I created a design using Fusion 360 to hold computer mice in a convenient and safe way.

Original Portfolio

the .step file for the design is attached to the project library

Supplies

Fusion 360 3D Modelling Software

HP Pavilion Laptop

DELL Mouse M-UVDEL1

Logitech Premium OPTICAL Wheel Mouse M-BT58

Amazon Basics Wired Mouse B01ND1K9TT

Step 1: Justification of the Problem

The problem that I am trying to solve is the disorganization of the computer mice in our engineering room. We need the mice for 3D modeling, digital sketches, Carbide Create, or just to make computer usage more convenient. This sentiment is shared by several other classes that involve computer based work.

Currently, the mice are simply put together in a box, but this causes the mice to get jumbled around and damaged, lost, or tangled in their own wires. On top of this, it is incredibly frustrating to try to get a mouse out of the box when everyone is crowding around it trying to do the same. The time that you waste trying to untangle a cord and get a mouse is time that you could be spending on your work, so it is a problem worth fixing.

The engineering teacher, Mr. Owen, gave his professional opinion of the problem, and said that an improved way to contain the mice would be extremely helpful.

It is clear that the method of computer mouse storage that is currently in use needs improvement.

Step 2: Constraints and Criteria

Criteria:

It must hold at least 24 mice, one for each laptop in the classroom
It must prevent the wires from tangling together
It must be easy to get a mouse out of storage or to put one into storage
I would prefer it to be wall mounted, however, keeping it on the table is acceptable as well
It must be tough, as the mice in it are expensive and cannot be damaged.
The containers that hold the mice must either all be one piece or be able to reliably connect to each other to make it convenient for several people to use at once

Constraints:

Lightweight: It must weigh less than 15lbs
It must be made out of plastic with a model using the 3D printer or out of plywood by using the CNC
It cannot take up an excessive amount space or be obstructing anything else in the area
It cannot be annoying or difficult to remove a mouse or put one in storage
It cannot use too much filament or be too bulky to produce en masse

Step 3: Researching Prior Solutions

Wire Wrapping:

One solution that the class attempted was to wrap the wires around the mice before putting them away. This worked for the most part, but not everyone committed to actually doing it, and some people didn’t know how to tie a knot that would keep them wrapped, so the wires would often come undone and get tangled again.
To attempt to get this solution to work, a student made a large sign that says “WRAP” on it and attached it to the box, reminding people to wrap the wires of the mouse up before putting it in the box. This was somewhat helpful, but still not everybody was doing it, so the problem was not fully solved.

Zip Ties:

Another previous attempt was to tie zip ties around the wires to keep them short constantly, even when in use. This solved the tangling for the most part, but the short wires were frustrating to use, and many people would just cut the zip ties off
We ran out of zip ties because the students continued to cut them off of the wires and throw them away, even after being instructed not to.
Using a mouse with a shortened wire was difficult and frustrating. It made it near impossible to get anything done.

Hanging:

Last year, we had set up hooks that the mice were hung from to keep the wires from tangling, but since the box was still on the table under the hooks, people would just keep using the box.
The hooks were too high for some of the shorter students to reach
It took longer to put the mice on the hooks, as they were not very well made, and to attach the mouse, you had to wrap the wire around the hook and then tighten it to keep it from falling
The hooks were frustrating and annoying to use

Step 4: Evidence of Necessity

Statistical Evidence:
11/24 of the mice in the box had unwrapped wires
A survey showed that 13/17 of the engineering students in Block 2A said that they had trouble getting a mouse out of the box in less than a minute
Two of the mice have broken in the past from being bashed together in the box
There are approximately 100 engineering students, which means that, according to the data gathered through the survey, about 76% of those students have trouble with getting a mouse

Step 5: Designing a Solution: Brainstorming

Attached above are images of sketches from the brainstorming phase, as well as several ideas pitched by my peers on sticky notes and in a chart.

I chose the modular design, as it was simple and met all of my criteria, so I began with a small box that had claw/bit connector pieces. I measured the dimensions of several different kinds of mice given to students in our room and made a 3D model of this prototype box, then continued to work on it. The model shown above is a VERY rough draft of what will eventually be the final design.

Step 6: Designing a Solution: Committing

At this point, I had committed to the modular design and was continuing to work on it. I added small bumps to the bottom to prevent the mouse from sliding around, added to the connection points, and added color for aesthetic purposes. As you can see, this is still an early prototype. There are no end pieces, the hole for the mouse wire to hang out of is still closed, and the connection points still don't work perfectly. I also made a quick 3D design of a mouse, made to have the same dimensions as the mice we use in class in order to properly test the holder.

Step 7: Designing a Solution: Perfecting

The final design is shown above (the mice are not part of the design, they are placeholders)

I created end pieces for the modular chains, perfected the opening for the wire so it would be easy to remove, and tweaked the dimensions, fixing any small problems along the way. I perfected the design so that there would be no issues with removing or placing a mouse in the container. I made the connectors almost the exact same size so that they are easy to take apart but still firm and strong

Step 8: Blueprints

A multi-dimensional overview of the full design (including the placeholder mice)
A multi-dimensional blueprint of the male end piece. This piece goes at the end of the modular chain, and is purely for aesthetic purposes.
A multi-dimensional blueprint of the female end piece. This piece goes at the end of the modular chain, and is purely for aesthetic purposes.
A multi-dimensional blueprint of the main component of the design, the middle piece. This piece has both the male and the female connection pieces, and there will often be several of them per structure.
A dimensioned blueprint that shows the sizes o

Step 9: Images of Final Design (3D Model)

Attached are several screenshots of the final design, as shown in Fusion 360. This design is completely original and made by me.

Step 10: Images of Final Design (printed)

The final design worked perfectly. The connectors fit snugly and do not come apart by themselves. The mice fit in the containers and the wires hang out of the hole. They're gray because that was the only available filament for the 3D Printer, but other than that there are no issues.