WO2009112028A2

WO2009112028A2 - Actuator system

Info

Publication number: WO2009112028A2
Application number: PCT/DK2009/000061
Authority: WO
Inventors: Caspar P. Laugesen
Original assignee: Linak A/S
Priority date: 2008-03-08
Filing date: 2009-03-09
Publication date: 2009-09-17
Also published as: EP2252987A2; WO2009112028A3

Abstract

An actuator system comprising at least one electrically driven actuator and a housing (4) in which a control device is located. The control device is connected to a wireless modem (15) for controlling the actuator system remotely. In order to gain access to changing a SIM card for the wireless modem (15) without having to separate the housing (4), the holding arrangement (18) for the SIM card is designed as a separate unit in the form of a dongle (17), which may be inserted into a well in the housing (4). The well thus constitutes a shelter, which protects the separate unit with the holding arrangement (18) for the SIM card.

Description

Actuator system

The invention relates to an actuator system comprising at least one electrically driven actuator with an electric motor, a transmission and an activation element, where the electric motor through the transmission moves the activation element, a control device and a housing in which the control device is arranged.

Actuator systems are widely used in industrial applications such as control systems, stationary as well as mobile machines etc., but are also used in adjustable furniture such as beds, leisure chairs and tables. An actuator system may consist of one or more actuators, electrically connected to a control device. The actuators may be linear actuators or rotary actuators. An example of a linear actuator is known from WO 2005/079134 A2 to Linak A/S, which comprises a spindle driven by the electric motor through the transmission. The activation element is a tubular rod connected to a spindle nut on the spindle. The spindle nut may also on its own be designed as the activation element cf. US 5 927 144 A to Dietmar Koch (Okin) . WO 01/17401 Al to Linak A/S discloses a rotary actuator where the activation element in the form of an arm is rotated by the electric motor through a transmission.

When an industrial application is concerned, the actuator system is incorporated in the application and operated by means of an operating panel or operating keys designed directly on the application. in more advanced applications, a computer is connected, either continuously or temporarily, when it is desired to operate, retrieve data from or monitor the actuator system. The connection of the computer is effected by a direct cable connection to the control device e.g. via a cable modem. This in itself means that the distance between the application and an operating device is limited by the possibilities of creating a cabled connection. In places with access to the public cabled telephone network, this may be used, but this can in itself be difficult because of the construction and location of the application in a factory building. If the application is located in remote locations, even bigger challenges can be foreseen as laying out of a cable for communication purposes is a complicated and expensive task. This is e.g. the case in connection with switchgear in the public electricity distribution system. In this connection it is noted that WO 2008/052548 Al to Linak A/S introduces the use of an actuator system in a motor drive for switchgear. Due to contact hazard, switchgears are always located inaccessible to unauthorized persons. Further, the nature of the electricity distribution system means that switchgears in the power supply system are spread over a large geographical area. In case a switchgear should be monitored or amended, it therefore requires a lot of time due to personal safety, as employees have to be sent out to attend to the task. An operation may mean that the staff will have to commute between more switchgear several times before the desired operation has been conducted, which means that the electricity distribution network for at least part of an area may be interrupted for a longer period of time.

An improvement is therefore needed, which makes it possible to communicate with and remotely control a control device for an actuator system also in geographical areas where a cabled connection between the application and the operating device cannot be realized practically or financially.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a solution to the outlined problem, i.e. to be able to operate an actuator system remotely which is located beyond practical range of cabled communication systems .

This is achieved according to the invention by designing the actuator system as stated in claim 1, where the control device is connected to a wireless modem and that the modem is connected to a holding arrangement for insertion of a SIM card.

As it appears, the invention provides a solution, which makes it possible in a simple and quick manner to create a communication connection between the control device and an operating device in that the control device is connected to a wireless modem. The term wireless modem should here be understood as a modem, which communicates via a radio frequency communication e.g. the standard GSM. The modem can be placed outside the housing and be connected to the control device with cables. In an embodiment where each of these parts is incorporated in its own housing, plug and socket connections may be used for connecting the two units. In a particularly expedient embodiment, the modem is connected directly to the control device in that the modem as a module is mounted either in connection with the control device or directly on the printed circuit board for the control device in the form of a piggy-bag. The electrical circuits constituting the modem may in an embodiment be placed directly on the printed circuit board for the control device, but practically and financially it is more expedient to purchase modules which are approved and certificated by the telecommunications authority, as an approval of a radio based modem is expensive. Depending on the transmitting and receiving conditions, the antenna may be incorporated in the modem or be an antenna located outside the housing connected via a plug and socket connection in the housing.

If the modem is located in connection with the control device in the same housing, it requires that a SIM card in a practical way may be inserted into a holding arrangement in connection with the modem to provide its unique identity in connection with the mobile telephone network to the modem. An actuator system for a switchgear is often placed in locations, which are exposed to the weather conditions. As a result, the housing for the control device has to be particularly protective against water and dust and thus, if possible, should not be separated as it could damage the means for protection against water penetration in the housing. Water penetration in the housing results in a potential risk of damaging the electronics. Further, a separation of the housing in the open air during adverse weather conditions could likewise result in damaging the electronics. To separate the housing and replace a part, e.g. a SIM card, a specially trained personal would also be required. A more rational error correction of a defective control device would be to replace the entire unit including housing and control device with a new unit consisting of a new sealed housing and a new control device, and then sending the defective unit to be repaired in a repair shop for that purpose. The only thing left is then to solve the problem of changing the SIM card without separating the housing. The problem is solved, as defined in claim 2, by arranging the holding arrangement for insertion of a SIM card on the separate unit, which is electrically connected to the modem. This means that the modem, as defined in claim 3, may be arranged in the housing in connection with the control device, as described above.

In order for the holding arrangement for insertion of a SIM card to be connected electrically to the modem, this may, as defined in claim 4, be located on a printed circuit board, from which connections for connecting to the modem is designed. In that the printed circuit board is arranged in connection with a plug connector, the plug connector may be used for insertion into a well and thus, by being equipped with means for preventing water penetration, contribute to sealing the housing. The design of the separate unit with the holding arrangement for a SIM card, so that this fits into a well in connection with the housing, means that the holding arrangement for the SIM card may be equipped with a SIM card, while the holding arrangement as a unit is not located in its position in the housing and may subsequently in a simple and easy manner be placed in the housing by inserting it in a port or well for that purpose in the housing, which port or well moreover functions as a housing for the holding arrangement for the SIM card. The circuit board may be equipped with a plug and socket connection, which can be brought into connection with a counter part in the well and thus create an electric connection between the holding arrangement for the SIM card and the modem. In this way, the holding arrangement functions as a dongle, mounted in the housing and supplying the modem with specific information in connection with the communication with the surroundings of the modem and thus the control device .

In another embodiment, defined in claim 7, the well, where the printed circuit board with the holding arrangement is placed, is not equipped with a plug and socket connection, but only serves as a protective housing. The separate unit is equipped with a cable, which is led through the plug connector and in the other end is equipped with a further plug connector for insertion in another well with a plug and socket connection in the housing. In this way, the separate unit is located in a protective "cave" in the housing and is electrically connected to the modem via the cable. The plug connector is equipped with means for preventing penetration of water into the well, which further contributes to sealing the housing from the surroundings. Generally, the housing, the separate unit and the plug and socket connections are equipped with means, which in a mutually cooperating manner serves to seal the housing and protect against penetrating water as defined in claim 8.

To protect against penetrating water in the housing the plugs and wells are designed in such a way that they are tightly adapted to each other. The plugs are equipped with o-rings made from an elastic material, which thus ensures a good interference fit and protection against water penetration. It is also desirable that the plugs are in safe mesh and cannot unintentionally slide out of the well . This means that insertion and removal of a plug may be connected with exercise of relatively large forces. In order to get a safe grip on the plugs, these are designed with a narrowing in the cap part, which may be gripped with a pair of fingers. Moreover, the plugs are constructed with a collar, which both prevents the plugs from sliding too far into the well and serves as one part of a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism consists, besides from the collar on the plug, of a tin plate, which with a mounting in the form of a couple of screws or the like secured in the housing can secure the plugs in their position in its respective wells. That the collar prevents the plug from sliding too far into the well is particularly desirable in the embodiment where there is no plug and socket connection in the well, where the well only functions as a shelter for the separate unit, as the printed circuit board and the holding arrangement is thus protected against pressure, which could destroy the unit.

An actuator system according to the invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

fig. 1, shows a switchgear equipped with a motor drive based on an actuator system, fig. 2, shows a longitudinal section through a housing with a motor drive comprising a linear actuator, fig. 3, shows a perspective view seen from below of a housing for a control device with plug and socket connections, fig. 4, shows a printed circuit board seen in perspective for a control device with a separate circuit for a modem and a mounted holding arrangement for a SIM card, fig. 5, shows a separate unit having a holding arrangement for a SIM card, fig. 6, shows a cross section in the housing for the control device having the separate unit inserted, and fig. 7, shows a section of the bottom of the housing for the control device with locking means for the separate unit.

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a motor drive based on an actuator system mounted on a switchgear 1, a component, constituting a part of the electricity distribution network for segmenting this. The motor operator comprises a number of housings 2,3, comprising linear actuators for switching the contact set in the switchgear 1, and a housing 4 in which a control device is located. Another housing 5 comprises a battery backup, which makes it possible to supply the control device with power in a situation, where the current is interrupted, e.g. a power failure. A housing 6 is designed to contain a modem, e.g. a modem for a cable connection.

As it appears from fig. 2, which shows a housing 2,3 for a motor drive, the motor drive comprises a linear actuator 7, which with one end, in the form of a rear mounting 8, is mounted in the housing and with another end, in the form of a front mounting 9, is connected to the operating lever 11 of the switchgear via a pivotal link 10. The operating lever 11 may be activated either in one or the other direction in that the activation element 12 in the linear actuator 7 is extended or retracted.

For further information concerning the structure of the linear actuator 7 as shown and used in the construction, reference is made to WO/DK2005/079134 A2 to Linak A/S, which hereby forms part of the application.

The housing 4, comprising the control device, is shown in greater detail in fig. 3. Here the housing 4 is shown from the bottom in such a way that all the various plug and socket connections are visible. The printed circuit board 13, shown in fig. 4, is located in the housing 4 having a structure constituting the control device. The printed circuit board 13 is equipped with connections for electrical sockets in the housing 4, which are intended to receive a counterpart in the form of a plug in the plug and socket connections 14 and thus connect an external unit to the control device . On the printed circuit board 13 a circuit 15 with a GSM/GPRS modem is arranged and connected. This circuit 15 is connected to a plug and socket connection, but could also be connected directly to the printed circuit board 13 for the control device by means of directly mounted cables or soldering terminals. In this way, the modem is connected to the control device. In the same way, the modem is connected electrically to a SIM card, so that the modem may be supplied with the unique data of the subscriber for communication via the mobile telephone network.

To avoid breaking the watertight seal of the housing 4, the holding arrangement 18 for the SIM card is implemented on a dongle 17, which is connected to the modem via plug and socket connections on the outside of the housing 4. Internally in the housing 4 there are cable connections between the modem and the respective plug and socket connections on the housing 4. The cable connections are here printed circuit tracks on the printed circuit boards in the housing for the control device, but could also be conventional cable connections.

A preferred embodiment is shown in fig. 5, where a holding arrangement 18 for a SIM card is arranged on a printed circuit board 19, constructed in continuation of a plug connector 20. The separate unit 17, also known as a dongle, is characterized by the fact that the electrical connection to the printed circuit board 19 and thus also the holding arrangement 18 for the SIM card, is carried out through the plug connector 20 near a cable 21, which is led onward and connected in a plug 22 in another plug connector 23. When the other plug connector 23 is inserted into a dedicated well for the purpose in the housing 4, an electrical connection between the modem 15 and the holding arrangement 18 for the SIM card is achieved, by means of which the modem 15 can use data from a SIM card, located in the SIM card holder 18. The first part with the plug connector 20 and the printed circuit board 19 is inserted into a well in the housing, which forms a protective cave for the printed circuit board 19 with the holding arrangement 18 for the SIM card. Since the printed circuit board 19 is not connected electrically by means of a plug and socket connection in the well in which it is located, no particular precision is required in connection with the placing in the well. This gives a simpler construction where expenses for possible guides in the housing are saved and moreover a simpler mounting process is achieved.

In another embodiment (not shown) , the cable 21 is, with the additional plug 23 , not mounted on the dongle 17 , which thus consists of the printed circuit board 19 with the holding arrangement 18 for the SIM card and the plug connector 20, which moreover serves to seal the well against water penetration. In order to create electrical connection between the SIM card holder 18 and the modem 15, the printed circuit board 19 is equipped with contact surfaces or a plug is mounted, which with a counter part in the well connects the SIM card holder 18 to the modem 15. To guide the printed circuit board 19 to a position, where an electrical connection between the printed circuit board 19 and the electrical plug, constituting the counter part in the connection, can be created, guides should be constructed in the well, for receiving the printed circuit board 19 and fixing this in connection with its insertion in the plug and socket connection.

Both embodiments show a solution where the modem 15 is arranged in the housing 4 and the SIM card holder 18 is arranged on a separate unit 17. This gives the advantage that a SIM card may be inserted in or removed from the SIM card holder 18 without separating the housing 4, causing the watertight seal of the housing 4 to remain intact .

Fig. 6 of the drawing shows a cross section in the housing 4, where the separate unit 17 with the SIM card holder 18 is mounted. Where on the housing the cross section is performed is shown in fig. 7 as z-z. It is noted that the separate unit 17, when it is mounted, contributes to sealing the housing 4 against water penetration in that there on the plugs are mounted elastic o-rings 24, 25, which are tightly fitted to the opening in the wells. To further prevent the plugs from unintentionally sliding out of the well, the plugs 20,23 are equipped with a collar 26, 27, over which a locking arrangement 28 is secured to the housing 4 with a mounting 29, preferably in the form of screws, which are screwed into holes 32 in the housing 4 and thus fixes the plugs 20, 23 in their position inserted in the wells. This is shown in fig. 7, where a section of the bottom of the housing is shown having the separate unit 17 mounted. The locking arrangement 28 incidentally also appears from fig. 3, where the housing with the separate unit 17 is shown ready for mounting.

In order to remove the plugs 20, 23 from their respective wells, when the locking arrangement has been removed, relatively large forces are required. Therefore, the plugs are equipped with a narrowing 30, 31, which enables a person to get a firm grip around them and pull them out.

Although the embodiment shows how a control device for a switchgear may be controlled remotely, it will be appreciated that the invention also applies to actuator systems for other purposes which are characterized by being equipped with a modem for exchanging data between the application and a unit, handling operation and monitoring .

Claims

Patent claims :

1. Actuator system comprising: at least one electrically driven actuator with an electric motor, a transmission, and an activation element, where the electric motor via the transmission moves the activation element, a control device and a housing (4) in which the control device is arranged c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the control device is connected to a wireless modem (15) and that the modem is connected to a holding arrangement (18) for a SIM card.

2. Actuator system according to claim l c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the holding arrangement (18) for a SIM card is arranged on a separate unit (17) electrically connected to the wireless modem (15) .

3. Actuator system according to claim l c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wireless modem (15) is located inside the housing (4) .

4. Actuator system according to claim 2 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the separate unit (17) is designed in such a way that the holding arrangement (18) for a SIM card is located on a printed circuit board (19) arranged in connection with a plug connector (20) .

5. Actuator system according to claim 4 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the separate unit (17) is designed in such a way that it fits into a well in the housing (4) .

6. Actuator system according to claim 5 c h a r a c t e r i 2 e d in that the printed circuit board (19) is equipped with a plug and socket connection, which internally in the housing (4) connects the holding arrangement (18) for a SIM card to the wireless modem (15) .

7. Actuator system according to claim 4 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the separate unit (17) comprises a cable (21) , which with a first end is connected to the printed circuit board (19) and led through the plug connector (20) , and said cable (21) with another end is connected to a plug (22) located in a plug connector (23) , where the plug connectors (20, 23) may be led into wells for that purpose in the housing (4) .

8. Actuator system according to claim l c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the housing (4) , the separate unit (17) and the plug connectors (20, 23) are equipped with means for protection against water penetration.

9. Actuator system according to claim l c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the separate unit (17) is equipped with means (30, 31) for inserting said separate unit in and removing it from its well(s) in the housing.

10 Actuator system according to claim l c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the separate unit (17) with mutually functioning locking means (26, 27, 28, 29, 32) may be fixed in its well(s) in the housing.