Sensor Terminal Members With Turning Portions For Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
As detection elements are miniaturized to reduce costs and sensor size, the narrow spacings between electrode terminals on the sensor's main surfaces pose challenges for electrically insulating terminal members while maintaining good contact, which can lead to reduced detection accuracy and increased risk of electrical connections between adjacent terminal members.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates terminal members with elongated frame bodies, element contact portions, and folded portions that include turning portions to create spacing between adjacent terminal members, along with electrically insulating partition walls and side partition walls to prevent electrical connections and enhance rigidity, ensuring effective contact with electrode terminals and maintaining sensor alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the detection element is reduced in size to lower cost and sensor dimensions, then manufacturing cost and sensor size are reduced, but the spacing between electrode terminals becomes narrower, making it difficult to electrically insulate adjacent terminal members
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: terminal members with frame body portions, element contact portions, and folded portions; separator with partition walls; and detection element with electrode terminals. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling reliable electrical insulation between adjacent terminal members even when the overall sensor size is reduced.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator acts as an intermediary component between adjacent terminal members, providing electrical insulation through partition walls that extend between the frame body portions. This mediator structure prevents direct electrical contact between terminal members while allowing the detection element to maintain compact dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If terminal members are positioned closer together to accommodate smaller detection elements, then sensor size is reduced, but the risk of electrical connection between adjacent terminal members increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful electrical connection pathway is extracted and removed by introducing the separator with partition walls between adjacent terminal members. The partition walls physically separate the frame body portions of adjacent terminal members, eliminating the risk of unintended electrical connection while allowing compact positioning of terminal members.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator serves as an intermediary barrier that prevents direct electrical contact between adjacent terminal members. The partition walls extend into the space between terminal members, creating an insulating medium that blocks harmful electrical connections while maintaining compact sensor dimensions.
3Reliability
If partition walls are added to prevent electrical connections between terminal members, then electrical insulation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical insulation between adjacent terminal members through partition walls, supports the detection element, and maintains structural integrity of the sensor assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving reliable electrical insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator combines several functions into a single integrated component: electrical insulation, structural support, and positional alignment. By merging these functions into one component rather than using separate elements for each function, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving the required electrical insulation performance.
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 improves detection accuracy by preventing electrical connections between terminal members, maintains effective contact with electrode terminals, and restricts movement of the detection element, thereby reducing positional misalignment and enhancing the sensor's operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of terminal members are in elastic contact with the corresponding electrode terminals, thereby being electrically connected to the corresponding electrode terminals
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor includes a detection element; a plurality of terminal members, each of the terminal members including an elongated frame body portion extending along the axial direction, an element contact portion in elastic contact with an electrode terminal, and a folded portion connecting the frame body portion and the element contact portion; and a separator. The element contact portion of each of the terminal members has a turning portion which turns inward with respect to the width direction between the folded portion and a contact portion in contact with an electrode terminal. In those two of the terminal members which are adjacent to each other along the width direction, the distance along the width direction between the contact portions is smaller than the distance along the width direction between the frame body portions.