HYGIENIC ADAPTER FOR FIELD INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A securement arrangement for introducing a field instrument into a container includes a connection adapter and a sealing element. The field instrument includes a housing and a sensor. The sensor of the field instrument protrudes inwardly into the container, and the field instrument serves for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium in the container. The connection adapter includes a cylindrical basic body, on which a first securement element is arranged for securing the connection adapter to the field instrument. The connection adapter surrounds the field instrument when the connection adapter is secured to the field instrument. A second securement element is also arranged on the connection adapter for securing the connection adapter to a container adapter. The container adapter surrounds the connection adapter when the container adapter is secured to the connection adapter. A first support of the connection adapter accommodates the sealing element.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A securement arrangement for introducing a field instrument into a container, wherein the field instrument includes a housing and a sensor, wherein the sensor of the field instrument protrudes, at least partially, inwardly into the container, and wherein the field instrument serves for determining and/or monitoring a physical or chemical, process variable of a medium in the container, comprising a connection adapter including a cylindrical basic body, on which components are arranged as follows, a first securement element for securing the connection adapter to the field instrument, wherein the connection adapter is securable to the field instrument in such a manner that the connection adapter at least partially surrounds the field instrument, when it is secured to the field instrument, a second securement element for securing the connection adapter to a container adapter, wherein the connection adapter is securable to the container adapter in such a manner that the container adapter at least partially surrounds the connection adapter, when it is secured to the connection adapter, and a first support of the connection adapter for accommodating a sealing element, and a sealing element, wherein the sealing element is so embodied that it can be accommodated on the support of the connection adapter.

17. The securement arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sealing element is an O-ring or a shaped seal.

18. An adapter arrangement for introducing a field instrument into a container, comprising a securement arrangement including: a connection adapter including a cylindrical basic body, on which components are arranged as follows, a first securement element for securing the connection adapter to the field instrument, wherein the connection adapter is securable to the field instrument in such a manner that the connection adapter at least partially surrounds the field instrument, when it is secured to the field instrument, a second securement element for securing the connection adapter to a container adapter, wherein the connection adapter is securable to the container adapter in such a manner that the container adapter at least partially surrounds the connection adapter, when it is secured to the connection adapter, and a first support of the connection adapter for accommodating a sealing element, and a sealing element, wherein the sealing element is so embodied that it can be accommodated on the support of the connection adapter; and a container adapter for securing the field instrument to the container, and including a cylindrical basic body, on which components are arranged as follows, a third securement element for securing the container adapter to the container, a fourth securement element for securing the container adapter to the connection adapter by means of the second securement element, and a second support of the container adapter for accommodating the sealing element.

19. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first and/or the second support is/are embodied in the form of a change in outer diameter of the connection adapter and a change in outer diameter of the container adapter in the form of a step, or a support surface.

20. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first and second supports are embodied to be mutually complementary and interact in such a manner that the sealing element can be accommodated between the two supports, when the connection adapter is secured to the container adapter.

21. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first and second supports exert a force on the sealing element, when the connection adapter is secured to the container adapter, wherein the sealing element is radially and/or axially deformable as a result of the force exerted by the supports.

22. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least one hole is arranged, in each case, in the region of a lateral surface of the basic body of the connection adapter and the basic body of the container adapter, wherein the holes of the connection adapter and of the container adapter are arranged, in each case, along a longitudinal axis of the basic body of the connection adapter and the basic body of the container adapter in such a manner that the first, or second support is/are arranged between the hole of the connection adapter, or the hole of the container adapter, and an end section of the connection adapter, or of the container adapter, facing the container.

23. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 22, wherein the holes of the connection adapter and the container adapter are so arranged that the hole of the connection adapter and the hole of the container adapter, at least partially, overlap, when the connection adapter is secured to the container adapter.

24. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein the third securement element includes component for using welding, screwing or clamping.

25. The adapter arrangement as claimed in claim 24, wherein, when the third securement element of the container adapter comprises the component for using welding, the container adapter has in an end region of the container adapter away from the container a greater thickness than the basic body of the container adapter in a middle region.

26. A measuring arrangement for introducing a field instrument into a container, comprising a securement arrangement including: a connection adapter including a cylindrical basic body, on which components are arranged as follows, a first securement element for securing the connection adapter to the field instrument, wherein the connection adapter is securable to the field instrument in such a manner that the connection adapter at least partially surrounds the field instrument, when it is secured to the field instrument, a second securement element for securing the connection adapter to a container adapter, wherein the connection adapter is securable to the container adapter in such a manner that the container adapter at least partially surrounds the connection adapter, when it is secured to the connection adapter, and a first support of the connection adapter for accommodating a sealing element, and a sealing element, wherein the sealing element is so embodied that it can be accommodated on the support of the connection adapter; and a container adapter for securing the field instrument to the container, and including a cylindrical basic body, on which components are arranged as follows, a third securement element for securing the container adapter to the container, a fourth securement element for securing the container adapter to the connection adapter by means of the second securement element, and a second support of the container adapter for accommodating the sealing element, and a field instrument including an electronics and a sensor, wherein the sensor and the electronics of the field instrument are surrounded, at least partially, by at least one housing, and wherein the housing of the field instrument includes a fifth securement element for securing the field instrument to the connection adapter using the first securement element.

27. The measuring arrangement as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least a first region of the field instrument, which protrudes, at least partially, inwardly into the connection adapter, when the field instrument is secured to the connection adapter, and at least a second region of the field instrument, which protrudes, at least partially, inwardly into the container adapter and into the container, when the field instrument is secured to the container adapter using the connection adapter, have the same outer diameter, wherein the fifth securement element, when it is arranged in the first or second region of the field instrument, effects no change of the outer diameter of the first and second regions of the field instrument.

28. The measuring arrangement as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least one of the securement elements comprises a screw thread.

29. The measuring arrangement as claimed in claim 28, wherein the first and fifth, and the second and fourth screw threads are embodied to complement one another, especially wherein, in each case, an internal screw thread engages with a complementary external screw thread.

30. The measuring arrangement as claimed in claim 28, wherein the field instrument is a field instrument working according to the capacitive and/or conductive measuring principle, wherein a process variable is fill level, conductivity or dielectric constant.

Description

[0044] The invention will now be explained in greater detail based on the appended drawing and its FIG. 1-FIG. 5. The figures of the drawing show as follows:

[0045] FIG. 1 a schematic view of a capacitive and/or conductive field instrument according to the state of the art,

[0046] FIG. 2 an embodiment of the securement arrangement of the invention,

[0047] FIG. 3 an embodiment of the securement arrangement of the invention connected with the field instrument,

[0048] FIG. 4 an embodiment of the container adapter of the invention, and

[0049] FIG. 5 an embodiment of the measuring arrangement of the invention.

[0050] The invention is usable with a wide variety of field instruments 1. Without intending to limit the generality of the invention, the following description concerns, however, for the sake of convenience, a capacitive and/or conductive field instrument 1, such as shown schematically in FIG. 1. The process variable to be measured by the field instrument 1 is, especially, fill level, conductivity or dielectric constant. The considerations for such case can be applied analogously for other field instruments. For the solution of the invention, firstly, the geometry of the field instrument is important, since the invention relates to an arrangement of an instrument in a container.

[0051] Measuring methods based on a capacitive and/or conductive field instrument, especially a fill level measurement device, are known per se in the state of the art. Corresponding field instruments are produced and sold by the applicant, for example, under the marks, “Nivector”, “Liquicap” and “Liquipoint”. A schematic view of a corresponding field instrument is shown in FIG. 1. The sensor 2 and the electronics 3 of the field instrument 1 are embodied in compact construction as one unit. For measuring fill level, the sensor 2 of the field instrument 1 protrudes, at least partially, into the container. Sensor 2 comprises a coaxially embodied electrode group (not shown), which is connected with the electronics 3. The electronics 3 monitors or determines the fill level of the medium in the container based on the signal of the electrode group of the sensor 2 of the field instrument. In such case, at least one electrode of the electrode group is supplied with an excitation signal and the process variable is ascertained based on the received signal received from the electrode. For other details, reference is made, for example, to DE 10 2018 101 206 A1, DE 10 2014 118 547 A1 or DE 10161069 A1.

[0052] The electronics 3 includes a connecting element 3a for connecting the electronics 3 to an external unit. Furthermore, sensor 2 and electronics 3 of the field instrument 1 are surrounded by a housing 4. Housing 4 includes, additionally, a fifth securement element 5e, which, for the sake of convenience, comprises an external screw thread. However, also other types of securement can be used for the securement element 5e.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a possible embodiment of the securement arrangement in longitudinal section, comprising a connection adapter 6 and a sealing element 7. The connection adapter 6 includes a cylindrical basic body 6a, a first securement element 5a for securing the connection adapter 6 to the field instrument 1, as well as a second securement element 5b for securing the connection adapter 6 to a container adapter 8. The connection adapter 6 is securable to the field instrument 1 in such a manner that the connection adapter 6 surrounds the field instrument 1, at least partially, when the connection adapter 6 is secured to the field instrument 1. Additionally, the connection adapter 6 is securable to a container adapter 8 (not shown) by means of the second securement element 5b in such a manner that the container adapter 8 surrounds the connection adapter 6, at least partially, when the container adapter 8 is secured to the connection adapter 6. The first securement element 5a is shown in FIG. 2 embodied, for the sake of convenience, as an internal screw thread. The second securement element 5b is shown embodied, for the sake of convenience, as an external screw thread. Other options of securement are not excluded for the first and second securement elements. The connection adapter 6 includes, moreover, a first support 9a for accommodating the sealing element 7. The sealing element 7, which is an O-ring or a seal of some other shape, can, in such case, be accommodated on the support 9a of the connection adapter.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a possible embodiment of the securement arrangement of the invention secured to the field instrument 1. The connection adapter 6 is, firstly, secured to the field instrument 1 by means of the first and fifth screw threads 5a,e, which are mutually complementary. Then the sealing element 7 is pushed over the sensor 2 of the field instrument 1 and accommodated in the first support 9a of the connection adapter. Thus, the sealing element 7 can by means of the connection adapter 6 be mounted on the field instrument 1 and the target position of the sealing element 7 visually checked.

[0055] A possible embodiment of the container adapter 8 is shown in FIG. 4. The cylindrical basic body 8a of the container adapter 8 includes a third securement element 5c for securing the container adapter 8 to the container (not shown), a fourth securement element 5d for securing the container adapter 8 to the connection adapter 6 by means of the second screw thread 5b and a second support 9b of the container adapter 8 for accommodating the sealing element 7. FIG. 4 shows the third securement element 5c embodied as a means for welding. Alternatively, also a means for clamping or screwing could be used. Additionally, the container adapter 8 has in a container far, end region a greater thickness 11 of the basic body compared with a middle region. This greater thickness 11, or reinforcement, of the material, or ridge, serves in such case as protection against deformation of the container adapter 8 in the case of welding into the container. The fourth securement element 5d comprises in FIG. 4 an internal screw thread; other options for securement are, however, also in this case, not excluded. Advantageously, the first and second supports 9a,b are embodied, in each case, as support surfaces, wherein other alternatives for embodiment of the supports, such as a change of the outer diameter of the connection adapter, likewise provide options. The embodiment of the mutually complementary supports is then shown in FIG. 5. In the region of the lateral surface of the container adapter 8, a hole 10b is arranged at a location along the longitudinal axis of the container adapter 8. In such case, the second support 9b is arranged between the hole 10b of the container adapter and a container near, end section of the container adapter 8. In the adapter arrangement, the connection adapter 6 likewise includes a hole 10a in a corresponding region. This will be explained in greater detail below based on the measuring arrangement shown in FIG. 5.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the measuring arrangement including the field instrument 1, connection adapter 6, container adapter 8 and sealing element 7. In comparison with FIG. 3 in such case, supplementally, the container adapter 8 is secured to the connection adapter 6 by means of the mutually complementary second and fourth screw threads. The field instrument 1 has a constant outer diameter in the first region, which protrudes inwardly into the connection adapter 6, and in the second region, which protrudes inwardly into the container adapter 8 and the container. The fifth screw thread 5e effects no change of the outer diameter of the field instrument 1. The first and second supports 9a,b are embodied to be mutually complementary, such that the sealing element 7 can be accommodated accurately fit between the two supports, when the connection adapter 6 is secured to the container adapter 8. The first and second supports 9a,b accommodate the sealing element 7 and exercise at the same time a force on the sealing element 7, whereby such is radially and/or axially deformed. The two holes 10a,b of the connection adapter and the container adapter are arranged in such a manner that they align with one another in the assembled measuring arrangement. Alternatively, the two holes 10a,b can also at least overlap. An intermediate space 12 connects the outer diameter of the sealing element 7 with the two holes 10a,b and is arranged radially between the lateral surface of the connection adapter and the inner wall of the container adapter. The intermediate space 12 is optional and combinable with other embodiments to the extent desired. The combination of the holes 10a,b and the intermediate space 12 enables an easy exit of the medium in the case of leakage.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0057] 1 field instrument

[0058] 2 sensor

[0059] 3 electronics

[0060] 3a connecting element

[0061] 4 housing

[0062] 5 securement element

[0063] 5a first securement element

[0064] 5b second securement element

[0065] 5c third securement element

[0066] 5d fourth securement element

[0067] 5e fifth securement element

[0068] 6 connection adapter

[0069] 6a cylindrical basic body of the connection adapter

[0070] 7 sealing element

[0071] 8 container adapter

[0072] 8a cylindrical basic body of the container adapter

[0073] 9 support

[0074] 9a first support of the connection adapter

[0075] 9b second support of the container adapter

[0076] 10 hole

[0077] 10a hole of the connection adapter

[0078] 10b hole of the container adapter

[0079] 11 greater thickness of the container adapter

[0080] 12 intermediate space