Sensor Storage Container With Rotatable Ejecting Tool

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sensor storage containers make it difficult to extract a single sensor from a stack due to friction between sensors, causing accidental removal of multiple sensors when trying to retrieve the uppermost one.

Innovation Solution

A sensor storage container with a main body case and a rotatable sensor ejecting tool featuring a sensor adhesive portion that adheres to the uppermost sensor, allowing for its selective extraction by rotating the tool upward, preventing contact with adjacent sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If sensors are stacked in a main body case with an inclined bottom portion, then multiple sensors can be stored in a compact space, but it becomes difficult to extract only one sensor from the stack due to friction between sensors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of sensors storedVSAvoidease of sensor extraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A sensor extraction tool with an adhesive portion is introduced as an intermediary between the user and the sensor stack. The adhesive portion selectively adheres to the uppermost sensor, enabling individual sensor extraction without friction-induced entanglement with underlying sensors. The tool acts as a mediator that overcomes the friction problem while maintaining compact storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The extraction tool is designed with a segmented structure where the adhesive portion is separable or detachable from the handle. This allows the adhesive portion to be replaced when depleted, and the handle to be reused. The segmentation enables the tool to address the extraction problem while maintaining ease of operation through modular replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If a user presses the upper face of the uppermost sensor with a finger to pull it out, then the sensor can be grasped, but the lower sensor is also pressed and accidentally taken out due to friction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of sensor extractionVSAvoidaccuracy of single sensor extraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive portion of the extraction tool serves as an intermediary that selectively bonds to the uppermost sensor's upper face, distributing the extraction force evenly across the sensor surface. This prevents the friction-induced dragging of underlying sensors that occurs when fingers directly press and pull, thereby ensuring reliable single-sensor extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive portion changes the interaction parameter between the user's hand and the sensor from direct mechanical contact (prone to friction and slippage) to adhesive bonding (providing controlled, uniform force application). This parameter change enables precise control over which sensor is extracted, improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the sensor ejecting tool is made with an adhesive portion, then selective extraction of one sensor is enabled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of single sensor extractionVSAvoidcomplexity of extraction tool
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The extraction tool is segmented into a handle and a replaceable adhesive portion. This segmentation simplifies the overall device design by separating the complex adhesive function from the simple handle structure, allowing each component to be optimized independently and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive portion is designed to be disposable and replaceable rather than permanent. This allows the complex adhesive component to be discarded after use while the simple handle is recovered and reused, effectively managing device complexity through selective replacement of wear-prone components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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

Enables the easy and accurate removal of a single sensor from a stack, preventing accidental removal of other sensors and maintaining the integrity of the remaining sensors for measurement.

Implementation Method 1

The sensor adhesive portion is provided with an adhesive face on a side of the sensor adhesive portion facing a bottom face of the main body case

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS9381068B2Sensor storage container
Publication Date: 2016.07.05 PHC HLDG CORP

AI summary

A sensor storage container includes: a lid configured to cover in an openable and closable manner an opening of an open-topped main body case that stores an elongated plate-like sensor lying flat; and a sensor ejecting tool configured to take the sensor out of the main body case. The sensor ejecting tool is elongated, and includes two ends, one end being linked to one of end sides of an opening portion of the main body case, and the other end being rotatable in a vertical direction between a bottom portion of the main body case and a position above the opening portion. A sensor adhesive portion at the other end of the sensor ejecting tool is provided with an adhesive face on a side of the sensor adhesive portion facing a bottom face of the main body case.