Beacon Light PCB Segmentation for Remote Servicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beacon light devices installed in remote locations face challenges with servicing due to their inaccessibility and the increasing complexity of data transfer, which complicates maintenance and affects the clarity of light and data signals.
Innovation Solution
A beacon light device with a circuit board featuring distinct sections and an enclosure design that allows for convenient assembly and disassembly, enabling the exposure of electronic components for improved performance and facilitating maintenance by allowing the circuit board to be swapped out without detaching the device from its host structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the beacon light device is installed in tall buildings or buoys to maximize visibility, then the visibility of the light signal is improved, but the serviceability deteriorates due to poor reachability and time-consuming service access
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is divided into distinct sections (leading board section, neck board section, trailing board section) with different widths. The neck board section is narrower and can pass through the narrow opening section of the enclosure, while the wider leading and trailing sections remain outside or are blocked by the narrow opening. This segmentation allows the circuit board to be installed and removed independently without detaching the entire beacon device from its mounting location.
2Ease of manufacture
If the circuit board is designed as a single uniform structure, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the ease of operation deteriorates because the entire device must be detached for circuit board replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is segmented into sections with different widths, particularly the narrower neck board section that fits through the enclosure opening. This allows the circuit board to be inserted and removed through the opening without removing the entire beacon assembly from its mounting location.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire circuit board narrow to fit through the opening (which would reduce component space), the design inverts the approach by making only the passage section (neck board) narrow while keeping the functional sections (leading and trailing boards) wide enough to accommodate all necessary electronic components.
3Ease of operation
If the circuit board is made entirely narrow to fit through the enclosure opening, then the ease of operation improves for installation, but the device complexity increases and component mounting capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the circuit board have different widths tailored to their specific functions. The neck board section is narrow specifically for passing through the enclosure opening, while the leading and trailing board sections are wider to provide adequate space for mounting electronic components, thereby optimizing each local area for its intended purpose.
4Ease of manufacture
If the circuit board is made entirely wide to accommodate components, then the component mounting capability improves, but the ease of operation deteriorates because it cannot pass through the narrow opening section
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is segmented into narrow and wide sections. The narrow neck board section enables passage through the enclosure opening for easy installation and removal, while the wider leading and trailing sections provide sufficient area for mounting all necessary electronic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board transitions from a uniform two-dimensional structure to a three-dimensional form with varying width along its length. This dimensional variation allows the board to navigate through the narrow opening section while maintaining adequate mounting area in other sections, effectively using the third dimension (width variation along the length) to resolve the contradiction.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is herein proposed a novel beacon light device (1000) with a circuit board (300) and an enclosure (100) which at least partially encloses the circuit board (300). The circuit board (300) features a leading board section (301) and a neck board section (302) which is narrower than the leading board section (301). The enclosure (100) features a wide opening section (142b) which has a width equal to or greater than that of the leading board section (301) for permitting passage of the leading board section (301) through the opening (142). The enclosure (100) also features a narrow opening section (142a) which has a width that is smaller than that of the leading board section (301) for preventing passage of the leading board section (301) through the opening (142).