Retainer for an electronic communication device to detect breaks in porous element separator

• US 20050247603A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M-I LLC (SLB)
• Original Assignee: M-I LLC (SLB)
• Inventors: Timmerman, Michael, DeCenso, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/235
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/143 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/46 Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4672 Woven meshes
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/18 Control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/02 Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles

Abstract

A retainer holds an electronic communication device used to detect breaks in porous elements of material separators to the frame of the separator. The retainer includes a ferrule affixed around a hole through the frame of the separator, a housing made from an RF transmissible material sealingly held within the ferrule, and a cap sealingly held against the ferrule. The electronic component is held by the cap such that it is situated within the housing. Such a retainer is affixed to frames of the separator on opposing sides of a porous element so that a transmitter may be retained in a first retainer and a receiver retained in a second retainer. The transmission of a signal from the transmitter that is received by the receiver indicates a break in the porous element between the components.

Claims

1. A retainer for a component of an electronic communication device for detecting an RF path through a porous element in a material separator, wherein the material separator includes a first frame having a first frame wall and a second frame having a second frame wall, wherein the porous element is retained between the first frame wall and the second frame wall such that a first chamber and a second chamber are defined, the first frame wall including an RF path therethrough, a ferrule providing an RF barrier and having a first end affixed around the RF path through the first frame wall and a second end extending outward from the first frame wall, the retainer comprising:

a housing selectively retained with a sealed interface within the ferrule and separating the electronic communication device from the first chamber; and

a cap selectively retained with a sealed interface against the second ferrule end and retaining the electronic communication device component within the housing and having a connector opening therethrough to retain an electronic connector providing data exchange between the electronic communication device and an external device.

2. A retainer as in claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from a material transparent to RF signals.

3. A retainer as in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a housing wall sealingly retained within the ferrule, wherein the housing wall has a first housing end and a second housing end;

a housing faceplate across the first housing end, wherein the housing faceplate is a material transparent to RF signals and the housing faceplate is positioned between the electronic communication device and the RF path through the first frame wall.

4. A retainer as in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a housing wall sealingly retained within the ferrule, wherein the housing wall has a first housing end and a second housing end;

a housing faceplate across the first housing end and having an outer faceplate surface outside the housing wall, wherein the housing faceplate is a material transparent to RF signals and the housing faceplate is positioned within the RF path through the first frame wall such that the outer faceplate surface is flush with an inner surface of the first frame wall.

5. A retainer as in claim 1, wherein the cap is sealingly retained against a flange on the second end of the ferrule.

6. A retainer as in claim 5, wherein the housing comprises:

a housing flange sealingly retained between the ferrule flange and the cap.

7. A retainer as in claim 6, further comprising:

a clamp band around the ferrule flange, housing flange and cap, wherein the clamp band provides compression force sufficient to seal an interface between the ferrule flange and the housing flange and an interface between the housing flange and the cap.

8. A retainer as in claim 1, further comprising:

a seal between the housing and the ferrule.

9. A retainer as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of standoffs between the cap and the electronic communication device, wherein the component is retained by the standoffs and the standoffs are retained by the cap, the standoffs providing a gap between the component and the cap.

10. A retainer for a component of an electronic communication device for detecting an RF path through a porous element in a material separator, wherein the material separator includes a first frame having a first frame wall and a second frame having a second frame wall, wherein the porous element is retained between the first frame wall and the second frame wall such that a first chamber and a second chamber are defined, the first frame wall including an RF path therethrough, a ferrule providing an RF barrier and having a first end affixed around the RF path through the first frame wall and a second end extending outward from the first frame wall, the retainer comprising:

a housing including;

a tubular housing wall selectively attachable to the ferrule and having a cross sectional area;

a housing faceplate affixed across the cross sectional area of the housing wall segregating the first chamber and an opening defined by the housing faceplate and the housing wall, wherein the housing faceplate is made from an RF-transmissible material;

a cap selectively enclosing the communication device within the opening, wherein the cap is made from an RF-shielding material.

11. The retainer of claim 10, wherein the communication device is affixed to the cap and retained within the opening.

12. The retainer of claim 11, wherein the housing wall is sealingly received within the ferrule;

and

wherein the cap is selectively connected to the ferrule.

13. The retainer of claim 11, wherein the housing wall has a housing first end selectively sealable to the ferrule and an opposing housing second end;

and

wherein the cap is selectively connected to the housing second end.

14. A retaining system for a transmitter and a receiver for detecting an RF path through a porous element in a material separator, wherein the material separator includes a first frame having a first frame wall and a second frame having a second frame wall, wherein the porous element is received between the first frame wall and the second frame wall such that a first chamber and a second chamber are defined, the retaining system comprising:

a first retainer within which the transmitter is housed, wherein the first retainer is affixed about an RF path through the first frame wall and provides a barrier to RF signals outside of the RF path through the first frame wall; and

a second retainer within which the receiver is housed, wherein the second retainer is affixed about an RF path through the second frame wall and provides a barrier to RF signals outside of the RF path through the second frame wall.

15. A retaining system as in claim 14, wherein the first retainer comprises:

a first ferrule having a first end affixed around the RF path through the first frame wall and a second end extending outward from the first frame wall;

a first housing sealingly retained within the first ferrule and separating the transmitter from the first chamber;

a first cap sealingly retained against the second end of the first ferrule and retaining the transmitter within the first housing and having a connector opening therethrough retaining a transmitter communication connector providing data exchange between the transmitter and an external device.

16. A retainer system as in claim 15, wherein the second retainer comprises:

a second ferrule having a first end affixed around the RF path through the second frame wall and a second end extending outward from the second frame wall;

a second housing sealingly retained within the second ferrule and separating the receiver from the first chamber;

a second cap sealingly retained against the second end of the second ferrule and retaining the receiver within the second housing and having a connector opening therethrough retaining a receiver communication connector providing data exchange between the receiver and an external device.

17. A retainer system as in claim 15, wherein the first ferrule and the second ferrule are each formed from an RF blocking material;

and

wherein the first housing has a faceplate between the transmitter and the first chamber and the second housing has a faceplate between the receiver and the second chamber, each faceplate being formed from an RF transmissible material.

18. A retainer system as in claim 15, wherein the first ferrule includes an outwardly extending flange to which the first cap is sealingly retained;

and

wherein the second ferrule includes an outwardly extending flange to which the second cap is sealingly retained.

19. A retainer system as in claim 18, wherein the first and second housings each include an outwardly extending housing flange, the housing flange of the first housing sealingly retained between the flange of the first ferrule and the first cap and the housing flange of the second housing sealingly retained between the flange of the second ferrule and the second cap.