MESSEINRICHTUNG

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a measuring device according to the preamble of claim 1 and a valve assembly according to claim 13.

[0002] Control valves are used to regulate material flows in chemical plants, petrochemical plants, power plants, and other sectors. They typically consist of a housing containing a valve seat and a movable valve element. The valve element is guided by a valve stem, which is driven by a rotary actuator. The rotary actuator is connected to the valve stem via a coupling element.

[0003] Especially with safety control valves, but also with all other valve types, it is advantageous to record and store measurement data during the movement of the valve element using measuring devices. Position sensors and / or torque sensors are suitable as measuring devices. In this way, changes in the required torque and / or the torque curve over time during operation can be recorded, and changes can be detected.

[0004] DE 10 2014 019 547 B3 discloses a torque and angle sensor for determining a torque transmitted from a drive part to an output part.

[0005] WO 2018 / 024496 A1 describes a flange support as a torque measuring system for supporting a control valve and an actuator on both sides. The flange support is connected between the control valve and the actuator and measures the support forces on the flange support. The flange support has spring bars that are deformation-sensitive in the direction of the torque applied by the actuator and deformation-resistant in other directions of movement, so that primarily torques transmitted by the actuator to the stem of the valve element are measured. Other forces, such as vibrations and weight forces, have only a negligible influence on the measurement.

[0006] Another measuring device for a control valve assembly is implemented, for example, in WO 2021 / 123445 A1.

[0007] DE 11 2017 003 008 T5 discloses a torque detection device which detects the torque applied to a joint component of an industrial robot.

[0008] DE 10 2014 019547 B3 describes an alternative device for measuring torque and angle of rotation, which can be used between an actuator and a valve. This device utilizes elastic deformation caused by shaft torsion.

[0009] US patent 2022 / 099217 A1 discloses a torque detection device with a sensor, wherein the sensor can be used to read angles.

[0010] The object of the invention is to further develop a measuring device for torque and angle measurement on a housing that can be arranged between the control valve and the actuator in such a way that a compact and variably applicable design is realized and the wiring effort for the sensor technology is reduced.

[0011] This problem is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1 in conjunction with its preamble features.

[0012] The dependent claims constitute advantageous further developments of the invention.

[0013] In a known manner, a measuring device comprises a housing that can be arranged between a control valve and an actuator for recording at least one force and / or torque curve resulting from the actuation of the control valve by the actuator. The housing has a first and a second connecting wall and at least one connecting element connecting the first and second connecting walls. The first connecting wall is connected to the actuator and the second connecting wall to the control valve. A connecting shaft for connecting a drive shaft of the actuator to an actuating shaft of the control valve is rotatably mounted in a central through-opening of the two connecting walls about an axis of rotation. The connecting shaft penetrates the measuring device. The connecting shaft is freely rotatable at a distance from the connecting walls.This enables compact and space-saving monitoring of the control valve's operation. The measuring device, which is fixed between the actuator and the control valve, is designed to transmit reaction forces generated during the actuator's movement of the control valve between the actuator housing and the control valve.

[0014] According to the invention, the first signal transmitter is arranged on the first connection wall and the second signal transmitter on the connecting shaft. This allows for the monitoring of the forces acting on the connecting shaft and the first connection wall, as well as the angle of rotation of the connecting shaft relative to a connection wall.

[0015] Preferably, the signal transmitter is designed in the form of a pattern to be scanned by the signal receiver. By selecting a suitable pattern, the resolution of the measuring unit can be easily adjusted depending on the application.

[0016] Preferably, the measuring module is arranged on the connecting element. This ensures a central positioning of the measuring module relative to the connecting shaft and the first connection wall, which allows for easy assembly and flexible positioning.

[0017] Preferably, the measuring module is arranged radially spaced from the connecting shaft between the first and second terminal walls. The measuring module, with its respective signal sensors, is positioned at a defined distance from the scannable patterns. Suitable signal sensors include, among others, torque and angle sensors. These sensors are positioned within the measuring module such that the respective scannable patterns are at a defined distance from one another.

[0018] In order to achieve high resolution with a small form factor, at least one sub-measuring unit is designed as a magnetic sensor; in particular, both sub-measuring units are designed as magnetic sensors.

[0019] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the signal transmitter of the rotary angle sensor unit is designed as a pattern to be scanned, comprising at least one magnetic element, such as a pole ring, and the signal receiver is designed as a rotary angle sensor that detects the magnetic element. At least one elastic element is provided for monitoring the rotation angle of the connecting shaft and the torque, connecting wall, and connecting element. Furthermore, a measuring unit is provided. The measuring unit comprises at least two sub-measuring units. The first sub-measuring unit is designed as a torque sensor unit, and the second sub-measuring unit is designed as a rotary angle sensor unit. Each sub-measuring unit comprises a signal transmitter in the form of a pattern to be scanned and a signal receiving element. The signal receiving elements are arranged in a common measuring module.The force exerted by the actuator on the housing allows for the detection of potential interference from the actuator and the control valve.

[0020] Preferably, the signal transmitter of the torque sensor unit is designed as a pattern to be scanned with at least one magnetic element, and the signal receiver is designed by a torque sensor that detects the magnetic element. This ensures contactless and wear-free position detection of the first connection wall.

[0021] Preferably, the elastic element is more elastic in the direction of rotation of the axis of rotation than in the direction of the axis of rotation. This elastic design of the elastic element in the direction of rotation of the axis of rotation largely ensures that the torques introduced by the actuator are measured and that other disturbances do not affect the measurement accuracy of the torque sensor.

[0022] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the elastic element is formed by webs connecting the first connecting wall and the connecting element. By forming the elastic element as webs, the required elasticity of the housing can be easily adjusted.

[0023] Preferably, the webs extend radially from the first connecting wall to the connecting element with respect to the axis of rotation. This radial design of the webs minimizes the housing's extension in the direction of the rotary drive.

[0024] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the webs extend axially from the first connecting wall to the connecting element, parallel to the axis of rotation. The axial design of the webs allows the base area of ​​the housing to be easily reduced.

[0025] Preferably, the first and second connection walls, and especially the connecting element, have corresponding stiffnesses. This ensures that force transmission through the housing is possible on both sides, while disturbances caused by the elastic webs are minimized.

[0026] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, connection openings are provided in the first connection wall for connecting the actuator to the first connection wall and in the second connection wall for connecting the control valve to the second connection wall. The connection openings allow the actuator to be firmly connected to the first connection wall and the control valve to the second connection wall, thus ensuring good force transmission between the actuator and the control valve.

[0027] Preferably, the connecting element and the second connecting wall form a base body with a shape that results in a substantially rectangular envelope. This ensures good stability of the base body.

[0028] Preferably, the base body has a substantially U-shaped shape. This allows for material savings in the production of the housing while still maintaining stability.

[0029] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the measuring module comprises a circuit board that includes the sensor units, the transducers, a microcontroller, a memory element, a connection means, a transmission means, and a communication means, in particular also an interface. Signal processing and transmission are implemented simply and compactly.

[0030] In order to achieve sufficiently fast control, a position controller, in particular an I / P converter and / or a motor controller, is provided in the measuring module.

[0031] For broad monitoring of possible malfunctions, the measuring device can have a temperature sensor unit for recording the temperature, with the temperature sensor unit being arranged on the measuring module.

[0032] Another aspect of the invention relates to a valve assembly comprising an actuator with an actuator rod, a control valve that can be actuated via a valve rod, and a measuring device. According to the invention, the measuring device is detachably connected to the housing of the actuator and detachably to the housing of the control valve, the measuring device connecting the drive shaft of the actuator and the drive shaft of the control valve via the connecting shaft.

[0033] Preferably, in valve assemblies according to the invention with measuring devices, which have differently dimensioned actuators, control valves, and housings of the measuring device, the dimensions and design of the measuring module of the valve assemblies are identical. This significantly reduces the production effort for different measuring devices and consistently identically dimensioned measuring modules. The measuring module is designed for different torque ranges of the various actuators and control valves. Furthermore, the integration of the measuring module into differently dimensioned measuring devices is easily possible, since the samples to be scanned for recording the angle of rotation and torque, as well as the signal sensors, have fixed positions, and the measuring modules have centering devices for precise fixation within the measuring device.

[0034] Preferably, the base area A of the measuring module lies in the range of 30 mm² < ≤ A <= 50 mm² < . This enables its use with common valve sizes and circuit boards without unnecessarily increasing the installation space.

[0035] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the positioning of the signal transmitter relative to the signal receiver is identical for each valve assembly. This ensures that the measuring unit can be calibrated and used in the same way for different valve assemblies.

[0036] Preferably, the signal sensor is designed as a pole ring, with the number of poles remaining constant regardless of the dimensions of the housing and the connecting shaft of the measuring device. The resolution of the angular range is therefore always the same. The pole ring is dimensioned differently so that its positioning relative to the rotary angle sensor remains constant. The outer diameter of the pole ring is adapted to the size of the measuring device housing and the distance to the rotary angle sensor. The inner diameter of the pole ring is adapted to the diameter of the connecting shaft, which varies for different torque measuring ranges.

[0037] To accommodate the torques of differently sized actuators, control valves, and measuring device housings, the bridges are designed so that their measurable deflection is nearly identical. The sensor displacement characteristic, and therefore the bridge deflection, remains unchanged. The bridges are dimensioned differently and adapted to the torque ranges of the various measuring devices. A measuring range adapted to the dimensions of the respective measuring device is stored in the transducer of the measuring device to ensure the appropriate torque range is output.

[0038] Further advantages, features and application possibilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0039] The description, claims, and drawing use the terms and associated reference numerals listed below. In the drawing, this means: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of a measuring device with a measuring module according to the invention; Fig. 2 a perspective view of a second embodiment of a part of a measuring device according to the invention; Fig. 3 a top view of the measuring device according to Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3-legged side view of the measuring device according to Fig. 3a ; Fig. 4a a top view of the measuring device according to Fig. 1 with small dimensions; Fig. 4-legged side view of the measuring device according to Fig. 4a ; and Fig. 5 a side view of a control valve with integrated measuring device according to the embodiment of Fig. 1 with measuring housing and an actuator.

[0040] In the Fig. 1 bis 5 A measuring device 10 according to the invention is shown with a housing 11, a connecting shaft 12, a first connecting wall 14, a second connecting wall 16 and a connecting element 18 connecting the connecting walls.

[0041] The housing 11 has a substantially cuboid shape. The connecting shaft 12 is cylindrical and extends through the housing 11 in the lower area at the second connecting wall 16.

[0042] The Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the measuring device 10 according to the invention, comprising a housing 11 and a measuring module 20. The housing 11 includes a first connection wall 14 arranged at the top and a second connection wall 16 arranged at the bottom. Four connection receptacles 14a and a central shaft receptacle 14b are incorporated into the first connection wall 14. The second connection wall 16 has several connection receptacles 16a and a shaft 16b. The connection wall 16 is provided with two opposing, laterally fixed connecting walls 22a, 22b. The connecting walls 22a, 22b and the connection wall 16 are formed in one piece from the same material. The connection wall 14 is connected in its upper region to the connecting walls 22a, 22b and thus to the connection wall 16 via webs 24.

[0043] The connecting element 18 consists of the webs 24 and the connecting walls 22a, 22b.

[0044] The connection receptacles 14a, 16a are designed to accommodate an actuator 34 or a control valve 32. Furthermore, the first connection wall 14 and the second connection wall 16 each have an opening 14c, 16c for the connecting shaft 12, on the one hand for connecting the drive shaft of the actuator 34 and on the other hand for connecting to the actuating shaft of the control valve 32.

[0045] The measuring device 10 has six webs 24, wherein the first connecting wall 14 is connected to the first connecting wall 22a via three webs 24 each and to the second connecting wall 22b via three webs 24 each.

[0046] The second connecting wall 16 and the connecting walls 22a, 22b form a U-shape.

[0047] The connecting walls 22a, 22b run parallel in the direction of the axis of rotation 12a. The webs 24 run radially with respect to the axis of rotation 12a. The webs 24 are more elastic in the direction of rotation of the axis of rotation 12a than in the direction along the axis of rotation 12a.

[0048] For positive-locking coupling of the drive shaft and the actuating shaft to the connecting shaft 12, square connections are provided as a receptacle 14b or as a shaft 16b, in which the form-complementary ends of the drive shaft and the actuating shaft engage, and a rotationally fixed connection is created.

[0049] The measuring module 20 is arranged on the second connecting wall 22b and is rigidly connected to the second connecting wall 22b via two connecting receptacles 20a. The measuring module 20 is cuboid in shape. On the side facing the first connecting wall 14, it has a torque sensor 26a. Opposite this, at a distance, a pointer 26b with a permanent magnet 26c is arranged on the first connecting wall 14. Between the first connecting wall 14 and the connecting wall 22b are the elastic webs 24, which deform when a drive torque is applied to the actuating shaft. This deformation is detected by means of a change in the position of the pointer 26b relative to the torque sensor 26a of the measuring module 20 on the connecting wall 22b, and the resulting change in the orientation of the magnetic field lines or a magnetic force.

[0050] The measuring module 20 is located centrally between the first connection wall 14 and the second connection wall 16.

[0051] The pole ring 28a partially surrounds the connecting shaft 14 in the area of ​​the measuring module 20.

[0052] The connection receptacles 14a of the first connection wall 14 serve for the connection of the measuring device 10 to the actuator 34 by means of connecting elements, see Fig. 5 . The connection receptacles 16a of the second connection wall 16 are provided for connection by connecting elements of the measuring device 10 with the control valve 32.

[0053] The measuring device 10 includes a temperature sensor unit for recording the temperature, not shown in detail here. The temperature sensor unit is arranged on the measuring module 20.

[0054] In Fig. 2 A perspective view of a second embodiment of the housing 11 according to the invention is shown.

[0055] For better illustration, housing 11 does not show a measuring module 20 or a connecting shaft 12.

[0056] The housing 11 essentially has a cuboid shape. The second connection wall 16 is longer. The second connection wall 16 is laterally provided with connecting walls 22a, 22b. A connecting intermediate wall 22c connects the connecting walls 22a, 22b on the side furthest from the second connection wall 16. The first connection wall 14 is connected to the connecting intermediate wall 22c via the connecting walls 22a, 22b and to the second connection wall 16 by means of webs 24 extending parallel to the axis of rotation 12a from the connecting intermediate wall 22c and the second connection wall 16.

[0057] The connecting partition 22c is rigidly connected to the connecting walls 22a and 22b and has a central through-opening 22d. The through-opening 22d is aligned with the connecting shaft receptacle 14b. The webs 24 are each arranged on the connecting partition 22c and each terminates on one side with the through-opening 22d.

[0058] In this embodiment, the webs 24 extend axially in the direction of the axis of rotation 12a.

[0059] The bridge 24a is simultaneously designed as a pointer 26b of a torque sensor.

[0060] In this embodiment, the connecting element 18 consists of the webs 24, the connecting walls 22a, 22b and the connecting intermediate wall 22c.

[0061] The Fig. 3a shows a top view of the measuring device 10. Fig. 1 .

[0062] The connecting shaft openings 14c are centrally located and concentric with the connecting shaft 12. The pole ring 28a surrounds the connecting shaft 12. The first connecting wall 14 is arranged around the pole ring 28a. This is connected to the connecting walls 22a, 22b via the webs 24.

[0063] The measuring module 20 is mounted on the right side of the second connecting wall 22b. The measuring module 20 comprises a torque sensor 26a and a rotary angle sensor 28b. The rotary angle sensor 28b is designed as a magnetic sensor. Both sensors 26a and 28b are located on a circuit board 30 in the area of ​​the upper side of the measuring module 20 facing the first connecting wall 14. It can be seen that a permanent magnet 26c is attached to the pointer 26b centrally above the torque sensor 26a. The rotary angle sensor 28b is flush with the side of the measuring module 20 facing the pole ring 28a. A minimal gap is maintained between the pole ring 28a and the rotary angle sensor 28b to avoid impeding the rotation of the connecting shaft 12.

[0064] The circuit board 30 also includes a measuring transducer, a microcontroller, a storage element, a connection means, a transmission means and a communication means, in particular also an interface.

[0065] The measuring module 20 includes a position controller, in particular an I / P converter and / or a motor controller.

[0066] The positioning of the signal transmitters, i.e. the pointer 26b and the pole ring 28a, to the signal receivers, i.e. the rotary angle sensor 28b and the torque sensor 26a, of each measuring device 10 of different dimensions is designed in the same way.

[0067] The number of poles of the pole ring 28a remains constant, regardless of the dimensioning of the actuator 34, control valve 32 and housing 11 of the measuring device 10.

[0068] In Fig. 3b is a side view of the measuring device 10 from Fig. 3a depicted.

[0069] The torque sensor 26a is mounted below the permanent magnet 26c on the pointer 26b. A gap is visible between the torque sensor 26a and the permanent magnet 26c, allowing for non-contact measurement of the deformation of the webs 24 when a torque is applied.

[0070] The pole ring 28a surrounds the connecting shaft 12 centrally and is firmly connected to it.

[0071] Below the second connecting wall 16, the shaft 16b protrudes from the connecting shaft opening 16c of the second connecting wall 16.

[0072] The Fig. 4a shows a top view of the measuring device 10. Fig. 1 The housing 11, the connecting shaft 12, and the pole ring 28a have different dimensions than in Fig. 3a The dimensions of measuring module 20 are the same as in Fig. 3a .

[0073] The base area A of the measuring module 20 lies within the range of ≥ 30 mm² and ≤ 50 mm². The positioning of the pole ring 28a relative to the rotary angle sensor 28b remains the same for all sizes of measuring devices 10. The centering on the connecting wall 22b is always arranged such that the measuring module 20 maintains this position without additional manual adjustment. The pole ring 28a always has the same number of poles, even with different outer diameters of the connecting shaft 12. In this way, the resolution per degree of angle is the same for all dimensions of the housings 11 and connecting shafts 12 of the measuring device 10, and the electronics do not require any adjustment of the resolution or the characteristic curve.

[0074] In Fig. 4b is a side view of the measuring device 10 from Fig. 4a depicted.

[0075] The positioning of the torque sensor 26a relative to the pointer 26b remains the same for all sizes of measuring devices 10. The centering on the connecting wall 22b is always arranged such that the measuring module 20 maintains this position without additional manual adjustment. The webs 24 are designed such that their deflection is always the same for the intended nominal load, the maximum load of the respective measuring device. Therefore, the webs 24 are designed to be correspondingly larger for higher nominal loads. In this way, the deflection characteristic curve is the same for all dimensions of the actuators 34, control valves 32, and housing 11 of the measuring device 10. Only a factor for the intended nominal load needs to be stored in the electronics of the measuring module 20. The deflection measured via the magnetic system is multiplied by this factor to output the appropriate force curve.

[0076] The Fig. 5 shows a side view of a control valve assembly 38 consisting of a control valve 32, the incorporated measuring device 10 with measuring housing 20 and an actuator 34.

[0077] The measuring device 10 is detachably connected to the control valve 32 at the second connection wall 16 via screw connections 36. The measuring device 10 is detachably connected to the actuator 34 at the first connection wall 14. The actuator 34 engages in the shaft receptacle 14b of the first connection wall 14 and transmits a torque to the connecting shaft 12. The shaft 16b of the second connection wall 16 is drive-fitted to the control valve 32, so that the torque is transmitted from the actuator 34 to the control valve 32 via the connecting shaft 12.

[0078] The measuring device 10 enables monitoring of the condition of control valves 32 and actuators 34 of a control valve assembly 38 with minimal wiring and production effort for differently dimensioned control valves 32 and actuators 34. The torque sensor 26a records a torque curve, which is compared with a reference curve. The rotary angle sensor 28b monitors the rotation angle of a valve element in the control valve 32. This allows an error message to be generated in the event of a critical condition of the actuator 34 or the control valve 32, thus preventing a complete failure of the components 32 and 34. Bezugszeichenliste

[0079] 10 Measuring device 11 Housing 12 Connecting shaft 12a Rotation axis of the connecting shaft 12 14 First connection wall 14a Connection receptacle of the first connection wall 14 14b Shaft receptacle of the first connection wall 14 14c Connection shaft opening of the first connection wall 14 16 Second connection wall 16a Connection receptacle of the second connection wall 16 16b Shaft of the second connection wall 16 16c Connection shaft opening of the first connection wall 16 18 Connecting element 20 Measuring module 22a First connecting wall 22b Second connecting wall 22c Intermediate connecting wall 24 Web 24a Web with pointer 26b 26a Torque sensor 26b Pointer 26c Permanent magnet 28a Pole ring 28b Angle sensor 30 Circuit board 32 Control valve 34 Actuator 36 Screw connection 38 Control valve assembly

Claims

1. Measuring device (10) for recording at least one force and / or torque curve resulting when a control valve (32) is actuated by an actuating drive (34), which measuring device comprises a housing (11) which can be arranged between the control valve (32) and the actuating drive (34) and is provided with a first and a second connecting wall (14, 16) and at least one connecting element (18) which connects the first and second connecting walls (14, 16), with the first connecting wall (14) being connected to the actuating drive (34), and the second connecting wall (16) being connected to the control valve (32), with a connecting shaft (12) for connecting a drive shaft of the actuating drive (34) to an actuating shaft of a control valve (32) being arranged in a central through-opening (14c, 16c) in the two connecting walls (14, 16), with the connecting shaft (12) passing through the measuring device (10), wherein the connecting shaft (12) is arranged at a distance from, and freely rotatable with respect to, the connecting walls (14, 16), and at least one resilient element is provided between the first connecting wall (14) and the connecting element (18), wherein a measuring unit is provided in the housing (11), which measuring unit has at least two sub-measuring units, with the first sub-measuring unit being in the form of a torque sensor unit and the second sub-measuring unit being in the form of a rotational-angle sensor unit, which sub-measuring units each comprise a signal transmitter and a signal receiver, and which signal receivers are arranged in a common measuring module (20), characterized in that the first signal transmitter is arranged on the first connecting wall (14), and the second signal transmitter is arranged on the connecting shaft (12).

2. Measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal transmitter is in the form of a sample to be scanned by the signal receiver.

3. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring module (20) is arranged on the connecting element (18).

4. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring module (20) is arranged between the first and second connecting walls (14, 16) centrally and at a radial distance from the connecting shaft (12).

5. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one sub-measuring unit, in particular both sub-measuring units, is / are designed as magnetic sensors.

6. Measuring device according to any one of claims 2 to 5 above, characterized in that the signal transmitter of the rotational-angle sensor unit is in the form of a sample to be scanned with at least one magnetic element, such as a pole ring (28a), and the signal receiver is constituted by a rotational-angle sensor (28b) that detects the magnetic element.

7. Measuring device according to any one of claims 2 to 6 above, characterized in that the signal transmitter of the torque sensor unit is in the form of a sample to be scanned with at least one magnetic element (26c), and the signal receiver is constituted by a torque sensor (26a) that detects the magnetic element (26c).

8. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resilient element is more resilient in the direction of rotation of the axis of rotation (12a) than in the direction of the axis of rotation (12a), and that, as an option in addition, the resilient element is constituted by webs (24) that connect the first connecting wall to the connecting element, and, provided the preceding features of the claim are present, that, as an option in addition, the webs (24) extend radially from the first connecting wall (14) to the connecting element (18) with respect to the axis of rotation (12a).

9. Measuring device according to claim 8, characterized in that the webs (24) extend axially parallel from the first connecting wall (14) to the connecting element (18) with respect to the axis of rotation (12a).

10. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that connection openings (14a, 16a) are provided in the first connecting wall (14), for connecting the actuating drive (34) to the first connecting wall (14), and are provided in the second connecting wall (16), for connecting the control valve (32) to the second connecting wall (16).

11. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring module (20) comprises a circuit board (30) which includes the parts of the sensor units, the measuring transducers, a microcontroller, a memory element, a connecting means, a transmitting means and a communicating means, in particular also an interface.

12. Measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a positioner, in particular an I / P converter and / or a motor controller, is provided in the measuring module (20).

13. Valve assembly (38) comprising an actuating drive (34) with a drive rod, a control valve (32) which can be actuated via a valve rod, and a measuring device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring device (10) is detachably connected to the housing of the actuating drive (34) and is detachably connected to the housing of the control valve (32), with the measuring device (10) connecting the drive shaft of the actuating drive (34) and the drive shaft of the control valve (32) via the connecting shaft (12).

14. Plural valve assemblies according to claim 13, which have differently dimensioned actuating drives, control valves and housings of the measuring device, characterized in that the dimension and the design of the measuring module (20) of the valve assemblies (38) are the same in each case, and that, as an option in addition, the base area A of the measuring module (20) is in the range of 30 mm2 <= A <= 50 mm2, and / or that, as an option in addition, the positioning of the signal transmitter relative to the signal receiver of each valve assembly (38) is identical in each case, and that, as an option in addition, the signal receiver is designed as a pole ring (28a), with the number of poles being constant, irrespective of the dimensions of the actuating drive (34), the control valve (32) and the housing (11) of the measuring device (10).

15. Valve assemblies according to claim 14, with the measuring device (10) of the valve assemblies (38) being of the type specified in any one of claims 8 to 12 above, characterized in that the design of the webs (24) is such that, by varying the dimensions of the webs to accommodate different nominal loads and maximum loads, the deflection of the webs (24) is nearly the same.