Bedside Raspberry Pi Console Case for 3.5" PiTFT

thingiverse

This was created to provide a case/stand for a bedside console that controls home automation using Universal Devices ISY-994 (as of May 2018 this software also supports controlling a Home Assistant hub) via a Raspberry Pi with an Adafruit 3.5" PiTFT. The related software is at https://github.com/kevinkahn/softconsole but of course the case could be used for any RPi+PiTFT application. Printed successfully in ABS. All screws are metric M2.5. The short screws that hold the Pi to the case are 12 mm. The long screws that hold the display are 28mm. The screws that are used in the stand are also 12mm. The screws that secure the lid are 10mm but 12s or 8s would probably also work fine. V2a has 2 minor changes - it adds a thin feedslot for a Pi camera cable and it added some countersink to the lid screwholes to allow a shorter screw to be used with a nut. V4 is a latest clean up of the design and includes a locknut for securing the case to the stand. If you print the locknut do it in as fine a resolution as possible (I used .1) so that it fits well. The rounding associated with using a coarser resolution can make it not work. There is also a square clip in hole for attaching a extra box using my clip (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1691770). I build such a box to hold a small outboard circuit board for connection to extra things (in my case relays). V5 changes: Much better bezel that blocks all extraneous light from the display and frames the active part tightly. Also, this version is designed to use brass insets for the screw mounts in the case. It is designed for M2.5 x 3mm inserts but could be slightly drilled out for use of M3 screws. Inserts are readily available on ebay by searching for "M2.5 Solid Brass Copper Metric Thread Knurl Insert Embedded Nut Round" A current example is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/M1-4-M1-6-M2-M2-5-M3-Insert-Threaded-Decorative-Embedded-Knurled-Nuts-Brass-/262423400041?var=&hash=item3d19a74e69 These inserts are embedded in the plastic by heating them with a soldering iron and pressing into the hole. I suggest threading them onto a long screw to hold/press them as you apply heat to the brass and then unscrew the screw once they are in place. Inserts for this design go into the top into the 3 holes and into the bottom 2 holes from the bottom for the long screws that secure the display and into the 4 holes from the inside of the case bottom for the 4 screws that secure the Pi. V6 (the 8 files dated 8/31/2017) is a major rework of the case/stand created using Fusion 360. The case is a bit trimmer and the bezel is a close fit like the previous version. The case now has provision for mounting either a Pi2/3 or a Pi0. To mount a Pi0 the small shim is needed under the mounting holes that are in the center of the case. The shim allows needed clearance for the Pi2/3 while providing level mounting for the Pi0. The case also has support for using Chinese screens rather than the Adafruit ones. The Chinese screens don't have screw tabs and so need support under the board itself. The lid closure is and mounting holes all use 2.5mm brass screw inserts. Finally, there is a support/case hole block that snaps in for the Pi0 case to close the hole where the Pi2 USB ports would be and to provide support for the screen for that case. The stand has been redesigned for easier slant adjustment with a simple prop arrangement. The case mounts to the stand using 3mm brass inserts in the back of the case. The hinge is a simple press fit. The prop can be adjusted forward and back in the slot to get the tilt desired. Print Settings Printer: Flashforge Creator Pro Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: Yes Resolution: Case and lid printed with initial layers at .2 to get nice surface finish and most of the layers at .4; all stand parts printed at .25 Notes: I used some supports in the obvious places in the case but it would probably print ok without any. Lid has none. Case printed back down, lid printed top down, tftpier printed with its "feet" down. Stand base, back, prop, and hinge were printed on their sides standing vertically to insure that circular aspects were good.