Pressure-actuated switch for compressors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12431307-B2
Application number	US-202318222041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2023
Priority date	Jul 15, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A pressure-actuated switch having a pressure port, a diaphragm, a range spring, an actuator plate, a differential plate, and an electrical switch. A certain pressure level moves the diaphragm against the range spring at the pressure port and thus deflects the actuator plate. The actuator plate is coupled to the electrical switch via a snap spring, wherein the electrical switch can be switched on or off via the deflection of the actuator plate and the snap spring. The differential plate controlled by a differential spring is connected to the actuator plate and supports the actuator plate in a first portion of movement, wherein the differential plate is decoupled from the actuator plate in a second portion of movement of the actuator plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure-actuated switch comprising:
a pressure port;
a diaphragm;
a range spring;
an actuator plate;
a differential plate; and
an electrical switch,
wherein a certain pressure level at the pressure port moves the diaphragm against the range spring and thus deflects the actuator plate,
wherein the actuator plate is coupled to the electrical switch via a snap spring,
wherein the electrical switch is adapted to be switched on or off via the deflection of the actuator plate and/or a snap arm and the snap spring,
wherein the differential plate controlled by a differential spring is connected to the actuator plate or the snap arm and supports the actuator plate in a first portion of movement, and
wherein the differential plate is decoupled from the actuator plate in a second portion of movement of the actuator plate.

2. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator plate has an outer axis, wherein the range spring and the pressure at the pressure port act via the diaphragm and/or a piston at a first position of the actuator plate, wherein the differential plate engages on the actuator plate at a second position, and wherein the first position is closer to the outer axis than the second position.

3. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the differential plate engages with the actuator plate via a differential rivet pin, which is decoupled from the actuator plate in one position of the pressure-actuated switch.

4. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the differential plate has a free area, wherein a differential stop engages in the free area, and wherein movement of the differential plate is limited by the differential stop or a differential stop screw or an adjusting screw that rests in an adjustable stop position on a protrusion of the differential plate.

5. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the differential plate is movable by the differential spring, and wherein an elongation of the differential spring is settable by a differential spindle.

6. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein an actuation pressure is adjustable via compression exerted by a range spindle on the range spring.

7. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator plate is surrounded by the snap arm of the electrical switch.

8. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 7 , wherein the snap arm of the pressure-actuated switch has a bracket and the differential plate or another differential plate is in engagement or is brought into engagement with the bracket.

9. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the snap arm is U-shaped.

10. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator plate is U-shaped.

11. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein a relief valve is held by a bracket as part of the snap arm during the switching of the electrical switch.

12. The pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator plate of the pressure-actuated switch has a bracket and the differential plate or another differential plate is in engagement or is brought into engagement with the bracket.

13. An intelligent field device with at least one switching function, the device comprising:
a pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 ;
a power supply; and
a communication unit which is designed to exchange data with one or more external servers independently of each other,
wherein in a data transmission from the intelligent field device to the at least one server, at least one verification code is attached or a verification code is processed, or a previously defined security code is regularly queried or verified between the transmitting/receiving points.

14. A method for the safe operation of an intelligent field device having at least one switching function, the method comprising:
providing a pressure-actuated switch according to claim 1 ;
providing a power supply;
providing a communication unit which is designed to communicate with one or more external servers to exchange data independently of each other;
sending, during a sending process, measured values in the form of defined data packets to at least one server;
attaching at least one verification code to each data packet during the sending process or encrypting or processing the data packet with a verification code, wherein the verification code is generated by a number generator or by a crypto unit with a second hardware-based key in the electronic unit; and
verifying the at least one verification code by the at least one server, and then passed on to a higher-level control room with a positive inspection characteristic.

15. The method for the reliable operation of an intelligent field device having at least one switching function according to claim 14 , wherein the intelligent field device communicates with at least two independent servers, and wherein a verification code is attached to each data packet in each sending operation or the data packet is encrypted with a verification code, wherein during communication with the one first server, the verification code remains unchanged for each sending operation, wherein, during communication with the one second server, the verification code is regenerated by the crypto generator for each sending process, wherein both verification codes are confirmed independently of each other by the at least two servers, wherein the verification codes confirmed by the servers are compared in the electronic unit, and wherein, when a faulty and/or missing confirmation of at least one server occurs, the intelligent field device switches to safe operation and/or prevents communication with the faulty server.

Assignees

• Wika Alexander Wiegand Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Kumar Ashish
• Gupta Umang

Classifications

• H01H35/006

  Switches operated by mechanical overload condition, e.g. transmitted force or torque becoming too high · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04L63/12

  Applying verification of the received information (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H01H2300/03

  Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring · CPC title

• H01H9/167

  Circuits for remote indication · CPC title