Light-Guiding Sensor Housing for Sealed Optical Display Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors face challenges in achieving efficient manufacturing while maintaining high functionality and compact design, particularly in integrating display elements that meet sealing requirements.
Innovation Solution
The sensor housing is constructed with a light-conducting material forming both a housing wall and an optical display, utilizing integral light-guiding elements that project from a plate-shaped base body to direct visible light for clear visibility, and incorporates snap hooks for tool-free assembly and seals for effective sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If display elements are integrated into the housing with additional sealing components, then sealing requirements are met, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing part is designed to serve dual functions: it forms a housing wall and simultaneously acts as a light guide for display elements. The light guide is integrally formed with the housing part, eliminating the need for separate sealing components and reducing the total number of parts while maintaining sealing integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing part is designed as a multi-functional component that combines structural support (housing wall) with optical guidance (light guide) functions. This universal design allows a single component to fulfill multiple roles, reducing complexity while meeting sealing requirements through integrated design.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used for housing and display elements, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide and housing part are integrally formed as a single component, enabling both to be manufactured in one production process. This merging of components significantly improves manufacturing efficiency by reducing assembly steps while the integral design maintains the flexibility needed for production.
3Adaptability or versatility
If light-guiding elements are added to the housing, then optical display functionality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light-guiding elements are integrally formed with the housing part, combining the structural housing function with the optical display function in a single component. This eliminates the need for separate light guide components while providing clear optical display capabilities through the light-guiding elements.
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 design allows for a compact, efficiently manufactured sensor with clear optical displays and enhanced sealing, reducing component count and facilitating easy assembly.
Implementation Method 1
Visible light emitted from a light source arranged inside the housing is coupled into the light-conducting element via the inclined surface and guided to the light-emitting surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a sensor (1) with at least one housing (2) in which sensor components are integrated. The housing (2) has at least one housing part (9) made of a light-conducting material. The housing part (9) has at least one light-conducting element (11) forming a display element, which has an inclined surface (13) and a light-exit surface (12) on the outside of the housing (2). Visible light emitted by a light source arranged in the interior of the housing (2) is coupled into the light-conducting element (11) via the inclined surface (13) and guided therein to the light-exit surface (12). The housing part (9) has a plate-shaped base body (10), from which the or each light-conducting element (11) protrudes, wherein the or each light-conducting element (11) is formed integrally with the plate-shaped base body (10).