DE19640487A1 - Monitoring sensor for oil hose coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

The hose coupling has an insertion part (1) with a segmented contact plate (3), which is located turnable between a cam part (2) and an insulator part (5). The plate has apertures to accommodate coupling claws of a clamp ring (9), and a section containing a reaction material. A sensor on the insertion part is not sensitive to the material of the contact plate, but is sensitive to the reaction material. The sensor (12) is located stationary at a point, where the reaction material is located, when the hose coupling is locked sealed and correctly. It may be located in the insulation part.

Description

Transferring petroleum products from tankers to stationary underground tanks at petrol stations takes place via hoses. These hoses are connected to both the hose couplings Tanker as well as connected to the underground tank.

When decanting diesel fuel or heating oil (AIII products) according to the applicable ge statutory regulations of water protection the proper, tight locking of the Coupling connection secured and monitored.

When transferring petrol (AI products), a gas must also be used at the same time return (gas oscillation) of the gases displaced from the underground tank back into the tanker respectively. In accordance with the applicable legal regulations on pollution control, ord proper, tight locking of the coupling connection can be secured and monitored.

These security and surveillance requirements of proper, tight locking the coupling connection should be realized in such a way that if it is not properly locked decanting cannot take place or is canceled. In addition to a permissible rules However, systematic personnel monitoring takes precedence over systems that perform these monitoring functions automatically and independently of personnel.

There are essentially two known solutions for automatically monitoring the correct locking of the coupling connection:
A first solution is that a monitoring circuit is closed by the coupling claws of the mother part of the coupling on the conductive hose via a contact bracket on the male coupling on the underground tank. The contact bracket is positioned so that it only comes into contact with the coupling claws when the coupling connection is properly locked.

Disadvantages / problems

The functionality of this solution is therefore dependent on the conductive touch (contact) between the coupling claws and the contact bracket when properly locked dependent.

However, this solution proves to be extremely disruptive under practical conditions of use due. As a result of use-related deformations of the contact bracket, contamination or other causes will be a conductive touch or a conductive contact between Coupling claws and contact bracket disrupted.

A second known solution is that at least on the underside of the clamping ring of the mother coupling on the conductive hose two magnets are inserted. At the male coupling on the underground tank is below the cure venstückes attached an additional ring in which at least two reed contacts are arranged are. The magnets and the reed contacts are positioned so that they are in the correct position Lock the coupling connection in pairs. Be in this position the contacts in the reed contacts are closed by the action of the magnets. This will a monitoring circuit is closed. If the coupling connection is not correct locked, the magnets in the clamping ring are no longer facing the reed contacts. The Ma gnete no longer have the sufficient effect to close the reed contacts. This open and the monitoring circuit is (or is already) interrupted.

Disadvantages / problems

This solution requires a high level of original equipment or retrofitting for the installation the magnets in the clamping ring of the nut coupling of the hose and for attachment and wiring the reed contacts on the male coupling of the underground tank.

Because the gas pendulum hoses and the corresponding coupling pieces have a smaller diameter have to hold the magnets in the clamping ring clamping rings with increased Diameter are used. However, these no longer fit into the usual hose assemblies Containers (hose pipes) on the tanker, in which the gas pendulum hoses while driving be transported. A disproportionately high retrofitting effort for tank vehicles with specially adapted gas pendulum hose containers would be to solve this problem conducive.

There is between the mother coupling on the hose and the father coupling on the underground tank basically a seal. However, this seal continues over the course of its useful life. To ensure the tightness of the coupling connection, the locking position changes tion of the movable (rotatable) clamping ring opposite the curve of the male coupling on the underground tank.  

The normal wear and tear on the sliding surfaces between have the same consequences between the clutch claws and the curve pieces. In such a case, proper locking the magnets and reed contacts are no longer required Position opposite. Therefore, with this solution, several reed contacts are placed one behind the other in the additional ring housed the possible and permissible sector of the magnet position Detect when properly locked.

With this solution, not only two, but a total of approximately 6 reed contacts must be used will. This also increases the initial equipment or retrofit effort to attach and wiring the reed contacts on the male coupling of the underground tank.

At the same time, the susceptibility to failure of this solution increases due to the numerous components elements, wiring and contact points.

The disadvantages of the known solutions, which consist above all in a high susceptibility to malfunction, numerous components, high outlay on equipment or retrofitting, are to be overcome with a solution which
automatic and contactless,
with a minimum of components,
with a minimum of electrical contacts and connections,
with a minimum of equipment and retrofitting and
universally applicable for the usual coupling connections
ensures and monitors the correct locking of the coupling connection.

The solution according to the invention enables that on the mother coupling on electrically conductive capable hose compared to the known solutions, no changes required are.

If not usually already available, only the conductivity between Hose and nut coupling on the hose checked or restored or secured the.

Changes with comparatively minimal expenditure on components and equipment or retrofitting only take place on the male coupling ( 1 ) on the underground tank:
Below the curve section ( 2 ) of the male coupling ( 1 ), Figure 1, a rotatable segment contact disc ( 3 ) is arranged. The segment contact disc ( 3 ) is located between the curve piece ( 2 ) with stop cam ( 4 ) and the insulating intermediate piece ( 5 ).

The segment contact disk ( 3 ) has a fixing recess ( 6 ) on a certain sector of its inner circumference, Figure 2, which is adapted to the stop cam ( 4 ). The arc length BL1 of the fixing recess ( 6 ) is such that the segment contact disc ( 3 ) z. B. can turn by approximately 45 ° with respect to the stop cam ( 4 ).

Furthermore, the segment contact disc ( 3 ) is provided with 4 claw interventions ( 7 ), the Bo gene length BL2 is dimensioned such that the coupling claws ( 8 ) of the clamping ring ( 9 ) of the nut coupling ( 10 ) can easily engage.

At a suitable point, the segment contact disk ( 3 ) is punctiform, segment-like or in another suitable manner with a reaction material ( 11 ) to which the sensor ( 12 ) used in the solution according to the invention reacts in such a way that switching operations are triggered.

The segment contact disc ( 3 ) consists of a wear-resistant and the robust application conditions sufficient material that, in contrast to the Re action material used in each case ( 11 ) in the sensor ( 12 ) used, does not trigger any switching operations.

The arc length BL3 of the reaction material ( 11 ), with which the segment contact disc ( 3 ) is provided, is chosen so that the reaction material ( 11 ) only triggers a switching process in the sensor ( 12 ) used when taking into account permissible wear limits of the seal ( 13 ) in the mother coupling ( 10 ) and other relevant components of the coupling, the coupling connection is properly and tightly locked.

The insulating intermediate piece ( 5 ) is provided with a sensor ( 12 ) which is positioned opposite the position of the reaction material ( 11 ) of the segment contact disk ( 3 ) in such a way that it only carries out or triggers switching operations through the action of the reaction material ( 11 ) when the coupling connection is properly and tightly locked according to point 6 .

As sensors ( 12 ) z. B. initiators according to Namur, reed switches, Hall sensors, etc. are used ver, the reaction material ( 11 ) and the material of the segment contact disc ( 3 ) to be selected in accordance with point 5 .

The sensor ( 12 ) is attached to, in or on the insulating spacer ( 5 ) so that when it is equipped or retrofitted, a fine adjustment of its position to the reaction material ( 11 ) according to point 7 is possible and this position is fixed and only changed by authorized specialist personnel can or may be changed.

Solutions are also conceivable in which a fine adjustment of the sensor ( 12 ) is not required, so that corresponding devices can be dispensed with. This is the case if the male coupling ( 1 ) is already firmly fixed by the manufacturer and / or is connected as a component to the insulating piece ( 5 ) and in this way a fixed fixing of the sensor ( 12 ) or its intended mounting position on / in Insulating piece ( 5 ) with respect to the stop cam ( 4 ) of the curve piece ( 2 ), which is the most important for the positioning of the reaction material ( 11 ) on the segment contact disk ( 3 ), is ensured.

The sensor ( 12 ) can e.g. B. directly in an insulating spacer piece ( 5 ) with a suitable, possibly larger outer diameter, attached by means of a clamping ring on the outside of the existing insulating piece ( 4 ), by means of a divided outer ring on the insulating piece ( 4 ) to be set, glued, or cast on.

The sensor ( 12 ) has two (cable) connections that are insulated from other components. The input connection ( 17 ) is permanently electrically conductively connected to the male coupling ( 1 ) or to the conductive upper part of the insulating intermediate piece ( 5 ). The output connection ( 18 ) is connected to a monitoring circuit ( 14 ), the supply of which is housed in the tanker, Figure 1.

With the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) is checked in an evaluation unit ( 15 ) housed in the tanker whether the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) via the conductive hose ( 16 ), the coupling nut piece ( 10 ), the coupling father piece ( 1 ), the input - Connection ( 17 ), the sensor ( 12 ) and finally the output connection ( 18 ) is closed.

The monitoring circuit ( 14 ) is only closed if the coupling connection between the mother coupling ( 10 ) and the father coupling ( 1 ) is properly locked by the described positioning of the reaction material ( 11 ) of the segment contact disc ( 3 ) relative to the sensor ( 12 ) Sensor closes its contact. In this case, the filling process is enabled by a suitable circuit via the evaluation unit ( 15 ).

If the coupling connection is not properly locked, the reaction material ( 11 ) of the segment contact disc ( 3 ) is not in the correct position as described to trigger a switching process (closing of the sensor contact) in the sensor ( 12 ). In this case, the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) is interrupted by the open contact of the sensor ( 12 ) and the filling process is interrupted by the evaluation unit ( 15 ) or not released.

The monitoring of the correct locking of the coupling connection described is achieved in that the two coupling claws ( 8 ) of the clamping ring ( 9 ) on the mother coupling ( 10 ) of the hose ( 16 ) when coupling into the claw engagement ( 7 ) of the segment contact disk ( 3 ) be introduced. This is possible without any problems, since the Segmentkon contact disc ( 3 ) is provided with a total of 4 opposing claw interventions ( 7 ). By slightly turning the clamping ring ( 9 ) with the two coupling claws ( 8 ) it follows the insertion or engagement of the coupling claws ( 8 ) in the nearby coupling interventions ( 7 ).

Correct locking of the coupling connection is now usually done by turning the handle of the clamping ring ( 9 ). The coupling claws reach under the thread-like curve piece and, when the tensioning ring ( 10 ) is turned further, establish a tight, correct locking of the coupling connection.

As the clutch claws ( 8 ) are inserted / locked into the clutch engagements ( 7 ) at the same time, the clutch disc is automatically rotated when the tension ring is turned. The reaction material ( 11 ) of the segment contact disk ( 3 ) is also rotated and finally, when properly locked, comes into a position which triggers the switching process (closing of the sensor contact) in the sensor ( 12 ), as a result of which the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) is closed.

If the coupling connection is released, this is done by turning back the clamping ring ( 10 ).

The coupling claws ( 8 ) automatically turn back the segment contact disk ( 3 ) during this turning back via the driver function of the claw interventions ( 7 ).

As a result, the reaction material ( 11 ) is turned away from the sensor ( 12 ), the contact in the sensor ( 12 ) opens and the monitoring circuit ( 14 ) is interrupted. The filling process is terminated via the evaluation unit ( 15 ).

By limiting the arc length BL3 of the reaction material ( 11 ) and / or the positioning of the sensor ( 12 ), an automatic monitoring of the wear limits of the seal ( 13 ) can be achieved. In this case, the clamping ring ( 9 ) and thus the segment contact disc ( 3 ) can be rotated beyond the usual locking position so that the reaction material ( 11 ) can no longer act on the sensor ( 12 ) and the filling process in the point 21 described way canceled.

Advantages of the solution according to the invention

This solution is for both product and gas interlock monitoring pendulum hose applicable. The disadvantages of the known solutions are completely overcome. Due to the locking sensor system, the state of wear of the coupling connection can be reduced be monitored automatically. Thanks to a minimum of required components, contacts and electrical connections equipment and retrofitting expenses and susceptibility to faults are significantly lower. The contactless monitoring minimizes the susceptibility to faults. No changes are required on the hose nut coupling.

This means that all solution goals are to overcome the disadvantages / problems of known solutions reached.

application areas

The "monitoring sensor system for hose couplings" according to the invention is both Can be used in the mineral oil area as well as in all areas, e.g. B. chemical industry, where what Liquids or gases hazardous to emissions and / or pollution control via (hose) coupler be filled or refilled.

Claims (2)

1. coupling arrangement for hose connections,

• - with an electrically conductive hose,
• - And with a receiving part (nut coupling 10) which is electrically conductively connected to the hose,
• - and with a plug-in part (male coupling 1),
• - Wherein a clamping ring ( 9 ) is rotatably arranged on the receiving part,
• - And wherein the plug-in part thread-like curve pieces ( 2 ) for guiding the clamping ring ( 9 ),
• - And wherein the plug-in part is connected to other components such as an underground tank by means of an insulating intermediate piece, characterized
• - That a segment contact disc ( 3 ) is rotatably arranged on the plug-in part ( 1 ) between the curve piece ( 2 ) and the insulating intermediate piece ( 5 ),
• - The segment contact disc ( 3 ) has recesses ( 7 ) for receiving coupling claws ( 8 ) of the clamping ring ( 9 ) and an area in which a reaction material is arranged,
• a sensor is provided on the plug-in part ( 1 ), which does not react sensitively to the material of the segment contact disk ( 3 ), but reacts sensitively to the reaction material,
• - And wherein the sensor ( 12 ) is arranged in a fixed position at which the reaction material of the Segmentkontschtschei be ( 3 ) with a proper and tight locking of the hose coupling.

2. Coupling arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor ( 12 ) is arranged in the insulating intermediate piece ( 5 ).