ELECTRONIC EXTENSION MODULE FOER ELECTRIC PUMP

Abstract

A plug-in electronic expansion module for pump electronics of a centrifugal pump for expanding the pump electronics with at least one additional function has a housing having a lower face and connecting formations thereon for attachment to a pump housing of the pump electronics. Electronics in the module housing provide the additional function. A base is provided on the lower face, and an electrical interface connected to the pump electronics includes a flat support projecting tongue-like from the base on the lower face of the module housing through an opening in the pump housing and carrying contact-forming electrical traces.

Claims

1. A plug-in electronic expansion module for pump electronics of a centrifugal pump for expanding the pump electronics with at least one additional function, the module comprising: a module housing having a lower face and thereon connecting formations for attachment to a pump housing of the pump electronics; electronics in the module housing providing the additional function; a base on the lower face; and an electrical interface connected to the pump electronics and including a flat support projecting longue-like from the base on the lower face of the module housing through an opening in the pump housing and carrying contact-forming electrical traces.

2. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the additional function is a radio-based communication technology, in particular Bluetooth, WLAN or cellular network.

3. The expansion module according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional function is a wired communication technology, in particular Modbus, BACnet, LIN bus, Ethernet.

4. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the contacts comprise first electrical contacts for supplying current to the electronics and second electrical contacts for data transmission.

5. The expansion module according to claim 1 wherein the connection formations include two screws extending parallel to with the electrical interface.

6. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the connection formations include locking elements projecting from the lower face of the housing in order to be inserted through corresponding openings in the pump electronics housing.

7. The expansion module according to claim 6, wherein the locking elements each have a recess for the form-fitting accommodation of a displaceable blocking member on the side of the pump electronics.

8. The expansion module according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the locking elements projects further from the lower face of the housing than at least one other of the locking elements.

9. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the housing forms a body in which the electronics are encapsulated.

10. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the base is integral with the lower face of the housing.

11. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the base is hollow and the support element extends through the base.

12. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the base has at least at a free end opposite the lower face of the housing a trapezoidal single-symmetrical cros-sectional shape at least at a free end opposite the lower face of the housing.

13. The expansion module according to claim 1, the supporting element is a printed-circuit board.

14. The expansion module according to claim 1, the base carries a sealing ring at an end close to the housing.

15. The expansion module according to claim 1, the electrical contacts are arranged on opposite faces of the support element.

16. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrical contacts is closer to an edge of the free end of the support than the other contacts, and the at least one electrical contact is a ground contact.

17. The expansion module according to claim 1, wherein a spacing between the free end of the support element remote from the housing and the lower face of the housing is at 20 mm.

18. Centrifugal pump with pump electronics and an expansion module according to claim 1, wherein the pump electronics are plugged in.

19. A set of at least a first and a second extension module according to claim 1, wherein the base of the lower face of the housing of the second extension module is of the second expansion module is larger than the base of the lower face of the housing of the first expansion module of the housing of the first expansion module, but the electrical interface and the arrangement of the locking elements in relation to the electrical interface in both interface are identical in the two expansion modules in such a way that optionally the first or the second expansion module can be plugged into the pump electronics.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0037] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0038] FIGS. 1 and 2 are side and front views of a first embodiment of the invention;

[0039] FIGS. 3 and 4 are bottom and top views of the first embodiment;

[0040] FIGS. 5 and 6 are side and front views of a second embodiment of the invention; and

[0041] FIGS. 7 and 8 are bottom and top views of the second embodiment.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] The extension module 1 according to the invention comprises a housing 2 externally connected to an outside face of a housing P of the pump electronics (FIG. E) by connecting formations 3 shown here consisting of two captive screws 3 in respective passages or bores 13 that each extend through a respective side wing 19 of the housing 2. In FIG. 2, outer ends 3a of the screws 3 project from the housing 2. The diameters of the screws 3 at these ends 3a are greater than in the section between the housing 2 and the heads of the screws, so that the screws 3 cannot move upward out of the holes 13.

[0043] The expansion module 1 has electronics 12 that are accommodated in the housing 2 and provide the additional function for the pump electronics E. The electronics 12 comprise electrical and/or electronic components, preferably on a printed-circuit board. The electronics 12 is wholly encapsulated in the housing 2. A cable 10 extends into the housing 2 on the side facing away from the pump electronics E. It is also sealed with respective to the housing 2.

[0044] The expansion module 1 further comprises an electrical interface 5 conductively connected to the electronics 12 for plug-in electrical connection of the expansion module 1. This interface 5 for the pluggable electrical connection of the expansion module 1 to the pump electronics projects from the lower face 2a of the housing 2 in order to be plugged through an opening (O in FIG. 5) in the pump electronics housing P. The electrical interface 5 comprises contacts 7a, 7b in the form of parallel conductive traces on a flat support element 6, which is a printed-circuit board and projects tongue-like from a base 8 through a spacing from a lower face 2a of the housing 2. The electrical interface 5 thus forms a connector. The conductor traces or contacts 7a, 7b are formed here on only one flat side of the support element 6 but in another embodiment they can be present on both flat sides.

[0045] The total height H between the lower face 2a of the housing 2 and the end of the support element 6 is between 22 mm and 23 mm. Thus the contacting of the electrical interface 5 by corresponding mating contacts, preferably in the form of a circuit board edge connector, is deep inside the housing P of the pump electronics E. The proportion of the base 8 to the total height H is at least 50%, preferably between 60% and 65%.

[0046] As shown in particular in FIGS. 1 and 3, the two screws are located directly adjacent to, or more precisely in alignment with and flank the electrical interface 5, more precisely in alignment with the electrical interface 5.

[0047] The contacts 7a, 7b comprise first electrical contacts 7a for energizing the electronics 12 inside the expansion module and second electrical contacts 7b for data transmission. Thus, power is supplied to the expansion module 1 by the pump electronics E. The contacts 7b are used for the bidirectional transmission of data in the form of electrical signals between the expansion module 1 and the pump electronics. As can be seen in FIG. 2 the first electrical contacts 7a for powering the electronics 12 extend right up to the end edge 6a of the housing element 6 remote from the housing 2, farther than the data transmission contacts 7b. In this case, one of the first electrical contacts 7a forms a ground contact, so that when the expansion module 1 is plugged in, the ground, then the supply voltage (SELV), and finally the data lines are connected.

[0048] The front end or edge 6a of the support element 6 is chamfered on both sides as well as at its faces in order to facilitate insertion into the mating connector on the pump electronics E, e.g. a board-edge connector.

[0049] The base 8 is integral with the housing 2 so that there is no gap or seam between the base 8 and the housing 2. The support element 6 is cast in the base 8 i.e. potted by the plastic material forming the base 8. It extends through the base 8 into the interior of the housing 2 of the expansion module 1, where it electrically contacts the electronics 12. A width B of the base 8 is less than 12 mm. Furthermore, a thickness D of the base 8 is less than 4.5 mm. The support element 6 projects from the base 8 through a spacing greater than its width, so that the support element 6 has an overall tongue shape.

[0050] The base 8 consists, strictly speaking, of a main part 8 from which the supporting element 6 projects, a foot 15 projecting laterally, in particular on all sides, in relation to the main part 8 and a rim 16 that projects laterally, in particular in all directions, from the main part 8 is connected directly to the housing 2. In other words, the base foot 15 merges into the base foot 16 and the latter into the housing 2. The base 8 thus widens in the direction of the housing 2 in two steps.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows that the base 8 has only a single symmetrical cross-section at its end remote from the housing. Thus, there is only mirror symmetry with respect to a single plane A. More specifically, the main part of the base 8 has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section, so that there is a single orientation for connecting the extension module 1 to the pump unit.

[0052] In order to seal the opening in the housing of the pump electronics, the base 8 has a sealing ring 11 on the end, more precisely at the outer circumference of the base 15, with two parallel sealing lips 20. The sealing ring 11 extends to the step-like transition at which the base foot 15 the base foot 15 merges into the base 16. In the assembled state of the extension module 1, the sealing ring 20 is in contact with the inside of the opening in the pump electronics housing.

[0053] While FIGS. 1 to 4 show an extension module 1 with a first housing size, FIGS. 5 to 8 show a second extension module 1 according to the invention with a second the second housing size larger than the first housing size. Nevertheless, the electrical interfaces of these two extension modules 1 are identical in such a way that either the first or the second extension module 1 can be plugged into the same interface of the pump electronics. interface of the pump electronics. Since the electrical interface 5, including the parts 8, 15, 16 and the sealing ring 11 are identical to the first embodiment, reference is made in this respect to the description above. The second expansion module 1 of the invention extends the pump electronics by an additional function in the form of a radio interface, in particular Bluetooth, WLAN or mobile radio.

[0054] The housing 2 of FIGS. 5-8 is essentially box-shaped and is intended to be attached to the outside of the pump electronics housing P. Its height is less than its length and width. The housing 2 consists of an upper part 2′ and a lower part 2′, between which a hollow interior is formed in which the electronics 12 are inserted. The lower part 2″ forms only a flat bottom. In contrast, the upper part 2′ is hood-like and covers the electronics 12. The upper and lower parts 2′ and 2″ are positively connected to one another, in particular latched together. The base 8 is formed integrally with the lower part 2. It is also hollow and the support element 6 is inserted through the base 8. The assembly of element 6 and electronics 12 is thus carried out in the direction of the vertical extension of the module 1.

[0055] As in the first embodiment, the extension module 1 can be fastened by two screws that, however, are not shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. two screws, that are not shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. The housing 2 also has corresponding openings 13 for this purpose, as can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. 8 can be seen. In the upper part 2, annular depressions 14 are provided concentrically around the 13, in which the heads of the screws 3 are inserted so that they cannot be removed from the top of the housing. so that it does not project from the upper surface of the upper part 2.

[0056] Since the housing 2 of the second expansion module 1 rests in more surface contact on the pump housing than the housing 2 of the first extension module 1, further connection formations between the extension module 1 and the pump housing in the form of four locking elements 4a, 4b are provided. These act at connection points that are at a greater spacing from the electrical interface 5 than the optional screws 3 and lie on the corners of a rectangle. The locking elements 4a, 4b project from the lower face of the housing 2, more precisely from the lower part 2″, in order to be inserted through corresponding holes in the pump electronics housing.

[0057] The locking elements 4a, 4b are short posts that project in a block-like manner from the lower face of the housing 2, have a substantially square external shape, and are generally of C-section, which reduces shrinkage of the plastic after injection molding. Suitably, the housing 2 may be made of a thermoplastic material. The locking elements 4a, 4b taper downward, away from the housing 2 in the direction of its extension in the manner of a frustopyramid. This facilitates their insertion into the corresponding openings in the pump electronics housing.

[0058] As shown in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7, the locking elements 4a, 4b each have a laterally open recess 9 for the form-fitting reception of a blocking member that is held on the pump electronics housing. The recesses 9 each extend transversely to the longitudinal extension of the respective locking elements 4a, 4b. They are on the electrical interface 5 or the base 8 of the locking elements 4a, 4b and open outward away from each other. The recesses 9 of two adjacent locking elements 4a, 4b are aligned, so that the blocking member can be a an elongated bar and can be moved into the recesses 9 to lock the locking elements 4a, 4b. In other words, the blocking member is inserted after the extension module has been fitted onto the module onto the pump electronics housing, whereupon the blocking member is moved from a release position in which the openings in the pump electronics housing for the locking elements 4a, 4b are free to a blocking position in which the blocking member is in the locking position in which the blocking member is in the recesses 9. Thus, the expansion module 1 can no longer be removed from the locking from the locking position in the opposite direction to its insertion direction.

[0059] It can be seen from FIG. 5 that two of the locking elements 4a, more specifically the locking elements 4a near the base, project further from the lower face 2a of the housing 2, than the other locking elements 2b remote from the base. The locking elements close to the base 4a thereby advance when the extension module 1 is fitted and thus form a guide at an early stage in order to prevent the electrical interface 5 from canting or tilting. The lower face 2a of the housing 2 is completely flat. On the lower face 2a there is a label surface 17 on the lower face 2a, for example in order to carry a label or type plate with technical information on the expansion module. The upper side of the upper part 2 has a region 18 that is here slightly raised and is intended to receive, for example, a logo or an electric or electronic display of the expansion module 1.

[0060] It should be noted that the foregoing description is given by way of example only for the purpose of illustration and in no way purposes of illustration and in no way limits the scope of protection of the invention. restrict the scope of the invention. Features of the invention described as “may”, “exemplary”, “preferred”, “optional”, ideal”, “advantageous”, “where appropriate” or “suitable” are to be regarded as purely optional and also optional and do not limit the scope of protection that is determined exclusively by the claims. which is determined exclusively by the claims. Insofar as elements, components, process steps, values or information are mentioned in the above description, process steps, values or information are mentioned that are known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents. known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, these equivalents are embraced by the invention. Likewise, the invention includes any changes, variations or modifications to any of the examples that involve the substitution, addition, alteration or omission of elements, components, parts or omission of elements, components, process steps, values or information, as long as the invention is information, as long as the basic idea of the invention remains the same, regardless of whether the change idea of the invention is preserved, irrespective of whether the change, modification or alteration leads to an deterioration of an embodiment.

[0061] Although the foregoing description of the invention includes a variety of physical, intangible or process features in relation to one or more specific example(s) of the invention, these features may be example(s), these features may also be used in isolation from the specific example, in any example, at least in so far as they do not require the mandatory presence of other features. presence of further features. Conversely, they may be used in relation to one or more example(s) may be combined with each other and with other disclosed or undisclosed features as desired. with other disclosed or undisclosed features of the examples shown or not shown at least to the extent that the features are not mutually exclusive or do not lead to technical mutually exclusive or lead to technical incompatibilities.