Sensor Housing Integrated Fastening Deformation Undercut
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor housing mounting methods require additional fastening elements like screws, nuts, or rivet nuts, which increase material and assembly costs and can lead to misorientation issues, especially for acceleration sensors, and complicate the replacement process.
Innovation Solution
A sensor housing with an integrated fastening means featuring a socket area, deformation area, and force application area, allowing direct mounting in a recess without additional fastening elements, using a riveting process that forms a form-fit connection and includes a predetermined breaking point for easy removal and replacement, eliminating the need for screws or nuts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional fastening elements like screws, nuts, or rivet nuts are used to mount sensor housing, then reliable fastening is achieved, but material costs and assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sensor housing with an integrated fastening means into a single unit. The fastening means includes a bushing area, deformation area, and force application area, all integrated with the sensor housing. This eliminates the need for separate fastening elements like screws or rivet nuts, reducing both material costs and assembly complexity while maintaining reliable fastening through direct deformation of the integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated fastening means serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables fastening through deformation, and allows for force application during installation. The single component replaces multiple separate parts (sensor housing + fastening element), achieving multi-functionality that reduces assembly steps and costs.
2Reliability
If additional fastening elements are used for mounting, then secure attachment is achieved, but the number of assembly steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the sensor housing and fastening means into one integrated component, the patent reduces the assembly process to a single step where the fastening means is deformed to form an undercut in the recess. This eliminates multiple assembly steps required for separate fastening elements, increasing productivity while maintaining secure attachment.
3Ease of manufacture
If symmetric mounting design is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but misorientation issues occur during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry through a coding pin that protrudes from the sensor housing and corresponds to a coding recess in the mounting location. This asymmetric feature prevents misorientation during installation by ensuring the sensor can only be mounted in the correct orientation, while the overall manufacturing process remains simple through the integrated fastening design.
4Strength
If integrated fastening means without predetermined breaking point is used, then fastening strength is maximized, but replacement and repair become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fastening means by introducing a predetermined breaking point between the bushing area and the deformation area. This allows the fastening means to be broken into separable parts for replacement purposes. The breaking point is designed to fail at a specific location, allowing the sensor to be removed while leaving the deformation area (which forms the undercut) in the mounting location, facilitating easy replacement while maintaining strong initial fastening.
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
This solution reduces material and assembly costs, ensures correct sensor alignment, and simplifies the replacement process by integrating the fastening element with the sensor housing, providing a reliable and efficient mounting method that eliminates the need for additional fastening components and misorientation issues.
Implementation Method 1
The deformation area 6b can be deformed by introducing a mechanical force into the force application area 6a
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a sensor housing (1) having an integrated mounting means (6), wherein the mounting means (6) comprises a socket region (6d), a deforming region (6b), and a force introducing region (6a), wherein the deforming region (6b) can be deformed by introducing a mechanical force into the force introducing region (6a), wherein the sensor housing can be mounted at a mounting location in the form of a recess (7), in that the deforming region (6b) forms an undercut in the recess (7). The invention further relates to a mounted replacement sensor housing, having a socket (2) and having at least a force introducing region (6a) and a deforming region (6b) of a sensor housing as in claim 5, wherein the replacement sensor housing is mounted at a mounting location in the form of a recess (7), in that the deforming region (6b) forms an undercut at the recess (7), wherein a mounting means (5) is disposed in the socket (2), wherein the mounting means (5) is connected to the force introducing region (6a).