Heated Adhesive Sensor Mounting for Media Guide Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sensor arrangements for hoses and pipes, such as those using NTC thermistors, face issues with sealing, high cost, labor-intensive replacement, inaccurate temperature measurements, and long response times due to high heat capacity and thermal interface materials, as well as difficulties in removing sensors from recesses.

Innovation Solution

A sensor arrangement with a planar support element, adhesive, and heating element that allows for secure bonding to the article surface, enabling easy application and removal of sensors, while using a heating element to activate the adhesive for secure attachment and minimizing installation space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a sensor arrangement is integrated into a media guide for a media player, then the media guide can detect user interactions and provide feedback, but the media guide becomes more complex and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinteractivityVSAvoidmedia guide complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor arrangement is divided into multiple independent sensor units (first sensor unit, second sensor unit, etc.) that can be separately integrated into different regions of the media guide. Each sensor unit operates independently to detect specific interaction patterns, allowing the system to achieve interactivity without requiring a single complex sensor system throughout the entire media guide.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the media guide are equipped with sensor units having different characteristics tailored to their specific functions. For example, certain areas may use sensors optimized for detecting finger contacts while other areas detect palm rests or device placement. This localized approach allows each region to provide appropriate feedback for its specific interaction type without increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If multiple sensor units are integrated into the media guide to detect different user interactions, then the media guide can provide more accurate feedback, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteraction detection accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor units are designed with multi-functionality, where each sensor can detect multiple types of user interactions depending on its location and configuration. A single sensor unit can distinguish between different interaction modes (e.g., finger tap, palm rest, device placement) through software processing, reducing the need for entirely different sensor types for each function and simplifying manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using entirely different sensor types for different detection functions, the patent employs multiple instances of the same or similar sensor units positioned at different locations. The system creates functional copies through spatial arrangement and software processing, achieving diverse detection capabilities without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If the media guide is made more interactive with sensor feedback, then user engagement improves, but the device becomes more expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser engagementVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The media guide employs dynamic sensor activation where sensor units can be selectively activated based on the current interaction context and user position. The system dynamically adjusts which sensor units are active and how they process signals, allowing the media guide to provide rich interactive feedback without requiring all sensor units to be physically present or actively consuming power, thereby reducing overall system cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4515191B1Sensor arrangement for use with an article, preferably with a media guide
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 CONTITECH TECHNO CHEMIE GMBH
  • EP4515191B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The present invention relates to a sensor arrangement (2) for use with an article, preferably with a media guide (1), comprising: a planar support element (20); an adhesive (21), which is located on one side of the planar support element (20) and designed to be made to adhere by heating; at least one sensor element (23), which is located on the other side of the planar support element (20) that faces away from the adhesive (21); and at least one heating element (22), which is arranged so as to be electrically energised and thus to make the adhesive adhere by heating.