Compressed Air Maintenance Unit and Consumer Control Device Equipped with the Same

Abstract

A compressed air conditioning apparatus ( 2 ) and a load control device ( 1 ) equipped therewith are proposed, the compressed air conditioning apparatus ( 2 ) comprising a switch-on valve ( 14 ) with 3/3-valve functionality. By means of the switch-on valve ( 14 ), an outlet passage ( 22 ) leading to a load device (A) can, among other aspects, be optionally supplied with compressed air or disconnected from the compressed air supply. By means of a pressure sensor ( 24 ) and/or a flow sensor ( 25 ), actual pressure and/or flow data can be recorded and compared to reference data previously stored in a teaching mode. As a function of the comparison result, an electric diagnostic signal can be generated, offering, among other aspects, the opportunity for monitoring leakage from the load device (A) or excessive air consumption.

1 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus comprising:
 an electrically actuated switch-on valve which comprises a feed inlet connectable to a compressed air source, a vent outlet connected to the atmosphere and an operating outlet and which can be switched into a working position connecting the operating outlet to the feed inlet and into a venting position connecting the operating outlet to the vent outlet;   an apparatus outlet connectable to an external load device and connected to the operating outlet of the switch-on valve via an outlet passage;   a pressure sensor suitable for measuring the outlet pressure prevailing in the outlet passage and/or a flow sensor suitable for measuring the outlet flow rate prevailing in the outlet passage; and   an internal electronic control unit which is connected in teens of signalling technology to the switch-on valve and to the pressure sensor and/or the flow sensor and which can be operated in a monitoring mode,   wherein the switch-on valve has a 3/3-valve functionality and can additionally be switched into a blocking position in which its operating outlet connected to the apparatus outlet ( 7 ) is isolated both from the feed inlet and from the vent outlet, and   wherein the internal electronic control unit can in the blocking position and/or in the working position be operated in a teaching mode as an alternative to the monitoring mode, in which teaching mode a time-dependent pressure drop of the outlet pressure can be determined in the blocking position and/or a time-dependent flow profile of the outlet flow rate can be determined in the working position and these values can be stored in the form of reference data in storage means of the internal electronic control unit, and   wherein the internal electronic control unit comprises comparator means whereby actual data supplied by the pressure sensor and/or the flow sensor during the monitoring mode can be compared to the relevant reference data, and   wherein the internal electronic control unit comprises outputting means which can output a diagnostic signal as a function of the comparison result of the comparator means.   
     
     
         2 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is designed in the form of a unit. 
     
     
         3 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising visual display means and/or audible warning means which can be actuated on the basis of the electric diagnostic signal. 
     
     
         4 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one communication interface connected to the internal electronic control unit to which can be connected an external electronic device for communication with the internal electronic control unit the at least one communication interface being designed as a bus interface. 
     
     
         5 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one communication interface is of an electromechanical type and/or the at least one communication interface is designed for wireless signal transmission. 
     
     
         6 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the internal electronic control unit is designed for transmitting the electric diagnostic signal to at least one communication interface of the compressed air conditioning apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the internal electronic control unit is designed for transmitting switch-over signals from an external electronic control device connected to a communication interface to the switch-on valve, in such a way that switch-over signals fed in via the communication interface can be transferred directly to the switch-on valve without any processing by the internal electronic control unit. 
     
     
         8 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising inputting means for activating and/or parameterising the teaching mode. 
     
     
         9 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the inputting means comprise at least one key and/or at least one switch and/or at least one electric interface. 
     
     
         10 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the actual data are recorded at a same time interval as the associated reference data. 
     
     
         11 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein in the monitoring mode a switch-over signal intended for the switch-on valve and generated and output by the internal electronic control unit or a trigger signal delivered by an external electronic control device acts as an initiator for the recording of actual data. 
     
     
         12 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the actual data can be recorded by the internal electronic control unit starting with the output of a switch-over signal intended for the switch-on valve or thereafter with a preset time delay. 
     
     
         13 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein actual data of the pressure sensor are recorded starting with or delayed after the output of a switch-over signal switching the switch-on valve into the blocking position, in order to allow leakage monitoring by way of a comparison with the associated reference data. 
     
     
         14 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein actual data of the flow sensor are recorded once or repeatedly starting with or delayed after the output of a switch-over signal switching the switch-on valve into the working position, in order to allow air consumption monitoring by way of a comparison with the associated reference data. 
     
     
         15 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal electronic control unit tolerance values are or can be stored, which are taken into account when generating the electric diagnostic signal to be output, wherein the tolerance values can be present in the form of at least one tolerance band. 
     
     
         16 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the tolerance values can be input individually and freely selectable, using existing inputting means of the compressed air conditioning apparatus and/or via at least one electric interface of the compressed air conditioning apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . A compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal electronic control unit is designed for initiating a switch-over action of the switch-on valve as a function of the comparison result of the comparator means. 
     
     
         18 . A load control device comprising at least one compressed air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1  and an external electronic control device connected or connectable thereto.