US Patent Application 17739945. THREADED FASTENER RETENTION DETECTION simplified abstract
Contents
THREADED FASTENER RETENTION DETECTION
Organization Name
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventor(s)
Donghwi Kim of Kirkland WA (US)
Manish Shah of Redmond WA (US)
THREADED FASTENER RETENTION DETECTION - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17739945 titled 'THREADED FASTENER RETENTION DETECTION
Simplified Explanation
- Portable electronic devices are prone to mechanical stresses due to their frequent repositioning and relocation. - Rough handling of these devices can cause threaded mechanical fasteners securing the internal components to become dislodged. - Dislodged fasteners can come into contact with electrically conductive features, leading to ground faults or shorts. - This can result in the device malfunctioning, overheating, and becoming a fire hazard. - The disclosed technology detects dislodged fasteners and alerts the user, allowing them to power down the device.
Original Abstract Submitted
Portable electronic devices by their nature are designed to be regularly physically repositioned and relocated, which can cause significant mechanical stresses on internal components, including printed circuit boards (PCBs). This is particularly true when a portable electronic device is handled roughly. These significant mechanical stresses can cause threaded mechanical fasteners securing the PCBs to become dislodged. A dislodged threaded mechanical fastener may contact electrically conductive features of the PCB or other internal components, thereby causing a ground fault or short. At a minimum, this may cause the portable electronic device to not work well, or at all. Further, this may cause the portable electronic device to overheat and become a fire hazard. The presently disclosed technology detects if the threaded mechanical fasteners within a portable electronic device become dislodged. A user of the portable electronic device may then be warned, and the portable electronic device may be powered down.
