Flow Tube Assembly With Laser-Welded Diaphragm Mounting Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow sensors face challenges in achieving reproducible mounting of the diaphragm element between housing halves, leading to inconsistent sensor characteristics and reduced measuring accuracy, particularly due to the variability in clamping forces and production tolerances during ultrasound welding.
Innovation Solution
A flow tube design where the housing halves are joined using laser welding outside the mounting gap, ensuring a defined width of the mounting gap and reproducible clamping of the diaphragm element, thereby maintaining a consistent opening characteristic and improving sensor accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ultrasound welding is used to join housing halves, then the housing halves can be connected, but the mounting gap width varies due to production tolerances and clamping force variability
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting gap is defined and fixed before the joining process takes place. The housing halves are designed with predetermined gap dimensions that are established prior to ultrasound welding, ensuring that the gap width is not affected by variations in the joining process or clamping forces applied during manufacturing.
2Reliability
If clamping force is increased to improve diaphragm element mounting, then mounting stability improves, but material damage and vibrations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical clamping system with a defined geometric mounting gap structure. Instead of relying on variable clamping forces to hold the diaphragm element, the design uses precisely defined gap dimensions that provide stable mounting without requiring high clamping forces, thereby avoiding material damage and vibrations.
3Ease of operation
If variable opening between housing halves is used, then flow measurement is enabled, but sensor characteristic consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting gap dimensions are predetermined and fixed before assembly, ensuring consistent sensor characteristics across production batches. By defining the gap width in advance through precise housing half design, the system achieves both flow measurement capability and characteristic consistency without requiring post-assembly adjustments.
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 laser welding process ensures a precise and reproducible connection of the housing halves, avoiding material damage and vibrations, resulting in more accurate and consistent measured values without the need for special calibration.
Implementation Method 1
The housing halves are combined with one another by connection in substance, in particular by laser welding, outside of the mounting gap and outside of the abutting surface sections
Data Source
AI summary
A flow tube (10) has a housing (12, 14) including at least a first housing half (12) and a second housing half (14). Each housing half (12, 14) has a connection surface (20, 22) intended for combination with the other housing half (12, 14). The connection surfaces (20, 22) enclose a mounting gap (30) for an orifice element (16). Outside of the mounting gap (30) the connection surfaces (20, 22) butt against each other in some sections by respective abutting surface portions (32, 34), and outside of the mounting gap (30) and outside of the abutting surface portions (32, 34) the housing halves (12, 14) are integrally combined with each other. A method is provided for producing the flow tube, namely for integrally joining the housing halves (12, 14).