Insulation Layer Drying Device with Nested Spring Contact Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for drying insulation layers face issues with unreliable electrical contacts due to mechanical stresses, leading to potential assembly and disassembly problems, and inadequate cooling of electronic components, which affects operational reliability and service life.

Innovation Solution

The device features a contact point-free base element on the lower part with a recess on the upper part, providing a protective and guiding mechanism for the spring contact, ensuring secure electrical connection and alignment, while a fluidic connection between the electronics compartment and vacuum chamber allows for cooling without compromising the sealed design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the spring contact is exposed on the surface for easy electrical contact, then the electrical connection is accessible, but the spring contact is vulnerable to mechanical damage and stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical contact accessibilityVSAvoidspring contact durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring contact is nested within a recess in the base element, creating a protective cavity that shields the contact from external mechanical stresses while maintaining its electrical function. The recess acts as a protective housing that preserves the spring contact's reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The recess provides a sacrificial protective structure that absorbs mechanical stresses instead of the spring contact itself. Any mechanical damage is directed toward the recess geometry rather than the critical electrical contact components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of operation

If the upper part is detachably mounted on the lower part for ease of assembly and disassembly, then the device is easier to assemble, but the electrical contact becomes less reliable under mechanical stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly and disassembly easeVSAvoidelectrical contact stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring contact is nested within a recess that is formed as an integral part of the base element. This nested structure ensures that the electrical contact is protected during the detachable assembly and disassembly operations, maintaining reliability while preserving ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The recess is designed beforehand to cushion and absorb mechanical stresses that occur during assembly and disassembly. This pre-designed protective geometry ensures that the spring contact is shielded from damage during the detachable mounting process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If the spring contact is protected within a recess, then the spring contact is shielded from mechanical damage, but the spring contact may be misaligned during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring contact protectionVSAvoidspring contact alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The recess is designed with an asymmetric cross-section that deviates from a circular shape. This asymmetric geometry serves as a mechanical guide that prevents rotational misalignment during assembly, ensuring the spring contact is correctly positioned while maintaining its protected status within the recess.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The alignment function is achieved by utilizing the geometric dimensions and orientation of the recess itself, rather than adding separate alignment features. The recess's three-dimensional geometry provides both protection and alignment guidance in a unified structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This configuration ensures a robust and reliable electrical connection, protects against mechanical damage, and effectively cools the electronic components, enhancing operational reliability and service life by preventing moisture ingress and allowing heat dissipation.

Implementation Method 1

one of the two parts having a spring contact for the purpose of forming an electrical contact and the other of the two parts having a contact point that interacts with the spring contact

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring contact: Spring

Implementation Method 2

the vacuum method has proven to be more effective. With this method, no air is blown into the space between the bottom and top floor through openings provided for this purpose, but instead the moist air located there is sucked out. For this purpose, a vacuum pump is provided, for example in the form of a suction motor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 3

The moist air sucked off by means of the vacuum pump is typically fed to a water separator, in which the water contained in the moist air is separated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentEP3398497B1Device for insulating layer drying
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 TROTEC GMBH
  • EP3398497B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3398497B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3398497B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for drying insulating layers, having a lower part (2) and an upper part (3) carried detachably therefrom, one of the two parts (2,3) having a spring contact (4) for the purpose of forming an electrical contact and the other of the two parts (2,3) has a contact point (6) which interacts with the spring contact (4) in the final assembled state of the two parts (2,3), the contact point (6) on an upper side (9) facing one part (3) of a base element (8), the spring contact (4) being arranged within a volumetric space (11) provided by a recess (10) correspondingly formed to the base element (8).