Radar sensor with spherical sensor housing

Abstract

The invention relates to a radar sensor having a sensor housing which is at least partially spherical, the sensor housing being mounted rotatably in a mounting device. For example, the sensor housing is spherical.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to radar sensors for use in industrial environments. In particular, the invention relates to a radar sensor having a rotatably mounted sensor housing, a mounting device for rotatably mounting the sensor, the purpose of the mounting device for mounting the sensor, a container with the mounting device, and a method for mounting the sensor onto the container. Background Technology

[0002] Sensors used in industrial environments can be configured for filling level measurement, limit level detection, flow rate measurement, pressure measurement, liquid level and flow rate measurement, and temperature measurement. These sensors can be designed to be mounted on or inside the opening of a container. These mountings are achieved through flange mounting or screw mounting.

[0003] In the case of flange mounting, the sensor (e.g., a fill level measuring device or a limit level sensor) has a plate-shaped flange that surrounds the antenna neck of the device in a flange-like manner so as to be screwed together with a corresponding mating flange in the container opening area.

[0004] In the case of screw-on installation, the antenna neck itself is equipped with external threads, allowing the sensor to be screwed into the corresponding internal threads in the container opening.

[0005] In addition, sensors can be mounted on containers by using clamps, bayonet locks, or clamp brackets. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an alternative method for mounting sensors onto containers.

[0007] A first aspect of the invention relates to a radar sensor configured to measure the filling level or limit level of a filling material in a container. The radar sensor includes a sensor housing, an electronic unit, and an antenna unit. The sensor housing has an outer contour having a spherical segment shape at least in a first portion region of the sensor housing, and the sensor housing is configured to rotatably support the radar sensor within corresponding hollow spherical segments of a mounting device. The electronic unit is configured to generate a measurement signal, and the antenna unit is configured to radiate the measurement signal and receive the measurement signal reflected from the surface of the filling material. The electronic unit and the antenna unit are arranged within the housing.

[0008] For example, the outer contour of the sensor housing is designed to be completely or almost completely spherical.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the sensor housing is completely sealed.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the sensor housing is not completely enclosed, and may be provided only in an area where the sensor housing is mounted within the hollow spherical segment. Therefore, the hollow spherical segment is a joint sleeve.

[0011] For example, the sensor housing may be made of plastic, at least in the area of ​​the antenna element, allowing the measurement signal to be radiated through the sensor housing. Therefore, the antenna element is located within and protected by the sensor housing. The sensor housing may be made entirely of plastic or partially of plastic. Other areas of the housing may be made of other materials such as metal.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the sensor housing cannot be opened in a non-destructive manner. For example, the sensor housing is manufactured in an injection molding process, such that the electronic units and antenna units are molded inside.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the radar sensor is designed as a self-contained radar sensor (AuRa sensor) with its own internal power source, such as a battery.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the radar sensor includes a radio interface configured to wirelessly transmit radar sensor data detected or calculated by the sensor to an external receiver such as a mobile phone or server.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the center of gravity of the radar sensor is lower than the center point of the spherical segment, allowing the radar sensor to align itself perpendicular to the surface of the filling material by gravity through rotation to the measurement position. Specifically, a counterweight (e.g., in the form of a metal ring extending inside the sensor housing) can be provided in the lower part of the sensor to autonomously align the sensor by gravity.

[0016] According to another embodiment, a second portion of the sensor housing is made of a light-transmitting material, allowing the display of the radar sensor to be read through the sensor housing.

[0017] According to another embodiment, the radar sensor is designed for non-contact measurement of fill level or limit level.

[0018] Another aspect of the invention relates to an installation device comprising a hollow sphere or at least one hollow sphere segment configured to rotatably support the radar sensor described above and below.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the mounting device is designed as a closed, hollow sphere. The mounting device can be made entirely of plastic.

[0020] According to another embodiment, at least the hollow sphere segments are made of opaque plastic.

[0021] According to another embodiment, the hollow sphere or mounting device is at least partially made of a light-transmitting material, allowing a display that reads the radar sensor through the hollow sphere.

[0022] According to another embodiment, the mounting device includes a mounting flange for mounting onto an opening in a container. The mounting device can be integrally designed.

[0023] According to another embodiment, the mounting device includes a retaining arm and / or an internal thread for mounting the retaining arm.

[0024] According to another embodiment, the mounting device includes a locking element configured to secure the sensor in the mounting device.

[0025] According to another embodiment, the mounting device includes an alignment element configured to align the sensor within the mounting device.

[0026] The sensor and the support can be designed so that the sensor self-aligns by gravity, so that the sensor always radiates vertically downwards or vertically, regardless of the orientation of the mounting device.

[0027] According to another embodiment, the mounting device includes a sensor arranged in the mounting device, the sensor being rotatably supported in the mounting device.

[0028] Therefore, it can be said that the mounting device is the housing of the radar sensor. Thus, a spherical sensor, for example, can be provided, which contains an alignment mechanism internally and has no other housing inside. However, it is also possible to provide a radar sensor with its own housing and an additional mounting sphere.

[0029] According to another embodiment, the sensor is a fill level measuring device (e.g., a level radar device), a limit level sensor, a pressure sensor, or a flow sensor.

[0030] Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of the mounting apparatus described above and below for selectively mounting sensors (e.g., the sensors described above and below) on the side wall or top plate of a container.

[0031] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a container equipped with the installation means described above and below.

[0032] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for mounting a sensor onto a container. First, the sensor is arranged in a fully enclosed mounting device or at least a partially enclosed mounting device. Then, the mounting device is mounted onto or near the container. Simultaneously or subsequently, the sensor is aligned. For example, sensor alignment is performed by gravity, i.e., autonomously and without user assistance.

[0033] Radar sensors can be designed for process automation in industrial environments. They can also be used in agriculture to monitor moving drinking water containers or supply containers.

[0034] The term "process automation in industrial environments" can be understood as a subfield of technology encompassing all measures for operating machines and equipment without human intervention. One goal of process automation is to automate the interaction of various components within a plant in industries such as chemical, food, pharmaceutical, petroleum, paper, cement, shipping, or mining. To this end, a large number of sensors are used, particularly suited to the specific requirements of process industries, such as mechanical stability, insensitivity to contaminants, extreme temperatures, and extreme pressures. These sensor measurements are typically transmitted to a control room where process parameters such as level, limit levels, flow rate, pressure, or density are monitored, and settings throughout the plant can be changed manually or automatically.

[0035] One subfield of process automation in industrial environments involves logistics automation. In logistics automation, processes within buildings or individual logistics equipment are automated using distance and angle sensors. Typical applications include logistics automation systems for areas such as airport baggage and cargo handling, traffic monitoring (toll collection systems), trade, parcel delivery, and building security (access control). A common thread in the examples listed above is the need to combine presence detection with precise measurements of object size and location. For this purpose, sensors based on optical measurement methods, such as lasers, LEDs, 2D cameras, or 3D cameras, can be used. These sensors detect distance based on the time-of-flight (ToF) principle.

[0036] Another subfield of process automation in industrial environments involves factory / manufacturing automation. Examples of this application can be found in many industries such as automotive manufacturing, food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, or general packaging. The goal of factory automation is to automate the production of goods performed by machines, production lines, and / or robots—that is, to operate without human intervention. The sensors used here, and the specific requirements for measurement accuracy in detecting the position and size of objects, are comparable to those in the aforementioned examples of logistics automation.

[0037] Other embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The illustrations in the drawings are schematic and not drawn to scale. If the same reference numerals are used in the following description of the drawings, they denote the same or similar elements. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1A measurement configuration according to the first embodiment is shown.

[0039] Figure 2 A measurement configuration according to another embodiment is shown.

[0040] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method according to one embodiment is shown.

[0041] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a radar sensor with a mounting device in the area of ​​the sensor mount is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Figure 1 A measurement configuration according to one embodiment is shown. The measurement configuration includes a radar sensor 100, which is mounted in a mounting device 300 such that the radar sensor can rotate in all spatial directions. For example, the mounting device 300 is mounted on the opening of the container 200 by a flange mount 313. However, another mount may be provided, and the invention is not limited to a flange mount.

[0043] Importantly, the radar sensor 100 is rotatably supported in the housing of the mounting device 300.

[0044] A radar sensor for measuring the filling level or limit level of filling material 201 includes a sensor housing 101, an electronics unit 105, and an antenna unit 106. The sensor housing 101 may be designed as a sphere, or alternatively include a portion having a segmented spherical shape. Figure 1 In one embodiment, the sensor housing is a solid sphere made of plastic and includes an electronic unit 105, an antenna unit 106, an energy storage device 110, and a wireless communication module 107.

[0045] The wireless communication module 107 can also be referred to as a radio interface. A display 109 can also be provided, for example, located near the top of the housing, allowing it to be read through the housing wall. For this purpose, the second portion 108 of the upper part of the housing is made of a light-transmitting material such as transparent plastic. Since the spherical electronic unit 100 is completely contained within the outer sphere 300, a portion of area 108 can be saved, and the electronics can be openly placed within the outer sphere 300 without the need for an additional housing.

[0046] The lower region of the housing (also referred to above as "first region" 102) can also be made of plastic. However, this region need not be translucent; it is sufficient that it is permeable to the radar beam emitted by the antenna element 106 toward the filling material. Here, the antenna also does not need to be located inside the housing. The antenna is already protected by the outer sphere and can be exposed, allowing measurements to be taken only through the outer sphere. In other words, the inner sphere can be simplified to a spherical segment arranged in the articulated sleeve of the mounting device 300.

[0047] The radar sensor 100 is entirely housed within the mounting device 300. Therefore, the device can have two parts: the mounting device 300 and the separate radar sensor 100. In another embodiment, the mounting device 300 constitutes the housing of the radar sensor 100; thus, the unit 100 can also be referred to as a spherical or spherically segmented electronic unit without its own housing.

[0048] The mounting device 300 can be a hollow sphere or a segment of a hollow sphere. Similar to a radar sensor, the housing of the mounting device 300 can also be made of two different materials: a hemispherical or hollow sphere segment 301 in the lower region that is transparent to radar beams and a hollow sphere segment 302 in the upper region, which are detachably or non-detachably connected to each other. The upper hollow sphere segment 302 can be made of the same material as the lower hollow sphere segment, or it can be made of a different material, such as a light-transmitting material like transparent plastic.

[0049] A locking element 311, for example in the form of an adjusting bolt, may be provided, which is screwed through the wall of the mounting device 300 into a continuous internal thread to clamp the sensor 100.

[0050] An alignment element 312 may also be provided, through which the orientation of the sensor 100 can be manually adjusted, for example, magnetically adjusted through a plastic wall.

[0051] The center of gravity of the sensor can be located within the area of ​​the antenna element 106, and is always at least below the center point of the spherical radar sensor 100, so that the installed "sensor sphere" automatically adjusts itself by gravity, thereby allowing the antenna to measure in the desired direction (usually vertical; however, horizontal or other directional measurements can also be provided).

[0052] Radar sensors can also have tilt sensors to detect the sensor's current orientation. This data can help to more accurately detect or calculate the level.

[0053] Therefore, the radar sensor 100 is mounted on the container 200, allowing the antenna unit 106 to be rotated and pivoted in all directions. In this case, the device can be manufactured at low cost.

[0054] For example, the mounting device 300 is designed as a two-part hollow sphere. The radar sensor 100 is designed to be spherical and thus can be housed within the hollow spherical shell, and therefore can rotate and pivot in all directions.

[0055] For example, the spherical radar sensor 100 can be fixed by the upper half of a hollow sphere. Therefore, the radar antenna, as part of the electronics, can pivot and be fixed in all possible positions. In this case, measurements are taken through the outer shell spheres 301 and 302 made of plastic.

[0056] The mounting device can be placed in any circular hole in the container with a diameter smaller than that of the sphere, and can be bonded, for example, with silicone tape. Alternatively, it can be installed via rod 310 (see...). Figure 2 The mounting device 300 is mounted onto the container by a clamping device or a fixture, such that the spherical mounting device is located outside the container.

[0057] If the upper sphere 302 is made of transparent plastic, the internal display or luminous indicator can be read through the housing wall. Alternatively, the radar sensor 100 can be simply inserted into the hemispherical housing portion 301 to facilitate easy replacement of the radar sensor.

[0058] Therefore, a spherical device housing is provided, which includes a spherical electronic cup with an antenna, such that the antenna can be vertically aligned within the spherical housing.

[0059] like Figure 1 As shown, if the hollow spherical mounting device 300 of the radar sensor 100 is placed on the container opening, the lower part of the hollow sphere protrudes into the container. Electronic components with an antenna (also designed as a sphere) are located within this hollow sphere. The upper part of the spherical shell can be made of transparent plastic, allowing any displays present inside to be seen.

[0060] For communication with external units, especially for the transmission or parameterization of measurement values, a radio interface (wireless module) 107, such as Bluetooth, is provided. An energy storage device 110, such as a battery, can be used, allowing the radar sensor to operate completely self-sufficiently.

[0061] If no opening is desired in the container, the mounting device 300 can also be mounted on the container, for example, via a rod 310, so that the mounting device "floats" above the container (see...). Figure 2 ).

[0062] Figure 3A flowchart of a method according to one embodiment is shown. In step 1, a sensor 100 is arranged in a fully or partially enclosed mounting device 300. In step 2, the mounting device is mounted onto a container, and in step 3, the sensor is aligned so that it emits a measurement signal in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the filling material. Alignment can be done automatically by gravity. In step 4, the sensor is locked to perform level measurement.

[0063] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a radar sensor with a mounting device in the area of ​​the sensor support is shown. This relates to the embodiment described above: the mounting device represents the "sensor housing," and the sensor's electronics are movably mounted within the joint sleeve of the mounting device.

[0064] It should also be noted that "comprising" or "having" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple. Furthermore, it should be noted that features and steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features and steps of the other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting.

Claims

1. An installation device (300) in which a radar sensor (100) is arranged, the installation device (300) being designed as a closed hollow sphere (301, 302) and configured to rotatably support the radar sensor (100); in, The radar sensor (100) is configured to measure the filling level or limit level of the filling material (201) in the container (200). The radar sensor (100) includes a sensor housing (101), the outer contour of which has a spherical segment shape in at least a first portion region (102) of the sensor housing, and the sensor housing is configured to rotatably support the radar sensor in the hollow spheres (301, 302), such that the antenna element (106) of the radar sensor (100) can be rotated to all positions; The radar sensor (100) includes an electronic unit (105) configured to generate a measurement signal; The radar sensor (100) includes a radio interface (107) configured to wirelessly transmit radar sensor data to an external receiver. The radar sensor (100) includes the antenna element (106), which is configured to radiate the measurement signal and receive the measurement signal reflected from the surface of the filling material. The electronic unit and the antenna unit are arranged inside the sensor housing (101).

2. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1, in, The outer contour of the sensor housing (101) is perfectly spherical.

3. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The sensor housing (101) is completely sealed.

4. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The sensor housing (101) is made of plastic at least in the region of the antenna unit (106), so that the measurement signal can be radiated through the sensor housing.

5. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The sensor housing (101) cannot be opened in a non-destructive manner.

6. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2 is designed as a self-powered radar sensor.

7. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The center of gravity of the radar sensor is lower than the center point of the spherical segment, so that the radar sensor aligns itself perpendicular to the surface of the filling material by gravity.

8. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The second portion (108) of the sensor housing (101) is made of a light-transmitting material, allowing the display (109) of the radar sensor to be read through the sensor housing.

9. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, configured for non-contact measurement of the filling level or the limit level.

10. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The hollow sphere segment (301) of the hollow sphere (301, 302) is made of opaque plastic.

11. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The hollow spheres (301, 302) are at least partially made of a light-transmitting material, allowing the display (109) of the radar sensor (100) to be read through the hollow spheres (301, 302).

12. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a mounting flange for mounting onto an opening of a container.

13. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a retaining arm (310) or an internal thread for mounting the retaining arm (310).

14. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The mounting device includes a locking element (311) configured to secure the radar sensor (100) within the mounting device.

15. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, in, The mounting device includes an alignment element (312) configured to align the radar sensor (100) within the mounting device.

16. The mounting device (300) according to claim 1, wherein, The radar sensor (100) is a filling level measuring device, a limit level sensor, a pressure sensor, or a flow sensor.

17. A container (200) having an installation device (300) according to any one of claims 1 to 16 installed.

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