Disposable Detection Arm with Severed Protective Cover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing detection devices with movable detection arms face issues with stubborn residues remaining after decontamination, risking falsification of subsequent detection results.

Innovation Solution

A detection device with a disposable detection arm featuring a protective cover that is severed upon attachment, allowing for easy exchange with a clean arm after each use, eliminating the need for decontamination and preventing contamination from previous processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If decontamination devices are used to clean the detection arm, then cleaning capability is improved, but stubborn residues remain and may falsify subsequent detection results

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning capabilityVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The detection arm is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after a single use rather than being cleaned and reused. This eliminates the problem of stubborn residues that decontamination devices cannot remove, ensuring detection accuracy without requiring complex cleaning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The detection system is segmented into disposable detection arms and a reusable vehicle platform. This segmentation allows the contamination-prone part (detection arm) to be easily replaced while keeping the expensive analytical equipment on the vehicle reusable and uncontaminated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of time

If decontamination processes are performed multiple times, then cleaning effort is increased, but residues still remain and detection results may be falsified

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for decontaminationVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of investing time in repeated decontamination processes that fail to remove stubborn residues, the system uses disposable detection arms that are discarded after one use. This eliminates time loss from ineffective cleaning while guaranteeing detection accuracy through fresh arms for each mission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If the detection arm is designed as disposable and exchangeable, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to exchange mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidexchange mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into a simple interchangeable detection arm and a standardized vehicle interface. The interface includes basic features like a magazine for storing multiple arms and a simple exchange mechanism, keeping overall device complexity low while enabling high reliability through arm replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If protective cover is added to the interface, then contamination prevention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontamination riskVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover is pre-installed on the detection arm during manufacturing, sealing the interface before the arm is used. This preliminary protection prevents contamination without requiring complex active sealing mechanisms during operation, maintaining ease of manufacture while effectively preventing contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2657675B1Track device, vehicle and method for operating a track device
Publication Date: 2017.07.05 KRAUSS MAFFEI WEGMANN GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2657675B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2657675B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The track device (3) has a movable sensing arm, which is designed as a disposable-sensing arm (10), where an interface is provided for the removable connection of the sensing arms to the vehicle. The sensing arm has a protective sheath in the region of the interface, where the protective sheath is designed such that it is divided through the binding of the sensing arm. The sensing arm has a clean area which is surrounded by the protective sheath. The sensing arm has a gripping device for gripping a tracer sample. An independent claim is included for a method for operating a vehicle arranged with a track device.