Freeze-dryer product sensor, drying vessel and method for operating a freeze-dryer product sensor

A drying vessel for use in drying a drying good having a varying product parameter in a freeze dryer during a freeze-drying process with

• a) a drying container with an opening,
• b) a stopper by which
• ba) in a first operating position the opening of the drying container is closed in a fluidically open way and
• bb) in a second operating position the opening of the drying container is closed in a fluidically sealed way and
• c) a freeze-dryer product sensor having at least one characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor and by means of which the product parameter of the drying good can be measured in the drying vessel in the freeze dryer during the freeze-drying process, the freeze-dryer product sensor comprising
• ca) a transducer, which generates a measurement signal for the product parameter, and
• cb) an RFID unit comprising a storage unit, wherein the at least one characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor can be stored, and
• cc) an antenna unit, the antenna unit being coupled to the transducer and to the RFID unit and being able to be used both
• for a wireless power supply to the transducer, a wireless excitation of the transducer and/or a wireless transmission of the measurement signal of the transducer and
• for a wireless power supply to the RFID unit, a wireless excitation of the RFID unit and/or a wireless transmission of the characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor stored in the RFID unit.

A method for operating a freeze-dryer product sensor for use with a freeze dryer containing drying vessels accommodating a drying good having a varying product parameter during a freeze-drying process, the freeze-dryer product sensor having at least one characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor, and where by means of the freeze-dryer product sensor the product parameter of the drying good can be measured in the drying vessel in the freeze dryer during the freeze-drying process, the freeze-dryer product sensor comprising

• a) a transducer, which generates a measurement signal for the product parameter and which exhibits a transient decaying behavior after having been excited, and
• b) an RFID unit comprising a storage unit, wherein the at least one characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor can be stored,
• c) an antenna unit, the antenna unit being coupled to the transducer and to the RFID unit and being able to be used both
• ca) for a wireless power supply to the transducer, a wireless excitation of the transducer and/or a wireless transmission of the measurement signal of the transducer and
• cb) for a wireless power supply to the RFID unit, a wireless excitation of the RFID unit and/or a wireless transmission of the characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor stored in the RFID unit, and
• d) a first line branch and a second line branch, the antenna unit being permanently connected to the transducer via the first line branch and being permanently connected to RFID unit via the second line branch and
• wherein
• e) an RFID transmitting and/or receiving unit and a transducer transmitting and/or receiving unit are present,
• the method utilizing
• f) an RFID antenna input signal,
• g) an RFID antenna output signal,
• h) a transducer excitation signal, comprising a transducer excitation frequency,
• i) a transducer decay signal,
• j) a carrier signal, and
• k) a transducer antenna input signal, in which the carrier signal and the transducer excitation signal are superimposed, and
• l) a transducer antenna output signal,
• the method comprising the following method steps:
• m) transmitting the RFID antenna input signal to excite the second line branch with the RFID unit by means of the RFID transmitting and/or receiving unit and via the antenna unit,
• n) wirelessly transmitting the RFID antenna output signal in order to transmit the at least one characteristic parameter specific to the freeze-dryer product sensor from the second line branch to the or an RFID transmitting and/or receiving unit via the antenna unit,
• o) transmitting the transducer antenna input signal to excite the first line branch with the transducer by means of the transducer transmitting and/or receiving unit and via the antenna unit,
• p) generating the transducer excitation signal by demodulating the transducer antenna input signal and exciting the transducer with the transducer excitation signal,
• q) deactivating the excitation of the first line branch with the transducer and in this way deactivating the excitation of the transducer with the transducer excitation signal,
• r) generating the transducer decay signal on the basis of the transient decaying behavior of the transducer following its previous excitation with the transducer excitation signal,
• s) generating the transducer antenna output signal using the carrier signal to modulate the transducer decay signal into the transducer antenna output signal,
• t) biasing the antenna unit with the transducer antenna output signal and
• u) wirelessly transmitting the transducer antenna output signal from the antenna unit to the or a transducer transmitting and/or receiving unit.