Adaptation Device for Tube Sensor Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor devices for measuring fluid properties in tubes face challenges in accessibility and adaptability to different tube diameters and curvatures, leading to potential measurement errors and difficulties in securing sensors effectively.
Innovation Solution
An adaptation device with a base body designed for adaptability, featuring a soft and hard plastic component combination, adapter passages, and positioning protrusions, which securely couples sensors to the tube shell wall, allowing for fluid connection, sealing, and measurement of mechanical stress, enabling the use of multiple sensors and precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid sensor device is used, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability to different tube diameters and curvatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptation device employs a dual-material base body with a soft plastic component (Shore hardness 20-80) in the region contacting the tube shell wall and a hard plastic component (Shore hardness 80-100) in the sensor housing region. This local differentiation allows the soft region to conform to various tube diameters and curvatures while maintaining structural stability and sensor mounting rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The base body is constructed as a composite structure combining soft plastic material (for adaptability) and hard plastic material (for structural stability). The soft component provides flexibility to accommodate different tube geometries, while the hard component ensures stable sensor mounting and mechanical strength.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a soft base body is used, then adaptability to tube curvatures is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to potential deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The base body is designed with spatially differentiated material properties: the region contacting the tube shell wall uses soft plastic material for adaptability, while the sensor housing region uses hard plastic material to prevent deflection and ensure measurement precision. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between adaptability and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite base body structure combines soft and hard plastic materials in specific regions. The soft material provides curvature adaptation, while the hard material maintains structural rigidity in the sensor mounting area, thereby preserving measurement precision despite tube deflection.
3Strength
If the base body is made entirely of hard plastic, then structural strength is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to accommodate different tube sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The base body employs local quality differentiation where the tube-contacting region uses soft plastic material for easy adaptation to different tube sizes and curvatures, while the sensor housing region uses hard plastic material for structural strength. This resolves the contradiction between strength and ease of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material construction allows the base body to simultaneously achieve structural strength (via hard plastic) and ease of installation/adaptability (via soft plastic regions), enabling straightforward installation across various tube configurations.
4Manufacturing precision
If the adapter passage opening is rigidly positioned, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to tube shell wall variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptation device incorporates a dynamic element through the soft plastic component that can deform to accommodate variations in tube shell wall position and curvature. This dynamic adaptation maintains accurate positioning of the adapter passage opening relative to the tube lumen while accommodating tube variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft plastic region provides flexible positioning that adapts to tube shell variations, while the hard plastic region maintains precise manufacturing tolerances for the adapter passage opening. This local differentiation allows both adaptability and positioning accuracy to coexist.
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 adaptation device enhances sensor accessibility and measurement accuracy by accommodating various tube diameters and curvatures, reducing measurement errors and allowing for the monitoring of mechanical stress, thus improving the reliability of fluid property measurements in tubes.
Implementation Method 1
a plastic soft component having a smaller Shore hardness compared to a plastic hard component
Implementation Method 2
The adaptation device may be designed such that accommodation of the at least one sensor takes place by adhesive bonding and/or welding
Implementation Method 3
Shrinkage of such adhesive material may be used to produce and/or improve a sealing effect
Data Source
AI summary
An adaptation device is used for coupling at least one sensor to a tube shell wall of a tube for measuring a property of a fluid conveyed through the tube. The adaptation device has an adapter passage opening for providing a fluid connection via a tube shell wall passage opening between a tube lumen and the sensor. A sensor receptacle is used to accommodate the sensor in the region of the adapter passage opening. An adapter sealing portion extends around the adapter passage opening for circumferential sealing of the adaptation device around the adapter passage opening with respect to the tube shell wall. This results in an adaptation device which makes sensors which are basically suitable for measuring a fluid property of fluid conveyed through a tube accessible for such fluid measurement within a sensor device.