Wireless Valve Shaft Position Sensing Without External Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for detecting the angular position of a valve's drive shaft in industrial settings face challenges such as complex wiring, exposure to harsh conditions, and lack of tampering detection, with current solutions being bulky and difficult to integrate into compact actuator designs.
Innovation Solution
A self-powered, wireless detection module with integrated magnets and magnetic sensors on the drive shaft or motor shaft, transmitting signals via radio communication, allowing for compact installation and tampering detection without external wiring, and enabling remote monitoring and data storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnetic transducers with wiring are used for angular position detection, then detection functionality is achieved, but installation complexity increases due to wiring requirements and periodic checks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wiring and power supply functions from the detection system by using a wireless, battery-powered magnetic sensor. The sensor communicates detection data wirelessly to the external system, eliminating the need for complex wiring, tracks, and guides for electric wires while maintaining reliable angular position detection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical wiring system with a wireless communication system. The magnetic sensor uses wireless transmission to send detection data to the external system, substituting the traditional wired electrical connection system and thereby reducing installation complexity and maintenance requirements.
2Reliability
If transducers are mounted outside the actuator body, then detection is possible, but actuator dimensions increase and installation options are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places the magnetic sensor inside the actuator body, nesting the detection function within the existing actuator structure. This integration allows the sensor to be housed within the actuator's internal space, eliminating the need for external mounting and preventing an increase in overall actuator dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the magnetic sensor into the actuator body, making the actuator structure serve dual purposes: both actuation and detection housing. This multi-functional design allows the same structural components to support both the driving mechanism and the detection sensor, maintaining compact dimensions while enabling detection capability.
3Measurement precision
If wired magnetic transducers are used in harsh environments, then position detection is achieved, but maintenance difficulty increases due to wire exposure to chemical contamination and weather
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wiring system entirely from the detection setup by using a wireless, battery-powered sensor. The sensor is sealed within the actuator body and communicates wirelessly, eliminating exposure to chemical contamination and harsh weather conditions that would otherwise require periodic wire checks and maintenance in industrial environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless, battery-powered sensor operates autonomously without requiring external wiring or periodic maintenance of electrical connections. The sealed design protects the sensor from harsh environmental conditions, and the wireless communication eliminates the need for human intervention to check or maintain wire integrity in contaminated or extreme environments.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple valves are installed in industrial sites, then system capability increases, but wiring complexity for all transducers becomes unmanageable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the wired electrical connection system with wireless communication for each valve's magnetic sensor. This substitution eliminates the need for complex wiring networks and tracks when multiple valves are installed, as each sensor independently communicates detection data wirelessly to the external system without requiring physical wire connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the wiring infrastructure entirely from the multi-valve system by using wireless, battery-powered sensors on each valve. This removal of the wiring system eliminates the complexity of arranging tracks and guides for numerous electric wires across multiple valves, while maintaining full detection capability for each individual valve in the system.
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
The solution provides reliable, compact, and easily integratable angular position detection for valves, reducing installation complexity and maintaining operational integrity in harsh environments while detecting tampering attempts.
Implementation Method 1
magnetic sensors arranged in the proximity of the outer surface of the drive shaft, which are configured to detect the position of the magnets. The magnetic sensors generate an electrical signal proportional to the distance with respect to the magnets on the drive shaft
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A module (1) for detecting the angular position of the drive shaft (101) of a valve is described. The module comprises a printed circuit (2, 3), which can be positioned in the proximity of a drive shaft of a valve body, or of an extension element thereof or a motor shaft of a valve actuator. The module also comprises one or more magnets (15), which can be fastened to the shaft that imparts the rotations to the valve body, and one or more magnetic sensors (10, 11) supported on the printed circuit, as well as a communication interface (12). The magnetic sensors generate an electrical signal indicating the position of the magnets. The communication interface remotely transmits a corresponding signal/reading. The acquisition of the readings can be carried out at pre-set time intervals, which can be managed according to the requirements of the production process. The detection module is free of wired connections with the outside and is self-powered by at least one battery (4). A valve (100) and an adapter element are also described, which are also provided with the module, and a method for detecting the open state of the valve remotely by means of the module.