Light Grid Modular Outer Pane for Industrial Sensor Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light grids, particularly safety and automation technology sensors, face challenges in withstanding mechanical damage, dirt, and environmental hazards such as flying sparks and chips, which can impair their optical properties and require costly maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A modular light grid design featuring a translucent, easily replaceable outer front pane protected by an annular seal and clip strips for secure attachment, allowing for quick replacement without tools and minimizing downtime, along with a handle strip for easy removal, ensuring the optical integrity and reducing maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the light grid is made compact to minimize space occupation, then the space requirement is reduced, but the mounting difficulty and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light grid is divided into modular units with standardized mounting interfaces. Each module can be independently mounted and combined, reducing the complexity of mounting individual compact components while maintaining a compact overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing design incorporates universal mounting features that can accommodate different mounting scenarios (surface mounting, edge mounting, etc.). This multi-functional mounting approach reduces the need for complex custom mounting structures while keeping the device compact.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the front pane is made firmly connected to the housing to ensure stability, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of replacement for maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The front pane connection transitions from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic removable structure. The snap-fit mechanism with retention clips provides stable connection during operation but allows easy removal when needed, balancing structural stability with maintenance accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The front pane is extracted as a separate replaceable component from the housing. This allows the front pane to be firmly connected during operation for stability, while enabling easy removal for maintenance without affecting the housing structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the light grid is designed as a single integrated unit to simplify manufacturing, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the adaptability to different applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light grid is segmented into standardized modules that can be manufactured independently using consistent processes. This maintains manufacturing simplicity while allowing flexible combination of modules to adapt to different application requirements such as varying lengths, beam counts, and beam distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design creates universal building blocks that can serve multiple application purposes. The same basic module can be adapted for safety light grids, automation sensors, or measurement applications by simply changing the number and arrangement of modules.
4Strength
If the front pane is made firmly connected to resist mechanical damage, then the protection against damage is improved, but the ease of replacement for maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism provides dynamic protection - firmly securing the front pane during normal operation to resist mechanical damage from sparks and chips, while enabling easy release and replacement when maintenance is required through the snap-fit and clip mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention clips and snap-fit design provide beforehand cushioning by pre-positioning the front pane in a securely protected state during operation, while maintaining the capability for easy replacement when needed through the designed release mechanism.
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
The solution effectively protects the light grid's optical components from mechanical damage and dirt, simplifies maintenance by allowing easy replacement of the outer front pane, and reduces downtime and costs associated with system shutdowns.
Implementation Method 1
one or more light transmitters on one side of a monitored area and one or more light receivers corresponding to the light transmitter on the other side of the monitored section, the light transmitter emits a light beam into the monitored area and the light receiver picks up the light beam
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Sensor with a housing (16) and a translucent front window (2), wherein the sensor (1) has a translucent outer front window (4) in front of the front window (2), which is arranged interchangeably, so that a double front window is formed and an annular seal (6) is arranged between the front window (2) and the outer front window (4).