Single-Board Optical Barrier Sensor for Loose Product Dispensers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical barrier sensors in coffee machines require precise alignment between the transmitter and receiver, which complicates assembly and increases costs, limiting their implementation in high-end machines.
Innovation Solution
Integration of the transmitter and receiver onto a single electronic board with a light guide that transmits the light beam, eliminating the need for alignment and reducing costs by using a single printed circuit, allowing for easy assembly and adaptation to different container models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separate printed circuits are used for transmitter and receiver, then alignment precision can be maintained, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the transmitter and receiver onto a single printed circuit board, eliminating the need for separate alignment procedures. The integrated design includes both optical components mounted on the same PCB, with the light guide directly coupled to the receiver on the same board, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining measurement precision through fixed geometric relationships.
2Measurement precision
If precise alignment between transmitter and receiver is required, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The printed circuit board is pre-configured with the transmitter and receiver in their correct relative positions during manufacturing. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for time-consuming alignment operations during final assembly, as the components are already positioned correctly on the PCB before being installed in the container.
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating both optical components on a single PCB, the patent eliminates the alignment step entirely, as the rigid PCB structure maintains fixed spatial relationships between components, thereby improving assembly productivity without compromising detection accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If transmitter and receiver are on separate printed circuits, then flexibility in positioning is maintained, but assembly cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates both optical components onto a single printed circuit board, reducing component count and assembly operations. This integration lowers manufacturing costs by eliminating separate mounting procedures and reducing the number of connection points, while the PCB design maintains positioning flexibility through standard mounting holes and adjustable component placements.
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
The solution simplifies assembly, reduces costs, and increases productivity on the assembly line, enabling the sensor's implementation in machines of any range without productivity losses when container models change, and significantly lowers overall costs.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor (3) with an optical barrier (5) for detecting the presence of loose product in the container (2). The sensor (3) comprises a transmitter (4) of a light beam, configured and arranged to generate an optical barrier (5) that crosses said container (2) between an entry point (7) and an exit point (8), and a receiver (6) of the light beam
Implementation Method 2
a light guide (10) configured and arranged to transmit to said receiver (6) the light beam collected from said exit point (8)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The loose product dispenser (1) comprises a container (2) and a sensor (3) with optical barrier (5) for detecting the presence of loose product in the container (2), the sensor (3) comprising a transmitter (4) of a light beam, configured to generate the optical barrier (5) between an entry point (7) and an exit point (8) of the light beam from the container (2), and a receiver (6) of the light beam, the sensor (3) further comprises an electronic board (9) on which both the receiver (6) and the transmitter (4) are installed, and a light guide (10) configured and arranged to transmit to the receiver (6) the light beam collected from the exit point (8).