Previous in Forum: Piston Pump   Next in Forum: FMVSS 105 Compliance for After Market Suppliers
Close

Comments Format:






Change Mode
Close

Subscribe to Discussion:

CR4 allows you to "subscribe" to a discussion
so that you can be notified of new comments to
the discussion via email.

Close

Rating Vote:







Add Vote
28 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
SewellAlex
Participant

Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1

Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/20/2014 7:23 PM

We are looking to design a remote control that attaches to the sun visor of a car. Since it will be used in the car, we want the whole face of the remote to work as a large single button. Much like Apple's magic mouse.

We are only looking at the mechanical aspect of the remote, not all the sensors that go along with it. What is the best and most simple way to design a remote like this when keeping in mind of injection molding?
Register to Reply
Pathfinder Tags: cad injection molding mechanical engineering
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#1

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/20/2014 7:54 PM

What about something like this...?

http://www.freeremotes.com/category/M023/LIFTMASTER/2.html

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Go to Next "Almost" Good Answer
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#9
In reply to #1

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 5:33 AM

.....or more something like this...?

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Remote-Controls-Screen-Devices/dp/B00AP61HYM

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
3
lyn
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 42355
Good Answers: 1693
#2

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/20/2014 10:25 PM

No offense, but given your obvious lack of knowledge of designing IM tooling and selecting materials, I'd suggest hiring a tooling designer.

Even a single cavity prototype can cost thousands of dollars.

Start by using rapid prototyping such as 3D printing to select the shape, then contract with a tooling designer to design the mold. Material selection is a whole other subject.

Good luck.
Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 3)
Go to Next Good Answer
Tornado
Guru
Technical Fields - Technical Writing - New Member Engineering Fields - Piping Design Engineering - New Member

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Richland, WA, USA
Posts: 21017
Good Answers: 795
#3

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 12:06 AM

What large single function will it perform?

__________________
 In vino veritas; in cervisia carmen; in aqua E. coli.
Register to Reply
5
tcmtech
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: South of Minot North Dakota
Posts: 8376
Good Answers: 775
#4
In reply to #3

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 1:25 AM

Oh please let it be a self destruct button!
Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 5)
Go to Next Good Answer
Tornado
Guru
Technical Fields - Technical Writing - New Member Engineering Fields - Piping Design Engineering - New Member

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Richland, WA, USA
Posts: 21017
Good Answers: 795
#5
In reply to #4

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 1:34 AM

Sort of like that hand that comes out of a box, turns off a switch, and retreats to the box. (A Claude Shannon joke, IIRC.)

__________________
 In vino veritas; in cervisia carmen; in aqua E. coli.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Off Topic
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#6
In reply to #4

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 1:36 AM

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
LOCKDUKE
Guru
Hobbies - Target Shooting - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Indiana
Posts: 558
Good Answers: 14
#20
In reply to #4

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/22/2014 7:08 AM

Are we having an apocalyptic day or what tcm?

__________________
 Four boxes keep America Free The soap box, The ballot box, The jury box, & The cartridge box.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
tcmtech
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: South of Minot North Dakota
Posts: 8376
Good Answers: 775
#21
In reply to #20

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/22/2014 8:00 AM

Not really. I just like having buttons that blow things up.

Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 4)
adreasler
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member Fans of Old Computers - Commodore 64 - New Member Popular Science - Evolution - New Member United States - Member - New Member

Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Illinois, 7 county region (The 'blue dot' that drags the rest of the 'red state' around during presidential elections.)
Posts: 3683
Good Answers: 89
#27
In reply to #21

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/23/2014 4:15 PM

To paraphrase Mythbusters:

"TCM want Big Boom."

Cheers.

__________________
 ( The opinions espressed in this post may not reflect the true opinions of the poster, and may not reflect commonly accepted versions of reality. ) (If you are wondering: yes, I DO hope to live to be as old as my jokes.)
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
3
truth is not a compromise
Guru

Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 8006
Good Answers: 286
#7

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 1:57 AM

"...We are only looking at the mechanical aspect of the remote, not all the sensors that go along with it...."

.

Apple's 'magic mouse' incorporates a multi-touch surface... likening its operation to that of 'a large single button' as a reference for what you want to design is confusing at best. The quote at the beginning of this comment only makes things more turbid.

.

If it is to be essentially 'a large single button', then 'all the sensors that go along with it' doesn't really make much sense. On the other hand, if it is to function like Apple's 'magic mouse', considering 'all the sensors that go along with it' would probably be an necessary part of the design process.

.

In either case, designing something minimalistic will have a far better chance of success if consideration is given to the things that need to be contained in the minimalistic thing and how the user interacts with the the things inside through the device. To do otherwise stretches the limits of what might be legitimately called 'designing' and would probably be more accurately referred to as 'guessing'.

__________________
 Eternal vigilance is the price of knowledge. - George Santayana
Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 3)
No more Good Answers. Go to first "Almost" Good Answer
user-deleted-1105
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member United Kingdom - Member - New Member

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Harlow England
Posts: 16512
Good Answers: 670
#8

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 4:24 AM

Errr, I must be missing something. If you are in the car you are not "remote" from the sun visor. Maybe there is a transatlantic difference in what we mean by "sun visor"

Raise hand from steering wheel.
Adjust visor to suit,
Replace hand on steering wheel.

In what way is the following any better?

Raise hand from steering wheel.
Fumble for remote control, press big button.
Manually adjust visor to suit, because it didn't come down how you need it
Replace hand on steering wheel.

To me the whole thing seems to be a problem creation exercise...

Del

__________________
 health warning: These posts may contain traces of nut.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 4)
Usbport
Guru
Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - Member Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Member Engineering Fields - Systems Engineering - Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Trantor
Posts: 5363
Good Answers: 647
#10

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 7:14 AM

For what it's worth: Those 'universal remotes' don't work as well as advertised. I aimed mine at my girlfriend and tapped the 'mute' button. Didn't work.

__________________
 Whiskey, women -- and astrophysics. Because sometimes a problem can't be solved with just whiskey and women.
Register to Reply
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#11
In reply to #10

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/21/2014 11:43 AM

I have an app for that....

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
reward54
Guru
Hobbies - Musician - New Member

Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 523
Good Answers: 17
#26
In reply to #10

Re: Designing a minimalistic remote

06/23/2014 1:13 PM

The use of "universal" in a description bothers me, too. I doubt any of them have even been proven to be galactic in scope, let alone universal.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
ronseto
Guru
Technical Fields - Technical Writing - New Member Engineering Fields - Marine Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Vancleave, Ms about 30 miles inland from Biloxi and the coast
Posts: 3197
Good Answers: 106
#12

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/21/2014 7:06 PM

I would say a touch pad membrane embedded in the molding.

__________________
 Mr.Ron from South Ms.
Register to Reply
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#13

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/21/2014 11:10 PM

What you need is Gorilla Glass....

http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
truth is not a compromise
Guru

Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 8006
Good Answers: 286
#14
In reply to #13

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 12:14 AM

Hmmm. First, 'Magic Mouse', now 'Gorilla Glass'.

.

Is 'Animal Alliteration' prevalent and I've simply failed to notice?

__________________
 Eternal vigilance is the price of knowledge. - George Santayana
Register to Reply Score 1 for Off Topic
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#15
In reply to #14

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 1:06 AM

Possibly....?

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply Score 1 for Off Topic
truth is not a compromise
Guru

Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 8006
Good Answers: 286
#17
In reply to #15

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 2:30 AM

None of those are alliteration. The only one sort of close is 'Famous Grouse', because if it is said by someone who speaks in a strange way, or perhaps if you are very British....or is that redundant.... it can be contorted to the point end rhyme is noticeable.

Alliteration happens at the other end of words. The more strict definition required initial syllable to be identical, but often is just refers to two words sharing the same initial phoneme.

Ant antennae

Bull Bullets

Cattle cat-calls

Dingo Didgeridoo

Elephant Ears....et cetera.

__________________
 Eternal vigilance is the price of knowledge. - George Santayana
Register to Reply Score 1 for Off Topic
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#18
In reply to #17

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 3:38 AM

So that would be a negative....

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply Score 1 for Off Topic
Yusef1
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Ottawa Canada
Posts: 1975
Good Answers: 117
#19
In reply to #17

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 6:51 AM

Do you think he meant "iteration"?

__________________
 If it was easy anybody could do it.
Register to Reply
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#22
In reply to #19

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 10:20 AM

Maybe a bit dyslexic, but all-animal-iteration, interpreted as repetitive use of animal theme in advertising...a literation interpretation situation....

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
truth is not a compromise
Guru

Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 8006
Good Answers: 286
#24
In reply to #22

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 5:39 PM

How did you make those emoticons happen?

__________________
 Eternal vigilance is the price of knowledge. - George Santayana
Register to Reply
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#25
In reply to #24

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 6:32 PM

press the green camera and paste in url....

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-basic/fart.gif

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
adreasler
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member Fans of Old Computers - Commodore 64 - New Member Popular Science - Evolution - New Member United States - Member - New Member

Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Illinois, 7 county region (The 'blue dot' that drags the rest of the 'red state' around during presidential elections.)
Posts: 3683
Good Answers: 89
#28
In reply to #15

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/23/2014 4:19 PM

Animals! Animals EVERYWHERE!

Darn furries ruin everything.

__________________
 ( The opinions espressed in this post may not reflect the true opinions of the poster, and may not reflect commonly accepted versions of reality. ) (If you are wondering: yes, I DO hope to live to be as old as my jokes.)
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
Wal
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Phnom Penh
Posts: 4019
Good Answers: 102
#16

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 1:21 AM

Normally, form follows function.

You've provided so little information that I can't even think of any clarifying questions to ask you.

What do you want to do please? In more detail, or if you fear giving away commercially sensitive information then have a go at rewording your posting with just a hint of what you want.

__________________
 Difficulty is not an obstacle it is merely an attribute.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
No more "Almost" Good Answers.
merc600sec
Power-User
United Kingdom - Member - New Member

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Torquay England
Posts: 202
Good Answers: 4
#23

Re: Designing a Minimalistic Remote

06/22/2014 12:25 PM

You need a sub miniture 5 or 9 way switch and a soft membrane cover Small stuff like from the ZEN or the micro joysticks. Not hard to find if you look.

__________________
 Torque is not cheap
Register to Reply
Register to Reply
Have a Different Question?
28 comments

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

adreasler (2); LOCKDUKE (1); lyn (1); merc600sec (1); reward54 (1); ronseto (1); SolarEagle (9); tcmtech (2); Tornado (2); truth is not a compromise (4); Usbport (1); user-deleted-1105 (1); Wal (1); Yusef1 (1)

Previous in Forum: Piston Pump   Next in Forum: FMVSS 105 Compliance for After Market Suppliers

Advertisement

Got Something to Say?
Ask a Question
Start a Discussion

Search this Forum
Mechanical Engineering:
Go

CR4 Sections
Aerospace
BioMech & BioMed
Chemical & Material Science
Civil Engineering
Communications & Electronics
Education and Engineering Careers
Electrical Engineering
General Discussion
Instrumentation
Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
New Technologies & Research
Software & Programming
Sustainable Engineering
Transportation

Site Directories
Forum Directory
Blog Directory
User Group Directory
RSS Feeds

CR4 Rules of Conduct
CR4 FAQ
Site Glossary

Who's Online (99 right now)
Show Members
Advertisement