Differential Pressure Sensor Elastic Positioning System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing differential pressure sensors face challenges in precisely and stably positioning magnetic sensors due to geometric tolerances conflicts between the sensor and the electronic card, leading to potential mechanical stresses.

Innovation Solution

A differential pressure sensor design featuring a positioning system with an elastically yieldable portion that ensures the magnetic sensor contacts the separation wall during assembly, absorbing manufacturing tolerances and maintaining the sensor lightly pushed against the wall, reducing mechanical stresses and ensuring correct positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the magnetic sensor is mounted on an electronic card with standard geometric tolerances, then the manufacturing cost and assembly simplicity are improved, but the positioning precision of the magnetic sensor deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing cost and assembly simplicityVSAvoidpositioning precision of magnetic sensor
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a positioning system with an elastically yieldable portion as an intermediary between the electronic card and the magnetic sensor. This positioning system absorbs the geometric tolerances of the electronic card through elastic deformation, ensuring that the magnetic sensor achieves precise positioning against the separation wall without requiring the electronic card itself to have high precision. The elastically yieldable portion acts as a buffer that compensates for tolerance variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes elastic deformation as a parameter change mechanism. The elastically yieldable portion of the positioning system changes its physical state from undeformed to deformed during assembly, allowing it to absorb tolerance variations. This dynamic parameter change enables the system to accommodate standard electronic card tolerances while still achieving the required positioning precision for the magnetic sensor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the magnetic sensor is positioned in close proximity to the separation wall, then the measurement precision is improved, but the mechanical stress on the sensor increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precision of pressure differenceVSAvoidmechanical stress on magnetic sensor
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by designing the positioning system with an elastically yieldable portion that acts as a protective buffer. During assembly, this elastic portion deforms to absorb assembly forces and prevent excessive mechanical stress from being transmitted to the magnetic sensor. The cushioning effect is built into the structure before assembly occurs, ensuring the sensor is protected while maintaining its close positioning to the separation wall for accurate measurement.

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

3Stability of the object's composition

If the positioning system requires high precision assembly, then the positioning stability is improved, but the assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning stability of magnetic sensorVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service through the elastic yielding mechanism in the positioning system. During assembly, the elastically yieldable portion automatically deforms to accommodate tolerance variations and guide the magnetic sensor into its correct position against the separation wall. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for complex precision alignment procedures or specialized assembly tools, achieving stable positioning through the material's inherent elastic properties rather than through complex assembly processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 allows for simple, rapid, and reliable magnetic sensor positioning without excessive mechanical stress, ensuring accurate pressure difference measurement while reducing assembly complexity and overall sensor dimensions.

Implementation Method 1

a magnetic sensor housed in the second cavity near the separation wall, said magnetic sensor being designed to sense the axial distance of the magnet from said separation wall and to generate a signal (typically electrical) representing that distance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field sensing: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

at least one portion of said first axial end supports the magnetic sensor and is elastically yieldable in an axial direction and away from the separation wall

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2796845B1Differential pressure sensor
Publication Date: 2015.07.08 EUROSWITCH SRL
  • EP2796845B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2796845B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2796845B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A differential pressure sensor (1) comprising: - a containment body (2) defining a first and a second cavity (3, 4) distributed along an axis of extension (5) and separated by a separation wall (6); - a piston (7) housed slidably in the first cavity and comprising a magnet (11) mounted on a first axial end of the piston proximal to the separation wall; - a magnetic sensor (12) housed in the second cavity near the separation wall and designed to sense the axial distance of the magnet from the separation wall and to generate a signal representing the distance; wherein the differential pressure sensor also comprises a positioning system (20) housed in the second cavity and having at least one portion (22) of a first axial end thereof which supports the magnetic sensor and is elastically yieldable in an axial direction and away from the separation wall, and wherein the positioning system is structured in such a way that when the positioning system is moved towards the separation wall, the magnetic sensor contacts the latter before the positioning system reaches an axial stroke end inside the second cavity, said stroke end being reached thanks to the above-mentioned elastic yielding.