Method and device for measuring levels
AssigneeAbertax Research & Development Ltd.
InventorsMartin Florin, Werner Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and a device for measuring and indicating the level of a filler material in a container, said filler material being either electroconductive or nonconductive. A sensor (22) in applied to the wall of the container (20) or is integrated into the same. An alternating voltage is applied to the sensor (22) in order to measure the level, the capacity or the electrical field produced being a measure for the fill level.
Claims21
Method for measuring the level of the contents of a container (10) with the aid of a capacitive sensor circuit, in which a sensor (22) is connected by an electric line (24) with an alternating voltage source (26) of known frequency (f), and the current flowing in the line (24) is measured and/or displayed at a measuring device (28), such that the measured current strength is directly proportional to the level of the contents, characterized by the fact that the alternating voltage is applied to or generated in the contents (12), and that the capacitance of the capacitor, which consists of the single, passively acting sensor (22) and the contents of the container, is measured and displayed as the level.
Method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the sensor (22) is submerged in the electrically conductive contents (12) and electrically insulated from them.
Method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that several sensors (22) are mounted in different places in or on the container (10), and that a mean value is formed from the capacitance values of all of the sensors (22) and displayed.
Method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the value determined at the measuring device (28) is used as a signal to activate a device for automatically correcting the filling level.
Device for measuring the level of the contents (12) of a container (10) with the method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, which comprises a capacitive sensor circuit, characterized by a single sensor (22), which is mounted in or on the container (10) and to which an alternating voltage source (26) is connected by an electric line (24), such that a measuring device (28) for determining the capacitance is connected in the line (24).
Device for measuring the level of the contents (12) of a container (10) with the method in accordance with any of the preceding claims, which comprises a capacitive sensor circuit, characterized by a single sensor (22), which is mounted in or on the container (10), and by an alternating voltage (26) applied in and capacitively taken over by the contents (12), such that the capacitance determined in the measuring device (28) is measured and displayed as the level.
Device in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the valve (44) has an electric or electromagnetic actuating device (46).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.