Sensor-Integrated Fixing Element for Internal Heat Flow Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sensors built into screws near engines or friction areas in mechanical organs fail to detect faults due to heat flow transmission through conduction, making it difficult to monitor internal mechanical organ operations effectively, especially in weight and space-constrained vehicles like airplanes and cars.
Innovation Solution
A fixing element, such as a screw, incorporating a sensing element that detects temperature differences between areas to correlate with heat flow, allowing for the monitoring of mechanical organs near heat sources, such as engines, using thermocouples and electronic devices for efficient signal processing and transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sensors are built into screws near engines or friction areas, then the screws can detect tightening and deformations, but they fail to detect heat flow and internal faults in mechanical organs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions (temperature detection, heat flow measurement, fault detection) into a single integrated sensor built into the screw. This merging of functions allows the screw to simultaneously monitor mechanical tightening, thermal conditions, and internal organ faults, resolving the contradiction by enhancing reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is designed with multi-functionality to perform diverse monitoring tasks: detecting temperature differences, measuring heat flow through mechanical organs, identifying internal faults, and monitoring screw deformations. This universal approach enables one sensor system to replace multiple separate monitoring systems, improving reliability while controlling complexity
2Reliability
If dedicated monitoring and controlling systems are installed on board vehicles to detect operating faults, then fault detection capability is improved, but weight and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring function is merged with the existing screw structure, transforming a simple mechanical fastener into an intelligent sensor-integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated monitoring systems, thereby reducing vehicle weight while maintaining fault detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The screw performs self-monitoring by incorporating sensors that detect its own tightening status, temperature, and heat flow conditions. This self-service capability removes the burden of additional external monitoring equipment, reducing overall system weight while improving reliability
3Reliability
If dedicated monitoring and controlling systems are installed on board vehicles to detect operating faults, then fault detection capability is improved, but available space for installation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is nested within the screw structure itself, with sensing elements positioned inside the screw body or on its surface. This nesting approach utilizes the existing space within the fastener, eliminating the need for separate installation spaces and preserving vehicle interior volume while enabling fault detection
4Measurement precision
If a sensing element detects temperature difference to determine heat flow, then heat flow measurement precision is improved, but the fixing element size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing element is designed to detect temperature differences at specific localized positions on the screw surface where heat flow is most relevant. By focusing measurement on critical local areas rather than the entire screw, the patent achieves precise heat flow detection while minimizing sensor size and weight
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
Enables effective monitoring of mechanical organs' operations by detecting heat flow differences, preventing accidents and faults, with a compact, lightweight design suitable for vehicles, providing reliable and efficient fault detection without the need for additional monitoring systems.
Implementation Method 1
on the inside of solid bodies of mechanical organs, the heat flow is mainly transmitted through conduction
Implementation Method 2
the sensing element, which is designed to detect the difference of temperature of the fixing element
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing element, a use of a sensitive element to detect a flow of heat on the inside of mechanical organs; wherein the fixing element, in particular a screw or a stud, has a body and a sensitive element, which is designed to detect a difference of temperature between a first and a second area of the body of the fixing element, so as to determine, as a function of said difference of temperature, a flow of heat that flows through the fixing element and the mechanical organ where it is installed.