion define a lumen. The cable is disposed along at least a portion of the lumen.