Process control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11225982-B2
Application number	US-201716622680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	Jun 16, 2017
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

A process control device has an electropneumatic control unit which is used for activating a pneumatic actuating drive. The control unit has a fastening module by means of which it is fastened to a drive housing of the actuating drive. The control unit includes an interface plate which is separate from the fastening module, is mounted on a top side of the fastening module and is fluidically connected, through the fastening module, to the actuating drive. The control unit includes an electrically actuatable control valve device which is fixed to the fastening module by being mounted on the interface plate fixed to the fastening module. In this way, a process control device can be produced in an easily and variably configurable manner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process control device comprising an electropneumatic control unit which is designed to control a pneumatic actuating drive and which comprises a fastening module which has at a lower side a fastening interface which is designed for fastening to a drive housing of the actuating drive and which has an electrically actuatable control valve device which is fixed to the fastening module and which contains at least one control valve and which communicates with at least one drive channel extending through the fastening module for fluid connection to the actuating drive, wherein the control unit has an interface plate which is separate from the fastening module and which is mounted on the fastening module at the upper side thereof facing away from the fastening interface and through which an interface plate fluid channel system extends which communicates with the at least one drive channel of the fastening module, wherein the interface plate at the upper side thereof facing away from the fastening module has a mechanical-pneumatic assembly interface on which the control valve device is mounted with simultaneous communication with the interface plate fluid channel system,
wherein the fastening module has at the upper side thereof facing away from the fastening interface a receiving recess, in which the interface plate is inserted, wherein the interface plate is completely received in the receiving recess in such a manner that the upper side thereof extends in a flush manner with the surface portions of the upper side of the fastening module which surround the receiving recess.

2. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control valve device is constructed as a structural unit and has a support plate which carries each control valve of the control valve device and through which there extends a support plate fluid channel system which communicates with the at least one control valve, wherein the control valve device is mounted by means of the support plate on the assembly interface of the interface plate in such a manner that the support plate fluid channel system is in fluid connection with the interface plate fluid channel system.

3. The process control device according to claim 2 , wherein the support plate at the lower side thereof facing the interface plate has a mechanical-pneumatic attachment interface which is coupled with the assembly interface of the interface plate and at the upper side facing away therefrom carries the at least one control valve, wherein it has at this upper side an equipment face which is equipped with the at least one control valve.

4. The process control device according to claim 2 , wherein the support plate is constructed in one piece or is constructed in a modular manner being composed of a plurality of plate-like support plate modules which are stacked one on the other in the vertical direction thereof.

5. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control valve device has a plurality of control valves.

6. The process control device according to claim 5 , wherein the control valve device is constructed as a structural unit and has a support plate which carries each control valve of the control valve device and through which there extends a support plate fluid channel system which communicates with the at least one control valve, wherein the control valve device is mounted by means of the support plate on the assembly interface of the interface plate in such a manner that the support plate fluid channel system is in fluid connection with the interface plate fluid channel system, and wherein the plurality of control valves are fastened individually to the support plate or are together fastened to the support plate via a common base member.

7. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein all the fluid channels of the interface fluid channel system extend through the interface plate in a linear manner in the vertical direction thereof from the lower side to the upper side, wherein the opening pattern of the fluid channels of the interface fluid channel system at the lower side and at the upper side of the interface plate is identical.

8. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the interface plate is fixed to the fastening module by means of fastening screws which extend through the fastening module from below.

9. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein it has a plurality of control valve devices of different types which differ from each other at least in terms of one or both of their functionality and structure, wherein the assembly interface of the interface plate is constructed for the alternative mounting thereon of a control valve device of each present type of control valve device.

10. The process control device according to claim 9 , wherein the control valve device of a first control valve device type contains at least one piezo-valve as a control valve and wherein the control valve device of a second control valve device type contains at least one solenoid valve as a control valve.

11. The process control device according to claim 9 , wherein the control valve device of a first control valve device type has a 3/3 valve functionality and wherein the control valve device of a second control valve device type has a 5/3 valve functionality.

12. The process control device according to claim 9 , wherein the assembly interface of the interface plate for fastening each control valve device has a plurality of fastening holes which are provided with inner threads, wherein the fastening holes are used to fix fastening screws which are supported on the control valve device.

13. The process control device according to claim 9 , wherein a mask-like sealing element is arranged between the fastening module and the interface plate by which a fluid-tight connection towards the environment is produced between the interface plate fluid channel system and a fastening module fluid channel system which comprises the at least one drive channel.

14. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening module is designed in a plate-like manner.

15. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic actuating drive has a drive housing, in which a drive unit extends which can be moved by means of controlled application of compressed air and which protrudes at a front side of the drive housing, wherein the control unit is fitted at the rear side of the drive housing by means of the fastening interface.

16. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic actuating drive is a component of a process valve of the process control device and is designed to actuate a valve fitting of the process valve.

17. The process control device according to claim 1 , wherein the electropneumatic control unit contains a control electronics which for electrical control is connected to the control valve device.

18. The process control device according to claim 17 , wherein the electropneumatic control unit is designed as a position control unit, the control electronics of which has a position regulation functionality.

19. The process control device according to claim 17 , wherein the control electronics has at least one feedback signal input which is suitable for receiving feedback signals of the actuating drive, wherein the control unit is provided with feedback means which are used to generate feedback signals of the actuating drive and which are connected to the feedback signal input in terms of si

Assignees

• Festo Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Spreitzenbarth Rainer
• MüLLER AXEL
• Lechler Simon

Classifications

• F15B21/003

  Systems with different interchangeable components, e.g. using preassembled kits · CPC title

• F16K31/1223

  one side of the piston being acted upon by the circulating fluid · CPC title

• F16K31/004

  actuated by piezoelectric means · CPC title

• F15B15/202 Primary

  Externally-operated valves mounted in or on the actuator · CPC title

• F15B5/006 Primary

  with electrical means, e.g. electropneumatic transducer (F15B5/003 takes precedence) · CPC title