Person Detector Housing with Removable Design Ring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing detectors for detecting presence and movement of persons in a detection area often have complex structures, leading to high costs and operational difficulties, with user-accessible components being hard to reach or unattractive, disrupting the design and potentially causing interference with ambient light detection.

Innovation Solution

A detector with a compact design featuring a modular system for installation in various environments, including intermediate ceilings and flush-mounted boxes, equipped with a printed circuit board arrangement, multiple infrared radiation sensors, a brightness sensor, and user-accessible actuating elements covered by a design ring for aesthetic and operational simplicity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If control devices with operating elements are provided for enabling user settings, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases and design attractiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser accessibility for settingsVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a upper housing part and a lower housing part, with the upper part being releasably fixable to the lower part. This segmentation allows the upper housing part to serve as a protective cover that can be removed to access control elements, thereby simplifying the overall structure while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The operating elements are integrated into the housing structure itself, with control elements being housed within the upper housing part. This nesting approach eliminates the need for separate control device housings, reducing overall device complexity while keeping controls accessible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If operating elements are made accessible for user operation, then ease of operation is improved, but design attractiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser accessibilityVSAvoiddesign attractiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The upper housing part can be dynamically positioned - either attached to cover the operating elements for aesthetic purposes, or removed to provide access for operation. This dynamic configuration allows the detector to switch between an attractive closed state and an accessible open state during different operational phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

By segmenting the housing into removable upper and lower parts, the design allows the upper part to act as an aesthetic cover when attached, while enabling access to controls when removed, thus resolving the conflict between design attractiveness and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If a large detection area is provided with reliable detection, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoiddetector structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The detector is designed with universal mounting capabilities, allowing it to be installed in various locations (intermediate ceilings, installation boxes, flush-mounted boxes) using the same basic structure. This multi-functionality enables reliable detection over large areas through strategic placement without requiring complex detector designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 detector provides reliable detection over a large area with easy user operation, maintaining an attractive design and minimizing interference from ambient light, while allowing for individual parameter settings and seamless integration into building systems.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor arrangement having at least one first sensor element for detecting infrared radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a sensor device having at least a second sensor element for detecting the ambient brightness

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBrightness detection: Light

Data Source

PatentEP3062111B1Device for detecting the presence or movement of persons
Publication Date: 2017.10.11 INSTA ELEKTRO GMBH
  • EP3062111B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3062111B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3062111B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A detector for detecting the presence and/or movement of persons within its detection range is proposed. The detector's housing is designed to accommodate a circuit board assembly equipped with a sensor assembly comprising several first sensor elements for detecting infrared radiation, a sensor assembly comprising at least one second sensor element for detecting ambient brightness, at least one user-adjustable actuator, at least one microcontroller, and other components necessary for its operation. The detector housing features a lens cap with multiple lens segments.To create a detector that offers a comparatively large detection range with a simple and cost-effective design and provides the user with a convenient way to make individual settings via connecting elements in operative communication with actuating devices, without the actuating elements appearing in a way that disrupts the design of the detector, the housing consists of a lower housing part and an upper housing part provided with the lens cap, and the actuating element, which is in operative communication with at least one actuating device, is led to the outside on one side, whereby its access for the user can be covered by a design ring that can be releasably fixed to the upper housing part.