Process transmitter housing assembly with viewing area and method of assembling same

1. A process transmitter housing assembly comprising:

a housing including external threads on an exterior of the housing; and

a cover assembly including,

a cover chassis including:

a cover flange extending inward from a perimeter of the cover chassis at a first end of the cover chassis; and

internal threads on an interior of the cover chassis at a second end of the cover chassis opposite the first end, the internal threads for threadedly engaging the external threads of the housing;

a transparent cover piece mechanically clamped between the cover flange and a surface of the housing nearest the cover flange when the cover chassis is threadedly secured to the housing; and

an adhesive material between the transparent cover piece and a portion of the cover chassis adjacent to the cover flange, the adhesive material filling a gap between the transparent cover piece to the cover chassis to provide a cemented joint.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

display circuitry disposed within the housing for providing a digital display, the digital display viewable through the transparent cover piece.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a capacitive touch circuitry for providing touch actuation through the transparent cover piece.

4. A process transmitter housing assembly comprising:

a housing including external threads on an exterior of the housing; and

a cover assembly including,

a cover chassis including:

a cover flange extending inward from a perimeter of the cover chassis at a first end of the cover chassis; and

internal threads on an interior of the cover chassis at a second end of the cover chassis opposite the first end, the internal threads for threadedly engaging the external threads of the housing; and

a transparent cover piece mechanically clamped between the cover flange and a surface of the housing nearest the cover flange when the cover chassis is threadedly secured to the housing;

a display shroud for supporting display circuitry within the housing, the display circuitry providing a digital display viewable through the transparent cover piece; and

a deformable ring between the transparent cover piece and the housing such that the deformable ring and the transparent cover piece are clamped together between the housing and the cover flange when the cover chassis is threadedly secured to the housing.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the cover assembly further comprises:

a sealing gasket disposed between transparent cover piece and the cover flange such that the deformable ring, the transparent cover piece, and the sealing gasket are clamped together between the housing and the cover flange when the cover chassis is threadedly secured to the housing.

6. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:

an elastomeric ring disposed between a portion of the display shroud within the housing and an interior wall of the housing.

7. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the display shroud includes a circular flange integral with the display shroud, the circular flange forming the deformable ring between the transparent cover piece and the housing.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the cover assembly further comprises:

a sealing gasket disposed between transparent cover piece and the cover flange such that the deformable ring, the transparent cover piece, and the sealing gasket are clamped together between the housing and the cover flange when the cover chassis is threadedly secured to the housing.

9. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:

an elastomeric ring disposed between a portion of the display shroud within the housing and an interior wall of the housing.

10. A method of assembling a process transmitter housing assembly, the method comprising:

inserting a transparent cover piece into a cover chassis of the process transmitter and against a cover flange extending inward from a perimeter of the cover chassis at a first end of the cover chassis;

depositing an adhesive material between a transparent cover piece and a portion of the cover chassis adjacent to the cover flange before inserting the transparent cover piece into the cover chassis;

engaging threads on an interior of the cover chassis at a second end of the cover chassis opposite the first end with threads on an exterior of the housing of the process transmitter housing assembly; and

clamping the transparent cover piece between the cover flange and a surface of the housing nearest the cover flange by threadedly securing the cover chassis to the housing.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

inserting display circuitry into the housing before engaging the threads on the interior of the cover chassis with the threads on the exterior of the housing such that a digital display is viewable through the transparent cover piece.

12. A method of assembling a process transmitter housing assembly, the method comprising:

inserting a transparent cover piece into a cover chassis of the process transmitter and against a cover flange extending inward from a perimeter of the cover chassis at a first end of the cover chassis;

engaging threads on an interior of the cover chassis at a second end of the cover chassis opposite the first end with threads on an exterior of the housing of the process transmitter housing assembly;

clamping the transparent cover piece between the cover flange and a surface of the housing nearest the cover flange by threadedly securing the cover chassis to the housing; and

inserting capacitive touch circuitry into the housing before engaging the threads on the interior of the cover chassis with the threads on the exterior of the housing for providing touch actuation through the transparent cover piece.

13. A method of assembling a process transmitter housing assembly, the method comprising:

inserting a transparent cover piece into a cover chassis of the process transmitter and against a cover flange extending inward from a perimeter of the cover chassis at a first end of the cover chassis;

engaging threads on an interior of the cover chassis at a second end of the cover chassis opposite the first end with threads on an exterior of the housing of the process transmitter housing assembly;

inserting a display shroud into the housing for supporting display circuitry;

inserting a deformable ring between the transparent cover piece and the surface of the housing nearest the cover flange before engaging the threads on the interior of the cover chassis with the threads on the exterior of the housing; and

clamping the transparent cover between the cover flange and the surface of the housing nearest the cover flange includes clamping the integral deformable ring and the transparent cover piece together between the cover flange and the surface of the housing nearest the cover flange.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

installing an elastomeric ring around a portion of the display shroud before inserting the display shroud into the housing.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

inserting a sealing gasket into the cover chassis and against the cover flange before depositing the adhesive material between the transparent cover piece and the portion of the cover chassis adjacent to the cover flange.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the deformable ring is an integral part of the display shroud.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

installing an elastomeric ring around a portion of the display shroud before inserting the display shroud into the housing.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

inserting a sealing gasket into the cover chassis and against the cover flange before depositing the adhesive material between the transparent cover piece and the portion of the cover chassis adjacent to the cover flange; and

wherein clamping the transparent cover between the cover flange and the surface of the housing nearest the cover flange includes clamping the integral deformable ring, the transparent cover piece, and the sealing gasket together between the cover flange and the surface of the housing nearest the cover flange.