Sensor Fixture With Offset Fastening For Cylinder Tube

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sensor fixtures for attaching sensors to cylinder tubes are cumbersome to adjust and have a bulky design, making it difficult to precisely position the sensor and risking the sensor's detachment due to unintentional loosening of the fastening mechanism.

Innovation Solution

A sensor fixture with a rail-shaped holder and a band portion that can be wound around the cylinder tube, featuring a fastening mechanism positioned offset from the holder, allowing for adjustable sensor placement and secure attachment with reduced bulkiness, using a band end portion with protrusions for secure engagement with the holder's sidewalls and a fastening screw for tension application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If both end portions of the attachment band are hooked on the metal fitting formed integrally with the sensor, then the sensor can be securely attached to the cylinder tube, but the adjustment of the attachment position becomes cumbersome and the structure becomes bulky

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure attachmentVSAvoidadjustment of attachment position
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment band is divided into two separate end portions that can be independently connected to the sensor holder at different positions. This segmentation allows the band to be adjusted along the cylinder tube while maintaining secure attachment, resolving the contradiction between secure attachment and ease of adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor holder is designed with a rail shape and connection holes at different positions, allowing the attachment band to be dynamically repositioned. The fastening mechanism enables easy adjustment of the attachment position while maintaining secure attachment through the engagement of protrusions with connection holes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Shape

If the fastening mechanism is positioned at the same location as the sensor holder, then the structure is compact, but the sensor fixture creates large bulging portions from the outer peripheral surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompact structureVSAvoidbulging portions from outer peripheral surface
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening mechanism is positioned at a different axial location than the sensor holder, distributing the structural elements along the length of the cylinder tube. This spatial distribution reduces localized bulging while maintaining overall compactness, as the components are arranged along the axial dimension rather than concentrating at a single point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If the attachment band is made adjustable for position, then the sensor can be precisely positioned, but the fastening mechanism becomes more complex and prone to unintentional loosening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor positioning precisionVSAvoidfastening mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening mechanism incorporates a self-locking feature where the protrusions on the attachment band engage with the connection holes in the sensor holder. This engagement provides inherent positioning and prevents unintentional loosening, achieving precise sensor positioning without requiring complex additional locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3361106B1Sensor fixture
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 SMC CORP
  • EP3361106B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3361106B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3361106B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A sensor mounting tool (10) is provided with; a rail-shaped sensor holder (28) having a first side wall (36) in which a first connection hole (48) is formed; a band part (30) that has a first projection part (64), and that is formed to be wound on the outer peripheral surface (15) of a cylinder tube (14); and a fastening mechanism (32) that is for fastening the band part (30), and that is arranged at a position shifted away from the sensor holder (28) on the outer peripheral surface (15) of the cylinder tube (14).