Modular terminal assembly for wireless transmitters

• US 8,892,034 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: McGuire, Chad Michael, Morrison, Brett Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US13/532,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/73, 455/90.3, 455/115.1, 455/127.1, 455/128, 455/572, 361/728
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device

Abstract

A terminal module is configured to fit inside an internal power source receptacle in a housing of a process field device, and comprises a wired power source connection, power conditioning electronics, and a field device connection. The wired power source connection is configured to receive power from an external source. The power conditioning electronics are capable of conditioning power from the wired power source connection for reception by the industrial field device. The field device connection is configured to provide power conditioned by the power conditioning electronics to the process field device via a terminal configured to receive and mate with the internal power source.

Claims

1. A wireless process field device assembly comprising:

a process sensor which senses a process parameter;

a processor configured to produce a process signal representing the sensed process parameter;

a wireless transceiver configured to transmit the process signal;

a housing which surrounds and protects the processor, and which has a housing receptacle configured to receive an internal power source;

a terminal block located inside the housing and configured to route DC power from the internal power source to the processor and the wireless transceiver; and

a terminal module with power conditioning electronics, the terminal module configured to fit into the housing receptacle and interface with the terminal block in the place of the internal power source, and to provide conditioned power to the terminal block from a wired connection to an external power source.

2. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal block is a removable module which detachably fastens into the housing.

3. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the power conditioning electronics comprise a DC rectifier.

4. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the power conditioning electronics limit voltage and/or current transmitted to the terminal block.

5. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the wired connection to the external power source comprises at least one screw terminal.

6. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least one wire conduit through which the wired connection can pass into the receptacle.

7. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a sealed portion and a detachable cover which enclose the receptacle.

8. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 7, wherein the sealed portion fully encloses the processor, and further comprising a power supply control which distributes power from the terminal block to the processor and the wireless transceiver.

9. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 7, wherein the detachable cover has a wave spring, and the terminal module further comprises a support configured to interface with the wave spring when the detachable cover is attached to the sealed casing so as to retain the terminal module against excessive vibration.

10. The wireless process field device assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal module has a connector insert with an O-ring that forms a friction fit with the terminal block.

11. A removable terminal module for a process field device, the removable terminal module comprising:

a field device connection configured to mate with either an internal power source terminal configured to receive electrical power from an internal power source, or a wired power source connection configured to receive power from an external power source; and

power conditioning electronics configured to condition power from the wired power source connection for transmission through the field device connection;

wherein the removable terminal module is configured to fit inside an interior portion of the process field device sized and proportioned to contain and support the internal power source.

12. The terminal module of claim 11, wherein the internal power source terminal is configured to secure and receive electrical power from a conventional C or D cell battery.

13. The terminal module of claim 11, wherein power conditioning electronics comprise an AC/DC rectifier.

14. The terminal module of claim 11, wherein the power conditioning electronics limit voltage and/or current transmitted through the field device connection.

15. The terminal module of claim 11, wherein the wired power source connection comprises at least one terminal screw on a connection board.

16. The terminal module of claim 11, wherein the field device connection comprises a detachable terminal block secured within the interior portion of the process field device.

17. A wireless process field device comprising:

a transducer connection which transmits and/or receives transducer signals to and/or from a transducer;

a wireless transceiver which transmits and/or receives process messages to and/or from a remote device;

a processor which processes transducer signals and process messages;

a housing which encloses and protects the processor;

a cover which defines a receptacle together with the housing, the receptacle configured to receive an internal power source;

a removable terminal module with power conditioning electronics, the removable terminal module configured to fit into the receptacle and in place of the internal power source, and further configured to condition and transmit electrical power from a wired external source to the processor and the wireless transceiver.

18. The wireless process field device of claim 17, wherein the transducer connection is a sensor connection which receives sensor signals from a process sensor which senses a process parameter.

19. The wireless process field device of claim 17, wherein the transducer connection is an actuator connection which transmits and/or receives actuator signals to and/or from an actuator.

20. The wireless process field device of claim 17, wherein the removable terminal module is configured to condition and transmit electrical power to the processor via a terminal block designed to mate with a battery or a capacitor.

21. The wireless process field device of claim 17, wherein the power conditioning electronics comprise an AC/DC rectifier.

22. The wireless process field device of claim 17, wherein the power conditioning electronics limit voltage and/or current transmitted through the field device connection.

23. The wireless process field device of claim 17, further comprising a sealed wire conduit into the receptacle through either the housing or the cover.

24. The wireless process field device of claim 17, wherein the cover includes a wave spring configured to support the internal power source and/or the terminal module.

25. A method comprising:

determining an internal power source;

designing a process field device with a process electronics and a housing receptacle sized and shaped to detachably enclose the internal power source, such that the internal power source is electrically connected to power the process electronics;

designing a power conditioning terminal module with shape and size selected to fit within the receptacle and be electrically connected to power the process electronics; and

providing a user with the process field device and at least one of the internal power source and the power conditioning terminal module.