Modular Data Collector with Interchangeable Functional Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data collectors are prone to damage and degradation due to exposure to harsh environmental conditions and frequent use, leading to reduced operational lifespan and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A data collector design featuring a central unit with interchangeable components, including a robust integrated seal and co-molded light pipes, and a stylus with a spring-loaded tip, which enhances durability and allows for easy reconfiguration and replacement of parts, reducing stress on components and extending the device's lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data collectors are designed with fixed components for durability, then reliability improves, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The data collector is divided into a permanent central unit and replaceable functional units. The central unit contains core components (processor, memory, power management) that remain fixed for reliability, while functional units (scanners, communicators, specialized interfaces) can be replaced or swapped to provide adaptability. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing each part to be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The central unit is designed with universal interfaces and communication protocols that can work with multiple types of functional units. This allows a single central unit to support various configurations and applications, providing adaptability without requiring multiple specialized permanent designs, thus maintaining reliability through standardized connections.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If components are made robust for harsh environments, then protection against environmental factors improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into modular functional units that can be independently protected or replaced. Instead of making the entire device overly complex and robust, only the exposed functional units need environmental protection features, while the central unit can be simpler. This reduces overall complexity while maintaining protection where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The replaceable functional units can be pre-equipped with protective features (seals, coatings, shock absorption) specifically tailored to their exposure risks. This allows targeted protection without adding unnecessary complexity to the entire device structure, as only the units that need it have the protective measures.
3Productivity
If touchscreens undergo frequent touch events for data collection, then productivity improves, but touchscreen durability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen interface is separated from the main processing unit and integrated into replaceable functional units. When the touchscreen degrades from frequent use, only the functional unit containing the touchscreen needs to be replaced, not the entire data collector. This maintains productivity by allowing quick replacement while preserving the lifespan of the central processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The worn touchscreen functional unit can be discarded or refurbished separately from the valuable central unit. The central unit with its processing capabilities, memory, and power management can be recovered and reused with a new functional unit, maximizing the overall system lifespan and reducing waste.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention recite a data collector with expanded functionality and a method of enhancing revenue generation using a data collector with expanded functionality. In one embodiment, a central unit of a data collector is configured to receive a replaceable unit such that any one of a variety of replaceable units can be configure to be attached to said central unit.