Purpose
These are draft instructions used during assembly of my design for a collapsable compliant mechanism eyeglasses case. They're provided to help me evaluate their clarity and thoroughness. They do not comprise the full set of instructions necessary to print, assemble, and use the case.
A Cricut Design Space project containing the liners for the pocket and shell is located at the link below.
https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/67ce0f856c4273ca981352bd
Provided Materials
The following parts are provided.
- Shell - This is the outer most part of the case. For the large case it is comprised of two parts that must be assembled. The small case does not require assembly of the shell.
Small shell
Large shell - part 1
Large shell - part 2
- Shell liner - This is a piece of self-adhesive velvet jewelry drawer liner that's been cut to match the shape of the shell. It provides a non-scratch surface to protect the glasses.
- Pocket - When joined to the shell this creates the foldable pocket in which glasses sit.
Small pocket
Large pocket
- Pocket liner - This is another piece of self-adhesive velvet jewelry drawer liner in the shape of the pocket.
- Caul - This is a custom tool used during the assembly of the case. It's used to help properly adhere the pocket to the shell.
Small Caul
Large Caul
- Magnets - Three 15x2mm neodymium disc magnets embedded into the case to keep it closed.
Required Materials
In addition to the provided materials, the following additional materials are required to assemble the case.
- Painters tape - Used the help keep liner properly aligned when being adhered to its part.
- Glue - Slow drying glue, similar to Original Gorilla Glue, Waterproof Polyurethane Glue. The use of superglue is not recommended as it doesn't provide sufficient time to properly align parts, and it can leave a visible white residue.
- Time and patience - OK, so not actual materials. But, this assembly takes several hours and mistakes can easily occur. Some mistakes can render the case unusable. Patience is required. Below are some things to be especially aware of.
- When the instructions say to allow glue to completely dry, it's important to do so.
- When adhering liners, go slow and keep a continual eye on alignment. A small misalignment of a liner early on can lead to a large misalignment later.
- Wash your hands, especially when dealing with adhesives
- A single glue fingerprint on the backside of the shell will ruin the appearance of the case.
- Natural oils on the skin can prevent the liner's self-adhesive from adequately adhering.
- Practice dry fitting all the printed parts together before applying glue or liner. Get a sense for how they feel when properly aligned. The pocket liner completely blocks the view of the alignment guides, requiring aligning by feel.
- Get the magnet alignment right the first time. You won't realize a mistake has been made until after the completion of assembly when you try to close the case…and it won't.
Assemble Large Shell
This section is only necessary for the large case. If assembling the small case, skip to the Attach Magnets section.
- Apply a thin layer of glue to the highlighted area of shell part 1, shown below.
- Attach shell part 2 to part 1, using the circular alignment guides and allow the glue to dry completely. When complete the parts should look like the image below. Be sure the magnet holes on the two parts are both facing up.
Attach Magnets
It's vitally important that the magnets are properly aligned. If they're misaligned the case won't close. To ensure the magnets are properly aligned perform the following steps.
- Stack all magnets together.
- Select one end of the magnet stack, it doesn't matter which.
- Using a small file, slightly roughen the top of the top magnet. The roughened top will be the side that's glued to the case. Roughening it helps the glue adhere, as well as helping align the magnets.
- Remove the top magnet from the stack and place it at the bottom of the stack.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all magnets have been roughened.
Once the magnets have been roughened, apply a thin layer of glue to the highlighted areas shown below.
Place the roughened side of a magnet, facing down, into each of the highlighted areas shown above. Allow glue to dry completely.
Cut Pocket Liner Paper Backing
Cut the paper backing of the velvet pocket liner in half at the location shown below. Do not cut the liner, only its paper backing. If using a straight edge and razor blade, be careful to only apply enough force to cut the paper, not the liner. If using scissors, slightly pull the paper backing away from the liner at the line shown then cut the paper and reapply it to the liner.
Adhere Pocket Liner to Pocket
It's important to ensure that the pocket liner is precisely aligned with the pocket when adhering the two together. To ensure proper alignment perform the following steps.
- Using painters tape at several places around the edge of the liner and pocket, temporarily tape the liner (with paper backing still attached) to the pocket on the side opposite of the side you wish to see when finished. The paper backing must be against the pocket and the velvet facing away from the pocket.
- Once the liner is precisely aligned with the pocket, remove the painters tape on one side of the red line in the image shown above.
- On the side of the liner from which the painters tape has been removed, carefully and slowly remove the paper backing starting from the center and working toward the outside. While removing the paper backing carefully press the exposed adhesive of the liner against the pocket. Take care not to stretch or bind the liner as doing so will result in the liner being misaligned with the pocket. Continue to remove the paper backing and press the adhesive against the pocket until complete.
- Remove the painters tape from the other side of the liner and repeat step 3.
Attach Pocket to Shell - Phase 1
The pocket is attached to the shell in three phases. Each phase includes the application of glue. It's important that the glue of each phase be allowed to completely dry before moving to the next phase.
- Apply a thin layer of glue to the highlighted area shown in the image below. Take care not to apply glue outside of this area.
- Firmly place the end of the pocket, with the velvet facing up, against the shell as shown in the image below. Take care to properly align the two parts together correctly. Set something heavy on the area where the pocket and shell are attached.
- Allow glue to dry completely.
Attach Pocket to Shell - Phase 2
Repeat the gluing operation from phase 1, but on other side.
- Apply a thin layer of glue to the highlighted area shown in the image below. Take care not to apply glue outside of this area.
- Firmly place the other end of the pocket against the highlighted area shown above, taking care to properly align the two parts. Set something heavy on the area where the pocket and shell are attached.
- Allow the glue to completely dry.
Attach Pocket to Shell - Phase 3
There is one final gluing operation necessary to complete the attachment of the pocket to the shell.
- Apply a thin layer of glue to the highlighted area shown below. Take care not to apply glue outside of this area.
- Using the circular alignment guides, firmly attach the middle section of the pocket to the shell in the highlighted area shown above. Set the wedge-shaped caul on the area where the pocket and shell are attached. Tape the caul down securely, or set something heavy on it, to hold it in place.
- Allow the glue to completely dry.
Adhere Shell Liner to Shell
As with the pocket liner, attaching the shell liner requires precise alignment. To properly align, perform the following steps.
- Using a straight edge draw a line on the paper backing from side to side at the bottom of the curved portion.
- Place two strips of painters tape on the curved end of the liner on the velvet side, one on each side of the notch about half way between the notch and the end of the curve. Align the sides of the liners and place two or three strips of tape on either side of the shell.
- Remove both tape strips from the curved end of the liner. Peel the paper backing from the liner beginning at the notch until below the line previously drawn. Cut the paper backing at the line.
- Verify that the alignment of the liner along the sides hasn’t changed. Slowly and carefully apply the liner to the curved end of the shell. Begin with the magnet and work toward the outsides edge of the curve.
- Remove the remaining tape strips from liner. Flip the liner over and begin removing paper backing from where it was previously cut.
- Peel paper backing away just enough to apply the liner to the shell at the first flexure (the area of the shell that flexes). While keeping an eye on alignment, apply the liner to the first flexure. The liner is just long enough to fit the shell, so if its applied to flexures loosely there will be extra material at the end, and the cutout for the pocket won’t align with the pocket. So take care to closely follow the angles of each flexure using a straight edge or fingernail to get the liner all the way into the corners.
- Continue to peel the paper backing away enough to apply the liner to the shell one section at a time, verify the alignment, and apply the liner to the shell.
- At the end of the liner, after the last of the paper backing has been removed, use a small flat tool, such as a slotted screw driver, to push the ends of the liner through the openings below the pocket sides and apply them to the ends of the final flexure.
How to Use the Case
- Use some painters tape to clean lint from the velvet liner. Place eyeglasses into the case and close it as shown below.
- Open the case, remove the glasses, fold the sides in as shown below.
- Collapse and close the case as shown below
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