Sensor arrangement, sensor and cable for use in process automation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829354-B2
Application number	US-201514933252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A sensor arrangement and cable for use in process automation, including a sensor having at least one sensor element for recording a value in process automation, a first interface for transmitting a measured value depending on the measured value to a second interface, the first interface including a first mechanical, and a cable for transmitting the value to a superordinate unit, the cable including said second interface, which is complementary to the first interface, and a second mechanical coupling complementary to the first mechanical coupling, wherein the second interface and mechanical coupling are arranged in a cable housing, wherein the sensor is detachably connectible to the cable by the first mechanical coupling and the second mechanical coupling, characterized in that the second mechanical coupling is arranged at an angle less than 180° to the longitudinal axis of the cable housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor arrangement for use in process automation, comprising:
a sensor comprising:
at least one sensor element for recording a measured value in process automation, a first interface structured to transmit a value that depends on the measured value to a second interface, and a first mechanical coupling that includes the first interface; and
a cable for transmitting the value depending on the measured value to a superordinate unit, the cable including said second interface, which is complementary to said first interface and a second mechanical coupling complementary to said first mechanical coupling, wherein:

said second interface and said second mechanical coupling are arranged in a cable housing having a first section and a second section, the first section including said second interface and said second mechanical coupling;
the sensor is detachably connected to the cable by said first mechanical coupling and said second mechanical coupling
and further to said superordinate unit via said cable;
said first and said second interfaces are configured for bidirectional communication between the sensor and said superordinate unit
and further to enable energy supply to the sensor and communication to the superordinate unit;
said second mechanical coupling is arranged at an angle of less than 180° to a longitudinal axis of the first section of said cable housing; and
said cable includes a rotatable joint between the first section and the second section of said cable housing, the second section including a cable attachment configured to reversibly connect the cable housing to the superordinate unit.

2. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first mechanical coupling is arranged at an angle less than 180° to a longitudinal axis of the sensor.

3. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said angle between a longitudinal axis of the sensor and said first mechanical coupling and/or between said longitudinal axis of the first section of said cable housing and said second mechanical coupling is 90°.

4. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said angle between a longitudinal axis of the sensor and said first mechanical coupling and/or between said longitudinal axis of the first section of said cable housing and said second mechanical coupling is 45°.

5. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said joint is a joint with one degree of freedom rotatable by a rotation angle between −180° and +180°.

6. The sensor arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein:
for adjusting the rotation angle, said joint is designed to be turned in steps, and said joint includes a locking device having detents, said locking device structured to reversibly fix said first section at the rotation angle relative to said second section.

7. The sensor arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein:
said joint is designed for continuous adjustment of the rotation angle of said joint.

8. The sensor arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein:
said joint includes a brake device, said brake device designed for fixing the rotation angle; and
said brake device creates a force fit between said first section and said second section.

9. The sensor arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the joint is a swivel joint.

10. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said joint has three degrees of freedom.

11. The sensor arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the joint is a ball joint.

12. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first and second interfaces are inductive interfaces.

13. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first mechanical coupling and said second mechanical coupling are embodied as a plug-in connection having a tongue and groove structure.

14. The sensor arrangement according to claim 13 , wherein:
one of said first and second mechanical couplings includes a notch, and the other coupling includes a projection complementary to said notch; and
said projection is embodied to snap into said notch for joining said two couplings.

15. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said first mechanical coupling and said second mechanical coupling are arranged as a magnetic connection.

16. The sensor arrangement, according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is a pH sensor, an ISFET, an ion-selective sensor, a sensor embodied to measure a redox potential, a sensor embodied to measure absorption of electro-magnetic waves in a medium in the UV, IR and/or visible range, a sensor embodied to measure oxygen, a sensor embodied to measure conductivity, a sensor embodied to measure turbidity, a sensor embodied to measure concentration of non-metallic materials, or a sensor embodied to measure temperature.

17. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical coupling and the second mechanical coupling embody a snap connection.

18. A cable for use in process automation for transmitting a value that depends on the measured value of a sensor to a superordinate unit, comprising:
an interface; and
a mechanical coupling, wherein:
said interface and said mechanical coupling are arranged in a cable housing, the cable housing including a rotatable joint;
the cable is reversibly connectable to the sensor by said mechanical coupling and a sensor mechanical coupling of the sensor to enable connecting the sensor to said superordinate unit via the cable;
said interface is configured for bidirectional communication between the sensor and said superordinate unit
and further to enable energy supply to the sensor and communication to the superordinate unit; and
said mechanical coupling is arranged in an angle less than 180° to a longitudinal axis of said cable housing; and
said joint is disposed between a first section and a second section of the cable housing, the first section including the interface and the mechanical coupling, the second section including a cable attachment, said cable attachment configured to reversibly connect the cable housing to the superordinate unit.

19. The cable according to claim 18 , wherein the mechanical coupling is a snap connection.

Assignees

• Endress + Hauser Conducta Ges Für Mess- Und Regeltechnik Mbh + Co Kg
• Endress & Hauser Conducta Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Scheibe Sven-Matthias

Classifications

• H01R13/6205

  Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet · CPC title

• H01R2101/00

  One pole · CPC title

• H01R2201/20

  for testing or measuring purposes · CPC title

• G01D11/30 Primary

  Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments · CPC title

• H01R13/6277 Primary

  comprising annular latching means, e.g. ring snapping in an annular groove · CPC title