Geometric Reel-Shaft Coupling for Sensor Removal and Repair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems require disassembly of the entire sensor system to remove and repair the sensor, leading to potential damage and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A removably coupled sensor system where the sensor shaft is slidably received by the reel shaft's lumen, preventing relative rotation, and a housing with an expandable lip secures the sensor body without disassembly, allowing easy removal and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the sensor shaft is fixedly coupled to the reel shaft in a single piece design, then the rotational connection is stable and reliable, but the sensor cannot be easily removed for repair or replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separable components: the sensor assembly and the reel shaft. The sensor shaft can be independently removed from the reel shaft through the lumen, allowing the sensor to be replaced without affecting the reel shaft or housing. This segmentation enables easy repair while maintaining a reliable rotational connection during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor shaft is nested within the lumen of the reel shaft, allowing the smaller sensor assembly to be contained within the larger reel structure. This nesting arrangement enables the sensor to be inserted and removed through the lumen opening without disassembling the entire housing, facilitating easy maintenance while maintaining structural integrity.
2Ease of repair
If the housing is disassembled to access internal pins for sensor removal, then the sensor can be replaced, but the process is time-consuming and may cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor shaft is extracted from the housing structure by designing it to pass through the lumen of the reel shaft, which opens to the exterior. This extraction allows the sensor to be removed directly without taking apart the housing or accessing internal pins, significantly reducing replacement time and eliminating damage risks associated with disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The lumen is pre-configured in the reel shaft with appropriate geometry and clearance to accommodate the sensor shaft. This preliminary design action ensures that the sensor can be easily inserted and removed without requiring any disassembly or modification of the housing during maintenance operations.
3Strength
If internal pins are used to engage the sensor shaft with the reel shaft, then the connection is secure, but the housing must be disassembled to access these pins
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement mechanism is extracted from the housing interior and integrated directly into the reel shaft structure. The lumen geometry itself provides the engagement features, eliminating the need for separate internal pins and their associated housing structures. This reduces device complexity while maintaining secure engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of the reel shaft, the engagement mechanism, and the guide structure are merged into a single integrated component. The lumen of the reel shaft simultaneously serves as the structural element, the guide for the sensor shaft, and the engagement mechanism, eliminating the need for separate internal pins and reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Removable sensor coupling systems and methods are provided. The system may include a spring-loaded reel having a reel shaft that may be removably coupled to the sensor shaft of a rotating sensor. The sensor may be configured to measure an amount of rotation of the sensor shaft responsive to rotation of the spring-loaded reel via the reel shaft. The reel shaft may have a lumen comprising a predefined geometry, and the sensor shaft may have a geometry corresponding to the predefined geometry of the lumen of the reel shaft such that, when disposed within the lumen of the reel shaft, the sensor shaft cannot rotate relative to the reel shaft. Accordingly, the sensor may be removed from the spring-loaded reel for inspection and or repair without having to disassemble the entire sensor coupling system.