Sensor Cable Clamp With Snap Feedback for Intuitive Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamping devices for electrically connecting cables to electrodes lack intuitive handling, leading to uncertainties in operation and increased operator effort due to uniform force/distance curves during actuation.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device with a cracking frog mechanism, featuring a holding element and counter-holding element that provide positional variability through elastic deformation, offering a sudden 'snap' effect for clear feedback and reduced effort in operation, utilizing a flat spring for snap point creation and enhanced usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional clamping device with uniform force/distance curve is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and basic functionality is achieved, but the handling is not intuitively grasped by operators and uncertainties in operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual feedback mechanisms (analogous to color changes in TRIZ) by implementing a clamping device that provides intuitive visual indicators to operators. The device includes elements that change appearance or provide visual signals to indicate the clamping state, making the operation intuitive and eliminating uncertainties about whether the electrical contact is properly secured.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by designing the clamping device to provide immediate visual feedback to the operator about the clamping state. The visual indicators show whether the electrical contact is properly clamped or not, allowing operators to intuitively understand the device state without additional training or experience.
2Ease of operation
If a conventional clamping device with uniform force/distance curve is used, then the device structure is simple, but operator effort increases due to lack of clear feedback on clamping state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by designing the clamping device to provide immediate visual feedback to the operator about the clamping state. The visual indicators show whether the electrical contact is properly clamped or not, allowing operators to intuitively understand the device state without additional training or experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces visual indicators as intermediary elements that mediate between the clamping mechanism and the operator. These indicators translate the mechanical clamping state into easily perceivable visual information, reducing the cognitive load and effort required by operators to assess the clamping status.
3Reliability
If a clamping device without clear state indication is used, then the device complexity is low, but uncertainties in operation lead to potential connection errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual feedback mechanisms (analogous to color changes in TRIZ) by implementing a clamping device that provides intuitive visual indicators to operators. The device includes elements that change appearance or provide visual signals to indicate the clamping state, making the operation intuitive and eliminating uncertainties about whether the electrical contact is properly secured.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by designing the clamping device to provide immediate visual feedback to the operator about the clamping state. The visual indicators show whether the electrical contact is properly clamped or not, allowing operators to intuitively understand the device state without additional training or experience.
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 cracking frog mechanism provides clear haptic and acoustic feedback for clamping device states, reducing operator burden and eliminating uncertainties, allowing for distinct 'open' and 'closed' states with minimal effort for attachment or detachment.
Implementation Method 1
The holding element (30) is elastically deformable by actuation with an actuation force (F) such that a position of the holding surface (31) relative to the counter-holding surface (41) can be changed
Implementation Method 2
a restoring force (R) counteracting the actuating force (F) increases until the snap point is reached
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a flat spring for snap point creation and enhanced usability
Implementation Method 4
The holding element has a snap point, so that when the holding element is actuated, a restoring force counteracting the actuating force increases until the snap point is reached, wherein when the snap point is reached, the holding surface changes abruptly from the first position to the second position
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a clamping device and a sensor cable with such a clamping device.