Automated component

Abstract

In order to meet sanitary requirements, an automation component for industrial automation is provided, in which the foot has a fastening region for fastening to the mounting surface, for which purpose a contact surface is arranged inside the fastening region, in which in turn a hole in the fastening opening is arranged inside the contact surface, the contact surface is designed such that the contact surface protrudes from the fastening region so as to form a recess surrounding the contact surface in an annular manner; thus, the recess is between the protruding contact surface and an outer edge region of the fastening region, the outer edge region being designed as a circumferential collar surrounding the recess, the collar being arranged below the protruding contact surface and having a collar surface directed toward the mounting surface, an annular sealing element having a sealing lip, a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface is designed such that the sealing lip lies in the recess, the first bearing surface being arranged on the ferrule surface and the second bearing surface being arranged on the mounting surface, the sealing element surrounding the protruding contact surface in an annular manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automation component for industrial automation, the automation component having a housing including an upper part and a lower part, wherein the upper part and the lower part are designed such that the housing has a first fastening opening and a second fastening opening for fastening the automation component to a mounting surface. Background Art

[0002] For example, when using automation equipment in the medical field or the food and beverage industry, the equipment used there has special requirements for hygienic conditions. These requirements are essentially related to the cleanability of the equipment used.

[0003] According to the prior art, the following automation equipment or components are known:

[0004] Balluff network interface IO-Link BNI IOL-252-000-Z013 according to the assembly instructions.

[0005] Digital module AXL E IOL DI16 M12 6P according to 。

[0006] SIMATIC ET 200AL, DI 8x 24 V DC, 8XM8, protection class IP67, according to the data sheet as of May 21, 2020 or according to the equipment manual A5E32349561-AD as of August 2021.

[0007] All these known automation components have the disadvantage that the automation components are designed to be horizontally screwed onto the mounting surface by means of their fastening openings, and thus a circumferential dust-collecting edge is generated. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an automation component that meets the hygienic requirements of the food industry.

[0009] This object is achieved in that the lower part has a first foot and a second foot, wherein the feet and the lower part are designed integrally and a first fastening opening extends through the first foot and a second fastening opening extends through the second foot, the feet having a fastening area for fastening to the mounting surface, for which purpose a contact surface is arranged within the fastening area, wherein the holes in the fastening openings are in turn arranged within the contact surface, the contact surface being designed such that it protrudes from the fastening area, thereby forming a recess that surrounds the contact surface in an annular manner, the recess thus being arranged between the protruding contact surface and the outer edge area of the fastening area, the outer edge area being designed as a circumferential collar that surrounds the recess, wherein the collar is arranged lower than the protruding contact surface and has a collar surface pointing towards the mounting surface, an annular sealing element having a sealing lip, a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface being designed such that the sealing lip is located in the recess, the first bearing surface being arranged on the collar surface and the second bearing surface being arranged on the mounting surface, wherein the sealing element surrounds the protruding contact surface in an annular manner.

[0010] These design measures prevent the accumulation of impurities and the resulting contamination of the automation components. A special embodiment provides that the sealing element is flush with the outer surface of the foot and the thickness of the sealing element at this position is slightly greater than the protruding contact surface, such that in the assembled state, the sealing element is arranged in a compressed manner between the collar surface and the mounting surface, such that a gapless transition is formed between them. The thickness is slightly greater than the spacing between the two surfaces, which corresponds to the amount by which the contact surface protrudes beyond the collar.

[0011] The present invention provides the feasibility of cost-effective and hygienic sealing of the fastening area or threaded connection area. In the food and beverage fields, the additional acquisition costs required by the present invention are acceptable because they are significantly lower than the continuous and higher cleaning costs required for components not implemented in a hygienic manner.

[0012] The feet ensure that all surfaces of the automation components are accessible well enough for cleaning, and it is even possible to clean manually using low-pressure water and a cleaning cloth.

[0013] Thus, the housing and thus the upper part and the lower part are designed as a longitudinally extending outer shell between the first foot and the second foot, wherein the feet have at least a length such that the surface of the lower part is spaced apart from the mounting surface, such that a hand with a cleaning agent can slide through.

[0014] In order for the liquid to flow away from the automation components well and quickly, the housing and thus the upper part and the lower part are designed such that in the preferred mounting position where the fastening openings are stacked on top of each other in the vertical direction, the housing tapers gradually in the direction from the first fastening opening towards the second fastening opening.

[0015] More advantageously, the housing can be designed such that the shape of the surface can avoid or reduce the accumulation of impurities, which can be achieved by eliminating sharp edges or indentations. Description of the Drawings

[0016] The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention, showing:

[0017] Figure 1 showing an automation component as a decentralized I / O device,

[0018] Figure 2 showing a three-dimensional view of the rear side of the automation component,

[0019] Figure 3 showing a front view of the automation component,

[0020] Figure 4 showing a bottom view of the automation component,

[0021] Figure 5 showing a detailed view of the feet of the automation component,

[0022] Figure 6 showing a sealing element,

[0023] Figure 7 showing another detailed view of the feet

[0024] Figure 8 showing a further detailed view of the feet. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0025] According to Figure 1 , there is shown an automation component 10 for industrial automation. The automation component 10 is designed as an I / O peripheral module. The automation component 10 has a housing 3 including an upper part 1 and a lower part 2, wherein the upper part 1 and the lower part 2 are designed such that, in order to fasten the automation component 10 to a mounting surface 4, the housing 3 has a first fastening opening 21 and a second fastening opening 22.

[0026] The automation component 10 has one to eight I / O connectors I1,..., I8 for communicating with sensors or actuators, for example, using the I / O-Link protocol. In order for the automation component 10 to be able to receive signals from a higher-level controller, it has a first Profinet connector P1. Another second Profinet connector P2 is used to connect other automation components to Profinet.

[0027] The lower part 2 has a first foot 11 and a second foot 12, wherein the feet 11, 12 are integrally designed with the lower part 2.

[0028] Figure 2shows an integrated design of a first foot portion 11 and a second foot portion 12. A first fastening opening 21 extends through the first foot portion 11 and a second fastening opening 22 extends through the second foot portion 12. For fastening to the mounting surface 4, the first foot portion 11 and the second foot portion 12 have fastening regions 11a or 12a. For fastening to the mounting surface 4, contact surfaces 11b or 12b are arranged inside the fastening regions 11a, 12a. The hole L of the first fastening opening 21 is again arranged inside the first contact surface 11b. The hole L in the second fastening opening 22 is also arranged in the second contact surface 12b.

[0029] The contact surfaces 11b, 12b are designed such that the contact surfaces protrude from the respective fastening regions 11a, 12a and thereby form a recess A that circumferentially surrounds the contact surfaces 11b, 12b (which is shown in particular in Figure 5 and Figure 8 .

[0030] A sealing element D is inserted into each of the first foot portion 11 and the second foot portion 12. The sealing element D is flush with the outer surface of the first foot portion 11, wherein at this time the thickness of the sealing element is slightly greater than the protruding contact surface, such that in the assembled state, the sealing element D is arranged in a compressed manner between the raceway surface KF and the mounting surface 4, such that a gapless transition is formed therebetween.

[0031] Figure 5 A detail view of the first foot portion 11 is shown in a cross-sectional view. For fastening to the mounting surface 4, the first foot portion 11 has a fastening region 11a, and for this purpose, the contact surface 11b is arranged inside the fastening region 11a, wherein the hole L of the fastening opening 21 is again arranged inside the contact surface 11b.

[0032] The contact surface 11b is designed such that the contact surface protrudes from the fastening region 11a and thereby forms a recess A that circumferentially surrounds the contact surface 11b. Thus, the recess A is arranged between the protruding contact surface 11b and the outer edge region RB of the fastening region 11a. The outer edge region RB is designed as a circumferential raceway K that surrounds the recess A, wherein the raceway K is arranged lower than the protruding contact surface 11b and has a raceway surface KF that points towards the mounting surface 4.

[0033] Figure 6 A ring-shaped sealing element D is shown. The sealing element D has a sealing lip DL, a first bearing surface A1 and a second bearing surface A2. The sealing element D is designed such that the sealing lip DL is arranged as a mounting lip in the recess A, the first bearing surface A1 is arranged on the raceway surface KF and the second bearing surface A2 is arranged towards the mounting surface 4, where the sealing element D circumferentially surrounds the protruding contact surface 11b.

[0034] The sealing element D has a thickness T, where the thickness T is chosen to be slightly greater than the spacing between the raceway surface KF and the mounting surface 4, such that in the assembled state, the sealing element D is arranged in a compressed manner between the raceway surface KF and the mounting surface 4, such that a gapless transition is formed therebetween.

[0035] Figure 7 The relationship between the thickness T of the sealing element D and the spacing TA to the mounting surface 4 is shown again.

[0036] Figure 8 Another perspective view of the first leg 11 is shown again.

[0037] According to Figure 3 , the housing 3 and thus the upper part 1 and the lower part 2 are designed such that in the preferred mounting position VE, the first fastening opening 21 is located at the top and the second fastening opening 22 is located at the bottom. The fastening openings 21, 22 are stacked on top of each other in the vertical direction. The housing 3 is designed to taper from the first fastening opening 21 in the direction of the second fastening opening 22. The width of the top bo is chosen to be greater than the width of the bottom bu. Thus, the automation component 10 is designed to be wider at the first fastening opening 21 than at the second fastening opening 22. This means that the liquid can be discharged well and quickly from the automation component 10.

[0038] As Figure 4 and in particular as Figure 2 shown, all surfaces of the automation component 10 can be contacted sufficiently well for cleaning by means of the embodiments of the legs 11, 12, and manual cleaning can also be carried out with low-pressure water and with a cleaning cloth. This means that the longitudinally extending housing between the first leg 11 and the second leg 12 is designed such that the surface of the lower part 2 is spaced apart from the mounting surface 4 such that a hand can slide over it with a cleaning agent.

[0039] Throughout, the housing 3 is designed such that all surfaces and transitions and curves are shaped such that the accumulation of impurities is avoided or minimized.

Claims

1. An automation component (10) for industrial automation, the automation component having a housing (3), the housing comprising an upper part (1) and a lower part (2), wherein: The upper part (1) and the lower part (2) are designed to fasten the automation component (10) to the mounting surface (4) so ​​that the housing (3) has a first fastening opening (21) and a second fastening opening (22). The invention is characterized in that the lower part (2) has a first foot (11) and a second foot (12), wherein the foot (11, 12) is designed as a whole with the lower part (2), and the first fastening opening (21) extends through the first foot (11) and the second fastening opening (22) extends through the second foot (12), the foot (11, 12) has a fastening area (11a, 12a) for fastening to the mounting surface (4), for which purpose a contact surface (11b, 12b) is arranged inside the fastening area (11a, 12a), wherein a hole (L) of the fastening opening (21) is arranged inside the contact surface (11b, 12b), and the contact surface (11b, 12b) is designed so that the contact surface protrudes from the fastening area (11a, 12a) to form a ring-shaped surrounding surface (11b, 12b). The invention relates to a recess (A), wherein the recess (A) is arranged between the protruding contact surface (11b, 12b) and the outer edge area (RB) of the fastening area (11a, 12a), wherein the outer edge area (RB) is designed as a circumferential ring (K) surrounding the recess (A), wherein the ring (K) is arranged below the protruding contact surface (11b) and has a ring surface (KF) facing the mounting surface (4), and an annular sealing element (D) having a sealing lip (DL), a first bearing surface (A1) and a second bearing surface (A2) is designed so that the sealing lip (DL) is arranged in the recess (A), the first bearing surface (A1) is arranged on the ring surface (KF) and the second bearing surface (A2) is arranged facing the mounting surface (4), wherein the sealing element (D) surrounds the protruding contact surface (11b) in an annular manner.

2. The automation component (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The housing (3) and the upper part (1) and the lower part (2) are designed as a shell extending longitudinally between the first foot (11) and the second foot (12), wherein the feet (11, 12) have at least a length that allows the surface of the lower part (2) to be spaced apart from the mounting surface (4) so ​​that a human hand with a cleaning agent can slide through.

3. The automation component (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The housing (3) and the upper part (1) and the lower part (2) are designed such that, in a preferred installation position (VE) in which the fastening openings (21, 22) are placed one on top of the other in a vertical direction, the housing (3) gradually tapers from the first fastening opening (21) in a direction toward the second fastening opening (22).

4. The automation component (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The housing (3) is designed so that the surface is shaped to avoid or minimize the accumulation of impurities.

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