Cylinder Waveguide Distance Sensing for Accurate Piston Position
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional distance measuring devices for piston position detection in pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders face challenges such as high structural complexity, increased costs, and reduced accuracy due to external sensor fitting and sensitivity to dielectric property changes in the medium, leading to frequent production line stoppages and inaccurate measurements.
Innovation Solution
A distance measuring device that integrates a transmitting and receiving device with a conduction junction to couple and decouple electromagnetic waves, allowing for continuous, absolute distance measurement with high accuracy by considering the dielectric properties of the medium, and enabling internal integration within the cylinder cover without external components, using a measuring line to detect material properties and adjust switching distances electronically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external magnetic sensors are fitted to the cylinder tube to detect piston position, then discrete position detection is achieved, but structural complexity increases and sensors may be destroyed by external influences
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor and cylinder tube are merged into a single integrated structure. The conducting structure serves both as the mechanical cylinder and as the waveguide for electromagnetic waves, eliminating the need for external sensor mounting and reducing structural complexity while maintaining detection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Electromagnetic waves serve as an intermediary to transmit position information through the cylinder tube wall. Instead of direct magnetic field sensing that requires external components, the electromagnetic waves penetrate the tube wall to detect piston position internally, protecting sensors from external influences.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional sensors are fitted to detect different piston positions, then more position points are detected, but material and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated conducting structure serves multiple functions: it acts as the mechanical cylinder, the waveguide for electromagnetic waves, and the mounting structure for the transmitting/receiving devices. This multi-functionality allows detection of multiple piston positions without adding separate sensors for each position, reducing installation costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Different piston positions are detected by analyzing changes in electromagnetic wave parameters (reflection coefficient, phase, time of flight) rather than by adding multiple sensors. The evaluation device processes these parameter changes to determine various position points, reducing material and installation costs.
3Measurement precision
If conventional distance measuring devices are used in pneumatic cylinders, then piston position is measured, but measurement accuracy decreases due to sensitivity to dielectric property changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures dielectric properties of the pneumatic medium and uses this information as feedback to compensate for measurement errors. The evaluation device adjusts distance calculations based on the measured dielectric properties, maintaining measurement accuracy despite changes in medium conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical or magnetic sensing systems that are sensitive to external influences with an electromagnetic wave-based system. By using electromagnetic waves that propagate through the conducting structure and interact with the piston, the system achieves more reliable measurements that are less affected by dielectric property changes in the pneumatic medium.
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
This solution provides precise, continuous distance measurement with reduced structural complexity and costs, maintaining accuracy even with fluctuating dielectric properties, and eliminates the need for external sensors, thereby minimizing production line stoppages and improving measurement reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a conduction junction provided on the coupling region for coupling the transmitting and receiving device to the conducting structure containing a medium in order to couple an electromagnetic wave into the conducting structure and to decouple the electromagnetic wave reflected on the reflection body from the conducting structure
Implementation Method 2
A distance measuring device that integrates a transmitting and receiving device with a conduction junction to couple and decouple electromagnetic waves, allowing for continuous, absolute distance measurement with high accuracy by considering the dielectric properties of the medium
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a distance-measuring device for determining a distance between a reflection body in a conducting structure and a coupling region for electromagnetic waves, which region is provided on an end section of the conducting structure, said measuring device comprising a transmitting and receiving device, and a conduction junction (1) provided on the coupling region, for coupling the transmitting and receiving device to the conducting structure containing a medium, in order to couple an electromagnetic wave into the conducting structure, and to decouple the electromagnetic wave, reflected on the reflection body, from the conducting structure. Said measuring device also comprises an evaluation device for determining the distance between the coupling region and the reflection body from the complex reflection coefficient between the coupled electromagnetic wave and the decoupled electromagnetic wave. The invention also relates to the corresponding method.