Prefabricated Loop Sensor Housing for Rapid Roadway Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for installing ferromagnetic loop sensors in roadways are time-consuming, difficult, and prone to variations in sensor properties due to the need for cutting grooves and laying sensor wires, which can cause unwanted changes in induction loop properties.
Innovation Solution
A pre-fabricated loop sensor housing made of a formable thermoplastic material that matches a predetermined pattern, allowing for quick and precise installation by fitting into pre-cut grooves, with a continuous loop sensor wire housed within, and featuring deformable sides and retaining lips for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional groove cutting and wire laying methods are used, then loop sensors can be installed in roadways, but installation time is excessive and traffic disruption is significant
Solution Approach 1:
The loop sensor wire is pre-formed into the desired geometric pattern (e.g., rectangular, circular) before installation. This preliminary shaping eliminates the time-consuming on-site wire winding and positioning steps, allowing installers to simply place the pre-formed loop into the roadway groove, thereby dramatically reducing installation time and traffic disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation process is segmented into distinct steps: (1) cutting the roadway groove to predetermined dimensions, (2) placing the pre-formed loop sensor into the groove, and (3) securing the loop with adhesive or mechanical means. This segmentation allows for standardized, rapid installation while maintaining precise loop geometry.
2Manufacturing precision
If wire is laid manually in grooves, then loop sensors can be installed, but position control of the sensor is difficult and loop properties vary
Solution Approach 1:
A form-fitting groove with predetermined dimensions and geometry serves as an intermediary structure that guides and constrains the loop sensor wire into the exact desired position and shape. The groove's cross-sectional dimensions are specifically designed to match the loop wire diameter, eliminating the need for complex positioning operations and ensuring consistent loop properties across different installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove dimensions (width, depth, cross-sectional shape) are precisely controlled parameters that directly determine the loop sensor's final position and geometry. By standardizing these groove parameters, the system achieves high placement precision and consistent loop properties without requiring complex installation procedures.
3Ease of manufacture
If grooves are cut and wire is laid on-site, then loop sensors can be installed, but the process is complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The loop sensor wire is pre-formed into the desired geometric pattern (e.g., rectangular, circular) before installation. This preliminary shaping eliminates the time-consuming on-site wire winding and positioning steps, allowing installers to simply place the pre-formed loop into the roadway groove, thereby dramatically reducing installation time and traffic disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex wire forming and positioning operations are extracted from the on-site installation process and performed in advance during manufacturing. This extraction leaves only the simple tasks of groove cutting and loop placement for field installation, significantly simplifying the overall process.
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
This method significantly reduces installation time and effort, ensures precise placement of the sensor wire, and maintains consistent loop properties by avoiding the need for on-site wire winding and minimizing traffic disruptions.
Implementation Method 1
The presence or passage of vehicles on roadways or other information regarding vehicles on roadways can be monitored with a combination of loop detectors
Implementation Method 2
The flux field created by the loop circuit is concentrated and low to the road surface to maximize the ferromagnetic effect of the wheel assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
A pre-fabricated ferromagnetic loop having a footprint characterized by a continuous wire shaped according to a predetermined planar pattern. In some embodiments, the predetermined planar pattern can be multiple contiguous polygons within a larger footprint used for establishing a sensor for the detection of moving vehicles. The footprint may include one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a parallelogram, an ellipse, or a circle, and/or other shapes or configurations. Similarly, each of the multiple contiguous polygons may include one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a parallelogram, and/or other shapes or configurations. A loop sensor housing is arranged to enclose a continuous loop sensor wire configured in the predetermined planar pattern. The prefabricated loop sensor is inserted in a groove web pre-cut in a receiving medium to match the predetermined planar pattern.