Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
  • H05K7/14—Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
  • H05K7/1462—Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack for programmable logic controllers [PLC] for automation or industrial process control
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/648—Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices, e.g. anti-static shielding  
  • H01R13/6485—Electrostatic discharge protection
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/02—Contact members
  • H01R13/15—Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure
  • H01R13/187—Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure with spring member in the socket
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
  • H01R13/53—Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
  • H01R4/28—Clamped connections, spring connections
  • H01R4/48—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K9/00—Screening of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic fields
  • H05K9/0064—Earth or grounding circuit
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
  • H01R13/52—Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
  • H01R13/521—Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
  • H01R4/28—Clamped connections, spring connections
  • H01R4/30—Clamped connections, spring connections utilising a screw or nut clamping member
  • H01R4/34—Conductive members located under head of screw
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
  • H01R4/58—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation characterised by the form or material of the contacting members
  • H01R4/64—Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
  • H01R4/58—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation characterised by the form or material of the contacting members
  • H01R4/66—Connections with the terrestrial mass, e.g. earth plate, earth pin

Definitions

• Field devices are often used in process automation technology, which are used to record or influence certain process variables.
• the field device includes specific electronic components, depending on the type, in order to implement the corresponding measuring principle.
• the respective field device type can thus be used, for example, to measure a fill level, a flow rate, a pressure, a temperature, a pFI value and/or a conductivity.
• a wide variety of such field device types are manufactured and sold by the Endress + Hauser group of companies.
• the electronic components of the respective field device type are often housed in a metal housing, which serves as a Faraday cage to protect the components and is grounded accordingly.
• a non-metallic housing is advantageous or necessary.
• field devices that are used under corrosive conditions such as locations near the coast and in processes with acidic or alkaline media, are preferably based on a plastic-based housing.
• the electronic components are protected by an additional, electrically conductive cup that acts as a Faraday cage and is arranged together with the electronic components within the plastic-based housing.
• the field device housing is non-metallic, it is more difficult to ground the electronic components or the cup, since the respective grounding pin has to be fed through the plastic housing.
• a particular problem here is that the corresponding pin passage in the housing must be exactly aligned with the corresponding pin receiving area of the cup. Due to component tolerances, however, this cannot be implemented with an economically viable effort. any Component tolerances can therefore result in the pin tilting and thus insufficient grounding.
• the invention is therefore based on the object of providing a field device with a non-metallic housing whose electronic components can be grounded.
• a device housing which is made of an electrically insulating material, for example for corrosion protection purposes, with o a bushing into which the pin can be plugged along a plug-in axis,
• a cup that can be arranged in the housing and is made of an electrically conductive material such as aluminum, which acts as a Faraday cage for electronic components of the field device, with o a receiving area which is aligned with the passage of the housing in relation to the plug-in axis such that the End pin of the pin opens in the receiving area.
• the field device is characterized by an electrically conductive spring element which elastically encloses the end pin in relation to the plug-in axis at least radially or additionally axially in the receiving area such that the cup is electrically connected to the pin.
• the spring element can be designed, for example, as a bush corresponding to the end pin, which has at least three elastically or plastically deformable inner lamellae.
• the lamellae can be arranged axially or radially circumferentially in relation to the plug-in axle.
• the spring element can also be designed as an annular spring or wave spring corresponding to the end pin within the scope of the invention. Irrespective of the structural design of the spring element, it is advantageous for minimizing the contact resistance if the spring element has a gold coating.
• the housing forms an end stop for the pin in the direction of the plug-in axis, so that the end pin of the pin automatically opens into the receiving area or in the spring element when the end stop is reached. It is also useful if the field device includes a cotter pin, which secures the pin axially against being pulled out. For this purpose, a passage in the pin corresponding to the cotter pin is required, which runs orthogonally to the plug-in axis within the housing.
• the receiving area or the spring element is aligned with the bushing in relation to the plug-in axle
• Element is framed, and so that the pin is electrically contacted with the cup, and
• FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a field device 1 in the area of a grounding connection according to the invention.
• the field device 1 includes a plastic-based housing 12, which is made of PP, PE or PU, for example.
• the electronic components of the field device 1 (not shown explicitly in FIG. 1) are protected by an additional cup 13, which acts as a Faraday cage.
• the cup 13 is in turn arranged inside the housing 12 . So that the cup 13 can function as a Faraday cage, it is made of an electrically conductive material such as aluminum.
• a metal-based pin 11 is provided as part of the grounding connection, and a receiving area 130 for a corresponding end pin 111 of pin 11 is provided on the cup side, so that cup 13 is electrically contacted or connected via pin 11. can be grounded.
• the pin 11 is to be designed with a corresponding diameter of, for example, at least 6 mm to ensure the conductivity that may be required.
• the pin 11 in the embodiment variant shown comprises a crimp connection for cable strands or open cable ends as a cable connection 110 .
• Connection 110 on the pin 11 is opposite the end pin 111 and thus remains outside of the housing 12 in the inserted state positioned bushing 120 embedded so that the bushing 120 is aligned along a defined plug-in axis a to the receiving area 130 .
• the bushing 120 acts as a guide for the pin 11 along the insertion axis a when the pin 11 is inserted from the outside of the housing.
• the bushing 120 is the one shown in FIG.
• the bushing 120 forms an end stop when the pin 11 is inserted, so that the end pin 111 of the pin 11 in the inserted state necessarily opens into the receiving area 130 of the cup 13 .
• a sealing ring 114 which is provided in Fig. 1 at the level of the passage 120 in a radially circumferential groove on the pin 11, ensures the fluidic seal of the passage 120.
• the interior of the housing and the cup 13 must be matched to one another structurally, e.g. by means of corresponding guides or corresponding end stops (not shown in more detail in FIG. 1). Any component tolerances on the housing 12 or on the cup
• the feedthrough 120 and the receiving area 130 can have the effect that the feedthrough 120 and the receiving area 130 are not ideally aligned with one another along the plug-in axis a, but are marginally shifted or tilted relative to one another.
• a socket 14 is arranged in the receiving area 130 of the cup 130 as an electrically conductive spring element, which the end pin 111 of the pin 11 in relation to the plug-in axis a radially bordered in the receiving area 130.
• the socket 14 can be fastened or electrically contacted in the receiving area 130 of the cup 13, for example via a corresponding external thread.
• the bushing 14 has at least three internal, axially aligned laminations 140 .
• the elastic deformability it is optimal to manufacture the bushing 14 or the laminations 140 from a copper-beryllium alloy.
• the radially resilient effect of the lamellae 140 thus prevents tilting when the pin 11 is inserted.
• the bushing 14 shown in FIG. 1 it is alternatively also possible to use an annular spring or a wave spring as the spring element. It is also conceivable that the spring element 14 to improve the electrical conductivity between to provide the pin 11 and the receiving area 130 with a gold coating.
• the pin 11 is secured against being pulled out by a securing element 112 .
• the pin 11 - in relation to the plug-in axis a - has a passage 113 corresponding to the securing element 112 between the receiving area 130 and the housing passage 120 .
• the orthogonal alignment of the cotter pin bushing 113 in conjunction with the at least one-sided projection of the securing element 112 beyond the diameter of the pin 11 thus prevents the pin 11 from moving axially.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=82067659

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2021
  • 2021-06-01 DE DE102021114221.0A patent/DE102021114221A1/de active Pending
• 2022
  • 2022-05-18 EP EP22730700.6A patent/EP4348769A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-05-18 CN CN202280038427.3A patent/CN117397127A/zh active Pending
  • 2022-05-18 WO PCT/EP2022/063470 patent/WO2022253577A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2022-05-18 US US18/565,242 patent/US20240266784A1/en active Pending

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