Measuring and testing – Blower – pump – and hydraulic equipment
Patent
1997-09-29
1999-12-28
Williams, Hezron
Measuring and testing
Blower, pump, and hydraulic equipment
73714, G01L 1908, F15B 1900
Patent
active
060066032
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a compressed air maintenance device consisting of individual easily interchangeable modules, such as pressure regulators, oil atomizers, and condensate separators, whereby the individual modules may include transmitters for current operating status and/or predetermined limit values.
This type of compressed air maintenance device has been described in DE 40 32 515 A1. Because of the varying placement of transmitter, it is difficult to monitor the operating status of individual modules. Consequently, operational breakdowns or required maintenance work are not easily detected, leading to the risk of necessary maintenance work not being completed. Because of the varying shapes of the individual modules, the overall appearance of this type of maintenance device is not particularly pleasant. Some countries require that openly arranged viewing windows be covered so as to prevent an environmental hazard in the event of damage to the device. In such cases, additional covers or casing components are required.
To eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages, the object of the invention is to modify the type of compressed air maintenance device described earlier in such a way as to ensure that necessary maintenance work or operational breakdowns can be easily recognized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address this object, the invention includes, in addition to the other modules, an indicating and monitoring module. According to the invention, this module includes optical and/or acoustic indicators to indicate the operating or fault status of individual modules. These indicators are easily coupled to the relevant transmitters in the modules. It is particularly important to include an indicator for operating pressure and indicators for fill level limit values of the relevant modules.
The concentration of all operationally relevant indicators in a single module provides for a significantly better overview and more straightforward monitoring. The use of a single tap connected to the indicating and monitoring module reduces the cost and complexity of electronic connections to control devices, other indicators, etc.
A visually consistent appearance with particularly straightforward placement of the indicators can be achieved by using hollow individual modules with undercut longitudinal grooves, which allows for easy interchangeability of adjacent modules. This type of arrangement allows for optimal matching of adjacent modules, thus providing an optimal industrial design.
U-shaped clamps which fit into an adjacent module's grooves are intended to provide easy interchangeability between adjacent modules. Because of this feature, individual modules can be replaced easily and without the need for a special tool.
Advantageously, each hollow section has at least four longitudinal grooves, so that two adjacent modules can be connected in a way that eliminates the need for any additional measures to seal connections between segments.
To allow for its use in various applications, the indicating and monitoring module may include an interchangeable modular component containing at least one circuit board for the indicators' electronics, while the circuit board itself may include plug-in terminals for lines connected to the modules' transmitters. Depending on the requirements of a given application, appropriate modular components may be selected and installed in the indicating and monitoring module. Because parts are readily interchangeable, maintenance and particularly repairs can be accomplished quickly and at a very low cost, even during operation of the device.
Advantageously, the modular component is designed to fit into the hollow section along its axis. In addition, there may be an opening in the bottom of the modular component to allow for the insertion of transfer lines from the modules' transmitters, which can be connected to the plug-in terminals.
Relatively little incremental design effort is required to include a view plate, which can be located in front of the hollow sec
REFERENCES:
patent: 4727353 (1988-02-01), Ruhter
patent: 5197330 (1993-03-01), Onodera
Kuther Ludwig
Molnar Gyorgy
Schultz Christoph
Tetek Ulrike
J. Lorch Ges. & Co. KG Gesellschaft fur Maschinen und Einrichtun
Williams Hezron
Worth Willie Morris
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