Tool Holder Actuator Position Sensing for Hidden Pin Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tool holders in machines, such as excavators and forestry machines, face safety hazards due to the hidden nature of one bracket pin, leading to potential improper engagement and coupling issues, which existing technologies like pressure sensors and inductive sensors are not robust or reliable enough to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A tool holder system utilizing a pattern and a sweep sensor to continuously detect the position and state of an actuator, such as a hydraulic cylinder, with the pattern milled into the actuator housing and the sensor positioned on the tool holder frame, allowing for robust and versatile detection of the actuator's position, speed, and acceleration, even after electronic resets, using sensors like capacitive, infrared, resistive, or inductive sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure sensors or inductive sensors are used to detect actuator position, then measurement capability is improved, but reliability and robustness deteriorate due to damage risk in rough environments and limited detection positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact sensors (pressure sensors, inductive sensors) with an optical scanning system. A light source projects a light pattern onto the actuator housing, and a camera captures the reflected light. The position of light reflections on the housing surface encodes actuator position information, eliminating mechanical contact and associated wear/damage risks while enabling continuous position detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an optical copy of the actuator position information through light reflections. Instead of directly measuring physical parameters with sensors, the system projects a light pattern and captures its reflection, creating an optical representation of the actuator's position state. This optical copy can be analyzed to determine position without physical contact.
2Measurement precision
If multiple inductive sensors are used to detect multiple positions, then measurement coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single camera-based optical scanning system perform multiple detection functions. By projecting a light pattern with multiple features and analyzing their reflections, the single camera can determine multiple actuator positions simultaneously, replacing what would otherwise require multiple separate sensors. The system is universal in that it can detect any position within the actuator's range of motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple detection functions into a single integrated optical scanning system. Instead of having separate sensors for different positions, the system combines light projection, pattern encoding, and camera capture into one unified apparatus that can detect the entire actuator position range through a single scanning operation.
3Measurement precision
If traditional sensors are used, then position detection is possible, but continuous monitoring capability deteriorates due to discrete position detection only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous monitoring by making the optical scanning system operate continuously or at high frequency. The light source continuously projects the pattern, and the camera continuously captures images, allowing real-time tracking of actuator position throughout the entire range of motion. This provides uninterrupted monitoring capability unlike discrete sensor systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a robust, safe, and reliable method for determining the exact position and state of the actuator, reducing the risk of accidents and improving operational safety by continuously monitoring the actuator's position and parameters, and is resilient to environmental influences and wear.
Implementation Method 1
an inductive sensor that sweeps a pattern on the actuator housing to determine a position of the actuator
Implementation Method 2
using sensors like capacitive, infrared, resistive, or inductive sensors
Implementation Method 3
The sweep sensor may be an infrared sensor that senses the surface structure of the pattern
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3a~4b
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a tool holder (2) for a machine comprising - a frame (8) comprising at least one hook-shaped cut-out (22) for receiving a first bracket pin (6) of a tool (1) and a least one partial cut-out (24) for receiving a second bracket pin (6) of the tool (1); - an actuator (18) connected with one end to the frame (8), said actuator (18) comprising an actuator housing (30) arranged movable compared to the frame (8) upon activation of said actuator (18), the actuator housing (30) further comprising lock fingers (20) that are designed to change the shape of the at least one partial cut-out (24) so that second bracket pin (6) of the tool (1) can be locked in the tool holder and the at least one partial cut out (24), respectively; - an actuator positioning system (10) comprising a pattern (14), a sweep sensor (16), a processor (32) and a computer readable memory (34), wherein the sweep sensor (16) is arranged on the frame (8) and the pattern (14) is arranged on the actuator housing (30), whereby the pattern (14) is designed so that the sweep sensor (16) can detect the pattern (14) and generate a corresponding signal, which can be analysed using the processor (32) and the computer readable memory (34) for providing information relating to the actuator (18).