Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Plural load circuit systems – Plural sources of supply
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-24
2001-02-06
Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Plural load circuit systems
Plural sources of supply
C307S038000, C307S326000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06184591
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an auxiliary apparatus for controlling electrically operated functional devices, such as solenoid valves, designed to replace a main control unit such as, for example, an automatic controller, should it fail, and more particularly to an auxiliary apparatus for controlling valves of a gas delivery facility also known as a gas cabinet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fabrication of microelectronic circuits requires the use of various gases called “working” gases such as, for example Cl
2
, NH
3
, HCl, HBr, NF
3
, WF
6
, etc., which gases are for the most part regarded as being dangerous to humans because of their toxicity and/or their inflammability.
These gases are taken to stations where they are used, such as stations for the fabrication of microelectronic circuits, via a gas cabinet.
Because of the toxicity of the gases employed, the safe control of the operation of such a supply cabinet is an absolute priority. This is why such cabinets are generally equipped with an automatic controller for controlling and operating the various valves placed in the cabinet.
For economic reasons, it is necessary, should the automatic controller fail, to be able to continue to operate the valves.
For this purpose, an auxiliary apparatus for controlling solenoid valves, which is designed to replace the automatic controller and be plugged into the latter's connection terminals that are provided for this purpose, is known.
This apparatus comprises, for each solenoid valve, a manually operated switch interposed between a line for delivering an electric control potential, this line being intended to be connected to an associated supply terminal of the automatic controller, and an associated line for transmitting the electric control potential to a predetermined solenoid valve.
This apparatus has the drawback that the operator may inadvertently set one or more switches in a closed position when connecting the apparatus to the automatic controller so that the valves associated with these switches open adventitiously, which in turn may cause considerable damage to equipment or even to personnel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention aims to alleviate this drawback by proposing a more reliable auxiliary control apparatus.
For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an auxiliary apparatus for controlling at least one electrically operated functional device, which is designed to replace a main unit for controlling the said at least one functional device, for example should this main unit fail, and which can be plugged into terminals for connecting the latter that are provided for this purpose, the said apparatus comprising, for each functional device, a manually operated switch interposed between a line for delivering an electric control potential, this line being intended to be connected to an associated supply terminal, and an associated line for transmitting the electric control potential to the said at least one functional device, characterized in that it furthermore comprises, for each switch, an associated device for controlling safety means for taking the said electric control potential to the said at least one switch, the actuation of the said safety means being caused by the first open state of the said at least one switch.
The apparatus according to the invention may additionally include one or more of the following characteristics:
the associated device for controlling the said safety means comprises a moving actuation contact carried by the switch with which it is associated, placed in a line for actuating the said safety means and coupled to a moving contact of the said switch, allowing the control potential to be transmitted to the said at least one functional device;
the said safety means include a self-latching relay actuated when it receives a supply potential via the said actuation line in order to deliver, in its active position, the electric control potential to the said at least one switch;
the said actuation line is connected, upstream of the self-latching relay, to the line for delivering the control potential in order to deliver the said supply potential to the self-latching relay when the said at least one switch is in the first open state;
the said actuation line is connected to an electrical battery carried by the apparatus in order to deliver the said supply potential to the self-latching relay when the said at least one switch is in the first open state;
it comprises several switches for several functional devices and the actuation of the said safety means is caused by the first open state of all of the switches;
the said second moving contacts are placed in series in the said actuation line so that the safety means are actuated when each switch is in its first open state;
it includes means for indicating the state of actuation of the said safety means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3746938 (1973-07-01), Lamb
patent: 4704599 (1987-11-01), Kimmel et al.
patent: 4890001 (1989-12-01), Eickelmann
patent: 24 47 123 (1976-04-01), None
patent: 25 12 207 (1976-10-01), None
patent: 0 099 807 (1984-02-01), None
patent: 0 495 388 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 11-115615 (1999-04-01), None
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Fleming Fritz
L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'
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