Passive Micromechanical Counter for Autonomous Pulse Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors face challenges in counting and storing limit value events without an electrical energy supply, particularly in components that are difficult to access or move, where continuous energy supply is not feasible.
Innovation Solution
A passive micromechanical counter that uses a memory cell with a latching mechanism and electromechanical coding unit to count mechanical pulses, where the energy for counting and storing is obtained directly from mechanical impulses, and an electrical digital signal is generated by applying a voltage to the electromechanical coding unit to read out the stored count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If active sensors are used to continuously record measured values, then measurement precision and real-time evaluation capability are improved, but energy consumption increases and maintenance requirements arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active electronic sensing systems with a passive mechanical counter that uses mechanical pulses triggered by limit value violations. The counter mechanically records the number of violations without requiring continuous power supply, thereby maintaining measurement capability while eliminating energy consumption and maintenance requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If batteries or energy harvesting are used to power sensors in hard-to-access components, then autonomous operation is enabled, but device complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply requirement entirely from the sensing system by using a passive mechanical counter. Instead of adding batteries or energy harvesting components to enable autonomous operation, the solution removes the need for power supply altogether, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining autonomous functionality.
3Use of energy by moving object
If mechanical counters are used to count limit value events, then energy consumption is reduced, but the ability to electrically read stored information is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electromechanical transducer as an intermediary component that converts the mechanical counter's positional information into electrical signals. This mediator enables electrical reading of the stored violation count while the counter itself remains passive and consumes no energy, thus resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and data readability.
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
Enables the counting and storage of mechanical pulses without electrical energy, allowing for autonomous monitoring of limit value violations, suitable for components that are hard to access, and provides information on usage and wear, without the need for complex electronics or energy harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
an electromechanical coding unit, wherein the cell input is designed to mechanically transmit the mechanical pulse to the latching mechanism, wherein the latching mechanism is designed to store the number of transmitted mechanical pulses by means of its discrete latching position, wherein an electrical digital signal can be generated by applying an electrical voltage to the electromechanical coding unit
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a passive micromechanical counter (10) for counting and storing a number of mechanical pulses, comprising at least one storage cell (12). The storage cell (12) comprises a cell input (14), a latching mechanism (16), and an electromechanical coding unit (18), wherein the cell input (14) is designed to transmit the mechanical pulses to the latching mechanism (16) mechanically, and the latching mechanism (16) is designed to store the number of transmitted mechanical pulses using the discrete latched-in position (20) of the latching mechanism. According to the invention, an electric digital signal can be generated by applying an electric voltage to the electromechanical coding unit (18), and the electric digital signal represents the discrete latched-in position (20) of the latching mechanism (16).