Automation Component Ground Contact Flush Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automation components in the food and beverage industry suffer from design flaws that lead to the formation of dirt-collecting edges and potential contamination risks due to non-flush metal parts, which compromise hygiene standards.
Innovation Solution
The automation component features a ground contact means with sharp-edged geometry and flush transitions, integrated sealing elements, and a housing design that minimizes contamination risk and facilitates easy cleaning, ensuring secure attachment and drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If metal parts with bends are injected or overmolded into a plastic housing, then the connection between fastening screw and internal electronics is achieved, but a spray skin forms at the bends which can detach and contaminate the food
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic bent metal connection parts from the housing structure. Instead of embedding metal parts with bends into the plastic housing, the patent uses a metal insert with a ground contact means that creates a sharp-edged, spray-skin-free geometry. The ground contact means comprises a first ring and a second ring connected via a contact leg, eliminating the need for bent metal connections that form detachable spray skins.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating a sharp-edged geometry at the ground contact surface that is specifically designed to be spray-skin-free. The annular ground contact surface protrudes from the annular support surface in a cylinder-like manner with sharp edges all the way around, ensuring that this local area does not form detachable injection-molded skin while maintaining the necessary electrical connection function.
2Ease of manufacture
If metal inserts are not flush with the surface of the plastic housing, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the components are not hygienic and form dirt-collecting edges
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by designing the ground contact means to protrude from the housing surface in a cylinder-like manner before final assembly. The annular ground contact surface is positioned to extend beyond the annular support surface, creating a flush, spray-skin-free transition that prevents dirt accumulation. This preliminary geometric configuration ensures hygiene compliance is built into the structure itself rather than requiring post-manufacturing adjustments.
3Device complexity
If the housing has a circumferential dirt collecting edge around the mounting opening, then the fastening structure is simplified, but hygiene requirements are not met
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by making the ground contact surface protrude from the housing surface rather than recessing into it. This inversion creates a sharp-edged, spray-skin-free geometry that eliminates dirt-collecting edges. The annular ground contact surface extends beyond the annular support surface, creating a flush transition that prevents contaminant accumulation while maintaining the necessary electrical connection function.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an automation component (10) for industrial automation, comprising a housing (3) comprising an upper part (1) and a lower part (2), wherein the upper part (1) and the lower part (2) are designed such that, for fastening the automation component (10) to a mounting surface (4), the housing (3) has a first fastening opening (21) and a second fastening opening (22), wherein a ground contact means (MKM) is arranged in the upper part (1) at the locations of the fastening openings (21, 22), wherein the ground contact means (MKM) has a first ring (R1) and a second ring (R2), which are connected to one another via a contact leg (KS), the first ring (R1) of the respective ground contact means (MKM) encloses the respective fastening opening (21, 22), the second ring (2) is arranged inside the upper part (1) in such a way that a contact is established with a printed circuit board,the first ring (1) has an annular ground contact surface (MKF) and a likewise annular support surface (TF), wherein the annular ground contact surface (MKF) is arranged inside the annular support surface (TF). Furthermore, the annular ground contact surface (MKF) protrudes from the annular support surface (TF) in a cylindrical manner and is flush with an outer surface of the upper part (1). A transition from the annular ground contact surface (MKF) to the annular support surface (TF) is designed with sharp edges all the way around, which leads to a spray-skin-free, flat transition between the ground contact surface (MKF) and the housing surface of the upper part (1). The support surface (TF) is embedded in the upper part (1).