HOUSING OF A FIELD DEVICE FOR MEASURING AND AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SUCH A FIELD DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a housing for a field device in measurement and automation technology, comprising a lid for closing the housing. Prior art, see e.g. DE102018132061A1, discloses implementations in which a transparent disc is pressed against the housing by means of a lid element. DE102006056649A1 shows another housing with a viewing window.

[0002] Typically, the control electronics are located behind the glass panel. A disadvantage of this design is that the cover takes up space perpendicular to the panel, creating a depression. This can lead to water collecting on the panel, for example. Furthermore, it also makes operating the field device with a smartphone via near-field communication more difficult.

[0003] The object of the invention can therefore be seen as proposing a housing for a field device in measurement and automation technology in which the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided.

[0004] The problem is solved by a housing according to independent claim 1 and by a field device according to independent claim 8.

[0005] A housing according to the invention for a field device for measurement and automation technology comprises: a housing body with a housing wall enclosing an internal volume, a cover which is inserted into an opening in the housing wall and tightly seals it, the cover comprising an annular body and a disc, the annular body being inserted into the opening and attached to the housing body, and the disc being inserted into the annular body and tightly sealing the opening, the disc having two opposite side surfaces and an edge, the edge having a disc groove circumferencing the disc, the annular body having a body groove on an inner side, the body groove encompassing the disc groove, the body groove and the disc groove forming a first corridor, the first corridor being filled with a potting compound and / or containing a rope or a plurality of balls.

[0006] The spheres or the cable can be made of a metal such as steel. The cable can be a wire rope. The potting compound can be silicone, particularly with a hardness between 25 Shore A and 75 Shore A.

[0007] The device can therefore be designed to be compact. The disc can be firmly anchored in the ring body using the rope or balls, thus ensuring safety according to EX-d.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first corridor has a first diameter, wherein the rope or the balls each have a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is at least 60% and in particular at least 70% and preferably at least 80% of the first diameter.

[0009] In one embodiment, the lid has a circumferential, inwardly projecting projection or shoulder on a side of the lid facing the inner volume, which forms a second corridor with the disc, wherein a sealing ring is arranged in the second corridor, which is designed to provide an elastic mounting of the disc.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second corridor is filled with a potting compound.

[0011] This can improve the elastic mounting of the disc.

[0012] In one embodiment, an outer side surface of the disc is flush with the ring body.

[0013] This prevents the accumulation of liquid in the area of ​​the disc. Furthermore, it facilitates the operation of a field device with a housing according to the invention via near-field communication (NFC).

[0014] In one embodiment, the ring body and / or the disc each have at least one inlet for inserting the balls or the rope.

[0015] This makes assembling the housing easier.

[0016] In one version, the disc is transparent.

[0017] In one embodiment, the ring body, as well as the disc and the balls or the rope each comprise at least one of the following materials: aluminum, stainless steel, glass, plastic.

[0018] In one embodiment, the housing is designed to be EX-d-safe, wherein the disc has a minimum thickness of 10 millimeters, and the disc is made of aluminum, stainless steel, or glass.

[0019] A field device for measurement and automation technology according to the invention comprises: A housing according to one of the preceding claims, a sensor; an electronic measuring / operating circuit for operating the sensor and for providing measured values ​​of a measured quantity, wherein the electronic measuring / operating circuit is arranged in the housing.

[0020] The invention will be described below using exemplary embodiments. Figs. 1 a) outlines the structure of a housing according to the invention for a field device of measurement and automation technology with a cover according to the invention. Fig. 1 b) shows a top view of the lid. Fig. 1 c) shows an oblique view of the lid. Fig. 2 outlines an exemplary field device for measurement and automation technology.

[0021] Fig. 1 a) shows a section through an exemplary housing 10 of a field device for measurement and automation technology according to the invention, with a cover, Fig. 1 b) shows a top view of the lid and Fig. 1 c) A top view at an angle. The cover has an annular body 12.1 into which a disk 12.2 is inserted. The disk has opposing side surfaces 12.21 and a rim 12.22 that separates the side surfaces from each other. The housing 10 has a housing body 11 with a housing wall 11.1 encompassing an inner volume.

[0022] The rim has a disc groove 12.221, which is arranged at the level of a body groove 12.11, thus forming a first corridor 13.1. The first corridor can be filled with a potting compound and / or, as shown here, can accommodate a rope 15.2 or a plurality of balls 15.1. The first corridor has a first diameter, wherein the rope or the balls each have a second diameter, the second diameter being, for example, at least 70%, and in particular at least 80%, and preferably at least 90% of the first diameter. In this way, the disc is held in the ring body. The smaller the difference between the first diameter and the second diameter, the tighter and more secure the disc's fit in the ring body. In this way, the device can be designed to be explosion-proof (EX-d).

[0023] The cover can have, as shown here, an inwardly projecting projection or shoulder 12.3 in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the cover, which forms a second corridor 13.2 with the disc, wherein a sealing ring 16 is arranged in the second corridor, which is designed to provide an elastic mounting of the disc.

[0024] For example, if a plurality of spheres or a rope is arranged in the first corridor to ensure EX-d safety, filling the second corridor with a potting compound may be advantageous, since in the presence of the spheres or the rope, it is difficult to additionally fill the first corridor with potting compound.

[0025] In one version, the disc is transparent.

[0026] The internal volume is designed to house an electronic measuring / operating circuit 30 of the field device, see also Fig. 2 , which is configured to operate a sensor of the field device and to provide measured values ​​of a quantity. Furthermore, a display device 40 may be provided to transmit information to a user of the field device.

[0027] The cover can be attached to the housing via a threaded connection 17, as indicated here, with the cover, for example, having an internal thread. Alternatively, designs are also conceivable in which the cover has an external thread.

[0028] Fig. 2 outlines the structure of an exemplary field device 1, which has a housing 10, a sensor 20 connected to the housing and an electronic measuring / operating circuit 30. Bezugszeichenliste

[0029] 1 Field device 10 Housing 11 Housing body 11.1 Housing wall 11.2 Housing wall opening 12 Cover 12.1 Ring body 12.11 Body groove 12.2 Disc 12.21 Side surface 12.211 Outer side surface 12.22 Edge 12.221 Disc groove 12.3 Shoulder 13.1 First corridor 13.2 Second corridor 14 Inlet 15.1 Ball 15.2 Cable 16 Sealing ring 17 Threaded connection 20 Sensor 30 Electronic measuring / operating circuit 40 Display unit

Claims

1. A housing (10) of a field device (1) of measurement and automation technology, comprising: • a housing body (11) having a housing wall (11.1) enclosing an internal volume, • a cover (12) which is inserted into an opening (11.2) of the housing wall and tightly seals the same, wherein the cover comprises a ring body (12.1) and a disc (12.2), wherein the ring body is inserted into the opening and is fixed to the housing body, and wherein the disc is inserted into the ring body and tightly closes the opening, wherein the disc comprises two opposite side surfaces (12.21) and an edge (12.22), characterized in that the edge comprises a disc groove (12.221) running around the disc, wherein the ring body comprises, on an inner side, a body groove (12.11), wherein the body groove embraces the disc groove, wherein the body groove and the disc groove form a first corridor (13.1), wherein the first corridor is filled with a potting compound and / or wherein a rope or a plurality of balls is inserted into the corridor.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the first corridor has a first diameter, wherein the rope and / or the balls each have a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is at least 70%, in particular at least 80%, and preferably at least 90% of the first diameter.

3. The housing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover comprises, on a side of the cover facing the internal volume, an inwardly protruding projection or shoulder (12.3), which together with the disc forms a second corridor (13.2), wherein a sealing ring (16) is arranged in the second corridor, said sealing ring being configured to provide an elastic mounting of the disc.

4. The housing according to claim 3, wherein the second corridor (13.2) is filled with a potting compound.

5. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an outer side surface (12.211) of the disc is flush with the ring body.

6. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring body (12.1) and / or the disc (12.2) each comprise at least one inlet (14) for introducing the balls (15.1) and / or the rope (15.2).

7. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the disc (12.2) is transparent.

8. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring body (12.1), the disc (12.2), and the balls or the rope each comprise at least one of the following materials: aluminum, stainless steel, glass, plastic.

9. The housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (10) is designed as explosion-proof (Ex-d), wherein the disc (12.2) has in particular a minimum thickness of 10 millimeters, wherein the disc is made of aluminum, stainless steel, or glass.

10. A field device (1) of measurement and automation technology, comprising: • a housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, • a sensor (20), • an electronic measuring / operating circuit (30) for operating the sensor and for providing measured values of a measured variable, wherein the electronic measuring / operating circuit is arranged in the housing.