Sensor Housing With Elastic Feet For Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sensor housings for inclinometers require significant adjustment and assembly effort, making them time-consuming and expensive to assemble accurately.

Innovation Solution

A sensor housing design featuring an open bottom housing body with integrated feet and three support projections for precise alignment, along with elastic feet for decoupling stresses during attachment, allowing for cost-effective and time-saving assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sensor housings with base plates and multiple fastening bores are used, then the sensor can be securely attached, but the alignment requires considerable adjustment and assembly effort which is time-consuming and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment securityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The feet are pre-formed as integral parts of the housing body during manufacturing, with mounting bores and support projections already positioned. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for separate alignment and adjustment operations during assembly, allowing the sensor housing to be directly mounted in the correct position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The feet are merged with the housing body as a single integral component rather than separate parts. This combination simplifies the assembly process by reducing the number of components and elimination of alignment operations between separate base plate and housing parts, while maintaining secure attachment capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional sensor housings with base plates are used, then the sensor can be mounted at predetermined positions, but the assembly process is complex and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bores and support projections are pre-positioned on the feet during housing manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures precise alignment is built into the component itself, eliminating the need for complex adjustment procedures during assembly while maintaining high manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The three support projections on the feet automatically provide self-alignment of the sensor housing during mounting. The feet themselves serve the dual function of attachment and alignment, eliminating the need for separate alignment mechanisms or complex assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Stability of the object's composition

If the sensor system is rigidly connected to the housing body, then structural stability is achieved, but stresses during attachment can misalign the sensor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidsensor alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The feet are designed with elastic properties, changing the mechanical parameter of rigidity to flexibility. This allows the attachment structure to accommodate stresses during mounting through elastic deformation, preventing stress transmission to the sensor system while maintaining overall structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic feet serve as an intermediary element between the rigid housing body and the mounting structure. They absorb and accommodate attachment stresses, acting as a buffer that protects the sensor alignment while still providing secure mechanical attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 precise and secure alignment and attachment of the sensor, reducing assembly time and costs while preventing air pockets and enhancing the reliability of signal connections.

Implementation Method 1

the feet are also particularly advantageously designed to be elastic, so that the attachment zones on the attachment bores of the feet are connected elastically to the housing body, which contains the sensor system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2128564B1Sensor casing
Publication Date: 2012.12.19 INTER CONTROL HERMANN KOEHLER ELECTRIC GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2128564B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP2128564B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2d
  • EP2128564B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The housing (2) has a housing body (21) opened downwards, so that a housing interior is exposed downwards. Feet (20) are formed as a single piece with the housing body, and a fastening borehole is provided at the feet for fastening the housing at a preset position. Three supporting projections (202) are provided at a lower side of the housing body and/or the feet for aligning the housing at a preset supporting position. Circular metallic inserts are provided in the fastening boreholes for reinforcing and securing an attachment.