Rosemount Inc.

Randall C Olson

James L Gravel

Dennis John Smith

Steven D Kruse

David Matthew Strei

Christopher Lee Eriksen

Donald F Palan

Bruce L Johnson

Steve D Kruse

James A Kronmiller

An electrical connector protects a pressure sensor stem that protrudes from a pressure sensor capsule. The electrical connector includes a baseplate with a central hole and a peripheral wall joined to the baseplate and protruding below the baseplate. The peripheral wall slidingly engages the pressure sensor capsule as the pressure sensor stem passes through the central hole to protrude above the baseplate. A protective wall joined to the baseplate protrudes above the pressure sensor stem and protects the pressure sensor stem. A lead frame in the protective wall provides electrical connections to sensor contact pads on the pressure sensor stem.

Electrical connector for a pressure sensor stem

A process seal made of a material such as polytetrafluoroethylene is used as a microwave window in a radar tank level gauge. The periphery of the process seal is surrounded by a metal containment ring that is fitted to the periphery to limit the amount of expansion outwardly of the process seal material as well as provide for localized loading at the periphery for clamping pressures on the seal. Electromagnetic radiation shielding is provided not only by the containment ring, but also by an EMI shielding O-ring mounted in a groove on a sealing end of the containment ring. A process environmental O-ring is carried by the process seal in an outer shoulder groove that is enclosed by the containment ring.

PTFE window seal with EMI shielding

A process seal assembly adapted for installation to a process vessel opening. A probe with a probe connector connects to a rod inside a passageway of a housing adapted to be sealingly mounted to the process vessel opening. The rod has a first end coupled to the probe connector and a second end adapted to couple with a transmitter connector body. A rigid, electrically insulating spool is fastened in the passageway, with an outer spool surface fitting tightly to a wall of the passageway and an axial hole fitting tightly to the rod.

Level probe with modular connection

A modular probe that is used for determining levels in a process material container, bins, pipes, using capacitance, micro impulse radar, or other types of signals, and which has a self contained pressure seal in the probe. The probe mounts to a connector that has an explosion proof barrier. The connector in turn supports a transmitter housing, which can be made explosion proof as well. The probe is coupled to the connector in a manner so that they can be easily separated and replaced without altering the explosion proof barrier. An independent seal on the probe itself permits the probe to be installed in a tank prior to the transmitter installation, and the transmitter may be uncoupled from the connector and replaced with a new transmitter without affecting the explosion proof portion of the assembly. The transmitter housing may also be removed or replaced from service without disassembly of the housing while the probe remains installed in a tank or other location undisturbed until the transmitter is replaced. Further, an environmental seal between the probe and the connector may be replaced without removing the transmitter housing from the connector so the explosion proof barrier for the transmitter housing remains effective.

Modular probe

A waveguide assembly for a process sealed level gage includes first and second waveguide portions, a process sealing cavity and a mechanical barrier. The first waveguide portion has a first waveguide bore. The second waveguide portion is fastened to the first waveguide portion and has a second waveguide bore which is axially aligned with the first waveguide bore for communicating microwave signals at a waveguide wavelength .lambda..sub.G between the waveguide bores. The process sealing cavity is formed at an interface between the first and second waveguide portions. The mechanical barrier includes a first shaft section positioned within the first waveguide portion, a second shaft section positioned within the second waveguide portion and a raised annular shoulder positioned at the interface, within the process sealing cavity. The raised annular shoulder has a width, which is measured radially outward from an outside diameter of the shaft sections, of approximately 1/2 .lambda..sub.G and a height, which is measured axially between the first and second waveguide portions, of approximately 1/4 .lambda..sub.G.

Growing community of inventors

Prior Lake, MN, United States of America

Randall C Olson