U.S. patent application number 09/998292 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-05 for output device for pressure transducer.
Invention is credited to Grudzien, Chris P..
Application Number | 20030101824 09/998292 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25545014 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030101824 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grudzien, Chris P. |
June 5, 2003 |
OUTPUT DEVICE FOR PRESSURE TRANSDUCER
Abstract
An output device for a pressure transducer incorporates a cable
connector and an electronic display. Both may be selectably
positioned relative to the pressure transducer. In one aspect of
the invention, the electronic display is rotatable around an axis
perpendicular to the plane of the display. In another aspect of the
invention, the cable connector is positioned by adjusting the
connection of the output device relative to the pressure
transducer. In some embodiments, the adjustability of the output
device is provided through a bayonet connection between the output
device and the pressure transducer. The adjustments to position of
the display and of the cable connector may be performed without the
use of tools. An output device constructed in accordance with the
present invention may be field-configured in a multitude of ways,
largely eliminating the need for the preselection of particular
output devices for particular installations.
Inventors: |
Grudzien, Chris P.; (Lowell,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HALE AND DORR, LLP
60 STATE STREET
BOSTON
MA
02109
|
Family ID: |
25545014 |
Appl. No.: |
09/998292 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
73/753 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01L 19/086 20130101;
G01L 19/083 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
73/753 |
International
Class: |
G01L 009/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. An output device for a pressure transducer, comprising: a
housing, a first end of the housing being adapted for connection to
the pressure transducer; an electronic display attached to a second
end of the housing, the electronic display being substantially
disposed in a plane, the electronic display being rotatable
relative to the housing about an axis perpendicular to the plane;
and a cable connector attached to a side of the housing, the
direction of the cable connector relative to the pressure
transducer being adjustable.
2. The output device of claim 1, the housing having a longitudinal
axis and the plane of the electronic display being perpendicular to
the longitudinal axis, wherein the electronic display being
rotatable around the longitudinal axis.
3. The output device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is
rotatable by about 360 degrees.
4. The output device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is
attached to the housing with a friction fit connection.
5. The output device of claim 4, wherein the friction fit
connection includes a grip ring.
6. The output device of claim 4, wherein the friction fit
connection includes a ratchet-type assembly.
7. The output device of claim 1, wherein the first end of the
housing includes a bayonet connection.
8. The output device of claim 7, wherein the bayonet connection
includes four slots.
9. The output device of claim 1, the cable connector having a
depth, wherein the cable connector is attached in a recess in the
housing, the recess being at least as deep as the depth of the
cable connector.
10. A method of configuring an output device including a cable
connector and a local electronic display for a pressure transducer
for a particular installation, comprising the steps of: determining
a desired direction for the cable connector; selecting an
orientation for the output device relative to the pressure
transducer to provide the desired direction for the cable
connector; completing a bayonet connection between the output
device and the pressure transducer according to the selected
orientation; determining a desired orientation for the electronic
display; and rotating the electronic display around an axis
perpendicular to the plane of the electronic display until the
desired orientation is achieved.
11. A method of adjusting an output device including a cable
connector and a local electronic display for a pressure transducer
for a particular installation, comprising the steps of: unlocking a
bayonet connection between the output device and the pressure
transducer from a first position; determining a desired direction
for the cable connector; selecting an orientation for the output
device relative to the pressure transducer to provide the desired
direction for the cable connector; completing the bayonet
connection between the output device and the pressure transducer
according to the selected orientation in a second position;
determining a desired orientation for the electronic display; and
rotating the electronic display around an axis perpendicular to the
plane of the electronic display until the desired orientation is
achieved.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to pressure transducers and
specifically to output devices for pressure transducers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Pressure transducers are used for measuring the pressure of
a fluid in a device or system. Pressure transducers may typically
provide two types of outputs--(1) a cable connection for
transmitting a signal representative of the sensed pressure to a
remote monitoring or control device and (2) a human-readable
display for providing a local reading of the sensed pressure.
[0003] Installation requirements for pressure transducers in the
field may impose particular space or configuration requirements on
the design of output devices for the pressure transducers. One use
of a pressure transducer is to measure the pressure of a gas line.
A pressure transducer is typically connected to a gas line such
that it is perpendicular to the gas line. The connection between
the pressure transducer and the gas line typically includes a
passage for the fluid whose pressure is being measured, with a
valve to an inlet to a sensing chamber in the transducer. When a
pressure transducer is installed on a gas line, it is generally
preferable that the passage provided in the connection be
positioned so that it is parallel to the direction of flow in the
gas line to avoid interruption of the flow. Accordingly, the
position of the gas line will dictate the orientation of the
pressure transducer. In many applications there are similar
constraints on where a pressure transducer may be installed and how
it may be positioned.
[0004] It is important that the cable connector and/or the display
provided for output from a pressure transducer be accessible under
various installation conditions. A local display should be oriented
so that it is convenient and easy to read. A cable connector should
be oriented so that it can easily be connected to the appropriate
cable. When a pressure transducer is installed in the field, one or
more sides of the pressure transducer may be obscured or
obstructed, requiring the outputs to have particular orientations
in order to be accessible. Limited vantage points might be
available for viewing a display. In addition, under certain
circumstances, a display having a particular orientation or a cable
connector facing in a particular orientation may be especially
desirable. It may be important for a number of displays to be
aligned, for example, to form a "bank" of displays by positioning
several transducers and their associated displays together on a set
of gas lines. Given these requirements, pressure transducers having
different configurations of cable connectors and local displays,
particularly relative to the fluid passage of the pressure
transducer, are generally needed for different applications. To
satisfy this need, manufacturers have typically provided each type
of transducer in several different configurations, each
configuration having a unique placement, or orientation, of the
display. However, carrying inventory for multiple configurations of
the same transducer is expensive.
[0005] A measuring indicator device for a pressure transducer is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,524, entitled "Measuring Indicator
Device," issued Sep. 19, 2000, to Kobold. The display disclosed in
the '524 patent is screwed onto a casing. A pressure transducer and
a line socket are connected on opposite sides of the casing. The
casing is rotatable around its longitudinal axis. The position of
the display can be adjusted by rotating the casing. Although the
position of the display disclosed in the '524 patent may be
adjusted, the disclosed design does not eliminate the need for
providing multiple configurations of the same transducer. For
example, FIGS. 1 and 2 of the '524 patent show two such
configurations in which the display has been screwed into the
casing at two different orientations which are rotated ninety
degrees from one another.
[0006] An adaptable, easily adjustable output device for pressure
transducers is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is directed to an adjustable output
device for pressure transducers and a method for installing and
adjusting the output device. An output device constructed in
accordance with the present invention may be field-configured in a
multitude of ways, largely eliminating the need for preselecting
particular output devices for particular installations. An output
device constructed in accordance with the invention incorporates a
cable connector and an electronic display. In one aspect of the
invention, both the cable connector and the electronic display can
be selectably positioned relative to the pressure transducer.
[0008] In one aspect of the invention, the orientation of the
electronic display relative to the cable connector is adjustable.
The electronic display is adjustable such that the digits of the
display can generally be viewed right-side up or in the orientation
most convenient to the user, given the constraints of a particular
installation. The electronic display is rotatable around an axis
perpendicular to the plane of the display. In some embodiments of
the invention, the output device is substantially cylindrical in
form. One end of the output device connects to a pressure
transducer. The electronic display is disposed on the opposite end
of the output device. In some embodiments, the display is disposed
transverse to the longitudinal axis of the output device so that it
can be seen from above, e.g., by forming an endcap for a generally
cylindrical output device. The display can be rotated around the
longitudinal axis of the output device in some embodiments. The
orientation of the display can be adjusted without the use of tools
and without taking apart the device or removing mechanical
fasteners such as screws.
[0009] In another aspect of the invention, the orientation of the
cable connector relative to the pressure transducer is adjustable.
In one aspect of the invention, the output device may connect to
the pressure transducer in a number of orientations. The
orientation of the output device relative to the pressure
transducer selects the orientation of the cable connector. In some
embodiments, the cable connector is positioned on the side of the
output device. The position of the output device may be changed
without the use of tools. In some embodiments, the adjustability of
the output device is provided through a bayonet connection between
the output device and the pressure transducer.
[0010] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed
description, wherein embodiments of the invention are shown and
described by way of illustration of the best mode of the invention.
As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and
different embodiments and its several details may be capable of
modifications in various respects, all without departing from the
invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be
regarded as illustrative in nature and not in a restrictive or
limiting sense, with the scope of the application being indicated
in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
present invention, reference should be made to the following
detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a side view of a pressure transducer assembly
including an output device constructed in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of the pressure transducer assembly of
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view of the output device of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a top view of the output device of FIG. 3; and
[0016] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the output device of
FIG. 3, taken along the lines A-A indicated in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of an output device 30
constructed according to the invention. As shown, output device 30
is coupled to a pressure transducer 20. Transducer 20 and output
device 30 form at least part of a transducer assembly 10. The
output device 30 is designed to provide a conveniently adjustable
output mechanism for pressure transducer 20 that is usable in a
range of installation situations. Output device 30 includes a
housing 31, an electronic display 40, and a cable connector 50. An
electrical signal representing the pressure measurement taken by
the pressure transducer 20 is provided through the output device 30
for local display on electronic display 40 and for remote use
through cable connector 50. The output device 30 allows both the
orientation of the cable connector 50 relative to the pressure
transducer 20 and the orientation of the electronic display 40 to
be adjusted.
[0018] The electronic display 40 is rotatably connected to the
housing 31 so that the display 40 can be rotated relative to
housing 31 about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the display
40. Preferably, the two types of outputs 40, 50 provided through
the output device 30 both have a range of positions and may be
adjusted independently, allowing a virtually infinite number of
configurations to be implemented using the output device of the
present invention.
[0019] In certain embodiments, the basic shape of the output device
30 is designed to match the dimensions and form of the pressure
transducer 20. The pressure transducer 20 may be cylindrical in
form, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are
illustrations of the output device 30, shown detached from the
pressure transducer 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the output
device 30 is also substantially cylindrical in form. Housing 31 has
a first end 33, a sidewall 34 and a second end 35, and housing 31
extends along a longitudinal axis 32.
[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic display 40 is
mounted on one end of the housing 31. The cable connector 50 is
mounted on the sidewall 34. On its other end 35, the housing 31
connects to the pressure transducer 20 with a pressure transducer
connection 60. In the illustrated embodiment, the output device 30
attaches to the top of a pressure transducer 20, on the end
opposite to the pressure transducer's fluid inlet, such that the
output device 30 and pressure transducer 20 are coaxial along the
longitudinal axis 32. The circular cross-sections of the output
device 20 and the pressure transducer 20 may have substantially the
same dimensions. This arrangement allows the entire pressure
transducer assembly 10 to have a compact and integrated
profile.
[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic display 40 is
provided on the end 33 of the housing 31 that is opposite to the
pressure transducer connection 60, such that it forms an endcap for
the top of the output device 30. The display 40 is substantially
planar and is disposed so that it is transverse to the longitudinal
axis 32. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the display
is disposed so that it is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 32
of the housing 31. The positioning of the display 40 allows it to
be viewed from above the pressure transducer assembly 10, e.g.,
looking toward the output device along the longitudinal axis 32 of
the housing 31. This is especially convenient when the installation
of the pressure transducer assembly is underground, low to the
ground, or obscured from the side. The display 40 is disposed so
that it may be rotated relative to the housing 31 around an axis
perpendicular to the face of the display 40. In the illustrated
embodiment, the display 40 is perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis 32 of the housing 31 and can be rotated around the
longitudinal axis 32. The rotatability of the display 40 allows the
display 40 to be adjusted so that it may be read in the desired or
most convenient orientation. One advantage is a reduction in the
risk of human error in reading the displayed pressure
measurement.
[0022] The face of the display 40 in accordance with some
embodiments of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. In the illustrated
embodiment, the top of the housing 31 includes a bezel 44 with the
electronic display 40 disposed in the bezel 44. In some
embodiments, the display 40 can be rotated up to about 360 degrees
around the axis 32. The display 40 may be rotatable continuously or
in small increments through its range of rotation. In some
embodiments, the display 40 may be adjusted by holding the bezel 44
and rotating it, without the use of tools. The bezel 44 may have a
textured, e.g., ridged, surface to allow for ease of gripping for
rotating the bezel. Since the display 40 is rotatable with respect
to housing 31, the orientation of display 40 may be adjusted
without manipulating the connection of the output device 30 to the
pressure transducer 20.
[0023] As noted above, display 40 is rotatably coupled to housing
31. That rotatable coupling may be provided using a variety of
mechanisms, such as friction connections, grip ring, or
ratchet-type connections. A single mechanism can provide both
attachment of the display 40 to the housing 31 and rotation of the
display 40. As may be seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5,
in some embodiments, the upper portion of the housing 31 may form a
detachable electronic display unit 42. The electronic display unit
42 incorporates the electronic display 40, the bezel 44, and a
display electronics assembly housing 46 for a display electronics
assembly 47 that generates and controls the electronic display 40.
In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic display unit 42 has a
grip ring 48 at its base. The grip ring 48 is friction fitted to
the inner sidewall 37 of the main portion of the housing 31. The
grip ring 48 frictionally couples the electronic display unit 42 to
the main portion of the housing 31 and permits the unit 42 to be
rotated relative to housing 31 about the longitudinal axis 32. A
detent disposed on the inner sidewall 37 of the housing 31 can
prevent hyperrotation of the display 40 to avoid, for example,
twisting the wires that connect to the display electronics assembly
47 sufficiently to damage the wires or break one of their
electrical connections. The electronic display unit 42 may be
replaced by a blank endcap if a local display is not desired for a
particular installation.
[0024] The electrical connections inside the output device can be
seen in the cross-section of FIG. 5. The electronic display 40 may
be any type of electronic display, such as an LCD display or an LED
display, including a loop-controlled or a voltage-controlled LED
display. The display electronics assembly 47 receives a signal
representative of the sensed pressure from the pressure transducer
through wires 49 and generates the reading seen in the electronic
display 40. The display electronics assembly 47 may include a
microprocessor and may allow for calibration, and other
adjustments, such as the units of measurement used in the display,
of the electronic display 40. The electronic display 40 may include
a control panel to allow for field adjustment of the electronic
display 40.
[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, the cable connector 50 is
mounted to the sidewall 34 of the housing 31. Although, in the
illustrated embodiment, cable connector 50 is a sub-D connector,
any desired type of cable connector 50, standard or
custom-designed, may be used. The position of the cable connector
50 relative to the pressure transducer can be adjusted by rotating
the housing 31 around the longitudinal axis 32 relative to the
pressure transducer 20 so that the cable connector 50 has the
desired direction.
[0026] In certain embodiments, the housing 31 of the output device
30 is dimensioned both to match the dimensions of the pressure
transducer and to accommodate the cable connector 50 in the desired
orientation. Cable connector 50 includes a face 52 and a mounting
plate 54. The cable connector 50 may be mounted so that the face 52
of the connector 50 does not protrude from the sidewall 34 of the
housing 31. In the illustrated embodiment, the cable connector 50
is mounted in a recess 36 in the sidewall 34 of the housing 31 to
preserve the substantially cylindrical and compact shape of the
housing 31. The recess 36 is built into the housing 31 to
accommodate the depth 56 of the cable connector 50 and has a flat
back wall for attachment of the mounting plate 54 of the cable
connector 50. Although the cable connector 50 could be affixed to
the housing 31 in a number of orientations, the cable connector 50
is preferably oriented with its longest dimension either along the
longitudinal axis (a vertical orientation) or perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis (a horizontal orientation). The longest dimension
of the illustrated cable connector 50 is its width 55. Attaching
the cable connector 50 in a vertical orientation may
disadvantageously require the length of the output device 30 along
the axis 32 to be extended. The cable connector 50 shown is mounted
with a horizontal orientation. However, in the illustrated
embodiment, because the housing 31 is dimensioned to match the
pressure transducer 30, the diameter 39 of the housing 31 is not
wide enough to accommodate the width 55 of the cable connector 50.
Accordingly, two protrusions 38 extend from the sidewall 34 of the
housing 31, adjacent to the back wall of the recess 36, to support
the mounting plate 54 of the cable connector 50 without
substantially altering the cylindrical profile of the housing 31,
as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Depending on the characteristics
of the connector used for particular embodiments, the housing 31
may be appropriately dimensioned to provide the desired positioning
for the connector. The cable connector 50 may be attached to the
housing 31 by mechanical or adhesive means, for example, screws or
glue. An aperture is provided in the recess 36 of the housing 31 to
allow for electrical wires or leads to attach to the back of the
cable connector 50 inside the housing 31. In the illustrated
embodiment, the cable connector 50 receives a signal representative
of the sensed pressure from the pressure transducer through wires
59, which can be seen in FIG. 5. The wires 49, 59 to the display
electronics assembly 47 and to the cable connector 50 may also be
used, for example, to supply power and send and receive other
signals, which may, for example, be generated by front end
electronics, from the pressure transducer 20.
[0027] In some embodiments, the housing 31 selectably and
detachably connects to pressure transducer 20 at its bottom end 35.
As shown in FIG. 3, the end 35 may be implemented as a bayonet type
connector 60, which defines one or more slots 62 for facilitating a
bayonet connection between end 35 and transducer 20. In such
embodiments, posts in transducer 20 (not shown) engage slots 62 in
a known fashion to selectably couple or release output device 30
and transducer 20. In the illustrated embodiment, bayonet connector
60 defines four slots 62 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3) and
the slots are evenly spaced apart from one another (or spaced at 90
degree intervals) around end 35. In this embodiment, the output
device 30 may be connected to transducer 20 in any one of four
different orientations (i.e., each of the orientations being
rotated by 90 degrees from another one of the possible
orientations).
[0028] In this embodiment, the orientation of cable connector 50
with respect to transducer 20 may be selected simply by coupling
the posts of transducer 20 into the appropriate slots 62 of bayonet
connector 60. If it is desired, for example, to rotate the position
of cable connector 50 by ninety degrees, the output connector 30
may simply be detached from transducer 20, rotated ninety degrees,
and then reattached via the bayonet connector. It will be
appreciated that additional flexibility in selecting the
orientation of cable connector 50 may be provided if desired by
adding additional slots 62 to bayonet connector 60 (e.g., six slots
may be provided with all slots being spaced apart by sixty
degrees). The bayonet connection is readily field-adjustable
without the use of tools. Once the cable connector 50 has been
located in a desired orientation, the electronic display 40 can be
independently adjusted, or rotated, to obtain the desired
orientation.
[0029] The illustrated embodiment provides two-degrees of freedom
for adjusting the configuration of an output device for a pressure
transducer. Because both the cable connector 50 and the local
display 40 are readily adjustable, the output device 30 may be
readily adapted to a multitude of installation situations.
[0030] An output device constructed in accordance with the present
invention may be combined with pressure transducers of any type.
The display may be disposed so that it is transverse but not
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the output device.
Although the illustrated embodiment incorporates and is designed to
accommodate a sub-D cable connector, embodiments of the present
invention could also be constructed using any type of cable
connector. Other types of connections, including other type of
bayonet connections, for the output device or other types of
connections for the electronic display may be used in alternate
embodiments. While the present invention has been illustrated and
described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will
be apparent that modifications can be made and the invention can be
practiced in other environments without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention, set forth in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *