Limit signal indicator and method for operating a limit signal indicator
First Claim
1. A limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising:
- a position sensor for detecting a position of the positioning device;
a first signal transmission contact, a second signal transmission contact, and a microprocessor connected to the first and second contacts by respective communication lines;
the first signal transmission contact outputting a first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position and the second signal transmission contact outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or the first and the second electrical limit position signals indicating a position of the positioning device different than the first and the second position, and wherein when one of said first and second limit position signals is above a respective first predetermined set limit value and the other of said first and second limit position signals is below a respective second predetermined set limit value the positioning device is identified as being in said respective first or second position;
the first signal transmission contact being connected to a respective first switch amplifier and the second signal transmission contact being connected to a respective second switch amplifier;
the first switch amplifier generating and transmitting to an external processing location a first emergency signal in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator of a signal transmission of at least one of said first and second electrical limit position signals, said first emergency signal having a value above a maximum limit value or below a minimum limit value; and
upon detecting by said microprocessor a specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, said microprocessor executing an emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal is generated and transmitted by said second switch amplifier to said external processing location, a value of said second emergency signal substantially corresponding to the value of the first emergency signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a limit signal indicator for determining two positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device, a position sensor detects a position of the positioning device. A first signal transmission contact, a second signal transmission contact, and a microprocessor are provided. The first and the second signal transmission contacts each output a respective electrical limit position signal, the limit position signals representing an adoption of the first and the second positions or of at least one position of the positioning device above or below a predetermined set limit value. At least one of the signal transmission contacts is connected for signal transmission so that in case of a malfunctioning of a signal transmission, the switch amplifier is capable of generating an emergency signal above a maximum limit value or below a lower limit value, and to transmit the emergency signal to an external processing location. The microprocessor, upon detecting a specific operational malfunctioning, actuating the positioning device and executing an emergency procedure according to which the same emergency signal is generated and output at the second signal transmission contact.
13 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising:
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a position sensor for detecting a position of the positioning device; a first signal transmission contact, a second signal transmission contact, and a microprocessor connected to the first and second contacts by respective communication lines; the first signal transmission contact outputting a first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position and the second signal transmission contact outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or the first and the second electrical limit position signals indicating a position of the positioning device different than the first and the second position, and wherein when one of said first and second limit position signals is above a respective first predetermined set limit value and the other of said first and second limit position signals is below a respective second predetermined set limit value the positioning device is identified as being in said respective first or second position; the first signal transmission contact being connected to a respective first switch amplifier and the second signal transmission contact being connected to a respective second switch amplifier; the first switch amplifier generating and transmitting to an external processing location a first emergency signal in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator of a signal transmission of at least one of said first and second electrical limit position signals, said first emergency signal having a value above a maximum limit value or below a minimum limit value; and upon detecting by said microprocessor a specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, said microprocessor executing an emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal is generated and transmitted by said second switch amplifier to said external processing location, a value of said second emergency signal substantially corresponding to the value of the first emergency signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising:
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a position sensor for detecting a position of the positioning device; a first signal transmission contact, a second signal transmission contact, a third signal transmission contact, and a microprocessor connected to the first, second, and third contacts by respective communication lines; the first signal transmission contact outputting a first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position and the second signal transmission contact outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or the first and the second electrical limit position signals indicating a position of the positioning device different than the first and the second positions, and wherein when one of said first and second limit position signals is above a respective first predetermined set limit value and the other of said first and second limit position signals is below a respective second predetermined set limit value then the positioning device is identified as being in said respective first or second position; the first signal transmission contact being connected to a respective first switch amplifier, the second signal transmission contact being connected to a respective second switch amplifier, and the third signal transmission contact being connected to a respective third switch amplifier; the first switch amplifier generating and transmitting to an external processing location a first emergency signal in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator of a signal transmission of at least one of said first and second electrical limit position signals, said first emergency signal having a value above a maximum limit value or below a minimum limit value; and upon detecting by said microprocessor a specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, said microprocessor executing an emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal is generated and transmitted by said third switch amplifier to said external processing location, said second emergency signal representing said specific operational malfunctioning either a) above or below said predetermined first or second set limit values, b) above said maximum limit value, or c) below said minimum limit value. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for operating a limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a position of the positioning device with a position sensor; outputting from a first signal transmission contact a first electrical limit position signal indicating that the position device is in the first or the second position and outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal at a second signal transmission contact indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or indicating with the first and the second electrical limit position signals a position of the positioning device different than the first and the second positions; transmitting based on a transmission malfunction signal at said first signal transmission contact a first emergency signal to an external processing location in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator; and upon detecting by a microprocessor a specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, executing with said microprocessor an emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal based on a specific malfunction signal at said second signal transmission contact is transmitted to said external processing location.
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27. A method for operating a limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a position of the positioning device with a position sensor; outputting from a first signal transmission contact the first electrical limit position signal indicating that the position device is in the first or the second position and outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal at a second signal transmission contact indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or indicating with the first and the second electrical limit position signals a position of the positioning device different than the first and the second positions; transmitting based on a transmission malfunction signal at said first signal transmission contact a first emergency signal to an external processing location in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator; upon detecting by a microprocessor a first specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said first specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, executing with said microprocessor a first emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal based on a first specific malfunction signal at said second signal transmission contact is transmitted to said external processing location; and upon detecting by said microprocessor a second specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said second specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, executing with said microprocessor a second emergency procedure according to which a third emergency signal based on a second specific malfunction signal at a third signal transmission contact is transmitted to said external processing location.
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28. A limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising:
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a position sensor for detecting a position of the positioning device; a first signal transmission contact, a second signal transmission contact, and a microprocessor connected to the first and second contacts by respective communication lines; the first signal transmission contact outputting a first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position and the second signal transmission contact outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or the first and the second electrical limit position signals indicating a position of the positioning device different than the first and the second positions; a transmission malfunction signal at said first signal transmission contact being used to transmit to an external processing location a first emergency signal in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator; and upon detecting by said microprocessor a specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, said microprocessor executing an emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal based on a specific malfunction signal at said second signal transmission contact is transmitted to said external processing location.
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29. A limit signal indicator for determining first and second positions of a pneumatically operated positioning device actuated by a positioning drive, comprising:
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a position sensor for detecting a position of the positioning device; a first signal transmission contact, a second signal transmission contact, a third signal transmission contact, and a microprocessor connected to the first, second, and third contacts by respective communication lines; the first signal transmission contact outputting a first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position and the second signal transmission contact outputting a second electrical limit position signal different than said first electrical limit position signal indicating that the positioning device is in the first or the second position, or the first and the second electrical limit position signals indicating a position of the positioning device different that the first and the second positions; a transmission malfunction signal at said first signal transmission contact being used to transmit to an external processing location a first emergency signal in case of a signal transmission malfunctioning within the limit signal indicator; upon detecting by said microprocessor a first specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said first specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, said microprocessor executing a first emergency procedure according to which a second emergency signal based on a first specific malfunction signal at said second signal transmission contact is transmitted to said external processing location; and upon detecting by said microprocessor a second specific operational malfunctioning of the limit signal indicator, the positioning device, or the positioning drive, or a combination thereof, said second specific operational malfunctioning being other than said signal transmission malfunctioning, said microprocessor executing a second emergency procedure according to which a third emergency signal based on a second specific malfunction signal at said third signal transmission contact is transmitted to said external processing location.
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Specification