Vibration Alert Unit With Light and Sound for Object Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inadvertent movement of objects, such as cargo or railroad cars, can lead to significant damage and safety risks, necessitating a need for apparatuses and methods to detect and warn of such movements to prevent or mitigate damage and injury.
Innovation Solution
An alert device comprising a vibration sensor, energy emitter, and electronics that emit light and sound signals in response to sensed vibrations exceeding a threshold, with features like a rechargeable battery, charging port, and environmental sealing to ensure functionality and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vibration sensor and energy emitter are used to detect and warn of object movement, then safety and damage prevention are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple alerting functions (visual LED alerts, audible buzzer alerts, and vibration detection) into a single integrated device. The housing contains both the LED emitter and buzzer emitter, allowing the device to provide multi-modal alerts while maintaining a compact form factor that does not significantly increase complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The alert device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it detects vibration through the vibration sensor, processes the vibration signal through electronics, and provides both visual and audible alerts through the LED and buzzer emitters. This multi-functionality is achieved within a single device unit, improving safety without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Loss of information
If multiple alert signals (light and sound) are emitted, then alert noticeability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic alert signaling where the LED and buzzer emitters are activated in response to detected vibration events rather than continuously. The vibration sensor triggers alert signals only when movement is detected, and the alerts can be configured to flash or sound in periodic patterns, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining high noticeability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows for parameter adjustments in alert behavior, such as varying the intensity, duration, and frequency of LED and buzzer activation based on vibration severity. This enables the system to consume less energy during minor vibrations while providing stronger alerts for significant movement events, optimizing the balance between noticeability and energy usage.
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
Effectively warns users of inadvertent object movement through a sequence of alert signals, reducing the risk of damage and injury by ensuring alerts are noticeable and not ignored in noisy environments.
Implementation Method 1
a vibration sensor in power communication with the battery and configured to sense vibration
Implementation Method 2
a light emitter comprising a plurality of light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) and coupled to the electronics
Implementation Method 3
a rechargeable battery disposed in a battery box in the base
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for detecting movement of an object of interest includes a battery, a vibration sensor in power communication with the battery, and an energy emitter in communication with the vibration sensor and configured to emit energy in response to the vibration sensor sensing vibration exceeding a threshold value to detect movement of the object of interest. A method for detecting movement of an object of interest is also provided.