RU2559694C2 - Electronic sealing device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics, signalling.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to electronic engineering, particularly to alarm systems, and can be used as a device for controlling access to a facility. The electronic sealing device comprises a housing which consists of two electrodes separated by a dielectric insert, which form a capacitive sensitive element which is electrically connected to a power supply, an inductive communication interface coil and an electronic unit for measuring capacitance of the sensitive element, processing and storing information, said components being located inside the housing and connected to each other. The housing has a safety cap made of dielectric material.

EFFECT: high thermal stability of the device owing to exclusion of movable parts in the structure of the sensitive element and enabling installation on thin-walled facility.

4 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of electronic technology, in particular to alarm systems, and can be used as a device for controlling access to an object.

A device is known that contains a cylindrical case, on the external surface of which a thread is made for attaching this device to a controlled object, a power source, a capacitive sensitive element, a winding and a central processing unit (CPU) are electrically connected to each other. The CPU includes a microcontroller, a quartz resonator, a communication interface and a circuit for measuring the capacitance of the sensing element, including a resistor (US patent No. 6791465, IPC F16B 41/00, G08B 21/00, F16B 31/02, publ. 04/18/2002) .

The disadvantages of this device are the need to pair it with a reader for transmitting data; the possibility of false positives due to the temperature dependence of the capacitive sensitive element.

A device is known, which is a cylindrical body in which are installed: a battery; a fixed electrode made in the form of a disk of ceramic material; movable electrode; induction interface winding, central processing unit (CPU), cover, upper nut, lower nut and disk springs. The movable electrode is made in the form of a cylinder, on the outer surface of which a groove is made. Belleville springs fixed in the groove are fixed with a lower nut. From the outer end of the movable electrode, a blind threaded hole is made for fastening the device to a controlled object. One of the end surfaces of the fixed electrode / ceramic disk is coated with silver sputtering. In the case, the disk is mounted in such a way that it is oriented towards the movable electrode by the bare side. The movable and fixed electrodes form a capacitive sensing element (RF patent No. 2401460, IPC G08B 21/00, F16B 31/02, F16B 41/00, publ. 10.10.2010).

The device operates as follows.

When the device is screwed onto the threaded rod of the controlled object, the disk springs are compressed and the air gap between the movable electrode and the ceramic disk / fixed electrode increases. When the device is unscrewed under the influence of cup springs, the air gap decreases, which leads to a change in the capacitance of the sensing element recorded by the CPU as an access to the object. Information about access facts can be transmitted remotely via an induction interface to an external reader.

The disadvantage of this device is the need for power pairing of the device with a controlled object, the presence of movable elements in the structure.

The task to which the claimed invention is directed is to create a universal device that saves information about the sealing procedure and information about attempts to access a controlled object, eliminating the possibility of unauthorized replacement of an electronic sealing device with an identical one.

The solution to this problem is achieved by the fact that the proposed electronic sealing device according to the invention contains an external remote sensing device, an access sensor, the housing of which consists of two electrodes, mainly of cylindrical shape, one of the electrodes being made with a profiled end part for connection with the mating profiled part of the controlled object separated by a dielectric insert, forming a capacitive sensing element connected to located inside case and interconnected by a power source, a winding of the induction communication interface and an electronic unit for measuring the capacitance of the sensitive element, processing and storage of information, a protective cap of dielectric material mounted on the housing of the access sensor. The protective cap is designed in such a way that it excludes the removal of the access sensor from the controlled object without removing the protective cap. On the inner surface of the protective cap, structural elements are made that mesh with the reciprocal structural elements on the outer surface of the housing and ensure the fixation of the protective cap from axial movement after it is installed on the sensor housing, and these structural elements are designed in such a way that the access sensor is not removed from the controlled object when removing the protective cap. The thickness of the protective cap is selected from the condition of ensuring the required level of protection of the capacitive sensitive element from the effects of random interference.

In an embodiment, an annular metal insert is installed inside the protective cap from the side of its inlet end so that when the protective cap is installed on the sensor body in the working position, the said insert does not guarantee overlapping the dielectric insert between the electrodes, while the height of the annular insert is axial selected from the condition of exceeding the height of the dielectric insert between the electrodes.

In an embodiment, on the end part of the electrode, mating with the controlled object, an external or internal thread is made for docking with the controlled object.

In an embodiment, the protective cap is threaded for connection with a controlled object.

The technical result achieved by the claimed invention is to expand the functionality and scope of the device that records the fact of access.

The use of a new design scheme of a capacitive sensing element, namely, the implementation of the electrodes as housing elements and the execution of one of the electrodes in the form of fixing means, allows to reduce the dimensions of the electronic sealing device, to exclude movable elements in the structure and, ultimately, to simplify its design and reduce the cost its manufacture.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an electronic sealing device, Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an access sensor with a connecting element with an external thread, Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of an access sensor with a connecting element with an external thread, 4 shows a cross-sectional diagram of an access sensor in an embodiment.

The electronic sealing device contains an external reader 1, which provides, remotely, using an induction communication interface 2, information exchange with an access sensor 3 installed on a controlled object, the housing of which consists of a first electrode 4, a second electrode 5 and an intermediate insert 6 of electrically insulating material, forming a capacitive sensing element. At the first electrode 4, structural elements are made for fastening the filling device to the controlled object. A power supply 7, an inductor 8, and an electronic unit 9 are installed inside the housing. A protective cap 10 is installed on the body of the sealing device. In an embodiment, an annular metal insert 11 is installed inside the protective cap 10, from the input end face.

Electronic filling device operates as follows.

The access sensor 3 is fixed on the monitored object, while a protective cap 10 is installed on the housing of the access sensor 3. Removing the protective cap 10 providing access to the housing of the sensor 3 sharply increases the sensitivity of the capacitive element. If an object with a dielectric constant other than the dielectric constant of the medium is introduced into the sensitivity zone, the input capacitance of the sensitive element changes, a pulse is generated that initiates recording of the fact of access with the date and time of access to the internal memory of the electronic unit 9. Induction interface Communication provides the ability to transmit data remotely to an external reader.

In the embodiment of the protective cap 10 with the inner ring 11 of metal material, the formation of a pulse initiating a record of the fact of access occurs already at the time of removal of the protective cap 10.

Using the proposed technical solution will improve operational characteristics, reduce manufacturing costs and expand the scope of the electronic filling device.

Claims (4)

1. An electronic sealing device, characterized in that it contains an external remote reading device, an access sensor, which contains a cylindrical body comprising two electrodes, one of the electrodes being made with a profiled end part for connection with a mating profiled part of the controlled object, separated by a dielectric an insert forming a capacitive sensitive element connected to a power source located inside the housing and interconnected a coil of the induction communication interface and an electronic unit for measuring the capacitance of the sensitive element, processing and storing information, a protective cap made of dielectric material mounted on the housing and eliminating the possibility of removing the access sensor from the controlled object without removing the protective cap, and structural elements are made on the inner surface of the protective cap, engaged with mating structural elements on the outer surface of the housing and securing the protective of the cap from axial movement once installed on the sensor body, wherein said structural elements are designed in such a way that a high priority remove the protective cap from the body to remove the access probe with sensor controlled object. 2. The electronic sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that an annular metal insert is installed inside the protective cap from the side of its inlet end so that when the protective cap is installed on the sensor body in the working position, the said insert does not guarantee overlapping dielectric insert between electrodes, while the height of the annular insert on the axis is selected from the condition of exceeding the height of the dielectric insert between the electrodes. 3. Electronic sealing device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-2, characterized in that on the end of the electrode, mating with the controlled object, made of external or internal thread for docking with the controlled object. 4. Electronic sealing device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-2, characterized in that the protective cap is threaded for connection with a controlled object.

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