Magnetostrictive Sensor Headpiece for Compact Profile Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetostrictive travel distance measurement devices face challenges in being compact, cost-effective, and easy to assemble while maintaining protection against mechanical damage and moisture, with limited space for the sensor unit and requiring secure mounting within a protective profile.
Innovation Solution
A sensor unit configuration featuring a headpiece that precisely fits the protective profile's inner cross-section, allowing preassembly outside the profile and secure insertion, with form-locking mechanisms and a textile coating for the wave conductor unit to ensure stability and ease of assembly, and a design that minimizes the number of conductive paths on the circuit board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the sensor unit is made compact with limited height, then the device becomes more space-efficient, but the assembly and maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is divided into modular components: a protective profile, a headpiece with mounting sections, a wave conductor unit, and a circuit board. This segmentation allows each component to be assembled separately and then combined, making maintenance easier while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The headpiece is designed to fit precisely within the protective profile's inner cross-section, creating a nested arrangement. The wave conductor unit and circuit board are mounted on the headpiece, which itself is positioned within the profile, achieving compact packaging while maintaining accessibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the wave conductor unit is securely mounted within the protective profile, then the mechanical stability improves, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The headpiece is pre-assembled with mounting sections for the wave conductor unit and circuit board before being inserted into the protective profile. This preliminary assembly simplifies the final installation process while ensuring stable mounting through the pre-configured mounting sections that engage with the profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting sections are designed to be form-locked through the surrounding protective profile after insertion, where the profile itself provides the securing mechanism. The friction between the headpiece and profile inner surface provides additional self-securing, eliminating the need for separate fastening components.
3Reliability
If the protective profile provides comprehensive protection against moisture and mechanical damage, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective profile serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection, moisture barrier, and structural support for the sensor unit. The headpiece acts as both a mounting structure and a seal against the profile interior. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional protective components.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective profile is designed as a thin-walled extruded structure that provides adequate protection while minimizing added complexity. The headpiece seal section creates a flexible barrier against moisture ingress, and the overall design uses thin but sufficient wall thickness to achieve protection without excessive material usage or structural complexity.
4Reliability
If the headpiece is precisely fitted into the protective profile, then the sealing and stability improve, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The headpiece is designed with dimensional parameters that create a precise fit within the protective profile's inner cross-section. The mounting sections are positioned at specific locations on the headpiece to engage with the profile, and the friction-based retention relies on controlled surface parameters. This precise parameter design ensures sealing and stability without requiring complex assembly procedures.
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 enables a compact, cost-effective, and easily assembled sensor unit that is protected from mechanical damage and moisture, with secure mounting and reduced complexity in electrical connections, enhancing the device's reliability and ease of maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
A current impulse imparted into the wave conductor causes a mechanical-elastic density wave through the interaction with the magnet, which density wave runs from the position of the magnet along the wave conductor
Implementation Method 2
the headpiece is fabricated so precisely fitted into the inner free cross section of the protective profile, and is preferably made of a material, which has a sufficient friction at its surface relative to the inner surface of the protective profile
Data Source
AI summary
In order to facilitate the assembly of an elongated magnetostrictive sensor in an enveloping tight protective profile, the sensor unit according to the invention comprises a head piece which closes the face of the protective profile and which partially reaches into the protective profile, wherein the wave conductor unit and also the circuit board are initially connected form locked with the head piece and electrically connected therewith.