Elastic Protective Hood Mounting for Stable Field Device Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective hoods for field devices are not mechanically stable and require tools for mounting, posing challenges in ease of installation and durability.
Innovation Solution
A protective hood designed with elastic deformation capabilities, allowing manual attachment and removal without tools, featuring a fastening apparatus that changes distance from the longitudinal axis upon force application, ensuring secure mounting and easy detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protective hood is designed with a folding and latching mechanism, then the protective hood can be fastened to a field device, but the protective hood is not mechanically stable and latching lugs are susceptible to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The protective hood utilizes elastic deformation as a parameter change mechanism. The hood wall is designed to be elastically deformable, allowing it to transition between a first shape (for mounting) and a second shape (for secure attachment). This elastic parameter change enables the hood to adapt its shape during mounting while maintaining mechanical stability during operation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Reliability
If protective hoods are screwed to field device housings, then mechanical stability is improved, but tools are required for mounting and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The protective hood employs a self-service mounting mechanism through elastic deformation. The hood wall's elastic properties allow it to automatically engage with the electronics housing without requiring external tools. The user simply needs to apply sufficient force to deform the hood into the second shape, and the elastic recovery provides the securing action, eliminating the need for tools while maintaining mechanical stability.
3Reliability
If the protective hood is made rigid, then mechanical stability is improved, but the hood cannot be easily deformed for mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The protective hood transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic deformable structure. The hood wall is designed with controlled elastic deformability, allowing it to dynamically adapt its shape during mounting operations. This dynamic property enables the hood to be easily deformed for mounting while maintaining mechanical stability during normal operation, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and ease of operation.
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
Enables tool-free, secure, and robust attachment of the protective hood to field devices, enhancing mechanical stability and ease of installation.
Implementation Method 1
the protective hood can be elastically deformed, wherein, without an application of force, the protective hood has a first shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a first distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein the protective hood can be elastically deformed, by an application of force, into a second shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a second distance from the longitudinal axis
Data Source
AI summary
A protective hood has a longitudinal axis and a hood wall, which has an open first end and a closed second end and forms a hood chamber. The hood chamber is designed to receive an electronics housing of a field device along the longitudinal axis via the open first end. The protective hood has at least one fastening apparatus, which is designed to be brought into mechanical contact with the electronics housing. Without an application of force, the protective hood has a first shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a first distance from the longitudinal axis, characterized in that the protective hood can be elastically deformed, by an application of force, into a second shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a second distance from the longitudinal axis, the second distance being greater than the first distance.