IP Library Granted Patent US 12,624,974
Granted Patent B2
US 12,624,974 · App. 18/554,838 · Granted May 12, 2026

Protective hood for a field device, and measurement/automation field device

Inventors: Björn Larsson (Birsfelden, CH); Philipp Loeffel (Oberwil, CH)
Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG
G01D11/245
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,624,974
App. No.
18/554,838
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A protective hood has a longitudinal axis and a hood wall, which has an open first end and a closed second end and forms a hood chamber. The hood chamber is designed to receive an electronics housing of a field device along the longitudinal axis via the open first end. The protective hood has at least one fastening apparatus, which is designed to be brought into mechanical contact with the electronics housing. Without an application of force, the protective hood has a first shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a first distance from the longitudinal axis, characterized in that the protective hood can be elastically deformed, by an application of force, into a second shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a second distance from the longitudinal axis, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

Claims (35)

1 . A protective hood designed for a measurement/automation field device,

wherein the protective hood has a longitudinal axis and a hood wall, which has an open first end and a closed second end and forms a hood chamber,

wherein the hood chamber is designed to receive an electronics housing of the field device along the longitudinal axis via the open first end,

wherein the protective hood has at least one fastening apparatus, which is designed to be brought into mechanical contact with the electronics housing,

wherein the protective hood, without an application of force, has a first shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a first distance from the longitudinal axis,

characterized in that

the protective hood can be elastically deformed, by an application of force, into a second shape in which the fastening apparatus is at a second distance from the longitudinal axis, the second distance being greater than the first distance,

wherein the fastening apparatus has a projection in each case,

wherein the fastening apparatus is formed integrally in the hood wall,

wherein the projection has a first surface, wherein a normal vector of the first surface faces the second end, wherein an interior angle between the normal vector and the hood cross section of the protective hood is greater than 45 degrees,

wherein the interior angle is less than 85 degrees,

wherein the projection has a second surface, wherein a normal vector of the second surface faces the first end, wherein an interior angle between the normal vector and the hood cross section of the protective hood is less than 45 degrees.

2 . The protective hood according to claim 1 ,

wherein a hood cross section in the first shape follows a circle, wherein the hood cross section in the second shape follows an oval.

3 . The protective hood according to claim 1 ,

wherein the protective hood has at least one spacing apparatus in the region of the second end, which spacing apparatus is designed to ensure a minimum distance between the second end and the electronics housing.

4 . The protective hood according to claim 1 ,

wherein the protective hood is made of a plastic or a metal.

5 . The protective hood according to claim 1 ,

wherein a force of at most 100 newtons must be applied to bring the protective hood into the second shape.

6 . The protective hood according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second distance is at least 5% greater than the first distance,

or wherein the second distance is at least 1 millimeter greater than the first distance.

7 . A field device of measurement/automation technology, comprising:

an electronics housing having a housing wall forming a housing chamber;

a measuring sensor designed to generate a measurement signal of a measurement variable;

an electronic measuring/operating circuit for providing measured values of the measured variable based on the measurement signal, wherein the electronic measuring/operating circuit is arranged in the housing chamber,

characterized in that

the field device has a protective hood according to any one of claim 1 , wherein the electronics housing is arranged in the hood chamber and carries the protective hood.

8 . The field device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the hood wall in the first shape has a distance of at most 30 millimeters and/or at least 5 millimeters from the electronics housing at least outside of a region of the at least one first fastening apparatus and the spacing apparatus.

9 . The field device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the at least one first fastening apparatus with the hood wall in the first shape rests on the housing wall and applies a force to the protective hood with a force component in the direction of the open first end.

10 . The field device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the protective hood can be mounted on the field device by applying a force along the longitudinal axis of the protective hood, and wherein the protective hood can be removed by deformation into the second shape and pulling off.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2023
From: LARSSON, BJÖRN; LOEFFEL, PHILIPP
To: ENDRESS+HAUSER FLOWTEC AG
Reel/Frame 065180/0950 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 109 404.6 · Apr 14, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240192035A1 · Jun 13, 2024
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