Case Sneak Peek


Your clip solution I've seen before. They're workable, but a bit of a pain to get on and off - perhaps difficult in assembly, and definitely tricky in hackability (since we want people to be able to disassemble the hinge so they can swap the parts about).
I'm sure there is a way to have an safe but easily removable clip. Safe hinge mechanism is more important than easy removing imho. But so or so it's all just brainstorming and theory crafting. :D
If the clip part was like this (Forgive bad artistry x­D)

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clip.png

It would only have to slide into the groove and rotated couterclockwise and then could be held by the bezel.

Then you wouldn't have to worry about it coming loose, and there would be no trouble taking it out because of tight clipping.
Not bad. :) The shape of the clip can have indeed an big impact on how good it will work. Would need testing of course, like the entire mechanism, and I don't have a 3D printer or anything like that.
 
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Yes, if a shape can be found such that it is held onto the axis by the shape of the space it's in, it won't need to clip on, just slide on to the axis.


The only question that remains is who will make the piece? You need the 'nut' piece which can probably be stamped out of aluminium fairly cheaply, and some way to make the axis piece with the groove in it - I suspect that also will have to be custom made. But it would mean the spring is always correctly tensioned.
 
I hope there are already standard components that fit, like spring, axis, washers if needed, the clip maybe... there are some tolerances in my design so maybe some already existing parts can be used. The lock cylinders itself have to be custom made of course. The tension of the spring just has to be high enough to have enough resistance for a stable lid positioning.

The clip would be held in place by the lid bezel, I imagine it surround it mostly if assembled so nothing at all can slide out anymore, even with the simple slide design that deadofmind suggested.

Well, however, don't forget we only brainstorming here. ED has to find a solution for the hinge mechanism and he knows better than us what's possible and what's not. ^^"
 
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The spring must also not be too tight that it doesn't stop the bumps from riding out of the divots and into the next divot. I think that is the only limit on the distance between axis head and bolt-type-thing, although it would also make no sense to have it so far apart that the spring is free-floating.


By the way, I'm thinking that since the hinge axis piece has the lip on it now, there doesn't need to be a block for the axis head inside the case any more? Is that right?


I know we're just playing with ideas here. I'm just thinking if we can do some of the work that ED would have to do the predict feasibility beforehand we can help him out. If that feeds back into the basic design, then it should be considered here, even if it shouldn't rule any ideas out.
 
By the way, I'm thinking that since the hinge axis piece has the lip on it now, there doesn't need to be a block for the axis head inside the case any more? Is that right?
True, but to be on the very safe side, I still would like to additional secure the clip piece through the lid case parts. So it simply prevents the piece from sliding out or getting to much force from the spring. The clip piece could be encased in an similar way like in my sketch with the simple nut free solution. Just with the clip piece in.
 
Yes, that's the point of the clip solution IMO. To let a simple lump on the reverse of the bezel work to stop the hinge sliding out , while also meaning the hinge can be taken out simply as a coherent unit.


A block in the base makes sense simply as a way to stop the axis falling out and breaking the lid while shorting something out internally, should the clip fail. I don't envisage it taking any load normally.


Hmm I suppose one downside of the clip over a nut is that if it's set so that the spring is at all compressed (which it needs to be I suspect), it'll tend to launch the hinge pieces along the axis when you remove it. I've no idea how far it would launch them, and if this would be a problem for any hackers, but it might be worth considering.
 
the clip idea is used all the time in a lot of equipment . tiny pic isnt letting me upload but if you google an image of an "e clip" you will see. it is shaped so that a small flat blade screwdriver can remove it. they come quite small to quite large. some of the ones in our machines are approx 4 mm outside diameter.....

also known as "ping"clips or "jesus" clips... lol  as in "jesus where did that ping off to?" ...lol.
 
I have no access to Twitter.  Could someone post up ED's latest case images from his twitter feed to this case news thread?  Thank you!
 
Thanks!

Case files look good.  Hope it prints out perfectly.

Main board - done.  Right?

SoC board looks good - done?

Package of OMAP SoC - cool.

Keymat mold?

Display initialized - display board in progress...?

So...  ~2 months left to go to a working portable prototype?
 
The change to the corner looks like it'll let in more debris to the closed case.  What's going on on the bottom?  It's a different color, but I can't tell if it's going in or coming out.
 
It's going in, like onto the Pandora. But I hope it doesn't has the same sharp edge around. ^^"

And for the corner, like the other Twitter post explains, the lid is also matched to that area:

B_dJYBWXEAEaWr8.png


It may not look super great but it helps to keep the device closed and more "gap-free". I personaly prefer a comfortable to hold case over a super sleak designed case at the end, even if I like well designed objects alot. ^^"
 
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Oh, thanks Fusion_Power I didn't see that other picture.  Yeah that looks excellent to me!  Lifey.
 
This thing looks so cool. If it turns out to be a powerful and sturdy piece of hardware I will probably get one.
 
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