Position transducer device

• US 20030076089A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balluff Verwaltungsges mbH
• Original Assignee: Balluff Verwaltungsges mbH
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Michael, Roth, Walter, Holder, Roland, Eckel, Gerd, Kurz, Martin, Springer, Roland, Eberle, Hansjuergen
• Granted Patent: US 6,903,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/207.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/485 using magnetostrictive devices

Abstract

In order to provide a position transducer device for detecting the position of a position transmitter, comprising a housing extending in a longitudinal direction and a measuring sensor arranged in the housing and extending parallel to the longitudinal direction, the position transmitter being coupled to this measuring sensor without contact, which is variable in its use for a user it is suggested that an outer surface of the housing be designed such that it can be enclosed at least partially by a fixing receiving means for fixing it to an application and that the housing can be rotated in the fixing receiving means.

Claims

1. Position transducer device for detecting the position of a position transmitter, comprising a housing extending in a longitudinal direction and a measuring sensor arranged in the housing and extending parallel to the longitudinal direction, the position transmitter being coupled to said measuring sensor in a noncontacting manner,

wherein an outer surface of the housing is designed such that it is adapted to be enclosed at least partially by a fixing receiving means for fixing it to an application and wherein the housing is rotatable in the fixing receiving means.

2. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the housing has a high degree of symmetry with respect to the longitudinal direction of the housing.

3. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer surface is essentially rotationally symmetric with respect to the longitudinal direction of the housing.

4. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein a housing surface has a marking extending in a longitudinal direction and indicating a measurement side.

5. Position transducer device as defined in claim 4, wherein the measuring sensor is at a minimum distance in relation to the marking.

6. Position transducer device as defined in claim 4, wherein one or more transverse markings are provided, said markings indicating the measurement area on the housing.

7. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is of a cylindrical design.

8. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is of a tubular design.

9. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing has a flattened area on its outer surface, the housing being adapted to be placed on a support by means of said flattened area.

10. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the position transmitter is free floating relative to the housing.

11. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the position transmitter is guided on the housing.

12. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein a fixing receiving means is designed as a retaining clamp.

13. Position transducer device as defined in claim 12, wherein a retaining clamp is of a bracket-like design such that the housing is adapted to be fixed between a holding bracket of the retaining clamp and the application.

14. Position transducer device as defined in claim 12, wherein a retaining clamp is of a clip-like design, wherein the housing is adapted to be fixed in the holding clip.

15. Position transducer device as defined in claim 14, wherein the position transducer device is adapted to be fixed on the retaining clamp via one or more fixing screws between the housing and the holding clip.

16. Position transducer device as defined in claim 12, wherein a retaining clamp comprises a first holding element with a first holding recess and a second holding element with a second holding recess, wherein the housing of the position transducer device is held between the two holding elements in the two holding recesses.

17. Position transducer device as defined in claim 16, wherein the two holding elements are adapted to be fixed to one another via one or more fixing screws.

18. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing of the position transducer device is adapted to be fixed on an application in a recess.

19. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is produced from a material with a high electrical and/or thermal conductivity.

20. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is open at both ends so that it is closable by covers.

21. Position transducer device as defined in claim 1, wherein a cover for closing the housing is adapted to be fixed to it without screws.

22. Position transducer device as defined in claim 21, wherein a cover for closing the housing has a knurled area for dipping into the housing.

23. Position transducer device for detecting the position of a position transmitter, comprising a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, a measuring sensor arranged in the housing and extending parallel to the longitudinal direction, the position transmitter being coupled to said measuring sensor in a noncontacting manner, and an electrical connection element arranged on the housing,

wherein a cover for closing the housing at one end and the connection element are connected to one another as a unit and wherein this cover-connection element unit is fixed on the housing via the cover.

24. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein the cover-connection element unit is pushed into the housing and fixed on it.

25. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein the measuring sensor is held in the housing by the cover-connection element unit.

26. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein an internal circuit arrangement of the position transducer device is arranged on the cover-connection element unit.

27. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein the cover-connection element unit has a holding element extending in the longitudinal direction, the cover-connection element unit being adapted to be fixed in the housing by means of said holding element.

28. Position transducer device as defined in claim 27, wherein the holding element has one or more clamping elements, the holding element being adapted to be clamped on the housing by means of said clamping elements.

29. Position transducer device as defined in claim 27, wherein an internal circuit arrangement is seated on the holding element.

30. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein the cover has a dip-in area, the cover dipping into an interior of the housing by means of said area.

31. Position transducer device as defined in claim 30, wherein the cover-connection element unit is fixed on the housing without screws by means of the dip-in area.

32. Position transducer device as defined in claim 31, wherein one or more seals are arranged between the dip-in area and a housing inner wall.

33. Position transducer device as defined in claim 32, wherein a seal is designed in the shape of an O-ring.

34. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein a plug consisting of a porous material is arranged in the housing at or in the vicinity of the end facing away from the cover of the cover-connection element unit.

35. Position transducer device as defined in claim 34, wherein the cover-connection element unit is designed such that a good thermal contact prevails between the cover and an internal circuit arrangement seated on the cover-connection element unit.

36. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein the housing is of a cylindrical design with at least one open end for the cover-connection element unit.

37. Position transducer device as defined in claim 23, wherein the housing is of a tubular design.