Explosion Protection Element for Hazardous Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
In potentially explosive areas, existing solutions for converting power into heat in case of a malfunction require large explosion protection resistors, leading to significant space requirements and hindering miniaturization and cost optimization.
Innovation Solution
A protective element with a ceramic base body and thin-film resistors, featuring a thermally conductive layer and arrangement on a printed circuit board, allows for efficient heat dissipation and power conversion into heat in a compact design, capable of handling multiple assemblies with a single unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large explosion protection resistors are used to safely convert power into heat in case of malfunction, then safety is ensured, but space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple explosion protection resistors into a single integrated protective element with a common heat-dissipating base body. Instead of using separate large resistors for each assembly, multiple resistors are mounted on a single base body that collectively dissipates heat, thereby reducing the total space required while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The protective element serves multiple functions: it provides explosion protection for multiple assemblies simultaneously, acts as a heat sink, and integrates multiple resistors into a single component. This multi-functionality allows one component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing space requirements
2Loss of energy
If large explosion protection resistors are used to handle power conversion, then safe heat dissipation is ensured, but device miniaturization is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple resistors are merged onto a single base body that serves as a shared heat dissipation structure. This consolidation allows the heat from multiple resistors to be dissipated through a common thermal path, reducing the total volume required compared to having separate heat dissipation structures for each resistor
Solution Approach 2:
The base body is designed with optimized thermal parameters including thermal conductivity and heat dissipation surface area. By carefully selecting and optimizing these thermal parameters, the protective element achieves efficient heat dissipation in a compact form factor, enabling miniaturization while maintaining safe heat dissipation
3Reliability
If individual explosion protection resistors are designed to handle entire power available from higher-level unit, then safety is ensured, but the number of components and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple explosion protection resistors and their associated mounting structures into a single integrated protective element. This reduces the number of discrete components that need to be sourced, mounted, and tested, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the same safety function
Solution Approach 2:
The protective element is designed as a universal component that can protect multiple assemblies simultaneously. This multi-functional design reduces the overall component count in the system, as one protective element replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate protection devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables safe and space-efficient conversion of power into heat, reducing the need for large individual resistors and allowing for miniaturization and cost optimization while ensuring reliable heat dissipation across multiple assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
the power made available to the assemblies by the higher-level unit cannot cause any sparking even in the event of a malfunction of one of the assemblies. This is usually done today by safely converting the power into heat.
Implementation Method 2
a protective element (7) for the electrical connection of a higher-level electronic unit (1) to a plurality of electronic assemblies (3)... a number of resistors (R) applied parallel to one another on the base body (9)... with which, in the event of a malfunction of the assembly, the power available via a higher-level unit can be safely converted into heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an electronic device for use in potentially explosive areas, comprising a superordinate electronic unit (1), a plurality of electronic assemblies (3) connected to said superordinate unit (1) and supplied with power thereby, and a claimed protection element (7, 7') which is inserted into multiple connection lines (5) for connecting each of the assemblies (3) to said superordinate unit (1). In the event of a malfunction of one of the assemblies (3), the power provided by the superordinate unit (1) is securely converted into heat in a space-saving manner. According to the invention, the protection element (7, 7') comprises an electrically insulating and thermally-conductive main part (9) and an amount, corresponding to the amount of connection lines (5), of resistors (R) mounted on said main part (9), each resistor being provided with a connection (11, 11') both on the inlet side and the outlet side which connects each of them to one of the connection lines (5).