FIELD DEVICE TRANSMITTER HOUSING

Abstract

A transmitter housing of an automation field device is a single-chamber housing with an aperture. The field device comprises a printed circuit board arranged in the transmitter housing, the printed circuit board comprising: a first rigid and flat section and a second rigid and flat section; at least one flexible and bent section; wherein both rigid sections are connected to each other only via the at least one flexible, bent section, wherein the first rigid section is accessible from the aperture and forms a connecting region comprising at least one connecting element for connecting at least one cable, and wherein the first rigid section and the second rigid section are arranged relative to each other at a first angle of between 60 and 120, in particular between 80 and 100.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A transmitter housing of an automation field device, wherein the transmitter housing is a single-chamber housing having an aperture, wherein the field device includes a printed circuit board arranged in the transmitter housing, wherein the printed circuit board has a first rigid and flat section, a second rigid and flat section, and at least one flexible and bent section, wherein the two rigid and flat sections are connected to one another only via the at least one flexible and bent section, wherein the first rigid and flat section is accessible from the aperture and forms a connecting region which has at least one connecting element for connecting at least one cable, and wherein the first rigid and flat section and the second rigid and flat section are arranged relative to each other at a first angle between 60 and 120.

18. The transmitter housing according to claim 17, further including a removable cover via which the aperture can be closed.

19. The transmitter housing according to claim 18, wherein the single-chamber housing has exactly one aperture.

20. The transmitter housing according to claim 17, wherein a plane of the aperture is parallel to a plane of the first rigid and flat section.

21. The transmitter housing according to claim 17, wherein the at least one flexible and bent section of the printed circuit board includes at least two flexible and bent sections.

22. The transmitter housing according to claim 21, wherein the at least two flexible and bent sections, in a transverse direction perpendicular to a connection direction along which the first rigid and flat section, the at least two flexible and bent sections, and the second rigid and flat section are connected to one another, have a width smaller than a width of the first rigid and flat section and/or a width of the second rigid and flat section.

23. The transmitter housing according to claim 22, wherein the printed circuit board has exactly two flexible and bent sections that each connect two outer edge regions of the two rigid and flat sections to one another.

24. The transmitter housing according to claim 17, wherein the printed circuit board has a recess extending between the at least one flexible and bent section and the second rigid and flat section.

25. The transmitter housing according to claim 21, wherein the printed circuit board has a recess between regions not connected to each other of the first rigid and flat section and the second rigid and flat section.

26. The transmitter housing according to claim 24, wherein the second rigid and flat section has a projection delimited by the recess, wherein the projection at its first end has a leading edge facing the first rigid and flat section, and the leading edge terminates the projection and has a base at its second end opposite the first end on which the projection adjoins a remaining region of the second rigid and flat section without a projection, wherein the base abuts the connection between the second rigid and flat section and the at least one flexible and bent section, and wherein the leading edge lies outside a contour of the at least one flexible and bent section and faces the aperture so that the projection is accessible from the aperture.

27. The transmitter housing according to claim 26, wherein the at least one flexible and bent section is bent with a constant curvature defined by a radius of curvature so that it is circular segment-shaped with respect to an imaginary circle center.

28. The transmitter housing according to claim 27, wherein a length of the projection from the base to the leading edge is dimensioned as a function of the radius of curvature such that a second angle between a vector pointing from the circle center to the base and a vector pointing from the circle center to the leading edge is between 10 and 80.

29. The transmitter housing according to claim 28, wherein a connecting element is arranged on the projection.

30. The transmitter housing according to claim 28, wherein at least one operable switching element is arranged on the first rigid and flat section and/or the projection of the second rigid and flat section.

31. The transmitter housing according to claim 17, wherein the transmitter housing is at least partially electrically conductive and has an electrically-conductive web extending into the housing interior, wherein a connecting element comprising an electrically-conductive fastening means is arranged on the first rigid and flat section for fastening the printed circuit board to the web, and wherein, at the connecting element, a grounding cable can be connected to the transmitter housing such that the grounding cable is electrically conductively connected to the web via the fastening means when attached to the web for shielding the transmitter housing.

32. The transmitter housing according to claim 26, wherein at least one region of the printed circuit board is encapsulated, and wherein the encapsulated at least one region includes the second rigid and flat section of the printed circuit board without the projection.

33. The transmitter housing according to claim 32, wherein the printed circuit board is completely encapsulated, except for the connecting elements and, if present, except for the switching elements.

Description

[0047] The invention will be explained further with reference to the figures, which are not true-to-scale, wherein the same reference signs designate the same features. For reasons of clarity, or if it appears sensible for other reasons, previously-noted reference signs will not be repeated in the following figures.

[0048] In the figures:

[0049] FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c show a plan view of the printed circuit board before bending of the flexible, bent section, in each case in different embodiments of the printed circuit board;

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a perspectival view of the transmitter housing with the printed circuit board arranged therein, in one embodiment of the invention;

[0051] FIGS. 3a, 3b show a perspectival view of the printed circuit board and a side view of the printed circuit board, in one embodiment of the invention; and

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a perspectival view of a printed circuit board encapsulated in a housing, in one embodiment of the invention.

[0053] FIGS. 1a through 1c show plan views of a printed circuit board 2 in different embodiments, which are used in the solution according to the invention.

[0054] For the sake of clarity, the printed circuit boards 2 are shown in the plan views from FIGS. 1a through 1c with a flexible section 20a; 20b not yet bent, so that all sections 21, 22, 20a; 20b of the printed circuit board 2 are in one plane. As mentioned above, the printed circuit board 2 is preferably designed as a semi-flex printed circuit board with the at least one flexible bendable (or, in the context of the invention, bent) section 20a; 20b. In the latter, a flexible section 20a; 20b, . . . is obtained by deep milling of the section 20a; 20b from a uniform, initial printed circuit board. The two rigid sections 21, 22 are connected to one another exclusively via the flexible section 20a; 20b.

[0055] In FIG. 1a, the printed circuit board 2 comprises exactly one flexible section 20a.

[0056] In FIG. 1b, the printed circuit board 2 comprises exactly two flexible sections 20a, 20b which connect edge regions of the two rigid sections 21, 22 to one another. A recess 6 is arranged between the two rigid sections 21, 22. The recess 6 extends between unconnected regions of the two rigid sections 21, 22 and between the flexible sections 20a, 20b in each case.

[0057] Preferably, the flexible sections 20a, 20b are narrower than the rigid sections 21, 22 in the transverse direction QR, which is perpendicular to a connection direction VR of the sections 21, 20a, 20b, 22 of the printed circuit board 2. For example, the flexible section is only 0.3 times as wide in the transverse direction QR as each of the rigid sections 21, 22. Here, the rigid sections 21, 22 each have the same width in the transverse direction QR. In the case of several flexible sections 20a, 20b, . . . , the flexible sections 20a, 20b, . . . are preferably arranged substantially parallel to one another.

[0058] In FIG. 1c, the printed circuit board 2 substantially corresponds to the embodiment of the printed circuit board shown in FIG. 1b, except that the recess 6 delimits a projection 7 of the second rigid section 22. Thus, in FIG. 1c, the recess 6 extends between the second rigid section 22 and the two flexible sections 20a, 20b. The projection merges at a base 72 with the remaining region of the second rigid section 22 and terminates at an end, facing the first rigid section 21, with a leading edge 71. The leading edge 71 does not necessarily have to be straight, as shown here. The recess 6 is here substantially C-shaped.

[0059] FIG. 3a shows, in a perspectival view, such a printed circuit board 2 with a projection 71 of the second rigid section 22, which projection is delimited by a recess 6 and in which the flexible sections 20a, 20b are bent. The first rigid section 21 and the second rigid section 22 are arranged substantially perpendicular to one another, i.e., with a first angle alpha of 90. Different connecting elements 4, 42, 43, 44 are arranged on the first section 21, including, for example, a four-pole connecting element 43.

[0060] One of the connecting elements 42 comprises a fastening means 9 (here, a metallic screw) for connecting a grounding cable. A further connecting element 41 is arranged on the projection 7.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of an embodiment of a printed circuit board 2 according to the invention within a single-chamber transmitter housing 1. In the variant of the printed circuit board shown in FIG. 2, the printed circuit board 2 does not comprise a projection 7 for the sake of clarity. The printed circuit board 2 is arranged in the transmitter housing 1 such that the first rigid section 21 with the connecting elements 4, 42, 43, 44 is easily accessible from an aperture 3 of the transmitter housing 1for example, by the plane of the aperture 3 being parallel to the plane of the first rigid section 21. If the cover 5 of the transmitter housing 1 is unscrewed, connection work can be performed on the connecting elements 4, 42, 43, 44, wherein components arranged on the second rigid section 22 are protected from access due to the substantially right-angled arrangement.

[0062] FIG. 2 also shows the fastening of the fastening means 9 of the connecting element 42 to an electrically-conductive web 12 of the transmitter housing 1, which extends into the housing interior. A shielding of the transmitter housing 1 is created when a grounding cable is connected to the connecting element 42 and an at least partially electrically-conductive transmitter housing 1. A shielding and an additional fastening of the printed circuit board 2 to the web 12 are thus preferably made possible at the same timewherein, of course, further fastening means that serve only to mechanically fasten the printed circuit board 2 in the transmitter housing 1 can be provided for safety purposes.

[0063] If the second rigid section 22 also comprises the projection 7, as shown in FIG. 3a, the components arranged thereon are still accessible. Since the leading edge 71 lies outside the contour of the flexible section 20a, the space can thereby be optimally utilized. In FIG. 3a, an additional connection plug element 41, which is itself angled, is arranged on the projection 7, for example. Such connection plug elements can be arranged excellently on the projection 7. Irrespective of the particular embodiment, in the solution according to the invention, all components arranged on the further region of the second section 22 (i.e., outside of the projection 7) are still protected from access in the case of connection work on the connecting region.

[0064] FIG. 3b once again shows a side view of the printed circuit board 2 with the bent flexible sections 20a, 20b. Here, the flexible section is circular segment-shaped, wherein its shape can be defined by means of a radius of curvature KR of constant curvature in relation to an imaginary circle center MP. The covered angle of the circle segment corresponds to the aforementioned first angle alpha. The leading edge 71 of the projection 7 may protrude from the contour such that it pierces the plane of the first rigid section 21, as is the case in FIG. 3a. A shorter projection 7 may also terminate with its leading edge 71 in front of the plane of the second rigid section 21.

[0065] The length of the projection 7 from the base 72 to the leading edge 71 can thereby be defined by means of a second angle beta which lies between the vector from the center MP to the leading edge 71 and the vector from the center MP to the base 72. The second angle beta is preferably between 15 and 50 and is, for example, 30. The length of the vector center MP base 72 corresponds to the radius of curvature KR of the predefined, constant curvature of the flexible sections 20a, 20b, wherein, in the case of several flexible sections 20a, 20b, which are parallel to one another, the curvature is always the same. With a given radius of curvature KR and center MP, the length of the projection 7 can therefore be defined on the basis of the second angle beta.

[0066] In the context of the invention, the substantially right-angled arrangement of the two rigid sections 21, 22 shown in FIGS. 2, 3a, 3b is suitable especially for the type of transmitter housing 1 shown in FIG. 2. Depending upon the use of the field device (for example, due to hygiene requirements), transmitter housings 1 are also used which are themselves angled, in which, for example, the plane of the aperture 3 runs slightly obliquely in relation to an otherwise cylindrical transmitter housing 1. In this case, an arrangement of the two rigid sections 21, 22 is also adapted to the shape of the transmitter housing 1, and the first angle alpha is correspondingly greater and is, for example, 100.

[0067] FIG. 4, finally, shows the encapsulation of the printed circuit board 2 in a housing body 13. In this embodiment, the second rigid section 22 has no projection 7 again for the sake of clarity, wherein the invention also comprises the combination of the embodiment with the projection 7 and the housing body 13. The first housing section 21 further comprises a switching element 8. Of course, when a projection 7 is used, a switching element may also be arranged on the projection.

[0068] The printed circuit board 2 is substantially completely encapsulated by means of the housing body 13. Only the connecting elements 4, 42, 43, 44 and the switching element 8 on the first section 21 remain free of the encapsulation. A potting compound may additionally be filled into the housing body 13. The housing body 13 is then arranged completely in the single-chamber transmitter housing 1 such that the first section 21 of the printed circuit board 2 is accessible from the aperture 3 of the transmitter housing 1.

REFERENCE SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

[0069] 1 Transmitter housing [0070] 2 Printed circuit board [0071] 21, 22 First, second rigid section [0072] 20a, 20b, . . . flexible section [0073] 3 Aperture [0074] 4, 41, 42, 43, 44 . . . Connecting elements [0075] 5 Cover [0076] 6 Recess [0077] 7 Projection [0078] 71 Leading edge [0079] 72 Base [0080] 8 Switching element [0081] 9 Fastening means [0082] 12 Web [0083] 13 Housing body [0084] alpha First angle [0085] beta Second angle [0086] KR Radius of curvature [0087] MP Center point