Sensor Housing Plastic Insertion Form-Fit Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for inserting plastics into metal housings in food technology face challenges such as inadequate resistance to temperature and pressure fluctuations, hygienic issues due to mechanical fasteners, and the use of undesirable adhesives, which compromise reliability and surface quality.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a collar-shaped bead and shoulder on the sensor housing, combined with an elastic seal and a chamfered plastic body, creates a form-fitting, adhesive-free connection that suppresses gaps and steps, ensuring a seamless transition without mechanical or chemical fasteners, using an elastic seal to maintain a tight and impermeable joint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesives or sealants are used to connect the plastic body to the sensor housing, then the connection reliability is improved, but the hygienic properties deteriorate due to undesirable ingredient release
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the adhesive or sealant from the connection between the plastic body and sensor housing. Instead of using chemical bonding agents, the patent employs a mechanical form-fit connection through the insertion element with a deformation zone that creates an elastic supported form-fit connection, thereby removing the source of harmful ingredient release while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary deformation zone in the insertion element that acts as a mediator to create the connection. This deformation zone undergoes plastic deformation during insertion to generate elastic forces that secure the plastic body, replacing the need for adhesives while ensuring reliable bonding without harmful chemical releases
2Reliability
If mechanical fasteners such as screws and clips are used to connect the plastic body to the sensor housing, then the connection reliability is improved, but the hygienic properties deteriorate due to cleaning difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts mechanical fasteners such as screws and clips from the connection system. The plastic body is connected directly to the sensor housing through an elastic supported form-fit connection created by the deformation zone of the insertion element, eliminating protruding fasteners that create cleaning difficulties and hygiene issues
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a homogeneous, seamless connection surface between the plastic body and sensor housing. The deformation zone generates elastic forces that create a uniform form-fit connection without creating gaps, steps, or protruding elements, resulting in a smooth, homogeneous surface that is easy to clean and maintains hygienic properties
3Manufacturing precision
If complex mechanical post-processing steps are applied to ensure surface quality, then the surface quality is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs the surface forming action preliminarily during the insertion process itself. The deformation zone of the insertion element creates the elastic supported form-fit connection and the seamless surface transition between the plastic body and sensor housing in a single insertion operation, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical post-processing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion element with its deformation zone performs self-service by automatically creating the seamless surface transition and form-fit connection during insertion. The elastic deformation of the insertion element generates the necessary forces to create a high-quality, gap-free surface joint without requiring external post-processing equipment or operations
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 enables a reliable, aseptic, and impermeable composite connection that eliminates the need for additional fasteners, maintains hygienic properties, and simplifies surface finishing, while allowing for optical control and electromagnetic compatibility without post-processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
by means of a deformation between at least one part of the side surface of the sensor housing and part of the side surface of the plastic body, a form-fitting elastically supported connection is generated
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The method involves forming a recess at a side surface of an opening (17) of a sensor housing (10) for supporting a plastic body (50), and attaching a sealing (40) to the recess. The body is arranged on the recess, such that a side surface of the body is strung together with a side surface of the housing. A form-fit elastic connection is produced between a part of the side surface of the housing and a part of the side surface of the body by a plastic deformation, such that a passage is formed between the housing and the body at a connection point on a surface of the housing and the body. An independent claim is also included for a sensor housing comprising an opening with an edge.