Ultrasonic Transducer Contact Element Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic transducers in smart metering applications face challenges with contact corrosion, dynamic load-induced resistance changes, high manufacturing costs due to soldering, and complex designs, which affect their media resistance and vibration dynamics.
Innovation Solution
The ultrasonic transducer design features a housing with a contact element and piezoceramic where electrodes of different polarity are applied on opposite sides, allowing for electrical contact on the same side, reducing the number of components and manufacturing effort, and using a contact element with multiple contact sections for efficient electrical connection without additional mass, enabling fully automated production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If spring contacts are used to electrically contact the piezoelectric component, then the contact is simple to implement, but contact corrosion and dynamic load-induced resistance changes reduce reliability and service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful spring contact mechanism from the system and replaces it with a rigid contact element that has direct mechanical contact with the piezoelectric component's electrodes. This eliminates the dynamic load and corrosion issues associated with spring contacts while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a contact element as an intermediary component between the external circuit and the piezoelectric component. This contact element provides a stable, rigid connection that mediates the electrical contact without the drawbacks of spring contacts, improving both reliability and ease of manufacture.
2Reliability
If soldering wires are used to establish contact with the piezoelectric component, then electrical connection is achieved, but additional masses are introduced that negatively influence vibration dynamics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical contact function with the structural housing by integrating the contact element into the housing structure. This eliminates the need for separate soldering wires and reduces the overall mass of the moving components while maintaining stable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the soldering wires from the system and replaces them with a rigid contact element that is mechanically integrated into the housing. This extraction of the harmful mass (soldering wires) eliminates their negative influence on vibration dynamics while maintaining electrical connectivity.
3Reliability
If manual soldering processes are used for contact, then electrical connection is achieved, but production costs increase due to subjective influences and labor intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual soldering process (a complex mechanical/thermal process) with a simpler mechanical insertion process. The contact element can be mechanically positioned and secured without requiring soldering equipment or skilled manual operation, thereby reducing production costs and eliminating subjective influences.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact element is designed to be self-positioning or self-aligning with the piezoelectric component's electrodes, eliminating the need for precise manual soldering operations. This self-service characteristic simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces labor costs.
4Reliability
If contact surfaces are arranged on different sides of the piezoceramic, then electrical contact of both electrodes is achieved, but the number of components and cabling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a deflected contact that extends in a third dimension (laterally) to reach the second electrode's contact surface from the same side. This dimensional change allows both electrodes to be contacted from one side of the piezoceramic, reducing cabling complexity while maintaining complete electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact element serves multiple functions: it provides electrical contact for both electrodes (positive and negative) from a single location on one side of the piezoceramic. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate contact components and simplifies the overall cabling structure.
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 design enhances media resistance, vibration dynamics, and simplifies production by reducing components and manufacturing complexity, resulting in a cost-effective, reliable, and efficient ultrasonic transducer with improved performance.
Implementation Method 1
an active piezoceramic component
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic transducer and a method for producing an ultrasonic transducer are disclosed wherein the ultrasonic transducer has outstanding media resistance and a simpler construction by reducing the number of individual parts, so that the ultrasonic transducer can be produced in a fully-automated production process. The ultrasonic transducer, particularly for measurement of fluid volumes, can include a housing in which a contact element and a piezoceramic are arranged, wherein the piezoceramic includes two electrodes of differing polarity which are attached to different sides of the piezoceramic, wherein contact areas of the two electrodes for making electrical contact are disposed on a same side of the piezoceramic and the contact element includes at least two contact sections of differing polarity which are in electrically conducting contact with the contact areas of the two electrodes of corresponding polarity.