Optical switch with reflection disk in explosion-proof gas detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067559-B2
Application number	US-201716079819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2017
Priority date	Feb 26, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An explosion-proof electronic system. The system comprises a substantially explosion-proof enclosure, a disk that is free to rotate about an axis, where the disk is located within the enclosure, an optical sensor that is configured to sense rotation of the disk, where the optical sensor is located within the enclosure, and a processor that is coupled to the optical sensor and analyzes a rotation input from the optical sensor to control in part the operation of the electronic system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An explosion-proof electronic system, comprising:
a substantially explosion-proof enclosure;
a disk that is free to rotate about an axis, wherein the disk is located within the substantially explosion-proof enclosure, wherein the disk comprises a magnetically responsive component configured to be rotated remotely by interaction with an external magnet;
an optical sensor that is configured to sense rotation of the disk, where the optical sensor is located within the substantially explosion-proof enclosure; and
a processor that is coupled to the optical sensor and analyzes a rotation input from the optical sensor to control in part an operation of the explosion-proof electronic system.

2. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is one of a (MCU), a microprocessor (MPU), a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

3. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetically responsive component comprises a steel or iron slug coupled to the disk, where the steel or iron slug is susceptible of being attracted to the external magnet.

4. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetically responsive component comprises a magnet coupled to the disk, the magnet is susceptible of being attracted to the external magnet.

5. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetically responsive component comprises a magnet coupled to the disk, where the magnet is susceptible of being repelled by the external magnet.

6. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , further comprising a display coupled to the processor, where the display provides an indication of the control provided by the processor based on analysis of the rotation input from the optical sensor.

7. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , further comprising substantially explosion-proof glass, where a plane of the disk is substantially parallel to a plane of the substantially explosion-proof glass.

8. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , further comprising a gas sensor coupled to the processor, the processor analyzes a gas presence input from the gas sensor.

9. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 8 , wherein the gas sensor detects a concentration of a combustible gas.

10. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 8 , wherein the gas sensor detects a concentration of hydrocarbons in a gas state.

11. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , the processor is configured to output an alarm when it determines presence of gas above a threshold concentration.

12. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 11 , wherein the rotation input from the optical sensor controls a concentration threshold parameter of the processor, and the processor is configured to output the alarm when it determines presence of gas above the concentration threshold parameter.

13. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 11 , wherein the alarm is an aural alarm, a visual alarm, or both.

14. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 1 , comprises a light emitting component and a light sensing component.

15. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 14 , wherein the light emitting component emits infrared light.

16. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 14 , wherein the light emitting component is positioned to radiate light onto a planar surface of the disk and the light sensing component is positioned to detect light reflected by the planar surface of the disk emitted by the light emitting component.

17. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 16 , wherein the planar surface of the disk has a contrasting texture.

18. The explosion-proof electronic system of claim 16 , wherein the planar surface of the disk has graphical patterns that enhance a function of detecting rotation of the disk.

19. A system comprising:
a substantially explosion-proof enclosure;
a disk disposed within the substantially explosion-proof enclosure, wherein the disk is free to rotate about an axis, the disk comprising a magnetically responsive component configured to be rotated remotely by interaction with one or more magnets outside the substantially explosion-proof enclosure; and
an optical sensor disposed within the substantially explosion-proof enclosure, the optical sensor being configured to sense rotation of the disk and communicate information indicative of the rotation of the disk to one or more processors that are configured to analyze a rotation data corresponding to the rotation and control in part an operation of the system based on the analysis.

20. A method comprising:
providing an electronic system comprising a substantially explosion-proof container having a disk and an optical sensor disposed therein, the disk being free to rotate about an axis, the optical sensor configured to sense rotation of the disk and communicate information indicative of the rotation of the disk to one or more processors;
disposing a magnet located outside the substantially explosion-proof container and within a predetermined distance of the disk, wherein the disk is configured to rotate about the axis in response to one or more magnetic fields generated by the magnet;
sensing, using the optical sensor, rotation of the disk in response to the one or more magnetic fields generated by the magnet;
communicating information indicative of the rotation of the disk to the one or more processors; and
controlling one or more operations of the electronic system based at least upon analysis, conducted by the one or more processors, of the information indicative of the rotation of the disk.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Hur Sanghoon
• Min Byungdoo
• Lee Jeffrey

Classifications

• G01N33/227

  Explosives, e.g. combustive properties thereof · CPC title

• G08B7/06

  using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• G01N33/0073

  Control unit therefor · CPC title

• G08B17/117 Primary

  by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire (G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence) · CPC title