Sensor Device With Segmented Resin And Metal Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor devices face challenges in achieving high sealability and robustness while maintaining cost-effectiveness, particularly in photoelectric sensors where resin or metal housings require different sealing treatments, leading to increased production costs and potential failures due to thermal expansion differences.
Innovation Solution
A sensor device design featuring a resin inner housing with externally exposed parts and a metal outer housing, where the outer housing is formed from press-molded metal segments, eliminating the need for complex sealing treatments between the metal and resin components, and incorporating a heat insulating layer to reduce thermal influences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal housing is used to improve robustness, then robustness is improved, but sealability deteriorates due to thermal expansion differences between metal housing and resin components
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a metal housing main body and a resin lid segment. The resin lid serves as an intermediate component that interfaces with resin components (light projector, light receiver, etc.), while the metal housing main body provides robustness. This segmentation allows each material to be used where most beneficial, resolving the thermal expansion compatibility issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The resin lid acts as an intermediary between the metal housing main body and the resin components. It provides a thermally compatible interface for sealing with resin components while being structurally supported by the metal housing, thus maintaining sealability without compromising robustness.
2Ease of manufacture
If a resin housing is used to simplify sealing treatment, then ease of manufacture is improved, but robustness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into metal and resin portions, with the resin lid handling the sealing function and the metal housing main body handling the structural/robustness function. This allows each material to excel at its primary role.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing uses a composite structure combining metal and resin materials. The metal housing main body provides robustness while the resin lid provides sealing compatibility, creating a composite housing system that achieves both robustness and ease of sealing.
3Reliability
If welding treatment is performed on metal housing boundary to ensure sealability, then sealability is improved, but production cost increases due to complex manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire housing from metal and performing welding for sealing, the invention inverts the approach by using a resin lid for sealing purposes. This eliminates the need for welding operations while maintaining both sealability and robustness through the composite structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The resin lid provides a cost-effective sealing solution compared to welding operations. While the metal housing main body is durable, the resin lid serves as an economical sealing component that eliminates expensive welding processes.
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 configuration provides high sealability and robustness at a lower production cost, reducing thermal impacts and avoiding the need for costly sealing treatments, thus enhancing the durability and reliability of the sensor device.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a heat insulating layer to reduce thermal influences
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor device includes a resin inner housing which has an accommodating space therein and in which an opening is provided, an externally exposed part which is disposed to cover the opening or pass through the opening and of which at least a part is exposed to the outside of the inner housing, and a metal outer housing which is positioned outside the inner housing and accommodates the inner housing and covers the inner housing. When a sealing treatment is performed between the inner housing and the externally exposed part, the accommodating space is sealed off from a space outside the inner housing. When a cut-off part is provided in the outer housing at a position corresponding to the part exposed to the outside of the inner housing of the externally exposed part, the part of the externally exposed part is also exposed to the outside of the outer housing.