Electropneumatic control device and electropneumatic subassembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506482-B2
Application number	US-201314063303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2013
Priority date	Oct 31, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

In a electropneumatic field device, an electrical field input and a pneumatic supply input are provided. At least one field output is provided at which a field output signal is output based on a field control signal received via the electrical field input. A group comprising at least two modular components of different functionality is provided and at least one modular slot for occupation with either of said modular components from said group. The at least two modular components of the group and the at least one slot are modularly adapted to one another such that interfaces of the slot and interfaces of either of said modular components in the seat merge into one another when the slot is occupied with either of said modular components so that the modular component which is in the slot is connected to the electrical field input and to the at least one field output.

First claim

I claim as my invention:

1. An electropneumatic field device, comprising:
an electrical field input;
a pneumatic supply input;
at least one field output at which a field output signal is output based on a field control signal received via the electrical field input;
a group comprising at least two modular components of different functionality and at least one modular slot configured to be occupied with either of said modular components from said group, said at least two modular components of the group and the at least one slot being modularly adapted to one another such that interfaces of the slot and interfaces of either of said modular components in the slot merge into one another when the slot is occupied with either of said modular components so that the modular component which is in the slot is connected to said electrical field input and to said at least one field output; and
an identification apparatus that is configured to detect if a type of modular component inserted in said at least one modular slot is a pneumatic component or an electrical output component, and if the modular component inserted in said at least one modular slot is the electrical output component, an interface of the at least one modular slot connected to the pneumatic supply input is blocked in an air tight manner.

2. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one modular slot has a docking mechanism which comprises a positive-fit connection or traction-fit connection configured to releasably attach to the component of the group which is in the modular slot, and wherein the interfaces of the component in the slot and interfaces of the slot are pressed against one another.

3. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 wherein:
said at least one modular slot includes a plurality of modular slots,
one of the plurality of modular slots is occupied by the electrical output component and another of the plurality of modular slots is occupied by the pneumatic component,
the pneumatic component is connected to the pneumatic supply input, and
when a slot of the plurality of said modular slots is not occupied, a pneumatic interface thereof is closed in an essentially airtight manner and is activated when the slot is occupied by the pneumatic component so that a pneumatic connection is provided to the pneumatic supply input.

4. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 , wherein the identification apparatus comprises a microprocessor, and wherein the electropneumatic field device further comprises:
a plurality of said modular slots, each having an electrical interface connected via the microprocessor to the electrical field input,
wherein at least one of the plurality of said modular slots has a pneumatic interface coupled to the pneumatic supply input, and the at least one field output is connected to a pneumatic component and outputs to a pneumatic actuator of a control valve.

5. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing including a first fluid tight housing part and a second housing part accessible by a removable lid, wherein:
the identification apparatus is located within the first fluid tight housing part, the identification apparatus including a control electronics in the form of a microprocessor; and
the at least one modular slot is located within the second housing part.

6. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one modular slot has at least one of an electrical connection diagram and a pneumatic connection diagram.

7. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two of said modular slots each having a respective modular component including an electropneumatic transducer received therein, wherein one of the electropneumatic transducers is connected by a respective field output to a pneumatic actuator of a control valve and the other electropneumatic transducer is connected by a respective field output to the pneumatic actuator through a pneumatic active element.

8. The electropneumatic field device according to claim h comprising:
at least two of said modular slots; and
a pneumatic actuator with a control valve, a solenoid valve being connected to the pneumatic actuator,
wherein one of the at least two slots being occupied with an electropneumatic transducer and the other of the at least two slots being occupied with an electrical output stage, and
wherein a field output of the slot occupied with said electrical output stage connecting to an electrical input of said solenoid valve, and a field output of the slot having said electropneumatic transducer connecting to the pneumatic input of said solenoid valve.

9. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 wherein the identification apparatus comprises a microprocessor connected to said electrical field input, and wherein the electropneumatic field device comprises:
at least three of said slots, one of the at least three slots being occupied with an electronic data memory, another of said at least three slots being occupied with an electrical output stage, and another of said at least three slots being occupied with a pneumatic component.

10. The electropneumatic field device according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing which is divided into a first housing part in which at least one electronic output stage component is arranged and a second housing part in which only a pneumatic component is arranged.

11. The electropneumatic field device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least four of said slots, and
a double-action pneumatic actuator connected to a control valve,
wherein the identification apparatus comprises a microprocessor connected to said electrical field input and being configured to receive position information from said control valve, and
wherein first and second solenoid valves are connected to said double-action pneumatic actuator, a first of the at least four slots having an electrical output stage connected to an electrical input of the first solenoid valve, a second of the at least four slots having an electropneumatic transducer connected to a pneumatic input of the first solenoid valve, a third of the at least four slots having an electrical output stage connected to an electrical input of the second solenoid valve, and a fourth of the at least four slots having an electropneumatic transducer connecting to a pneumatic input of said second solenoid valve.

12. An electropneumatic field device, comprising:
a microprocessor connected to an electrical field input;
a pneumatic supply input;
at least two field outputs connected configured to control a pneumatic actuator of a control valve; and
a group comprising at least two modular components, at least one of which is an electropneumatic component, and at least two modular slots configured to be occupied with a respective one of said modular components from said group, said at least two modular components of the group and the at least two slots being modularly adapted to one another such that interfaces of the slots and interfaces of the respective modular component in the slot merge into one another when the slot is occupied with the respective modular component so that when the respective modular component is in the respective slot, the respective slot is connected to said microprocessor, to said pneumatic supply input, and to the respective field output, and wherein, if the slot receives a modular component which is an electronic output stage and is not an electropneumatic component, then the pneumatic supply input to said slot is blocked.

Assignees

• Valentin-Rumpel Frank
• Samson Ag

Inventors

• Valentin-Rumpel Frank

Classifications

• F15B21/08 Primary

  Servomotor systems incorporating electrically operated control means (F15B21/02, {F15B21/065} take precedence) · CPC title

• F15B13/043

  with electrically-controlled pilot valves · CPC title

• F15B2211/6656

  Closed loop control, i.e. control using feedback · CPC title

• F15B2211/8855

  Compressible fluids, e.g. specific to pneumatics · CPC title

• F15B2013/006

  Modular components with multiple uses, e.g. kits for either normally-open or normally-closed valves, interchangeable or reprogrammable manifolds · CPC title