Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4796159?dq=5787445
Timestamp: 2017-05-30 06:13:14
Document Index: 579831674

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 5', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 82', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 6']

Patent US4796159 - Explosion protected modular housing - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsAn explosion-protected modular housing (3) for electrical and/or electronic components (29) includes at least one sand-filled chamber (28), in which the components are housed. The components (29) are protected in this manner in the safety mode known as "sand filling". Also provided on the housing (3)...http://www.google.com/patents/US4796159?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4796159 - Explosion protected modular housingAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS4796159 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/095,561Publication dateJan 3, 1989Filing dateSep 10, 1987Priority dateSep 26, 1986Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE3632676A1, EP0261307A2, EP0261307A3, EP0261307B1, EP0261307B2Publication number07095561, 095561, US 4796159 A, US 4796159A, US-A-4796159, US4796159 A, US4796159AInventorsDetlev MikscheOriginal AssigneeR. Stahl Schalterate GmbHExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (9), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (55), Classifications (16), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetExplosion protected modular housing
It is frequently necessary to provide power supplies to explosion-protected electrical subsystems, and particularly to such electrical subsystems which are retained within a flame-proof, or explosion-proof housing. If electrical signals are to be transmitted, that is, electrical energy at voltage and current levels which are so low that no sparking, capable of causing ignition, may occur upon connection or disconnection, or the like, or which are so low that no appreciable heating of components results, ordinary inherently non-explosion-protected connections may be used. Such connections are termed "intrinsically safe" connections. If considerable energy, however, is to be transferred, connection or disconnection of a power supply to the explosion-protected subsystems may require transfer of voltage and/or current levels which are high enough to be dangerous if the connection arrangement is located in a hazardous area. Connections then must meet the standard "flameproof enclosures" of IEC 79-1, to which ANSI C 33-30 an C 33-27 correspond.
It is an object to devise an explosion protected modular housing system in which a subsystem can more simply and quickly be removed from or introduced into the system, without having, for explosion protection reasons, to shut off supply voltages for all subsystems housed in that modular housing, or to deenergize intrinsically safe signal lines.
FIG. 1, in a perspective view partially in section and cut away, shows a component assembly holder according to the invention, having an explosion-protected modular subsystem housing according to the invention;
In FIG. 1, an explosion-protected modular plug-in system 1 is shown in a schematic, i.e. simplified, perspective view; this system has a component assembly holder 2, as well as explosion-protected modular subsystem housings 3 that are insertable into the component assembly, only one of these housings 3 being shown in the drawing. The electrical connection between the component assembly holder 2 and the modular plug-in housing 3 for "not intrinsically safe" circuits is via a two-part plug-in and receptacle connection arrangement 4, having a part 5 retained in the component assembly holder 2 and a part 6 attached to the modular subsystem housing 3, which part 5 together with part 6, in the plugged-in state, forms a flame-proof encapsulation as defined by IEC Standard IEC 79-1, or ANSI C33-30 and C33-27 for the contact means located in them. An electrical cable 12' is connected to part 5. The intrinsically safe circuits are connected via a plug-in terminal strip, of standard printed circuit board (PCB) construction (ANSI S815A), or the like, which is attached to the subsystem housing 3 and is available on the market. In the plugged-in state, this terminal strip 7 makes contact with a receptacle strip attached to the component assembly holder 2, the receptacle strip also being available on the market and not being shown in the drawing for the sake of simplicity.
In the modular connection or plug-in system 1 shown in FIG. 1, whenever the explosion-protected housing 3 is inserted into the frame 8 between the corresponding guide rails 16 and 17 with its end wall 26 and with the part 6 secured thereto and the plug-in terminal strip 7 leading, the plug pins 38a . . . 38c force their way into the cylindrical bores 51 of the associated cylindrical chambers containing the sleeves 53, to the extent that the explosion-protected housing 3 has been pushed forward. Even before an electrical contact is made between the reduced-diameter portions 42 of the plug pins 38a . . . 38c and the plug-in sleeves 53, the portions 41 together with the bores 51 form a flame-proof safe gap of sufficient length defined by the IEC, so that whenever sparks are produced in the ensuring making of contact, the chamber in which these sparks could occur is already encapsulated in a flameproof manner as defined by the safety provision. Contacting occurs once the housing 3 is inserted far enough. In the course of further insertion, the plug pins 38a . . . 38c enter more deeply into the sleeves 53 with their reduced-diameter portions 42. At the same time, the operating elements 59 and 68 of the microswitches 58 and 67 are also depressed, thereby closing the electrical connections that they had interrupted. Once the explosion-protected housing 3 is inserted all the way, the "not instrinsically safe" current circuits to the electronic component assembly 29 in the housing 3 are closed via the explosion-protected plug-and-receptacle arrangement 4. At the same time, the electrical connections of the of the intrinsically safe "current circuits are effected via the plug-in terminal strip 7 and a corresponding receptacle terminal strip (not shown), which like the part 5 are secured to the rear support rails 13 and 14 at the corresponding location.
A slider 71 is guided in the base body 46 in a longitudinally displaceable manner and when the part 6 is withdrawn it closes the bores 50. To this end, the base body 46, just behind the outer mouth of the bores 50, includes a rectangular conduit 72 that extends at right angles to the axes of the bores 51 that are parallel to one another. Located in this conduit 72 is an elongated finger 73 of rectangular cross section and having openings 74 arranged in the pattern of the bores 50, so that in one position of the finger 73 in the conduit 72, the portion of the bores 51 located behind the slider 71 is accessible from the front.
The closure of the bore 50 is effected by means of a pin 81 made of an insulating material. The sleeve 53 has by a cup-shaped extension 82 joined rearwardly, into the opening of which a closure screw 83 is screwed. The closure screw 83 can in turn be formed as a terminal clamp and to this end includes an internal thread, for example, not visible here, into which a clamping screw 84 can be screwed. On the face end protruding into the cup-shaped part 82, the closure screw 83 has a centering pin 85, onto which a compression spring 86 formed as a helical spring is fastened. The other end of the helical spring 86 is supported in a cup-shaped extension 87 of the pin 81, so that the compression spring 86 urges the pin 81 forward through the sleeve 53 into the bore 51. Upon insertion of the part 6 into the part 5, the plug pin 38 pushes the pin 81 before it, all the way through the sleeve 53 into the cup-shaped extension 82 thereof, thereby uncovering the bore 51. Once again, the pin 38 forms a flameproof gap with the bore 51 even before the forwardmost tip of the plug pin 38 makes electrical contact with the sleeve 53.
The sleeve 53 is located farther to the rear, and a pin 91 made of an electrically conductive material is capable of reciprocating between the bore 50 and the sleeve 53. The pin 91 has a shaft 92 that is located in the bore 50 and merges integrally with a flange 93 of larger diameter. The flange 93 rests against an annular shoulder that is formed at the transition from the cylindrical chamber 49, in which the sleeve 53 is housed, to the bore 50. On its face end facing the sleeve 53 and on which a compression spring 94 formed as a helical spring is supported, the flange 93 has a further cylindrical pin 95, which is intended for insertion into the sleeve 53.
The bores 50 are closed by means of a membrane 97 made of a rubber elastic material, which is attached to the side of the base body 46 oriented toward the part 5 in front of the bores 51, where it is retained by a fastening plate 98. The fastening plate 98 includes openings 99 aligned with the bores 51, the plug pins 38 being capable of passing all the way through these openings 99. At the points at which the bores 51 are located behind the membrane 97, the membrane 97 is provided, as shown in FIG. 10, with slits 101 arranged in a star pattern, producing small triangles that the triangles are defined on two sides by cuts. Beyond the cuts, are integrally connected to the remainder of the membrane 97. Upon insertion of the part 6, the plug pins can pass through the membrane 9 wherever the star-like slits 101 are provided, so as to enter the bores 51 located behind them. So that the material of the membrane 97 that escapes toward the back will not be squeezed at the edges of the bore 51, the bores 51 imediately behind the membrane 97 are provided with cylindrical recesses 102, which provide space for the escaping parts of the membrane.
Instead of a plug connection with a flameproof encapsulation of the contact means, a plug-and-receptacle connection 4' can also be used, on which the contact means 88, are formed in the "increased safety" protection mode, in order to establish the electrical connection of the housing 3 and the component assembly holder 2. This kind of plug-and-receptacle arrangement is shown schematically in FIGS. 11 and 12, in which the same reference numerals are used for elements already described that appear again here.
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STAHL SCHALTERATE GMBH, D 7118 KUNZELSAU, GERMAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:MIKSCHE, DETLEV;REEL/FRAME:004768/0303Effective date: 19870902Mar 5, 1992FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4May 6, 1996FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Jun 28, 2000FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services