Came up with an idea yesterday at 2 am. Not sure if it has been thought of before.
We’re working on a new platform for our deltas and there’s just no room at all for the proximity sensor due to the nuts that hold it in place being too big by just a few millimeters. I also hate tightening those nuts to hold the sensor because it’s difficult to get the sensor just the right distance off the bed. Hold one nut, and tighten the other, and the sensor rotates up or down, etc…
So, I designed this simple solution. It just needs an additional feature to mount to the platform underneath or on top. Instead of using nuts on both sides, you can just use a set screw. Yes, a set screw can damage the threading of the proximity sensor if overtightened. If you buy directly from a manufacturer like us, you can have them customize the sensor so that there’s no threading on it, which would also make it slightly cheaper due to the fact that there’s less machining to do.
Any thoughts?
If this hasn’t been thought of before, I would be surprised.
The more common mechanism is to use a worm gear where you have a set screw. Its really really hard to drive a worm gear in ‘reverse’ so what you end up with is a spline on the moving part, and the ‘stop’ and then an adjustment which turns the worm gear and moves the spline up or down a small amount.
I also thought it would be cool if you could use a hex key from the top to fine tune the height of the sensor. Probably need a spring for that. Haven’t been able to think it through just yet.
You can buy 5 or 6mm diameter sensors without the threads. Which are smaller and lighter, the only problem is that they are only 2mm detection distance.
@Miguel_Sanchez Yeah I considered that, but then realized this solves not just the nuts problem of being too big but also of fine tuning the sensor distance. I think this method for a 12mm diameter sensor works well.
Setting the screw doesn’t have to damage the threads, I think there’s plenty of margin in there between tight enough to secure and tight enough to damage. I’d prefer a set screw on a thread for easier fine tune adjustments than adjusting a smooth barrel and not being sure you’ve adjusted it just so vs. slipped and too far or too short.
