Wireless pneumatic controller

• US 9,377,035 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Gaarder, Barry Lynn, Kratzer, Scott Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Leslie, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teka, Abiy
• Application Number:
  US13/223,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20130055885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 607/06, 913/63.R, 915/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0846 Electrical details
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/202 Externally-operated valves mounted in or on the actuator
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/28 Means for indicating the position, e.g. end of stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/08 Servomotor systems incorporating electrically operated control means F15B21/02, F15B21/065 take precedence

Abstract

A pneumatic controller described herein includes a housing to be connected to an actuator. The housing contains a position monitor with a wireless communication interface. The pneumatic controller also includes a pneumatic control module to be joined to the housing and operatively coupled to the actuator.

Claims

1. A pneumatic controller comprising:

a housing to be connected to an actuator and defining an opening;

a position monitor contained in the housing and including a wireless communication interface;

a gasket to seal the position monitor in the housing;

a pneumatic control module detachably connected to the housing and including a pneumatic converter; and

a wired connector coupled to the pneumatic converter, the wired connector and the pneumatic converter are to extend through the gasket and the opening of the housing to operatively couple the pneumatic control module and the position monitor.

2. The pneumatic controller of claim 1, further comprising a cover to be connected to the housing via the gasket to cover the opening when the pneumatic control module is detached from the housing.

3. The pneumatic converter of claim 2, further comprising fasteners to connect at least one of the pneumatic control module and the cover to the housing.

4. The pneumatic controller of claim 1, wherein the position monitor is to monitor a position of the actuator.

5. The pneumatic controller of claim 4, wherein the pneumatic controller is to provide the position of the actuator to a control system via the wireless communication interface.

6. The pneumatic controller of claim 5, wherein the pneumatic controller is to receive a command from the control system via the wireless communication interface.

7. The pneumatic controller of claim 6, wherein the pneumatic control module is to convert the command into a pneumatic signal.

8. The pneumatic controller of claim 7, wherein the pneumatic controller is to control the position of the actuator using the pneumatic signal.

9. A pneumatic control module comprising:

a pneumatic converter detachably couplable to a position monitor contained within a housing having a wireless communication interface, the pneumatic converter and a wired connector coupled to the pneumatic converter are to extend through an opening of the housing to couple the pneumatic converter to the position monitor, the pneumatic converter is to convert a signal received by the wireless communication interface into a pneumatic signal;

a pneumatic amplifier to amplify the pneumatic signal to control an actuator; and

a pneumatic manifold coupled to the pneumatic converter and the housing to route the pneumatic signal from the pneumatic converter to the pneumatic amplifier.

10. The pneumatic control module of claim 9, wherein the pneumatic converter comprises at least one of a piezoelectric pilot valve or a solenoid pilot valve.

11. The pneumatic control module of claim 9, wherein the pneumatic amplifier includes at least one of a spool valve, poppet valve, pneumatic diaphragm valve, or a pneumatic relay valve.

12. The pneumatic control module of claim 9, wherein the pneumatic amplifier is to amplify the pneumatic signal to control a position of the actuator.

13. The pneumatic control module of claim 9, further comprising a gasket disposed between the pneumatic manifold and the pneumatic amplifier.

14. The pneumatic control module of claim 9, further including a first fastener to couple the pneumatic manifold to the pneumatic converter and a second fastener to couple the pneumatic manifold to the housing.

15. A pneumatic controller comprising:

a housing to be operatively coupled to an actuator and defining an opening;

a position monitor contained within the housing and having a wireless communication interface, the position monitor is to collect position information to monitor a position of the actuator; and

a pneumatic control module coupled to the housing, the pneumatic control module includes a pneumatic converter and a wired connector coupled to the pneumatic converter that are to extend through the opening of the housing to operatively couple the pneumatic control module and the position monitor, the pneumatic control module is to receive a command signal to control the position of the actuator,

wherein the wireless communication interface of the housing wirelessly communicates the position information of the position monitor and the command signal of the pneumatic control module.

16. The pneumatic controller of claim 15, wherein the pneumatic controller is to provide the position information of the actuator to a control system via the wireless communication interface.

17. The pneumatic controller of claim 16, wherein the pneumatic controller is to receive the command signal from the control system via the wireless communication interface.

18. The pneumatic controller of claim 17, wherein the pneumatic control module is to convert the command signal into a pneumatic signal.

19. The pneumatic controller of claim 18, wherein the pneumatic controller is to control the position of the actuator using the pneumatic signal.