IP Library Granted Patent US 12,563,678
Granted Patent B2
US 12,563,678 · App. 17/836,695 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Processing apparatus for controlling, measuring and regulating

Inventors: Ulrich Rauchschwalbe (Gross-Zimmern, DE); Bernd Allenberg (Muehltal, DE); Dino Bohrmann (Mannheim, DE); Harald Dittrich (Ginsheim-Gustavsburg, DE)
Assignee: Qlar Europe GmbH
H05K5/0017G05B19/0423H05K7/1084G05B2219/2642
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,563,678
App. No.
17/836,695
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processing apparatus for controlling, measuring and/or regulating, comprising an appliance for installation for output and/or input, with an intermediate housing, a unit for display and/or operation, and a main board connected to the unit having a central computer unit, wherein the appliance for installation is provided for use in a device or for a device such as a weighing device, metering device, conveying device, screening device, grinding device, mixing device, filter device, status monitoring device and/or material analysis device, wherein the main board serves as an electronic platform regardless of use and has, for each use, a particular combination of interfaces to the device in question. Furthermore, the invention relates to a processing apparatus for controlling, measuring and/or regulating having such an appliance for installation.

Claims (37)

1 . A processing apparatus for controlling, measuring and/or regulating, comprising:

an appliance for installation for output and/or input to control, measure and/or regulate processes of signal processing devices that are connectable to the appliance for installation, the appliance for installation including an intermediate housing, a unit for display and/or operation and a main board connected to the unit,

wherein the main board has a central computer unit,

wherein interfaces are provided in the main board to connect the main board to the signal processing devices,

wherein the appliance for installation is modularly equipped with one or more function modules selected from a variety of function modules,

wherein additional interfaces are provided in the main board, the additional interfaces being input interfaces for receiving and connecting the function modules, and wherein the function modules each have an interface to the signal processing devices, and

wherein the unit for display and/or operation is mounted to a front side of the main board and the interfaces to connect the main board to the signal processing devices are provided on a rear side of the main board.

2 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the unit for display and/or operation is form-fittingly, non-destructively connectable to the intermediate housing and non-destructively detachable from the intermediate housing.

3 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the interfaces of the main board, provided to connect the main board to the signal processing devices, are analog and/or digital interfaces.

4 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the function modules are non-destructively connected via plug connections with the input interfaces and non-destructively detached from the input interfaces.

5 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate housing has guides in which the function modules are guided.

6 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the appliance for installation has a back wall, which is form-fittingly, non-destructively connectable to the intermediate housing and non-destructively detachable from the intermediate housing.

7 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the appliance for installation and/or the unit are designed so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to a display screen of the unit, by 180° or 90°.

8 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the appliance for installation is frictionally connectable to an outer housing of the processing apparatus and/or a retaining frame of the processing apparatus.

9 . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate housing is formed as a tube housing, which comprises at least one cuboid interior space for housing at least one of the function modules and/or the interfaces.

10 . The processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the back wall has detachable cover plates, each covering a respective one of the interfaces and the input interfaces of the main board.

11 . The processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the outer housing is multi-part, wherein components of the outer housing are connectable to each other form-fittingly and detachable from each other.

12 . The processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the appliance for installation is attached in the outer housing either in a first position or in a second position rotated by 180° with respect to the first position about an axis perpendicular to a display screen of the unit.

13 . The processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the outer housing, in which the appliance for installation is housed, is attachable to a wall or placed on a table.

14 . A processing apparatus for controlling, measuring and/or regulating, comprising:

an appliance for installation for output and/or input to control, measure and/or regulate processes of signaling or signal processing devices that are connectable to the appliance for installation, the appliance for installation including an intermediate housing, a unit for display and/or operation and a main board connected to the unit,

wherein the main board has a central computer unit,

wherein interfaces are provided in the main board to connect the main board to the signaling or signal processing devices,

wherein the appliance for installation is modularly equipped with one or more function modules selected from a variety of function modules,

wherein additional interfaces are provided in the main board, the additional interfaces being input interfaces for receiving and connecting the function modules, and wherein the function modules each have an interface to the signaling or signal processing devices,

wherein the unit for display and/or operation is mounted to a front side of the main board and the interfaces to connect the main board to the signaling or signal processing devices are provided on a rear side of the main board,

wherein the intermediate housing is formed as a tube housing, which comprises at least one cuboid interior space for housing at least one of the function modules and/or the interfaces, and

wherein the appliance for installation has a back wall that is adapted to a shape of the intermediate housing and serves as a ground connection for all of the function modules.

15 . A processing apparatus for controlling, measuring and/or regulating, comprising:

an appliance for installation for output and/or input to control, measure and/or regulate processes of signaling or signal processing devices that are connectable to the appliance for installation, the appliance for installation including an intermediate housing, a unit for display and/or operation and a main board connected to the unit,

wherein the main board has a central computer unit,

wherein interfaces are provided in the main board to connect the main board to the signaling or signal processing devices,

wherein the appliance for installation is modularly equipped with one or more function modules selected from a variety of function modules,

wherein additional interfaces are provided in the main board, the additional interfaces being input interfaces for receiving and connecting the function modules, and wherein the function modules each have an interface to the signaling or signal processing devices,

wherein the unit for display and/or operation is mounted to a front side of the main board and the interfaces to connect the main board to the signaling or signal processing devices are provided on a rear side of the main board,

wherein the appliance for installation has a back wall, which is form-fittingly, non-destructively connectable to the intermediate housing and non-destructively detachable from the intermediate housing, and

wherein the back wall has a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings corresponding to a respective one of the interfaces and the input interfaces.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 11, 2025
From: SCHENCK PROCESS EUROPE GMBH
To: QLAR EUROPE GMBH
Reel/Frame 071541/0863 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2022
From: RAUCHSCHWALBE, ULRICH; ALLENBERG, BERND; BOHRMANN, DINO; DITTRICH, HARALD
To: SCHENCK PROCESS EUROPE GMBH
Reel/Frame 060598/0893 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 133 746.1 · Dec 10, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2020085471 · Dec 10, 2020
Related Publication 20220304168A1 · Sep 22, 2022
References Cited (28)
US 6049449A · Cranston, III · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6181563B1 · Shimbo · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6742068B2 · Gallagher · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 6827589B2 · Lin · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 6975508B2 · Hoegener et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7031168B2 · Kato · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 7177709B2 · Uhlendorf et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7193863B2 · Tullidge · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 7342807B2 · Mueller · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 7539023B2 · Bulucea · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 7898819B2 · Pfingsten · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 8345439B1 · Goergen · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 8902607B1 · Chang · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9470720B2 · Dean · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 10795341B2 · Seitz et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20020118514A1 · Coglitore · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20060126274A1 · Iwano · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20100259899A1 · Facusse · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20110292769A1 · Snider · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20170285604A1 · Al-Jandal · 2017 [cited by applicant]
DE 9207546U1 · 1993 [cited by applicant]
DE 20307308U1 · 2003 [cited by applicant]
DE 20310087U1 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
EP 1372366A2 · 2003 [cited by applicant]
EP 3309637A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report dated Feb. 9, 2021 in corresponding application PCT/EP2020/085471. [cited by applicant]
SHPI Technische Produktinformation, Smart Home Peripheral Interface—zero—AC Version—status Oct. 5, 2019, retrieved Oct. 28, 2020; relevant sections cited in German Office Action dated Oct. 30, 2020: pp. 2-4. [cited by applicant]
German Office Action dated Oct. 30, 2020in corresponding applciation 10 2019 133 746.1—partial translation identifies relevant portion of cited document SHPI Technische Produktinformation, Smart Home Peripheral Interfac… [cited by applicant]