Sensor Module with Foldable Substrate and Nested Supporting Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor units have exposed sensor devices that are prone to breakage during manufacturing and assembly, leading to reduced detection accuracy due to direct contact with manufacturing apparatuses or workers, and are not designed for reliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A module with a sensor device mounted on a supporting member with orthogonal fixing faces, where the sensor device is accommodated within a penetration hole or clearance portion, and a combination of rigid and flexible substrates is used to enhance reliability and detection accuracy, with the option of using metallic materials to mitigate radiation noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If sensor devices are exposed to the outside of the sensor unit, then the module size and thickness can be reduced, but the sensor devices are prone to breakage during manufacturing and assembly due to direct contact with manufacturing apparatuses or workers
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is nested within the supporting member structure. The supporting member has a sensor device accommodating portion that receives and houses the sensor device, effectively placing one component inside another. This nesting approach protects the sensor device from external contact while maintaining compact module dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting member acts as an intermediary between the sensor device and the external environment. By mounting the sensor device on the supporting member and housing it within the accommodating portion, the supporting member mediates protection against direct contact with manufacturing apparatuses and workers, while still allowing the module to maintain small size.
2Device complexity
If sensor devices are exposed to the outside of the sensor unit, then the module structure can be simplified, but the sensor devices may be broken due to contact and may not exhibit superior detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is nested within the supporting member's accommodating portion, providing protection without significantly increasing structural complexity. The supporting member integrates the mounting face and accommodating portion as a unified structure, maintaining simplicity while ensuring detection accuracy through protected sensor positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting member serves as an intermediary structure that protects the sensor device while maintaining a relatively simple overall module design. The mounting face of the supporting member provides a stable platform for the sensor device, ensuring proper orientation and protection without requiring complex additional structures.
3Volume of moving object
If the sensor device is accommodated in the penetration hole or clearance portion, then the module size and thickness are reduced, but the sensor device requires precise positioning and protection from external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is nested within the supporting member's sensor device accommodating portion, which is integrated with the mounting substrate structure. This nesting provides precise positioning through the built-in mounting faces and fixing mechanisms, eliminating the need for separate positioning structures and maintaining manufacturing precision while reducing overall module size.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting member combines multiple functions: it provides the mounting face for the sensor device, creates the accommodating portion for housing the sensor, and integrates fixing mechanisms. This merging of functions into a single component achieves precise positioning and protection without requiring multiple separate parts, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while reducing complexity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a metallic material is used for the supporting member, then radiation noise interference is mitigated, but the weight of the module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter of the supporting member is changed to metallic material, which provides electromagnetic shielding properties to mitigate radiation noise interference. This parameter change directly addresses the harmful factor of radiation noise, though it results in increased module weight as a trade-off.
Data Source
AI summary
A module includes a sensor device, a mounting substrate that has a plurality of mounting faces, a portion between the mounting faces adjacent to each other being foldable, a supporting member having fixing faces, wherein the sensor device is mounted on at least one of the mounting faces, each of the mounting faces is disposed along each of the fixing faces, and the sensor device is disposed on the supporting member side.