Flexible Circuit for Vibrating Meter Sensor Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electrical configuration of vibrating meters, such as Coriolis flow meters, requires an excessive number of wire leads and solder joints, leading to reliability issues, temperature limitations, and variability in performance due to manual soldering and strain on wire leads, which can result in premature failure.
Innovation Solution
The use of a flexible circuit with redundant flexures and tubular rivets replaces traditional rigid PCBs and wire leads, providing a more reliable and efficient electrical connection between sensor components and meter electronics, reducing stress and allowing for higher temperature operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid PCBs and wire leads are used for electrical connections, then the electrical configuration can be implemented, but the number of solder joints increases excessively leading to reliability issues and temperature limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple wire leads and solder joints into a single flexible circuit board that provides all necessary electrical connections. The flexible circuit board integrates multiple traces and connection points that previously required separate wire leads and solder joints, thereby reducing the total number of solder joints while improving reliability through fewer potential failure points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire lead and solder joint system with a flexible circuit board system. Instead of using individual wire leads that require manual soldering, the flexible circuit board provides a integrated electrical connection system that eliminates the need for multiple solder joints, thereby improving reliability and enabling higher temperature operation.
2Reliability
If multiple wire leads and solder joints are used, then electrical connections can be established, but strain on wire leads causes premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple wire leads into a single flexible circuit board structure that distributes mechanical strain across its entire area. Instead of individual wire leads that concentrate stress at solder joints, the flexible circuit board spreads the mechanical load across multiple traces and the flexible substrate, thereby improving strain resistance and preventing premature failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible circuit board made of flexible substrate material that can bend and deform to accommodate mechanical strain. This flexible structure absorbs and distributes mechanical stress throughout the circuit board, preventing concentration of strain at specific wire lead locations and thereby improving durability against premature failure.
3Temperature
If traditional electrical configuration with wire leads is used, then connections can be made, but temperature range is limited due to solder joint constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the solder joint-based electrical connection system with a flexible circuit board system that uses conductive traces on a flexible substrate. This substitution eliminates the temperature-sensitive solder joints, allowing the electrical connections to withstand higher temperatures without degradation, thereby expanding the operational temperature range while maintaining reliability.
4Manufacturing precision
If manual soldering is used for wire leads, then electrical connections can be established, but variability in performance occurs due to manual soldering inconsistencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual soldering process with a flexible circuit board manufacturing process that uses standardized trace patterns and connection points. The flexible circuit board can be manufactured with consistent electrical properties through automated processes, eliminating the variability introduced by manual soldering techniques and thereby improving both manufacturing precision and performance consistency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor assembly (200) for a vibrating meter (50) is provided. The sensor assembly (200) includes one or more conduits (103A, 103B). The sensor assembly (200) also includes one or more sensor components including one or more of a driver (104), a first pick-off sensor (105), and a second pick-off sensor (105') coupled to the one or more conduits (103A, 103B). A flexible circuit (201) can be provided that includes a body (202) and one or more sensor component flexures (210-212'). The one or more sensor component flexures can extend from the body (202) and be coupled to a sensor component (104, 105, 105') of the one or more sensor components.