Wall-Mounted Sensor System for Drill Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hand-held power tools, such as drills, often require precise alignment with the workpiece for optimal machining results, which can be challenging to maintain manually, especially in mobile applications like drilling on vertical walls, leading to incorrect settings and undesirable outcomes.

Innovation Solution

A wall device with integrated sensor devices, including acceleration sensors, compass devices, and a display, that automatically monitors and ensures the correct alignment of the hand tool relative to the wall by comparing measurements from both the wall device and the hand tool, preventing operation if alignment is not correct, thus ensuring accurate orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If manual alignment adjustment is used for hand-held power tools, then the device complexity remains low, but the manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy deteriorate due to user error and difficulty in maintaining correct orientation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensors detect the orientation of the hand-held power tool relative to the workpiece, and this information is processed to generate alignment guidance signals. The system continuously monitors the tool orientation and provides real-time feedback to the user through visual or audible indicators, enabling automatic alignment monitoring and correction without increasing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment adjustment with sensor-based detection and electronic processing. Instead of relying on user skill and manual positioning, the system uses sensors to detect tool orientation, processors to evaluate alignment data, and electronic indicators to guide the user, thereby improving precision while keeping the device accessible

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

2Manufacturing precision

If automatic alignment monitoring is implemented using sensors and processing units, then the manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy improve, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the alignment monitoring system to serve multiple functions: detecting tool orientation, determining workpiece alignment, providing visual feedback, and enabling various operating modes. The same sensor and processing components support different alignment scenarios and tool types, making the system versatile and reducing the need for separate specialized devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables the hand-held power tool to self-monitor its own alignment status through integrated sensors that detect the tool's orientation relative to the workpiece. The processing unit automatically evaluates the sensor data and determines whether the tool is properly aligned, eliminating the need for external alignment devices or expert intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the hand tool orientation is automatically monitored using sensor devices, then the reliability of machining results improves, but the loss of time for setup and calibration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachining reliabilityVSAvoidalignment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary calibration routines that establish the relationship between the sensor data and the actual tool orientation before machining begins. The system pre-configures alignment thresholds and evaluation criteria, so that during operation, the processing unit can quickly determine alignment status without time-consuming calculations or manual adjustments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces time-consuming manual alignment procedures with rapid sensor-based detection and electronic evaluation. The system uses sensors to instantly detect tool orientation and processing units to evaluate alignment data, providing immediate feedback without the time required for manual measurement devices or trial-and-error positioning

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

4Measurement precision

If multiple sensor devices are integrated into the hand tool and wall-mounted device, then the measurement precision and orientation detection accuracy improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorientation detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sensor types (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers) into integrated sensor modules within both the hand-held power tool and the wall-mounted device. The processing units of both devices work together to evaluate data from these combined sensors, achieving high orientation detection accuracy while reducing the overall number of separate components through merging

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces processing units as intermediaries that receive raw sensor data from multiple sensors, process and correlate this information, and generate meaningful alignment indicators. These processing units act as mediators between the complex sensor arrays and the simple visual feedback mechanisms, managing the complexity internally while presenting a user-friendly interface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 automatic alignment monitoring, ensuring optimal machining results by preventing operation unless the hand tool is correctly aligned, reducing errors and improving user confidence in achieving desired orientations, such as perpendicular alignment.

Implementation Method 1

the first sensor device comprises a first accelerometer. The accelerometer makes it easy to determine the orientation of the wall device itself, or its position in space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAccelerometer: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP3126099B1Hand-held tool system, method for operating
Publication Date: 2018.07.04 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3126099B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3126099B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a hand-held tool system (1), having a hand-held power tool (2), in particular a drill, having a wall device (3) which can be mounted on a wall to be processed by means of the hand-held power tool and has at least a first sensor device (8) that is designed to determine an orientation of the hand-held power tool (2) relative to the wall device (3).