Control device, more especially for actuating valves

Details Control device, more especially for actuating valves Control device, more especially for actuating valves

1997-05-28

1999-07-27

Gaffin, Jeffrey

Electrical transmission or interconnection systems

Plural load circuit systems

Selectively connected or controlled load circuits

307 42, 307139, 307147, H02J 100

Patent

active

059295368

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a control device for employment in the transfer of control signals between a field bus and at least one load and/or a sensor, more particularly for driving valves, comprising a control module, which possesses a bus communication unit and connection means serving for the connection thereof with the field bus and may be so connected with at least one load and/or a sensor that its bus communication unit is electrically coupled with the load and/or the sensor by way of a contact means provided on the control module.
A control device of this type is disclosed in the German patent publication 3,915,456 A1. It is employed for individually driving electromagnetic valve in a group of valves. The individual valves are connected by way of valve plugs with the serial field bus, a bus communication unit being integrated in each valve plug so that each valve is provided with such a bus communication unit of its own. The bus communication units read the signal transmitted by the field bus and, in the case of a relevant addressing thereof, switch the associated valve.
While the known control device is able to be utilized in a relatively adaptable fashion, the large number of bus communication units does in fact lead to a relatively expensive design. Furthermore, the laying of the field bus conductors is relatively elaborate, since each load must have the conductors laid separately to it.
A similar arrangement, in which the bus communication units are however integrated in the valve drives is disclosed in the German patent publication 4,230,414 A1.
One object of the present invention is to create a control device of the sort noted initially, which renders possible not only simple installation but furthermore a low-cost manner of construction.
In order to attain this aim there is a provision such that in addition to the contact means on the control module and connected with the bus communication unit at least one signal input and/or signal output is provided for the coupling up of at least one further load and/or sensor.
It is thus possible to utilize the control module arranged on the one load or sensor simultaneously for coupling further loads and/or sensors, with which accordingly no further additional separate bus communication unit must be associated. The control module with the bus communication unit may consequently be the central bus station simultaneously for a plurality of loads and/or sensors. Without any substantial reduction in adaptability the designer therefore achieves a decrease in costs of manufacture. If in the case of the control module it is a question of as plug part, same may, in an appropriate case of application, be employed as a valve plug, the further loads and/or sensors present being able to be connected with this valve plug so that same may communicate by way of its central bus communication unit, associated with a group of the loads and/or sensors, with the field bus. Since in this case it is unnecessary to extend the field bus conductors as far as all loads and/or sensors present, the complexity of installation is furthermore reduced.
The field bus is preferably a serial bus with a so-called twin conductor design. It is convenient if the field bus is in accordance with the so-called ASI specification, the bus communication unit also being in the form of a correspondingly designed ASI bus station.
Further advantageous developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
The signal inputs and/or signal outputs present on the control module are preferably connected by way of electrical conductors with external connection parts, same being able to be connected with the loads and/or sensors to be included in the circuit. First class adaptability is inherently possible with a design, in which the electrical conductors are in the form of cables. For particular applications there may however also be a provision such that one or more of the connection parts present are rigidly connected with the control module so that during assembly of the control module it is s

REFERENCES:
patent: 4245319 (1981-01-01), Hedges
patent: 4471232 (1984-09-01), Peddie et al.
patent: 4694192 (1987-09-01), Payne et al.
patent: 5191520 (1993-03-01), Eckersley
patent: 5345225 (1994-09-01), Davis
patent: 5384490 (1995-01-01), Swartz, Jr.
patent: 5586271 (1996-12-01), Parrett

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