Telescopic Contact Probe Retraction for Optical Lens Collision Protection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current anti-collision systems for precision measurement face issues such as large ranging errors due to diffuse reflection, high manufacturing and maintenance costs, limited precision, and inability to protect small-sized or low-reflectivity samples, especially in optical devices with small working distances.

Innovation Solution

A contact type telescopic guiding and positioning anti-collision protection system comprising a guide shaft sleeve, concentrated ball slide sleeve, sliding shaft, spring, baffle, contact type sensing assembly, movable contact, and optical lens, which uses rolling friction and conical surface positioning to prevent collisions without the need for reflecting or receiving devices, allowing flexible triggering and power-off protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If laser ranging is used for anti-collision protection, then measurement capability is provided, but manufacturing cost and environmental requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-collision protection capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and environmental requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces optical sensing systems (laser ranging, ultrasonic ranging) with a mechanical contact-based anti-collision system. The probe includes a contact switch that triggers when the probe tip physically contacts the sample, eliminating the need for complex optical components, laser sources, and environmental control systems while providing reliable anti-collision protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If contact type sensing is used, then cost is reduced and environmental requirements are lowered, but positioning precision and triggering flexibility may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing cost and environmental requirementsVSAvoidpositioning precision and triggering accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a spring mechanism that provides dynamic response to contact forces. When the probe contacts the sample, the spring compresses and triggers the contact switch, enabling the system to respond to varying contact forces and maintain positioning precision while using simple mechanical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a contact switch as an intermediary between the mechanical probe and the control system. This switch accurately detects the moment of contact and triggers the anti-collision response, ensuring precise positioning and triggering without requiring complex sensing electronics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If optical systems are used for ranging, then non-contact measurement is achieved, but system complexity and maintenance requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenon-contact measurement capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity and maintenance requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the complex optical subsystems (laser sources, detectors, optical paths) from the anti-collision system, replacing them with a simple mechanical contact switch that requires no power supply, calibration, or environmental control, thereby dramatically reducing system complexity and maintenance needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 solution provides a cost-effective, environmentally insensitive, and universally applicable anti-collision system that ensures high safety and reliability by eliminating the need for precise environmental conditions and reducing the risk of damage to optical devices, while allowing for precise positioning and flexible triggering.

Implementation Method 1

a spring, where the concentrated ball slide sleeve is mounted on an inner side face of the guide shaft sleeve, the sliding shaft penetrates through the concentrated ball slide sleeve and is connected to the fixing ring, the sliding shaft and the concentrated ball slide sleeve are in rolling friction, the optical lens is mounted on the fixing ring, the baffle is connected to the guide shaft sleeve, the spring has a reset effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the sliding shaft penetrates through the concentrated ball slide sleeve and is connected to the fixing ring, the sliding shaft and the concentrated ball slide sleeve are in rolling friction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling friction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP4151882B1Anti-collision protection system employing retraction upon contact and guided positioning, and measurement platform
Publication Date: 2024.07.17 CHOTEST TECH INC
  • EP4151882B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4151882B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4151882B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a contact type telescopic guiding and positioning anti-collision protection system, comprising a guide shaft sleeve, a concentrated ball slide sleeve, a sliding shaft, a spring, a baffle, a contact type sensing assembly, a movable contact, a fixing ring and an optical lens, wherein the concentrated ball slide sleeve is mounted on an inner side face of the guide shaft sleeve, the sliding shaft penetrates through the concentrated ball slide sleeve and is connected to the fixing ring, the optical lens is mounted on the fixing ring, the baffle is connected to the guide shaft sleeve, the spring is clamped between the baffle and the sliding shaft, the movable contact is clamped between the sliding shaft and the fixing ring, the contact type sensing assembly is fixed to the guide shaft sleeve. The present invention has the beneficial effects: contact type anti-collision protection is adopted, no reflecting and receiving device is needed, there is no requirement for a distance from a protected device to a sample, universality is wide, trigger is flexible, power-off protection is executed once contact is performed, there is no requirement for an environment, a cost is low, and high safety and reliability are realized due to a mechanical structure.