Rotatable Environmental Sensor Housing with Optical Diagnostics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional environmental condition sensor devices face issues with rigid connections between the sensor housing and system interface, leading to potential damage during installation and removal, necessitating frequent replacement, and lack internal testing capabilities to monitor component health and status.

Innovation Solution

The environmental condition sensor device features a rotatable connection between the sensor housing and system interface, allowing independent rotation to prevent damage, and incorporates a microprocessor with optical and wireless communication interfaces for internal component testing, status monitoring, and event logging, enabling in-situ calibration and status visualization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid connection is used between the sensor housing and system interface, then the structural strength is improved, but the likelihood of damage during installation and removal increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidlikelihood of damage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two independently rotatable segments: the sensor housing and the system interface. This segmentation allows each part to rotate independently, preventing the rigid connection from transmitting damaging forces during installation and removal, while maintaining structural integrity through controlled rotational movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between the sensor housing and system interface is made dynamic through independent rotatability. Instead of a fixed rigid connection, the system allows rotational movement in controlled directions, enabling the interface to adapt during installation and removal processes without causing damage to the sensor housing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If the sensor device is removed from the system for bench testing, then component testing capability is improved, but system downtime and exposure to damage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent testing capabilityVSAvoidsystem downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor device performs self-testing through internal diagnostic capabilities integrated within the sensor housing. The microprocessor can test sensor components, communication interfaces, and optical systems in-situ without requiring removal from the monitored system, eliminating downtime and exposure risks while maintaining comprehensive testing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary diagnostic testing and status monitoring continuously while installed in the monitored system. This allows potential issues to be detected and addressed before they cause failures, reducing the need for removal-based testing and minimizing system downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If conventional electronic components are used for measurement, then measurement function is achieved, but susceptibility to failure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement functionVSAvoidsusceptibility to failure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional electronic measurement components with optical-based sensing mechanisms. Optical sensors and light-based communication interfaces are used instead of electronic circuits, reducing susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, corrosion, and other failure modes associated with traditional electronic components while maintaining measurement functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Device complexity

If no internal testing capability is provided, then device complexity is reduced, but ability to monitor component health deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidcomponent health monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The microprocessor and communication interfaces serve multiple functions: they control sensor operation, perform self-diagnostics, monitor component health, and communicate status information. This multi-functionality enables comprehensive health monitoring without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same hardware resources are utilized for multiple purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12140453B2Environmental condition sensor with component diagnostics and optically communicated status

Publication Date: 2024.11.12 PRACTICAL INSTR ELECTRONICS

AI summary

An environmental condition sensor device includes a microprocessor; a condition sensor, operatively connected to the microprocessor, to measure a condition of a system being monitored; and an optical output interface, operatively connected to the microprocessor, to produce light to optically communicate a measured condition of the system being monitored. The optical output interface can also produce light to optically communicate a status of the environmental condition sensor device being non-operational. The optical output interface can also produce light to optically communicate that the condition sensor is non-operational.