Electronic Water Meter Magnetic Shielding Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electronic water meters using optical encoder technology face challenges such as difficult assembly, high failure rates, and poor interference immunity, while magnetic sensor technology, although offering high accuracy and stability, is limited by the precision of magnetic field measurements which can be affected by the placement of sensors and magnets, and external magnetic fields.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates numbered wheels with permanent magnets, magnetic angular displacement sensors, and shielding plates to isolate magnetic fields, ensuring that each sensor only detects the magnetic field from its own unit, thereby enhancing angular precision and reducing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnetic sensor technology is used for counting mechanism, then measurement accuracy and stability are improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to magnetic field interference from multiple permanent magnets and external magnetic fields
Solution Approach 1:
The water meter is divided into multiple independent counting units, each with its own permanent magnet and magnetic angular displacement sensor. Shielding plates are placed between adjacent units to segment the magnetic fields, preventing interference between units while maintaining high measurement accuracy in each segment
Solution Approach 2:
Magnetic shielding plates made of high-permeability magnetic shielding material are introduced as intermediary elements between adjacent permanent magnets. These shielding plates redirect magnetic field lines, acting as a mediator that prevents magnetic field interference from propagating between adjacent counting units
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple permanent magnets are installed in adjacent counting units, then the functionality of the water meter is improved, but magnetic field interference increases affecting measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The water meter is divided into multiple independent counting units, each with its own permanent magnet and magnetic angular displacement sensor. Shielding plates are placed between adjacent units to segment the magnetic fields, preventing interference between units while maintaining high measurement accuracy in each segment
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic shielding plates, which might seem like additional complex components, actually simplify the overall design by eliminating the need for complex magnetic field compensation algorithms. They convert the potential harm of magnetic interference into a straightforward shielding solution
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 configuration improves measurement accuracy by minimizing external and mutual magnetic interference, making the electronic water meter less sensitive to impurities, vibrations, and other external factors, while being easy to install and maintain, and providing precise measurement of small flow sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic angular displacement sensor, for sensing the magnetic field at the location of the sensor, which changes according to the angular position of the magnetic field vector produced by the permanent magnet of the counting unit
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of shield plates, wherein the shield plates are located on each side of each of the counting units for providing magnetic isolation
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention discloses an electronic water meter with precision metering capability. The electronic water meter comprises a mechanical frame (500), multiple counter units, and multiple shielding plates (601-604). The counter units comprise numerical character wheels (301-303), magnets (201-203), magnetic angular displacement sensors (101-103), and digital circuits (401-403). The magnetic angular displacement sensors (101-103) are electrically connected to the digital circuits (401-403), and they sense components of magnetic fields at respective positions thereof as a function of the angular position of magnetic field vectors of the counter units, and transmit a corresponding electric signal to the digital circuits (401-403). The digital circuits (401-403) perform a calculation based on the electrical signals output from the magnetic angular displacement sensors (101-103) and output a digital signal corresponding to the angular positions of the numerical character wheels (301-303). The shielding plates (601-604) are arranged on two sides of the counter units and are used for magnetic isolation of the multiple counter units and between the multiple counter units and the external field. The electronic water meter has the advantages of compact size, easy installation, high metering precision, and strong immunity to external interference.