Integrated Water-Appliance Transducer for Pressure and Turbidity Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multipurpose transducers for appliances using water require separate installations and connections for temperature, turbidity, and pressure transducers, increasing manufacturing and operational complexity and costs, as they often necessitate a separate pressure switch in addition to the transducer cluster.
Innovation Solution
A multipurpose transducer integrating a temperature transducer, turbidity transducer, and pressure transducer on a single electrically insulating mounting support with a transparent housing, where the pressure transducer is an uncompensated strain gauge made in thick film technology, and utilizing a radio frequency identification system for simplified communication with the appliance control circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate transducers are used for temperature, turbidity, and pressure monitoring, then each parameter can be monitored independently, but the device complexity and installation work increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines temperature transducer, turbidity transducer, and pressure transducer into a single integrated transducer cluster that is mounted together on the appliance tank. This merging eliminates the need for separate installations and reduces the number of watertight connections required, directly resolving the contradiction between monitoring capability and installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transducer cluster is designed as a multi-functional unit that simultaneously performs temperature measurement, turbidity detection, and pressure monitoring. This universal design allows one integrated component to replace multiple separate transducers, reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive parameter monitoring.
2Reliability
If separate transducers are installed for each parameter, then each transducer can be optimized for its specific function, but the manufacturing cost and work effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple transducer functions into a single cluster unit with a common mounting structure and shared watertight connection, the patent reduces the total number of installation steps and manufacturing operations required, while each individual transducer within the cluster remains optimized for its specific measurement function.
3Reliability
If a separate pressure switch is used in addition to the transducer cluster, then pressure monitoring is achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer cluster is designed to include pressure monitoring capability as one of its integrated functions, eliminating the need for a separate pressure switch. This multi-functional design reduces overall system complexity while maintaining reliable pressure monitoring capability alongside temperature and turbidity measurement.
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 integrated solution reduces the number of work steps and costs associated with installation and connection, while maintaining effective monitoring of water conditions within the appliance tank by incorporating a pressure transducer directly with the transducer cluster, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing the need for additional components.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature transducer made as a thermistor
Implementation Method 2
detecting in an adequately chosen distance from the light-emitting diode, what is the attenuation of the light flux from the light-emitting diode directed to it after having passed through the water
Implementation Method 3
The pressure transducer is an uncompensated strain gauge made in thick film technology
Data Source
AI summary
A multipurpose transducer for an appliance using water, like a washing machine, a dishwasher or a hot-water tank converts physical parameters like water temperature, cleanness and pressure in said appliance into electric signals. It is provided with a temperature transducer (TT), a turbidity transducer (TurbT) and a pressure transducer (PT), all of them being fixed on an electrically insulating mounting support (MS). The pressure transducer (PT) is made as an uncompensated strain gauge in a thick film technology. The temperature transducer (TT) made as a termistor is also manufactured in the thick film technology. The multipurpose transducer (MPT) of the invention requires less work steps to be manufactured, mounted and connected in the appliance of said type than earlier transducers.