Coil arrangement, and electrochemical switch, respectively measurement transmitter, formed therewith

An electromechanical switch, comprising:

• a resilient first switch contact, movable between a first switch position and a second switch position;
• a second switch contact;
• a coil arrangement for actuating the first switch contact, wherein:
• the coil arrangement comprises an electrical coil including a coil core and an electrical current conductor surrounding said coil core
• an electronic switch switchable between at least two switch states,
• a control and monitoring circuit for producing a switching signal with a variable signal level for actuating said electronic switch;
• and an operating circuit for providing an operating voltage
• wherein:
• a magnetic circuit is formed by means of said coil core and said armature, in such a manner that the magnetic circuit exhibits a magnetic resistance, dependent on a position of said armature said coil exhibits an inductance, dependent on the position of said armature;
• said coil exhibits an inductance, dependent on the position of said armature;
• said coil is adapted to lead an electrical current in said electrical current conductor and to convert the electrical current into a magnetic force acting between its coil core and said armature and dependent on an electrical current level of the electrical current;
• said electronic switch is adapted to close, in a first switch state, a coil electrical current circuit formed by means of said operating circuit, said coil and said electronic switch, in such a manner that an electrical resistance of said coil electrical current circuit opposing an electrical current then driven by the operating voltage and flowing in said coil electrical current circuit then exhibits a first resistance value and to open, in a second switch state, said coil electrical current circuit, in such a manner that its electrical resistance exhibits then a second resistance value greater than said first resistance value;
• wherein said operating circuit is adapted to provide an electrical current measurement signal representing the electrical current flowing in said coil electrical current circuit as a function of time;
• said control and monitoring circuit is adapted to provide the switching signal at times with a first signal level value causing said first switch state of said electronic switch;
• said control and monitoring circuit is adapted to provide the switching signal at times with a second signal level value different from said first signal level value and causing said second switch state of said electronic switch;
• and said control and monitoring circuit is adapted with application of the electrical current measurement signal to perform a checking of said coil, namely:
• to detect, whether the inductance, of said coil shows a dependence on the switching signal as a function of time, respectively a behavior as a function of time corresponding to the switching signal as a function of time,
• and/or to detect, whether said coil reacts to a change of said signal level of the switching signal from the first signal level to the second signal level with a change of its inductance,
• and/or to detect, whether said coil reacts to a change of the signal level of said switching signal from said second signal level to the first signal level with a change of its inductance.
• and said armature of said coil arrangement is adapted in the case of moving from its first end position into its second end position to move said first switch contact from its first switch position into its second switch position.

A measurement transmitter, comprising:

• an electromechanical switch, comprising a resilient first switch contact, movable between a first switch position and a second switch position;
• a second switch contact;
• and
• a coil arrangement for actuating the first switch contact, wherein:
• the coil arrangement comprises an electrical coil including a coil core and an electrical current conductor surrounding said coil core;
• an armature movable between a first end position and a second end position;
• an electronic switch switchable between at least two switch states;
• a control and monitoring circuit for producing a switching signal with a variable signal level for actuating said electronic switch;
• and
• an operating circuit for providing an operating voltage;
• and a measuring circuit for receiving at least one electrical transducer signal, dependent on a physical or chemical measured variable and/or representing the measured variable as a function of time;
• wherein:
• a magnetic circuit is formed by means of said coil core and said armature, in such a manner that the magnetic circuit exhibits a magnetic resistance, dependent on a position of said armature;
• said coil exhibits an inductance, dependent on the position of said armature;
• said coil is adapted to lead an electrical current in said electrical current conductor and to convert the electrical current into a magnetic force acting between its coil core and said armature and dependent on an electrical current level of the electrical current;
• said electronic switch is adapted to close, in a first switch state, a coil electrical current circuit formed by means of said operating circuit, said coil and said electronic switch, in such a manner that an electrical resistance, of said coil electrical current circuit opposing an electrical current driven by the operating voltage and flowing in said coil electrical current circuit then exhibits a first resistance value and to open, in a second switch state, said coil electrical current circuit, in such a manner that its electrical resistance exhibits then a second resistance value greater than said first resistance value;
• wherein:
• said operating circuit is adapted to provide an electrical current measurement signal representing the electrical current flowing in said coil electrical current circuit as a function of time;
• said control and monitoring circuit is adapted to provide the switching signal at times with a first signal level value causing said first switch state of said electronic switch;
• said control and monitoring circuit is adapted to provide the switching signal at times with a second signal level value different from said first signal level value and causing said second switch state of said electronic switch;
• and said control and monitoring circuit is adapted with application of the electrical current measurement signal to perform a checking of said coil, namely:
• to detect, whether the inductance, of said coil shows a dependence on the switching signal as a function of time, respectively a behavior as a function of time corresponding to the switching signal as a function of time,
• and/or to detect, whether said coil reacts to a change of said signal level of the switching signal from the first signal level to the second signal level with a change of its inductance,
• and/or to detect, whether said coil reacts to a change of the signal level of said switching signal from said second signal level to the first signal level with a change of its inductance,
• and said armature of said coil arrangement is adapted in the case of moving from its first end position into its second end position to move said first switch contact from its first switch position into its second switch position.

A measuring device, comprising

• a measuring circuit for receiving at least one electrical transducer signal, dependent on a physical or chemical measured variable and/or representing the measured variable as a function of time;
• an electromechanical switch, comprising a resilient first switch contact, movable between a first switch position and a second switch position, a second switch contact and a coil arrangement for actuating the first switch contact, wherein:
• the coil arrangement comprises an electrical coil including a coil core and an electrical current conductor surrounding said coil core;
• an armature movable between a first end position and a second end position;
• an electronic switch switchable between at least two switch states;
• a control and monitoring circuit for producing a switching signal with a variable signal level for actuating said electronic switch;
• an operating circuit for providing an operating voltage
• and a measuring transducer electrically coupled with the measuring circuit for registering a time variable physical and/or chemical measured variable and for generating the at least one transducer signal;
• wherein:
• a magnetic circuit is formed by means of said coil core and said armature, in such a manner that the magnetic circuit exhibits a magnetic resistance, dependent on a position of said armature;
• said coil exhibits an inductance, dependent on the position of said armature;
• said coil is adapted to lead an electrical current in said electrical current conductor and to convert the electrical current into a magnetic force acting between its coil core and said armature and dependent on an electrical current level of the electrical current;
• said electronic switch is adapted to close, in a first switch state, a coil electrical current circuit formed by means of said operating circuit, said coil and said electronic switch, in such a manner that an electrical resistance of said coil electrical current circuit opposing an electrical current driven by the operating voltage and flowing in said coil electrical current circuit then exhibits a first resistance value and to open, in a second switch state, said coil electrical current circuit, in such a manner that its electrical resistance exhibits then a second resistance value greater than said first resistance value;
• wherein:
• said operating circuit is adapted to provide an electrical current measurement signal representing the electrical current flowing in said coil electrical current circuit as a function of time;
• said control and monitoring circuit is adapted to provide the switching signal at times with a first signal level value causing said first switch state of said electronic switch;
• said control and monitoring circuit is adapted to provide the switching signal at times with a second signal level value different from said first signal level value and causing said second switch state of said electronic switch;
• and said control and monitoring circuit is adapted with application of the electrical current measurement signal to perform a checking of said coil, namely:
• to detect, whether the inductance, of said coil shows a dependence on the switching signal as a function of time, respectively a behavior as a function of time corresponding to the switching signal as a function of time,
• and/or to detect, whether said coil reacts to a change of said signal level of the switching signal from the first signal level to the second signal level with a change of its inductance,
• and/or to detect, whether said coil reacts to a change of the signal level of said switching signal from said second signal level to the first signal level with a change of its inductance;
• and said armature of said coil arrangement is adapted in the case of moving from its first end position into its second end position to move said first switch contact from its first switch position into its second switch position.