Patents Assigned to ABB AG
  • Publication number: 20080314170
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for testing the functionality of armatures, e.g., of safety armatures, in process control systems which are assigned a test device for implementing partial stroke testing and which are connected to a control device, which brings about actuation, in accordance with regulations, of the safety armature in an emergency. Prior to the start of the implementation of the partial stroke testing, a request signal is transmitted from the test device to the control device which is answered by the control device with an enable signal, the enable signal being issued as a function of the current process sequence at the armature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Thomas KLEEGREWE, Andreas Stelter, Martin Dahl, Andreas Wahlmann, Heiko Kresse
  • Publication number: 20080307892
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a circuit arrangement for preventing overloading of magneto-inductive flowmeters. The disclosure can protect the amplifiers which are connected downstream thereof or the electronic evaluation system from overloading. To this end, the signal input circuit is provided with additional voltage-limiting diodes disposed downstream of the impedance converters so that eventual voltage tips are prevented during modulation in the downstream amplifiers of the evaluation electronics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Thomas Blume, Dirk Steckel, Dieter Keese
  • Publication number: 20080308392
    Abstract: A drive drum is disclosed for a belt conveyor that gearlessly drives a conveyed product. For example, at least one motor is located inside the drum shell, said motor being fixed to the drum shell by means of a motor frame on the shell and to a fixed drum shaft by means of a fixed motor frame on said shaft; the drum shell is sealed on both sides by a base on the end face, said bases being provided with centric bearings that support the fixed drum shaft; the two ends of the fixed drum shaft are mounted on shaft fixings; at least one electric connection line, which extends inside or along the drum shaft, runs between a winding of the motor that is fixed to the fixed motor frame, on the shaft and an electric energy supply; the motor(s) has or have a cooling device for the winding; and a coolant supply and a coolant drain of the cooling device and/or a coolant connection line extend inside or along the drum shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Simke, Boris Rathmann, Rudiger Bude, Gilbert Lilienthal
  • Publication number: 20080303472
    Abstract: A method for replacement of a field device to be replaced by a new field device in a system which communicates via a digital fieldbus, e.g., an automation system; wherein previous parameters, information and/or values of the field device to be replaced are compared by an electronic control unit, which communicates via the fieldbus, with parameters, information and/or values of the new field device with respect to at least one data record, in order to modify them if necessary in accordance with the field device to be replaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Dirk JOHN, Dominik EIFEL, Frank FENGLER, Georg HILSCH, Stefan BOLLMEYER
  • Publication number: 20080307406
    Abstract: A device and a method for checking the current software installation in field devices in a distributed system, e.g., an automation system, which field devices communicate via a fieldbus with at least one control unit for system management, wherein the appliance library assistant means are implemented in the control unit and compare the current installation of a selectable field device with the latest available update versions, in order to initiate an update if a more recent update version is available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Dirk JOHN, Dominik Eifel, Frank Fengler, Georg Hilsch, Stefan Bollmeyer
  • Publication number: 20080296264
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical service switching device, in particular a circuit breaker, motor circuit breaker or the like, having a housing which has two housing halves and connecting means for electrical connection to busbars and/or power lines, having at least one electrical switching contact on which an arc is struck in an initial arcing chamber on disconnection of the electrical contact, with an arc quenching unit being provided adjacent to this, in order to quench the arc. An AC blowout device which comprises two iron plates adjacent to the initial chamber area in the lateral direction and guides the arc into the arc quenching device by magnetic interaction during AC operation, is provided. The housing wall has an opening in the area of the iron plates, through which a permanent magnet can be inserted in order to create an AC/DC blowout device, which guides the arc into the arc quenching device in both AC and DC operation, when the housing is assembled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Schulz, Andre Dickgiesser
  • Publication number: 20080301270
    Abstract: A method for directed provision and installation of device-specific functionalities and/or information for field devices which are arranged in a distributed system, in particular in a distributed automation system, wherein in a first step, a field device to be connected to the system is supplied with basic functionalities and/or basic information for operation of the field device in the system, bypassing a higher-level controller for the system, after which in a second step, the higher-level controller automatically installs further required upgrade functionalities and/or upgrade information in order to produce the full functional scope of the field device, using the existing basic functionalities and/or basic information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventor: Dirk JOHN
  • Publication number: 20080290971
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical service switching device, e.g., a circuit breaker, having a magnetic release with a magnet armature, a thermal release, a fixed and moving contact piece, a switching mechanism which can be tripped by the thermal and magnetic release and has a latching point which is formed by a tripping lever and a catch lever which is mounted in a fixed position such that it can rotate and has an elongated hole in order to guide a clip, wherein the magnet armature can act on the contact lever, to which the moving contact piece is fitted, in order to open the contact point in the event of a short, and the switching mechanism can hold the contact lever permanently in the open position, having a switching toggle for manual operation of the switching mechanism, and having an intermediate lever which is articulated at one of its ends with the contact lever and at its other end on the clip, wherein the clip is articulated with at least one limb on the switching toggle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Ralf WEBER, Erwin Muders, Klaus-Peter Eppe, Joachim Becker
  • Publication number: 20080289412
    Abstract: A thermal mass flow meter is disclosed for determining a material flow through a vessel. In this case, a sensor arrangement is mounted on a holder immersed into a vessel with a flowing medium. It is proposed that the sensor arrangement comprises a first and a second measuring element, with one of the respective measuring elements being heated while the other respective measuring element is not heated and that the two measuring elements can be heated alternately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventor: Ralf Huck
  • Publication number: 20080289410
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a thermal mass flow meter for determining a material flow through a vessel. In this case, a heating element is mounted on a holder which is immersed into a vessel with a flowing medium. It is suggested that the holder is subdivided into two zones of differing thermal conductivity, the holder substantially having a high thermal conductivity adjoined by a short zone of low thermal conductivity in which the heating element is arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Detlef Pape, Ralf Huck
  • Publication number: 20080289411
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a thermal mass flow meter for determining a material flow through a vessel. The mass flow meter has at least two measuring elements immersed into a vessel with a flowing medium, with one of the measuring elements being heated. It is proposed that the heated measuring element is arranged in front of the unheated measuring element in the flow direction of the medium for at least part of the time, and for part of the time the unheated measuring element is arranged in front of the heated measuring element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Daniel Schrag, Detlef Pape
  • Publication number: 20080288680
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an arrangement and method for communication between modular devices for measurement, closed-loop and open-loop control which are connected to one another via a backplane. It is proposed that two modules of the device in each case be connected to one another via a serial point-to-point connection. Modules with a coupling element are connected to a plurality of other modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Axel Lohbeck, Wolfgang Jantzen, Gerd Dewitz
  • Publication number: 20080284547
    Abstract: The disclosure proposes an electrical switching device having at least one contact point having at least one drive, which opens the contact point directly and/or via a switching mechanism with a latching point and which drive has an element having a predetermined shape, which element consists of a shape memory alloy, which changes its shape under the influence of an electromagnetic field and, in the process, opens or closes a contact point or double contact point or unlatches a switching mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Patrick Claeys, Joachim Becker, Ralf Weber, Richard Kommert
  • Publication number: 20080288668
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and system for communication between modular devices for measurement, closed-loop and open-loop control. It is proposed that the communication-carrying bus physics and the USB protocol be used for data transmission between modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Axel Lohbeck, Wolfgang Jantzen, Gerd Dewitz
  • Publication number: 20080288706
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a device, arrangement and method for communication between modular devices for measurement, closed-loop control and open-loop control, which are connected to one another via a backplane. It is proposed that two modules of the device in each case be connected to one another via a serial point-to-point connection. Modules with a coupling element are connected to a plurality of other modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Axel Lohbeck, Wolfgang Jantzen, Gerd Dewitz
  • Publication number: 20080277608
    Abstract: An exemplary method is disclosed for operation of an actuating drive for control of an actuating element, which has an associated position detection device for detection of an actual position of the actuating element, which detection device is operatively connected to a regulator unit for comparison of the actual position with a predeterminable set position and for production of an actuating signal for driving the actuating drive, with the position detection device having a stationary optical scanning device whose optical axis is directed at an endless pattern which can be scanned optically and has associated numerical equivalents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Frank MARKS, Wolfgang SCHOLZ
  • Patent number: 7448281
    Abstract: A magnetic induction flowmeter having a metal measuring tube (1), which can be inserted into a pipeline system via flanged sections (2a, 2b) at the ends, having at least two mutually opposite measuring electrodes (5a, 5b) introduced into the wall of the measuring tube (1) in an electrically insulated manner in order to register a measuring voltage, a magnetic unit (4), likewise arranged on the outside of the measuring tube (1), generating a magnetic field aligned substantially at right angles to the flow direction of the conductive flow medium to be measured, and the measuring tube (1) being provided with an electrically insulating layer (6) on the inside; in the region of the flanged sections (2a, 2b) at the end of the measuring tube (1), an expanded lattice (7) being fixed to the measuring tube (1), to which lattice the insulating layer (6) is applied in such a way that the expanded lattice (7) located within the insulating layer (6) ensures a firm connection between insulating layer (6) and measuring tube
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: ABB AG
    Inventors: Ralf Bäcker, Franz Krope
  • Patent number: 7444886
    Abstract: A floating body flowmeter having a measuring tube (1) which is positioned vertically and through which a substance (2) to be measured flows, in which tube a floating body (3) is arranged in order to determine the flow rate, the rise height (h) of said body relative to the measuring tube (1) being in a defined relationship with the flow rate, it being possible for the measuring range to be adjusted at least via the density of the floating body (3), and the floating body (3) being heterogeneous in such a way that the latter consists of an industrial mass-produced material in the core (4), the material selection being coordinated with the fact that the measuring range can be adjusted substantially via the density of the core (4), and the core (4) is provided with an external coating (5), its material being coordinated with the fact that this is chemically and/or mechanically resistant to the substance to be measured, and furthermore that all the other parts in contact with the substance to be measured are coated
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: ABB AG
    Inventors: Wilfried Furkert, Dieter Keese
  • Publication number: 20080268722
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a screw terminal for an electrical service device for connecting an electrical connecting conductor, which can be inserted through an insertion opening in the housing wall of the service switching device into the screw terminal. The screw terminal includes a terminal frame with a first transverse limb, which has a threaded hole for accommodating a clamping screw, and a clamping screw, which protrudes through the threaded hole into the terminal frame. The clamping frame, in its installed position in the housing of the service switching device, is guided displaceably parallel to the mid-axis of the clamping screw. The connecting conductor can be fixedly clamped in the terminal frame. That part of the terminal frame with which touching contact can be made in the installed position through the insertion opening from outside the device housing is covered by an insulating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventors: Ralf Wieland, Klaus-Peter Eppe, Albrecht Vogel, Wolfgang Wilhelm
  • Publication number: 20080262639
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operation of a functionally modular automation device having a control loop, which device is connected to a feed line whose power is limited. It is proposed that the criterion for activation or deactivation of functional modules of the device is derived from the control error (xw). The functionally modular automation device having a control loop is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: ABB AG
    Inventor: Frank Marks