Annular Elevation Pressing Element Prevents Sensor Slippage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical sensor components with elastically deformable pressing elements often experience partial contact issues due to manufacturing tolerances and technological limitations, leading to potential slippage of the sensor element off the contact pressure element during deformation.

Innovation Solution

A ring-shaped pressing element with an annular elevation and sloping inner wall design is used, creating areas of different material thicknesses to prevent deformation-induced slippage, ensuring stable contact and sealing while minimizing lateral forces and buckling risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the pressing element is made with standard uniform thickness, then the manufacturing is simpler and cost is lower, but the sensor element may slip off during deformation due to partial contact caused by manufacturing tolerances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact stabilityVSAvoidpressing element structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing element features an annular elevation (local thickening) at its center region, creating non-uniform material distribution. This local quality enhancement provides a protruding contact surface that ensures full-surface contact with the sensor element, preventing slippage during deformation while maintaining overall structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The annular elevation is pre-formed on the pressing element before assembly, creating a predetermined contact surface geometry. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when the pressing element is installed, the sensor element automatically contacts the elevated region, establishing stable contact before any operational deformation occurs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Volume of moving object

If the component dimensions are reduced for cost reasons, then the component size and cost decrease, but the pressing element cannot maintain adequate contact pressure due to technological limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent sizeVSAvoidcontact pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

By concentrating material at the annular elevation, the design achieves high contact pressure at the critical contact interface without requiring the entire pressing element to be large or thick. This localized material concentration maintains adequate contact force even in miniaturized components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing element's material distribution is segmented into two regions: a thinner outer region and a thicker annular elevation region. This segmentation allows the component to be compact overall while maintaining sufficient material thickness at the contact zone to generate adequate contact pressure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If the pressing element deforms under load, then it accommodates manufacturing tolerances and ensures contact, but the deformation causes the sensor element to slip off the contact pressure element

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetolerance compensationVSAvoidsensor element position
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The annular elevation creates a localized rigid zone that resists deformation in the radial direction. When the pressing element deforms under load, the elevated region maintains its shape longer than a uniform thickness element would, preventing the sensor element from slipping off during the deformation process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The annular elevation acts as a preliminary structural reinforcement that cushions against the harmful effect of deformation-induced slippage. By pre-positioning the sensor element on the elevated surface, the design ensures that even when deformation occurs, the sensor element remains supported on the more rigid annular region

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 solution effectively prevents sensor element slippage and maintains reliable electrical contact and sealing, even with reduced dimensions, by distributing deformation forces and reducing lateral thrusts, thus enhancing the component's stability and service life.

Implementation Method 1

an elastically deformable pressing element which is inserted into the housing and is held pretensioned

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3042418B1Pressing element, electrical/electronic component
Publication Date: 2019.07.03 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3042418B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3042418B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3042418B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a pressing element (13) for an electrical component (8) which needs to be pressed against another element for contact, comprising at least one electrically conductive touch contact (9), the pressing element (13) having an annular pressing surface (14) for the component (8), and an outer contour of the pressing surface (14) being greater than an outer contour of the component (8) which needs to be pressed. The pressing surface (13) has an annular elevation (17) which forms a bearing surface (18) for the component (8).