EP4136414A1 - Capteur radar à boîtier de capteur sphérique - Google Patents

Capteur radar à boîtier de capteur sphérique

Info

Publication number
EP4136414A1
EP4136414A1 EP20719427.5A EP20719427A EP4136414A1 EP 4136414 A1 EP4136414 A1 EP 4136414A1 EP 20719427 A EP20719427 A EP 20719427A EP 4136414 A1 EP4136414 A1 EP 4136414A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sensor
fastening device
radar sensor
housing
radar
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP20719427.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Robert Laun
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vega Grieshaber KG
Original Assignee
Vega Grieshaber KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Vega Grieshaber KG filed Critical Vega Grieshaber KG
Publication of EP4136414A1 publication Critical patent/EP4136414A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
    • G01F23/22—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water
    • G01F23/28—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water by measuring the variations of parameters of electromagnetic or acoustic waves applied directly to the liquid or fluent solid material
    • G01F23/284—Electromagnetic waves
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/225—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/42—Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
    • G01S7/02—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S13/00
    • G01S7/027—Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
    • G01S7/02—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S13/00
    • G01S7/03—Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver

Definitions

  • the invention relates to radar sensors for use in an industrial environment.
  • the invention relates to a radar sensor with a sensor housing which can be rotatably mounted, a fastening device for rotatably mounting such a sensor, and the use of such a sensor
  • Fastening device for fastening a sensor, a container with a fastening device attached thereto, and a method for fastening a sensor to a container.
  • Sensors in the industrial environment can be set up for level measurement, point level detection, flow measurement, pressure measurement, level and flow velocity measurement and for temperature measurement.
  • Such sensors can be designed for attachment to or in an opening of a container. Fastening takes place either by means of a flange fastening or a screw-in fastening.
  • the senor for example a level measuring device or a limit level sensor, has a plate-shaped flange which surrounds the antenna neck of the device in a flange-like manner in order to be screwed to a corresponding counter flange in the region of the opening of the container.
  • the antenna neck itself is equipped with an external thread so that the sensor can be screwed into a corresponding internal thread in a container opening via the external thread.
  • a first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a radar sensor set up to measure a fill level or a limit level of a fill substance in a container.
  • the radar sensor has a sensor housing, an electronics unit and an antenna unit.
  • the sensor housing has an outer contour which, at least in a first partial area of the sensor housing, has the shape of a spherical segment which is designed to rotatably mount the radar sensor in a corresponding hollow spherical segment of a fastening device.
  • the electronics unit is set up to generate a measurement signal and the antenna unit is set up to emit the measurement signal and to receive the measurement signal reflected on a product surface.
  • the electronics unit and antenna unit are arranged in the housing. For example, the outer contour of the sensor housing is completely or almost completely spherical.
  • the sensor housing is completely closed.
  • the sensor housing is not completely closed and can, for example, only be provided in the area in which it is mounted in the hollow spherical segment.
  • the hollow ball segment is thus a joint socket.
  • the sensor housing is made of plastic, at least in the area of the antenna unit, so that the measurement signal can be emitted through the sensor housing.
  • the antenna unit is therefore located inside the sensor housing and is protected by it.
  • the sensor housing can be made entirely of plastic, or partially. Other areas of the housing can also consist of other materials, for example metal.
  • the sensor housing cannot be opened non-destructively.
  • it is manufactured using an injection molding process, so that the electronics unit and the antenna unit are cast in, for example.
  • the radar sensor is designed as an autarkic radar sensor (AuRa sensor) with its own internal energy supply, for example in the form of a battery.
  • AuRa sensor autarkic radar sensor
  • the radar sensor has a radio interface set up for wireless transmission of the radar sensor data that the sensor detects or calculates to an external receiver, for example a mobile phone or a server.
  • the center of gravity of the radar sensor is located below the center point of the spherical segment, so that the radar sensor can align itself perpendicular to the product surface by means of gravity by rotating it into the measuring position.
  • weights can be provided in the lower area of the sensor, for example in the form of a metal ring that runs in the sensor housing, in order to facilitate the independent alignment of the sensor by means of gravity.
  • a second partial area of the sensor housing consists of a light-permeable material, so that a display of the radar sensor can be read through the sensor housing.
  • the radar sensor is designed for contactless measurement of the fill level or limit level.
  • Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a fastening device which has a hollow ball or at least one hollow ball segment which is set up for the rotatable mounting of a radar sensor described above and below.
  • the fastening device is designed as a closed hollow sphere. It can be made entirely of plastic.
  • At least the hollow spherical segment consists of opaque plastic.
  • the hollow sphere or the fastening device consists at least partially of a light-permeable material, so that a display of the radar sensor can be read through the hollow sphere.
  • the fastening device has a fastening flange for attachment to the opening of a container.
  • the fastening device can be made in one piece.
  • the fastening device has a holding arm and / or an internal thread for attaching a holding arm.
  • the fastening device has a locking element configured to fix the sensor in the fastening device.
  • the fastening device has an alignment element configured to align the sensor in the
  • the sensor and mounting can be designed in such a way that the sensor aligns itself via gravity so that it always radiates vertically downwards, or, alternatively, vertically, regardless of the orientation of the fastening device.
  • the fastening device has an alignment element configured to align the sensor in the
  • the fastening device has a sensor arranged therein, which is rotatably mounted therein.
  • the fastening device is the housing of the radar sensor. So one would z. B. provide spherical sensor that includes an alignment mechanism inside, without further housing inside. But it would of course also be possible to provide a radar sensor with its own housing and an additional mounting ball.
  • the sensor is a level measuring device, for example a level radar device, a limit level sensor, a pressure sensor or a flow sensor.
  • Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to the use of a fastening device described above and below for fastening a sensor, for example a sensor described above and below, optionally on a side wall of a container or the ceiling of the container.
  • Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a container with a fastening device, as described above and below, attached thereto.
  • Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of attaching a sensor to a container. First, the sensor is arranged in a completely closed fastening device or in an at least partially closed fastening device. The fastening device is then fastened to or in the vicinity of a container. At the same time or afterwards, the sensor is aligned. For example, the alignment of the sensor takes place by means of gravity, that is, independently and without the help of a user.
  • the radar sensor can be designed for process automation in an industrial environment. It can be used in agriculture to monitor mobile drinking water or feed containers.
  • process automation in an industrial environment can be understood as a sub-area of technology that includes all measures for operating machines and systems without human involvement.
  • One goal of process automation is to automate the interaction of individual components in a plant, for example in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, petroleum, paper, cement, shipping or mining sectors. You can do this a large number of sensors are used, which are particularly adapted to the specific requirements of the process industry, such as mechanical stability, insensitivity to contamination, extreme temperatures and extreme pressures. Measured values from these sensors are usually transmitted to a control room, in which process parameters such as level, limit level, flow rate, pressure or density can be monitored and settings for the entire plant can be changed manually or automatically.
  • a sub-area of process automation in the industrial environment relates to logistics automation.
  • processes within a building or within a single logistics system are automated in the field of logistics automation.
  • Typical applications are, for example, systems for logistics automation in the area of baggage and freight handling at airports, in the area of traffic monitoring (toll systems), in trade, parcel distribution or in the area of building security (access control).
  • ToF time of flight principle
  • factory / production automation Another sub-area of process automation in the industrial environment concerns factory / production automation. Applications for this can be found in a wide variety of industries such as automobile production, food production, the pharmaceutical industry or in general in the field of packaging.
  • the aim of factory automation is to automate the production of goods using machines, production lines and / or robots, ie to let them run without human involvement.
  • the sensors used here and specific requirements with regard to the measurement accuracy when recording the position and size of an object are comparable to those in the previous example of logistics automation. Further embodiments are described below with reference to the figures.
  • the representations in the figures are schematic and not to scale. If the same reference numerals are used in the following description of the figures, they denote the same or similar elements.
  • 1 shows a measurement setup according to a first embodiment.
  • 2 shows a measurement setup according to a further embodiment.
  • FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment.
  • FIG. 4 shows a section of a radar sensor with a fastening device in the area of the sensor mounting.
  • the measurement structure has a radar sensor 100 which is mounted in a fastening device 300 in such a way that it can rotate in all spatial directions.
  • the fastening device 300 is attached to the opening of the container 200, for example by means of a flange fastening 313.
  • a flange fastening 313 can also be provided and the invention is not limited to a flange fastening.
  • the radar sensor 100 is rotatably mounted in the housing of the fastening device 300.
  • the radar sensor which is set up to measure the fill level or limit level of the fill material 201, has a sensor housing 101, an electronics unit 105 and an antenna unit 106.
  • the sensor housing 101 can be made spherical or, alternatively, have a portion which has the shape of a spherical segment.
  • the embodiment in FIG. 1 is a solid sphere made of plastic, in which the electronics unit 105, the antenna unit 106, the energy store 110 and a wireless communication module 107 are located.
  • the wireless communication module 107 can also be referred to as a radio interface.
  • a display 109 can also be provided, which is located, for example, near the top of the housing so that it can be read through the housing wall.
  • the upper, second sub-area 108 of the housing is made of translucent material, for example a transparent plastic. Since the spherical electronics unit 100 is completely contained in the outer sphere 300, the partial area 108 can be saved and the electronics can be placed openly in the outer sphere 300 without an additional housing.
  • first partial area 102 can also be made of plastic. However, this sub-area does not have to be translucent; the permeability for radar beams which are emitted by the antenna unit 106 in the direction of the filling material is sufficient.
  • the antenna does not need to be located within a housing. It would already be protected by the outer sphere and could be exposed so that only the outer sphere would have to be measured. In other words, the inner ball can be reduced to a ball segment which is arranged in the joint socket of the fastening device 300.
  • the radar sensor 100 is located completely inside the fastening device 300.
  • the device can thus have two parts, a fastening device 300 and a separate radar sensor 100.
  • the fastening device 300 represents the housing of the radar sensor 100, so that the unit 100 also could be referred to as a spherical or spherical segment-shaped electronics unit without its own housing.
  • the fastening device 300 can be a hollow ball or a hollow ball segment.
  • the housing of the fastening device 300 can also consist of two different materials: On the one hand, a hemisphere that is permeable to radar rays or a hollow spherical segment 301 in the lower area and an upper hollow spherical segment 302 in the upper area, which are detachably or permanently connected to one another .
  • the upper hollow spherical segment 302 can consist of the same material as the lower hollow spherical segment, or of a different material, for example a translucent material such as a transparent plastic.
  • a locking element 311 can be provided, for example in the form of a set screw, which is screwed into a continuous internal thread through the wall of the fastening device 300 in order to clamp the sensor 100.
  • An alignment element 312 can also be provided, by means of which the orientation of the sensor 100 can be set manually, for example magnetically through the plastic wall.
  • the center of gravity of the sensor is in the area of the antenna unit 106, in any case well below the center of the spherical radar sensor 100, so that the mounted “sensor ball” automatically adjusts itself by means of gravity so that the antenna measures in the desired direction (Usually vertical: however, a horizontal measurement or a measurement in a different direction can also be provided).
  • the radar sensor can also have an inclination sensor that detects the current orientation of the sensor. This data can help to record or calculate the fill level more precisely.
  • a fastening of the radar sensor 100 to the container 200 is thus provided which enables the antenna unit 106 to be rotated and pivoted in all directions.
  • the device is inexpensive to manufacture.
  • the fastening device 300 is designed as a two-part hollow sphere.
  • the radar sensor 100 is spherical and can therefore be accommodated in the hollow spherical housing and thus rotated and pivoted in all directions.
  • the spherical radar sensor 100 can be fixed, for example, through the upper half-shell of the hollow sphere.
  • the radar antenna which is part of the electronics, can thus be swiveled and fixed in all possible positions.
  • measurements are made through the outer housing ball 301, 302, which is made of plastic.
  • the fastening device can be placed in any round hole in the container, which is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the ball, and can be glued in place with a silicone bead, for example.
  • the fastening device 300 can be fastened to the container by means of a rod 310 (cf. FIG. 2) or a clamping device, so that the spherical fastening device is located outside the container.
  • the upper hemisphere 302 is made of transparent plastic, a display located inside or an illuminated display can be read out through the housing wall.
  • the radar sensor 100 is merely inserted into the half-shell-like housing part 301, so that it can be easily exchanged.
  • a spherical device housing which contains a spherical electronics cup with an antenna, so that the antenna can be aligned vertically in the spherical housing. If the radar sensor 100, as shown in FIG. 1, is placed with its hollow ball-like fastening device 300 on the container opening, the lower part of the hollow ball protrudes into the container.
  • the electronics with antenna which is also designed as a sphere, are located in this hollow sphere.
  • the upper part of the spherical housing can be made of transparent plastic so that any display inside remains visible.
  • a radio interface (wireless module) 107 which uses Bluetooth, for example, is provided for communication with an external unit and in particular for the transmission of measured values or parameterization.
  • An energy store 110 for example a rechargeable battery, can be used so that the radar sensor can be operated completely independently.
  • the fastening device 300 can also be mounted on the container, for example by means of a rod 310, so that it “floats” over the container (cf. FIG. 2).
  • step 3 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment.
  • the sensor 100 is arranged in a completely or partially closed fastening device 300.
  • the fastening device is fastened to a container and in step 3 the sensor is aligned so that it sends the measurement signal perpendicular to the product surface. Alignment can be done automatically by means of gravity.
  • step 4 the sensor is locked, whereupon the level measurement takes place.
  • FIG. 4 shows a section of a radar sensor with a fastening device in the area of the sensor mounting.
  • the fastening device represents the “sensor housing” and the electronics of the sensor are movably mounted in the joint socket of the fastening device.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un capteur radar qui comprend un boîtier de capteur présentant au moins par endroits une forme sphérique, ledit boîtier de capteur étant monté rotatif dans un dispositif de fixation. À titre d'exemple, le boîtier de capteur a une forme sphérique.
EP20719427.5A 2020-04-15 2020-04-15 Capteur radar à boîtier de capteur sphérique Pending EP4136414A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/EP2020/060615 WO2021209129A1 (fr) 2020-04-15 2020-04-15 Capteur radar à boîtier de capteur sphérique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4136414A1 true EP4136414A1 (fr) 2023-02-22

Family

ID=70289810

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20719427.5A Pending EP4136414A1 (fr) 2020-04-15 2020-04-15 Capteur radar à boîtier de capteur sphérique

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20230296422A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP4136414A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN115398186A (fr)
WO (1) WO2021209129A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102022103827A1 (de) 2022-02-17 2023-08-17 Vega Grieshaber Kg Messanordnung eines Sensors und Behalters, Montagehalterung sowie Verfahren zur Montage eines Sensors an einem Behälter
JP2024011856A (ja) * 2022-07-15 2024-01-25 ホシデン株式会社 距離センサーモジュール

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
HUE031159T2 (en) * 2009-04-09 2017-06-28 Grieshaber Vega Kg Power controlled data transfer for field device
DE102010063167B4 (de) * 2010-12-15 2022-02-24 Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG Mit hochfrequenten Mikrowellen arbeitendes Füllstandsmessgerät
EP3404375A1 (fr) * 2013-05-17 2018-11-21 VEGA Grieshaber KG Commande d'appareil de mesure destinée à la détermination d'une topologie d'une surface d'un matériau en vrac
KR102085721B1 (ko) * 2017-10-30 2020-03-06 주식회사 에스더 부피와 밀도 측정 장치와 이를 이용하는 액체 저장 탱크 관리 장치
DE102018100845A1 (de) * 2018-01-16 2019-07-18 Krohne Messtechnik Gmbh Füllstandmessgerät

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20230296422A1 (en) 2023-09-21
CN115398186A (zh) 2022-11-25
WO2021209129A1 (fr) 2021-10-21

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