Worm Gear Bead Stringing for Linear Thermal Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated manufacturing methods for linear thermal sensors, which involve sleeving ceramic beads onto a center wire, are prone to jamming due to design weaknesses and complexity, limiting the effective distribution of chemical materials.
Innovation Solution
A worm gear mechanism with flexible diaphragms is used to position and advance ceramic beads onto the wire, allowing for efficient alignment and passage through the diaphragms, reducing manual operation and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a feeder, trough and pulley mechanism with solenoid contacts is used to automate bead sleeving, then automation extent is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability deteriorates due to jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex feeder, trough, pulley, and solenoid contact system from the bead sleeving process. Instead, beads are manually placed into a simple rotating tube that directly sleeves beads onto the wire during a single rotational operation, eliminating the disturbing complex mechanism while preserving automation of the core sleeving function.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using a complex mechanism to feed and position beads sequentially through multiple components, the patent inverts the approach by having the tube itself rotate to bring the bead directly into contact with the wire in one continuous motion, simplifying the system while maintaining automated operation.
2Productivity
If a feeder, trough and pulley mechanism with solenoid contacts is used to automate bead sleeving, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to jamming from design weaknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the unreliable feeder, trough, pulley, and solenoid contact system that was prone to jamming. The simplified system uses a single rotating tube that directly sleeves beads onto the wire, removing the sources of reliability problems while maintaining high production throughput.
3Device complexity
If manual feeding of ceramic sleeves is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to limited distribution of chemical materials
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manually feeding beads one at a time through a complex automated system, the patent inverts the approach by using a rotating tube that presents multiple beads in sequence to the wire during a single continuous rotation, achieving both simplicity and high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating tube enables continuous bead sleeving operation without interruption, as beads are positioned and sleeved in continuous sequence during the rotation, eliminating the stop-and-go nature of manual feeding while keeping the mechanism simple.
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 simplifies and cost-effectively installs ceramic beads onto the wire, reducing jamming issues and enhancing the manufacturing process for linear thermal sensors.
Implementation Method 1
A worm gear has a plurality of threads, the worm gear receptive of a bead between adjacent threads of the plurality of threads. With rotation of the worm gear about a worm gear axis, the bead advances onto the wire
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of flexible diaphragms are positioned along the worm gear. Each diaphragm of the plurality of diaphragms is configured to position a wire in alignment with a central bead opening of the bead
Data Source
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AI summary
A sleeving apparatus includes a worm gear. The worm gear has a plurality of threads, the worm gear receptive of a bead between adjacent threads of the plurality of threads. A plurality of flexible diaphragms are positioned along the worm gear. Each diaphragm of the plurality of diaphragms is configured to position a wire in alignment with a central bead opening of the bead. With rotation of the worm gear about a worm gear axis, the bead advances onto the wire with the wire passing into the central bead opening. The plurality of diaphragms are configured to allow passage of the bead through each diaphragm of the plurality of diaphragms.