Sensor Housing Vents and Substrate Slit for Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sensor devices sealed in a housing for measuring dynamic physical quantities like temperature, humidity, and acoustic pressure often experience reduced responsiveness and accuracy due to internal air stagnation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating vents in the housing to facilitate air exchange between the inside and outside, with sensor components mounted on paths connecting these vents, and using a substrate with a slit to reduce heat conduction and vibration effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sensor components are sealed in a housing, then portability and protection are improved, but responsiveness and measurement accuracy deteriorate due to air stagnation

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveprotectionVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented with multiple vents (first vent and second vent) that create separate air exchange paths. The sensor component is positioned on the path between these vents, allowing air to flow through different regions of the housing, preventing stagnation while maintaining protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Air acts as an intermediary medium that flows through the vents and across the sensor component. The vents serve as intermediaries that connect the internal sensor environment to the external atmosphere, enabling controlled air exchange that improves measurement accuracy while maintaining housing protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If sensor components are sealed in a housing, then portability is improved, but responsiveness deteriorates due to air stagnation

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidresponsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design changes the airflow parameters within the housing by introducing multiple vents at different positions. This creates continuous air movement and updates the air exchange rate parameter, enabling faster sensor responsiveness while maintaining housing protection for portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If substrate area is reduced to minimize heat conduction, then temperature sensor accuracy is improved, but structural strength deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature sensor accuracyVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate exhibits local quality differentiation: the region around the temperature sensor has reduced area to minimize heat conduction and improve temperature measurement accuracy, while other regions maintain sufficient area to provide structural strength. This localized optimization resolves the contradiction between measurement precision and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 enhances the responsiveness and accuracy of sensor devices while maintaining portability by preventing air stagnation and minimizing the impact of heat and vibrations on sensor outputs.

Implementation Method 1

The housing has two or more vents. The sensor component is located on a path connecting two of the vents. This structure facilitates exchange of air between the outside and the inside of the sensor device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The substrate may include a fixture that fixes the substrate to the housing and a tongue piece extending from the fixture. The sensor component may include a temperature sensor, and may be located on the tongue piece. This structure can reduce heat conduction to the tongue piece, and the temperature sensor has an output less susceptible to heat.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11231301B2Sensor device

Publication Date: 2022.01.25 OMRON CORP

AI summary

A sensor device includes a housing and a sensor component mounted in the housing. The housing has two or more vents. The sensor component is located on a path connecting two of the vents. The sensor component may include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or a microphone. The sensor component may be located on a path connecting two vents in substantially facing surfaces of the housing.