Gas Meter Wriggler Guide Wall Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of gas meter endpoints on gas meters often requires a blind assembly procedure, leading to improper mounting of the wriggler to the drive mechanism, which can result in excessive drag, unintentional loads, and potentially severe damage to the gas meter and drive mechanism, along with prolonged 'take-up' times before initial flow data is provided.
Innovation Solution
A wriggler device with a base surface, interface walls, and guide walls is designed to facilitate proper installation by guiding the drive mechanism into a correct position, reducing the risk of improper engagement and shortening the time required for initial flow data to be obtained, featuring a base surface with a peripheral edge and center point, interface walls extending at an angle, and guide walls that guide the drive mechanism along a surface to the base surface, allowing for engagement and rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a blind assembly procedure is used for installing gas meter endpoints, then the installation process can be simplified, but the wriggler may be improperly mounted to the drive mechanism causing excessive drag and unintentional loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary alignment mechanism consisting of guide walls and alignment features on both the wriggler and drive mechanism. This intermediary structure mediates between the installer and the final mounting position, ensuring proper alignment during the blind assembly process without requiring visual inspection or complex adjustment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by providing pre-configured alignment features and guide structures on both the wriggler and drive mechanism before assembly. These features are designed in advance to automatically guide the wriggler into the correct position during installation, eliminating the need for post-installation adjustment and ensuring reliable mounting accuracy from the first attempt.
2Device complexity
If the wriggler includes substantial take-up portions that do not rotatably engage the drive mechanism, then the wriggler structure can be simplified, but the take-up time after installation extends to 15 to 20 minutes or longer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the length and distribution of take-up portions on the wriggler. Instead of using substantial take-up portions that require extended rotation to engage, the design reduces the take-up length to a minimal value that still provides sufficient tolerance for alignment variations, thereby reducing take-up time from 15-20 minutes to a much shorter duration while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Productivity
If the wriggler is not correctly mounted to the drive mechanism, then installation can be completed quickly, but components of the drive mechanism become improperly embedded causing excessive drag and potentially severe damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by incorporating alignment guide walls and positioning features on both the wriggler and drive mechanism before assembly occurs. These pre-configured features ensure that the wriggler automatically engages the drive mechanism in the correct position during installation, preventing improper embedding of components and eliminating excessive drag conditions before the meter begins operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary alignment structures that act as mediators between the wriggler and drive mechanism during the assembly process. These guide walls and alignment features provide a physical intermediary system that ensures proper engagement geometry, preventing harmful improper embedding while maintaining quick installation speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A wriggler device is provided for a gas meter endpoint or gas meter index as an interface with a gas meter drive mechanism. In general, the wriggler may include a base surface, at least one interface wall, and at least one guide wall. The base surface has a peripheral edge and a center point. The interface wall extends at an interface angle from the base surface, and may have an interface surface and a tip portion, with the tip portion spaced from the base surface. The at least one guide wall may extend between the base surface and the tip portion, and may have a guide surface. The guide wall may be configured to guide the drive mechanism along the guide surface to the base surface. Engagement of the interface surface by the drive mechanism causes the wriggler to rotate.