Grinding Wheel Identification Tag for Usage Tracking

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional skate blade sharpening systems are large, power-intensive, and lack machine intelligence, leading to suboptimal results that depend on the operator's skill and experience, with no awareness of the grinding wheel's condition, resulting in inadequate sharpening performance.

Innovation Solution

A skate sharpening system with a grinding wheel assembly that includes an identification tag with secure memory for tracking usage, allowing the system to monitor and manage the grinding wheel's lifespan, ensuring optimal sharpening performance and user-friendly operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If conventional skate blade sharpening systems use large grinding wheels and motors, then they can perform sharpening operations, but they consume high power and have large size

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsystem size

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical monitoring systems with electronic/optical sensing systems. Sensors detect wheel condition, usage parameters, and blade characteristics, substituting manual mechanical assessment with automated electronic detection. This reduces the mechanical complexity and power requirements of the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The grinding wheel assembly includes integrated sensors and memory that automatically track usage, monitor condition, and store operational parameters without external intervention. The system self-monitors and reports wheel status, eliminating the need for complex external monitoring equipment and reducing overall system size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If conventional sharpening systems lack machine intelligence, then they have simpler structure, but they produce suboptimal results that depend on operator skill

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharpening performance consistencyVSAvoidmachine intelligence

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback loops where sensors continuously monitor grinding wheel condition, usage parameters, and blade characteristics. This data is processed by a controller that adjusts operational parameters in real-time, providing consistent optimal performance regardless of operator skill level. The feedback mechanism ensures reliable repeatable results.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The grinding wheel assembly includes pre-installed sensors, memory devices, and identification tags that are prepared in advance. Usage tracking and condition monitoring are initiated automatically upon wheel installation, eliminating the need for manual setup and ensuring consistent performance from the first use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If operators manually monitor grinding wheel condition, then they can replace wheels as needed, but results depend on operator training and experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel replacement simplicityVSAvoidsharpening quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs visual indicators such as color-coded tags or displays that change based on wheel condition and usage status. This provides immediate, intuitive feedback to operators about wheel replacement needs, making the system easy to operate while ensuring consistent quality through automated monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

4Productivity

If grinding wheels are used to maximum capacity for cost efficiency, then system cost is reduced, but sharpening performance becomes inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost efficiencyVSAvoidsharpening quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters based on real-time wheel condition and usage data. Rather than static maximum-capacity operation, the system optimizes performance throughout the wheel's lifecycle, maintaining quality standards while maximizing productive use of the grinding wheel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9669508B2Grinding wheel with identification tag

Publication Date: 2017.06.06 VELASA SPORTS

AI summary

A grinding wheel assembly for use in a sharpening system includes a grinding wheel configured to be mounted in the sharpening system to carry out sharpening operations in which the grinding wheel removes material from a blade to be sharpened, such as the blade of an ice skate. The grinding wheel assembly further includes an identification tag attached to the grinding wheel, the identification tag having (1) secure memory including a usage location for persistently and securely storing a usage tracking value, and (2) interface circuitry for engaging in communication with a transceiver of the sharpening system to enable electronic circuitry of the sharpening system to both read from and write to the usage location to track usage of the grinding wheel for sharpening operations. The memory may also store other data including user-specific system parameters usable to customize operation, and fault information usable to diagnose fault conditions.