Beveled Light Grid Corner Assembly Without Blind Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light grids suffer from dead zones or blind spots at corners due to the inability to maintain consistent spacing between transmitting and receiving elements, leading to reduced safety and potential mechanical damage at these areas.
Innovation Solution
Designing light grid components with beveled end faces that allow for flush connections at corners, maintaining consistent spacing and mechanical protection by aligning planar end faces at angles less than 90 degrees to the longitudinal direction, ensuring no change in pitch when two components join.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a solid continuous shell is used to define the volume of interest, then the volume boundary is well-defined and intact, but the number of photons detected is reduced due to absorption and scattering by the shell material
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous shell is segmented into multiple discrete light grid components arranged in a polyhedral structure. This segmentation reduces material usage while maintaining the enclosed volume definition, allowing more photons to reach detectors without compromising boundary integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell transitions from solid continuous to a porous/discrete structure with gaps between grid components. This porous configuration reduces photon absorption and scattering while still defining the volume boundary through the geometric arrangement of discrete elements.
2Reliability
If a solid continuous shell is used, then the volume boundary is well-defined, but the manufacturing complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shell is divided into multiple discrete light grid components that can be manufactured separately and assembled. This reduces manufacturing complexity for each component while maintaining the overall volume boundary definition through their geometric arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The discrete light grid components serve multiple functions: they define the volume boundary, allow photon transmission, and can be arranged in standardized polyhedral configurations. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite the segmented structure.
3Reliability
If a solid continuous shell is used, then the volume is well-enclosed, but the radiation dose to the shell material and surrounding areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discrete grid structure creates a porous shell configuration that reduces radiation absorption and scattering. This allows lower radiation doses to achieve the same imaging quality while maintaining volume enclosure through the geometric arrangement of grid components.
Solution Approach 2:
Segmenting the shell into discrete components reduces the total material volume that absorbs radiation. The gaps between segments allow radiation to pass through with minimal interaction, reducing the harmful radiation dose to the shell and surrounding areas.
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
Prevents dead zones and mechanical damage at corners by maintaining consistent spacing and providing mechanical protection, enhancing safety and ease of assembly without increasing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
a light detector to detect photons transmitted through the volume of interest
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a light grid component (38) comprising a housing (40), which extends substantially along a longitudinal direction (42), and a plurality of opto-electronic emitter or receiver elements (28, 30) arranged in the housing (40). Said emitter or receiver elements are oriented towards an upper face (44) of the housing (40) and are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction (42). The housing (40) has, on an end face (46), a first flat surface (48, 48', 48") which forms an angle (a) of less than 90° with the longitudinal direction (42).