Protective Glass Handle With RFID Alignment for Clean Laser Tool Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective glasses for laser tools are prone to contamination during installation, leading to potential damage of focusing optics due to improper orientation and direct handling, which results in fingerprints and incorrect alignment of the transponder for data exchange.
Innovation Solution
A protective glass with a handle that serves as both an installation aid and a carrier for the transponder, featuring mechanical coding for correct orientation and alignment, allowing contactless installation and data exchange, and an asymmetrical design to prevent twisting and protect the transponder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the protective glass is handled directly during installation, then the installation process is simple, but the protective glass becomes contaminated with fingerprints and dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The protective glass is segmented into a glass element and a separate handle component. The handle serves as a non-contaminating interface for handling and installation, while the glass element remains protected from direct contact. This segmentation allows operators to hold and manipulate the handle without transferring fingerprints or dirt to the optical surface of the protective glass.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle acts as an intermediary between the operator's fingers and the protective glass. Instead of direct contact between fingers and glass, the handle mediates this interaction, providing a designated gripping surface that prevents contamination of the optical component while still enabling effective handling and installation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the transponder is attached directly to the protective glass, then the data storage is integrated, but the transponder alignment during installation becomes difficult and may result in incorrect orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The transponder is segmented from the protective glass and attached to the handle instead. This separation allows the transponder to be positioned on the handle in a predetermined, easily accessible location that is independent of the protective glass orientation. The mechanical coding on the handle ensures correct orientation during installation, while the transponder remains properly aligned for data exchange without requiring precise alignment with the glass element.
3Productivity
If the protective glass is installed without orientation aids, then the installation process is quick, but the protective glass may be installed twisted causing dirt to reach the focusing optics
Solution Approach 1:
Mechanical coding features such as asymmetric contours, chamfered edges, or keyway structures are incorporated into the handle and corresponding recesses in the laser tool. These asymmetric features create a unique fit that only allows correct orientation during installation. The asymmetric design provides tactile and visual cues that guide the operator to insert the protective glass in the correct orientation, preventing twisted installation while maintaining a quick and straightforward installation process.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a handle is added to the protective glass for installation aid, then contamination during handling is prevented, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as a gripping aid for contamination-free handling, as a mounting structure for the transponder, and as a component with mechanical coding for orientation guidance. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single integrated component, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving contamination prevention, data storage, and correct orientation capabilities.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
In the case of a protective glass (1) intended for installation in a laser tool of a laser processing machine, with a transponder (2), in particular an RFID transponder, in which data relating to the protective glass (1) are stored in a contactless readable and/or contactless storable manner, a handle (4) carrying the transponder (2) is attached directly to the protective glass (1), in particular to its circumferential surface (3), as an installation aid.