Collar style cover and housing assembly for field device

• US 8,223,478 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Perrault, Aaron Andrew, Herzog, Daniel Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US12/807,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20120063065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1462 for programmable logic controllers [PLC] for automation or industrial process control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A field device assembly includes a housing body, a first circuitry subassembly mounted to the housing body and positioned at least partially within the housing body, a first cover chassis having a shoulder, mating flame path restricting structures positioned on the first cover chassis and the housing body, a first threaded collar configured to fit about the first cover chassis and to permit rotation relative to the first cover chassis, and a second circuitry subassembly secured to the first cover chassis. The first threaded collar is threadably engaged with the housing body, and includes an engagement structure engaged with the shoulder of the first cover chassis to secure the first cover chassis to the housing body. The second circuitry subassembly includes an electrical connector configured for linear insertion engagement with a mating electrical connector within the housing body to electrically connect the first and second circuitry subassemblies.

Claims

1. A field device assembly for use in an industrial process facility, the assembly comprising:

a housing body;

a first circuitry subassembly mounted to the housing body and positioned at least partially within the housing body;

a first cover chassis having a shoulder at a perimeter thereof;

a flame path restricting structure positioned on the first cover chassis adjacent to the shoulder;

a mating flame path restricting structure positioned on the housing body, wherein the flame path restricting structure on the first cover chassis engages the mating flame path restricting structure on the housing body;

a first threaded collar configured to fit about the first cover chassis and to permit rotation relative to the first cover chassis, wherein the first threaded collar is threadably engaged with the housing body, and wherein the first threaded collar includes an engagement structure engaged with the shoulder of the first cover chassis to secure the first cover chassis to the housing body; and

a second circuitry subassembly secured to the first cover chassis, the second circuitry subassembly including an electrical connector configured for linear insertion engagement with a mating electrical connector within the housing body to form an electrical connection between the first and second circuitry subassemblies.

2. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a transparent cover piece secured to the first cover chassis, wherein at least a portion of the second circuitry subassembly is visible through the transparent cover piece.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second circuitry subassembly comprises:

capacitive touch circuitry for providing capacitive touch actuation through the transparent cover piece; and

digital display circuitry for providing a digital display visible through the transparent cover piece.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the capacitive touch circuitry is separated from the transparent cover piece by an air gap.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second circuitry subassembly comprises:

transient protection circuitry.

6. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a second cover chassis having a shoulder at a perimeter thereof;

an additional flame path restricting structure positioned on the first cover chassis adjacent to the shoulder;

an additional mating flame path restricting structure positioned on the housing body;

a second threaded collar configured to fit about the second cover chassis and to permit rotation relative to the second cover chassis, wherein the second threaded collar is threadably engaged with the housing body, wherein the second threaded collar includes a engagement structure engaged with the shoulder of the second cover chassis to secure the second cover chassis to the housing body, and wherein the additional flame path restricting structure on the second cover chassis engages the additional mating flame path restricting structure on the housing body; and

a third circuitry subassembly secured to the second cover chassis, the third circuitry subassembly including an additional electrical connector configured for linear insertion engagement with an additional mating electrical connector within the housing body to form an electrical connection between the first and third circuitry subassemblies.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the second circuitry subassembly comprises digital display circuitry for providing a digital display visible through the transparent cover piece, and wherein the third circuitry subassembly comprises transient protection circuitry.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the second circuitry subassembly further comprises:

capacitive touch circuitry for providing capacitive touch actuation through the transparent cover piece.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises a multi-pin electrical connector.

10. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

an anti-rotation structure engaged between the first cover chassis and the housing body to restrict rotation of the first cover chassis relative to the housing body.

11. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a seal member positioned adjacent to the first threaded collar for providing a fluidic seal.

12. A method of assembling a field device for use in an industrial process facility, the method comprising:

positioning a first cover against a housing, wherein the first cover is rotationally fixed relative to the housing;

forming an electrical connection between a first electrical connector carried by the first cover and a second electrical connector carried by the housing, wherein the first and second electrical connectors are rotationally fixed relative to one another when forming the electrical connection therebetween;

forming an explosion-proof flame path between the first cover and the housing;

threadably engaging a first collar to the housing; and

applying force to the first cover with the first collar to secure the first cover to the housing.

13. The method of claim 12 and further comprising:

forming a fluidic environmental seal between the housing and the first cover.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first cover includes a transparent portion, and wherein capacitive touch circuitry is carried by the first cover adjacent to an interior surface of the transparent portion, and wherein an air gap between opposing surfaces of the capacitive touch circuitry and the transparent portion is maintained at a fixed distance after the steps of positioning the first cover against the housing and forming an electrical connection between the first electrical connector carried by the first cover and the second electrical connector carried by the housing.

15. The method of claim 12 and further comprising:

positioning a second cover against the housing, wherein the second cover is rotationally fixed relative to the housing;

forming an electrical connection between a third electrical connector carried by the second cover and a fourth electrical connector carried by the housing, wherein the third and fourth electrical connectors are rotationally fixed relative to one another when forming the electrical connection between them;

forming an explosion-proof flame path between the second cover and the housing;

threadably engaging a second collar to the housing; and

applying force to the second cover with the second collar to secure the second cover to the housing.

16. The method of claim 12 and further comprising:

engaging an anti-rotation structure between the first cover and the housing.

17. A cover assembly for a field device for use in an industrial process facility, the assembly comprising:

a cover chassis having a shoulder at a perimeter thereof;

a flame path restricting structure positioned on the cover chassis adjacent to the shoulder;

a threaded collar configured to fit about the cover chassis and to permit rotation relative to the cover chassis, wherein the threaded collar includes a engagement structure for engaging the shoulder of the cover chassis to secure the cover chassis to an adjacent structure that engages the flame path restricting structure; and

an electronics subassembly secured to the cover chassis, the electronics subassembly including an electrical connector configured for linear insertion engagement with another electrical connector to form an electrical connection therebetween.

18. The assembly of claim 17 and further comprising:

a transparent cover piece secured to the cover chassis, wherein at least a portion of the electronics subassembly is visible through the transparent cover piece.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the electronics subassembly comprises:

capacitive touch circuitry for providing capacitive touch actuation through the transparent cover piece; and

digital display circuitry for providing a digital display visible through the transparent cover piece.

20. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the electronics subassembly comprises:

transient protection circuitry.