DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE POSITION OF A VALVE SPINDLE

• US 20140116542A1
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buerkert Werke GmbH
• Original Assignee: Buerkert Werke GmbH
• Inventors: FEINAUER, Markus, JACOB, Christof
• Granted Patent: US 9,518,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/554
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical

Abstract

Provision is made of a device for indicating the position of a valve spindle of a valve. The device comprises a valve spindle which can be shifted between a first position and a second position, and a sensor module for detecting at least the end positions of the valve spindle. The device further comprises at least a first optical display element (58), preferably a first LED, for indicating the first position, and a second optical display element (60), preferably a second LED, for indicating the second position. A first end position indication (66) is assigned to the first display element (58) and a second end position indication (68) is assigned to the second display element (60).

Claims

1. A device for indicating the position of a valve spindle (20) of a valve (10), comprising a valve spindle (20) which can be shifted between a first position and a second position, a sensor module (26) for detecting at least the end positions of the valve spindle (20), and at least a first optical display element (58), preferably a first LED, for indicating the first position, and a second optical display element (60), preferably a second LED, for indicating the second position, characterized in that a first end position indication (66) is assigned to the first display element (58) and a second end position indication (68) is assigned to the second display element (60).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second display elements (58, 60) are identical, in particular two LEDs emitting light with the same wavelength.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second display elements (58, 60) are arranged outside on a housing part or within a housing part of the valve (10).

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and second display elements (58, 60) are arranged on a printed circuit board (36).

5. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the end position indications (66, 68) are implemented by transparent or translucent portions of the housing part.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the display elements (58, 60) each cooperate with an optical waveguide (62, 64), in order to guide light to the end position indications (66, 68).

7. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the end position indications (66, 68) are arranged on the outer side of the housing part and are traversed by light which is emitted from the display elements (58, 60) arranged within the housing part.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that an additional identification means (74, 76) is assigned to each of the end position indications (66, 68).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the identification means (74, 76) are implemented in the form of labels.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor module (26) and the display elements (58, 60) are arranged within a separate cup-shaped housing module (40) which is placed on the valve (10) and in which the spindle (20) is movably guided.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the outer side of the housing part, on which the illuminated portions are arranged, is formed by an end face (44) of the housing module (40) opposite the valve (10).

12. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the housing module (40) is made of plastic, the identification means (74, 76) being directly molded in the plastic, preferably by means of injection molding technology.

13. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the end face (44) of the housing module (40) comprises an at least partially transparent protuberance (46), a spindle end projecting into said protuberance at least in an end position.

14. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that the transparent protuberance (46) and the spindle end represent a second position indication formed independently of the sensor module (26).

15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor module (26) is implemented as a path length measuring system.