Integrated Circulator Housing to Reduce Tolerance Stack-Up

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional constant temperature circulators face issues such as tolerance stack up due to multiple components, leading to increased manufacturing costs, reduced reliability, and unprotected heating and circulation components that can damage contents in a container.

Innovation Solution

An integrally molded housing encapsulates all components, using a two-piece construction made from synthetic materials like Polysulfone or temperature-rated glass-filled nylon, which simplifies manufacturing, reduces tolerance stack up, and protects contents from the circulator's moving elements, while providing adjustable flow and bidirectional pumping capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple piece stainless steel components are used, then protection for depending components is improved, but tolerance stack up increases and manufacturing cost rises

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection for depending componentsVSAvoidtolerance stack up

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate stainless steel components into a single integrally molded housing made from synthetic material. This consolidation eliminates the tolerance stack up issues inherent in multi-piece constructions while maintaining comprehensive protection for the heating element, pump, and temperature sensor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a synthetic material housing as an intermediary protective structure that replaces direct metal-to-component contact. This intermediary housing provides protection equivalent to multiple metal pieces but without the tolerance accumulation problem, as it is molded as a single piece with integrated protective features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple piece stainless steel components are used, then protection for depending components is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection for depending componentsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate protective components into a single integrally molded housing. This reduces the number of manufacturing steps, eliminates the need for assembly operations, and reduces material waste, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining comprehensive protection for internal components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs synthetic material (such as polypropylene or nylon) for the housing that is cost-effective to manufacture in large quantities through injection molding. This approach replaces expensive multi-piece stainless steel construction with a more economical single-piece molded structure that provides equivalent protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Strength

If conventional box construction is used, then structural strength is maintained, but device complexity increases due to multiple components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple structural components into a single integrally molded housing that provides all necessary structural functions. This consolidation maintains the structural strength required to protect internal components while dramatically reducing the number of parts from multiple stainless steel pieces to a single synthetic housing component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Device complexity

If unprotected heating and circulation components are used, then device complexity is reduced, but harmful factors increase due to potential damage to container contents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of protective componentsVSAvoiddamage to container contents

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates protective features directly into the housing structure itself, combining the functions of protection and structural support into a single component. This eliminates the need for separate protective barriers while ensuring that heating and circulation components remain protected from damaging container contents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8469678B2Constant temperature circulator

Publication Date: 2013.06.25 PRESTON IND INC

AI summary

An constant temperature circulator for maintaining a liquid at a constant temperature including a housing that encapsulates a controller, a display, a heating element, a temperature sensor, and an electric motor having an impeller. The housing includes a first port and a second port that cooperatively define a chamber that encapsulates the impeller, an aperture and an opening, such that actuation of the impeller when the electric motor is activated by the controller moves the liquid from the aperture, through the chamber and to the opening.