Diaphragm valve

Abstract

A diaphragm valve having a movable diaphragm (20) configured as a closure element has a valve housing (6) and an actuator (8), the diaphragm (20) being clamped between a flange (18) of the valve housing and a base (10) of the actuator (8) and being provided with a first identification means (32) in which data which are adapted to be read out wirelessly are stored. A further identification means (50, 56) is also fastened to the flange (18) and/or the base (10). The read-out surfaces of the further identification means (50, 56) are substantially at right angles to the read-out surface of the identification means (32) on the diaphragm (20).

Claims

1. A diaphragm valve comprising a movable diaphragm configured as a closure element, a valve housing and an actuator, the diaphragm being clamped between a flange of the valve housing and a base of the actuator and being provided with a first identification device in which data are stored which are adapted to be read out wirelessly, wherein the first identification device has a read-out surface at which a reading device is adapted to be positioned to read out data from the first identification device, wherein additionally at least one of a second identification device and a third identification device, wherein the second identification device is provided on the flange, in which data adapted to be read out wirelessly are stored, wherein the third identification device is provided on the base, in which data adapted to be read out wirelessly are stored, and wherein each second identification device and each third identification device has a read-out surface extending substantially perpendicularly to the read-out surface of the first identification device.

2. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm has a tab which projects laterally outwards and at which the first identification device is provided.

3. The diaphragm valve according to claim 2, wherein the tab is flat and has two opposite flat sides and an envelope side which spaces the flat sides apart from each other, wherein the read-out surface of the first identification device extends parallel to at least one of the flat sides.

4. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein the flange is a plate and has an outwardly facing peripheral side, wherein the read-out surface of the identification device on the flange extends parallel to the adjoining area of the peripheral side of the flange.

5. The diaphragm valve according to claim 4, wherein the diaphragm has a tab which projects laterally outwards and at which the first identification device is provided, and wherein the flange is substantially quadrangular and the peripheral side has at least one side face, wherein the further identification device is located on the side face and the latter adjoins the tab.

6. The diaphragm valve according to claim 5, wherein the tab is flat and has two opposite flat sides and an envelope side which spaces the flat sides apart from each other, wherein the read-out surface of the first identification device extends parallel to at least one of the flat sides, and wherein as seen in a lateral view on the flat side or the side face including the at least one of the second and third identification devices, the at least one of the second and third identification devices is positioned laterally offset with respect to the first identification device.

7. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm has a tab which projects laterally outwards and at which the first identification device is provided, and wherein the base is substantially quadrangular, wherein the peripheral side of the base has side faces and the third identification device of the base is located on that side face which is arranged on the same side of the diaphragm valve on which the tab is also arranged on the diaphragm.

8. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the diaphragm, the flange and/or the base has a receiving opening for inserting one of the first, second and third identification devices.

9. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein the identification devices have or are RFID chips.

10. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein data concerning the diaphragm are stored in the first identification device, data concerning the flange are stored in the second identification device and data concerning the base are stored in the third identification device.

11. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing has a hydroformed tube to which the flange is fastened.

12. The diaphragm valve according to claim 1, wherein the actuator has a cover which includes a fourth identification device in which data which are adapted to be read-out wirelessly are stored.

Description

(1) Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description and drawings below to which reference is made and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a diaphragm valve according to the invention, and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through a tab of the diaphragm of the diaphragm valve of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 1 shows a diaphragm valve, comprising a valve housing 6 and an actuator 8, which has a base 10. The valve housing 6 has a fluid inlet 12 and an opposite fluid outlet 14.

(5) This part of the valve housing 6 is created by a hydroformed tube. The valve seat not shown is formed on the inside of an indentation 16 made during the forming process. The tube is open laterally to the valve seat. A plate-shaped flange 18 is welded onto this side. This flange 18 has a flat upper side on which a plate-like diaphragm 20 rests. The flange 18 is configured in a substantially quadrangular manner and has a peripheral side with four substantially flat sides, one of which bears the reference number 22. The side faces can merge into each other via rounded corners.

(6) The diaphragm 20 is clamped between the flange 18 and the base 10.

(7) A tab 26 which protrudes laterally outwards projects from the diaphragm 20, which is also configured in a quadrangular manner, on the side face 24 of the diaphragm 20 corresponding to the side face 22. This tab 26 is flat and, as already mentioned, plate-like and has two opposite flat sides 28, of which only the upper one can be seen in FIG. 1. The two flat sides 28 are spaced apart by an envelope side 30 extending on three sides.

(8) As shown in FIG. 2, the tab 26 has an identification means 32 attached thereto. The identification means 32 contains an RFID chip 34 embedded in a plastic envelope 36. The plastic envelope 36 has a pin-shaped projection 38 which protrudes into a receiving opening 40 in the tab 26. An opening 42 having an undercut is formed in the pin-shaped projection 38, through which a latching part 44 can be inserted, which has a mushroom-shaped, complementary projection.

(9) The latching part 44 and the identification means 32 are thus connected to each other by a closure which cannot be detached in a non-destructive manner, so that both parts are firmly attached to the tab 26.

(10) The receiving opening 40 can protrude completely through the tab 26.

(11) The RFID chip 34 is plate-shaped. In order to read it out, a reading device 45 must be held with its read head and a transmitter-receiver surface 46 such that it runs at a specific angle, usually parallel to the so-called read-out surface 48 of the identification means. This read-out surface 48 is the upper side of the RFID chip 34. In the embodiment shown, the read-out surface 48 runs parallel to the upper flat side 28 of flange 26.

(12) Information about the diaphragm 20 such as the date of manufacture, the article number, the type number and the like is stored on the identification means 32, or more precisely on the RFID chip 34. The RFID chip 34 can also store a corresponding number or identification, which is assigned only once. Via a data record stored outside the identification means 32, all data stored there (specifically for the diaphragm, for example) can then be assigned to the individual number or identification read out.

(13) Not only the diaphragm 20 carries an identification means 32 which constitutes the first identification means 32, but also the flange 18 carries such an identification means 50. This identification means is a so-called further identification means 50, which is shown in FIG. 1.

(14) This identification means 50 also includes an RFID chip or is formed by such a chip.

(15) The read-out surface of this further identification means 50 is parallel to the side surface 22, on which the identification means 50 is provided. The identification means 50 is here, for example, embedded in a pin, here a cylindrical pin. The end face of this pin runs parallel to the side face 22 and may slightly protrude from the latter in order to be able to feel the other identification means 50. The end face of the pin is the read-out surface.

(16) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the read-out surfaces are substantially perpendicular to each other, or more precisely, planes in which the corresponding read-out surfaces are located. This is symbolized by the perpendiculars S1 and S2 of the corresponding read-out surfaces of the first identification means 32 and the second identification means 50.

(17) In FIG. 1 it can also be seen that, when looking on the side face 22, i.e. in a lateral view, the identification means 32, 50 are laterally offset to each other. This means that the second identification means 50, with the appropriate alignment of the actuator 8 with its center axis A, is not located vertically directly above or below the first identification means 32, but, as already mentioned, laterally offset with respect thereto.

(18) As an alternative or in addition to the identification means 50, the base 10 may also have a further identification means 56. Here too, the read-out surface is substantially perpendicular to the read-out surface 48 of the first identification means 32. The identification means 56 is also located on a side face 58, which is located on the same side of the valve as the tab 26 on the diaphragm 20.

(19) As seen in a lateral view, the identification means 56 is located on the opposite (right) side to identification means 50 with respect to the identification means 32, in order to achieve the greatest possible distance between the identification means 50 and 56, the read-out surfaces of which lie in the same plane or in parallel planes to each other.

(20) One or more identification means 70 may also be provided on the so-called cover 60 of the actuator.

(21) As all the identification means 32, 50 and 56 and 70 are located on the same side of the valve, the reading-out process, which is carried out by the same reading device 45, is very fast and very reliable. The identification means 32, 50, 56 and 70 are supported in their respective parts by receiving openings and cannot be removed without destruction, so that no manipulation is possible and the identification means are permanently attached to their parts.

(22) If the flange 18 is not configured in a quadrangular or polygonal manner but has a curved peripheral side, the read-out surface of the identification means 50 should be parallel to the immediately adjacent area of the peripheral side of the flange 18. This means that the user of the reading device 45 may be prepared for the fact that the read-out surface of the identification means 50 detected by the reading device does not extend angled to the peripheral side, but is located in the outer peripheral surface, i.e. the peripheral side, or is slightly offset inwards or outwards parallel to these sections. The user will therefore try to align the surface 46 parallel to the surface of the peripheral side in the area of the identification means 50.