초록 ▼

A level sensor which is capable of largely eliminating the influence of structural parts and/or the formation of deposits on the measuring accuracy and on the measuring sensitivity of the level sensor. There is provided, a launching unit which has at least one length, which essentially corresponds t

A level sensor which is capable of largely eliminating the influence of structural parts and/or the formation of deposits on the measuring accuracy and on the measuring sensitivity of the level sensor. There is provided, a launching unit which has at least one length, which essentially corresponds to the distance from the container wall to the lower edge of the structural part, and which is positioned in such a manner that a transition area launching unit conductive element is located approximately in the plane of the lower edge of the structural part, with the diameter of the opening of the launching unit on the transition launching unit conductive element is in the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the high-frequency measurement signals.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, in which on the container at least one structural part is provided, on which or in whose surroundings at least a sensor-associated part of the device

1. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, in which on the container at least one structural part is provided, on which or in whose surroundings at least a sensor-associated part of the device is mounted, having;a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, wherein: said input unit has at least a length that corresponds essentially to the spacing from the container wall to the lower edge of the structural part and is positioned such that the transition region input unit?conductive element is located approximately in the plane of the lower edge of the structural part; and the diameter of the opening of said input unit at the transition region input unit?conductive element is on the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the high-frequency measurement signals. 2. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, wherein: said input unit has a predetermined length, and is positioned in the container such that the opening of said input unit, pointing in the direction of the medium, has a certain spacing from the corresponding container wall; and the diameter of the opening of said input unit at the input unit?conductive element transition is on the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the high-frequency measurement signals. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein:said input unit has an inner conductor and an outer conductor; and between said inner conductor and said outer conductor, in at least a partial region, a dielectric material is disposed. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein:said dielectric material of said input unit is essentially tapered from the transition region input unit?conductive element onward, and an upper portion of said conductive element is disposed approximately in the region of the longitudinal axis of said taper. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein:said outer conductor of said input unit changes over, essentially from the transition region input unit?conductive element onward into a horn-shaped element, and an upper portion of the conductive element is disposed approximately in the region of the longitudinal axis of said taper. 6. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via the input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, wherein: the transition region input unit?conductive element is located essentially in the plane of the container wall; said input unit has an inner conductor and an outer conductor; between said inner conductor and said outer conductor, in at least a partial region, a dielectric material is disposed; and said dielectric material of said input unit is essentially tapered from the transition region input unit?conductive element onward, and an upper portion of said conductive element is disposed approximately in the region of the longitudinal axis of said taper. 7. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, wherein: the transition region input unit?conductive element is located essentially in the plane of the container wall; said input unit has an inner conductor and an outer conductor; between said inner conductor and said outer conductor, in at least a partial region, a dielectric material is disposed; and said outer conductor of the input unit changes over, essentially from the transition region input unit?conductive element onward into a horn-shaped element, and an upper portion of the conductive element is disposed approximately in the region of the longitudinal axis of the taper. 8. The device of claim 6, wherein:said transition region input unit?conductive element is position essentially in the plane of the top side of a structural part, in particular a connection stub, provided on the container. 9. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, in which on the container at least one structural part, in particular a connection stub, is provided, in which at least the sensor-associated part of the device is mounted, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, wherein: in the region of the side walls of the structural part and in the region of the underside of the structural part, a conductive material is disposed; and the transition region input unit?conductive element is positioned approximately in the plane in which the lower edge of the structural part is located. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein:a cup-shaped insert part is insertable into the connection stub, and said insert part is coated on at least one side with a conductive material, or said insert part is made from a conductive material. 11. The device of claim 9, wherein:an opening for receiving the level sensor is provided on the underside of said insert part. 12. The device of claim 9, wherein:a cover part is provided, which closes off the top side of the connection stub and said insert part. 13. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, in which on the container at least one structural part, in particular a connection stub, is provided, in or on the connection stub at least the sensor-associated part of the device is mounted, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, wherein: said input unit has a length which is essentially equivalent to the pacing from the container wall to the lower edge of the structural part; said input unit is positioned such that the transition region input unit?conductive element is located approximately in the plane of the lower edge of the structural part; and disposed on the underside of the connection stub in the transition region input unit?conductive element is a platelike element, which at least on the side toward the medium in the container is electrically conductive. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein:electrical connecting elements are provided, which are disposed in the region of the outer edges of the platelike element and in the region of the connection stub. 15. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, in which on the container at least one structural part, in particular a connection stub, is provided, in or on the connection stub at least the sensor-associated part of the device is mounted, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face of the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, the transition region input unit?conductive element is disposed in the plane in which the top side of the structural part is located; said conductive element is modified, approximately over the length of the structural part or over the length that is equivalent to the distance between the corresponding container wall and the lower edge of the structural part, in such a way that in this region virtually no interactions occur between the measurement signals, carried along said conductive element, and the structural part. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein:at least the surface of said conductive element to at least the skin depth, at the measurement frequencies employed, over the length of the structural part or over the length that is equivalent to the distance between the corresponding container wall and the lower edge of the structural part, is made from a material of low electrical conductivity and/or high magnetic permeability. 17. The device of claim 15, wherein:the surface of the conductive element, over the length of the structural part or over the length that is equivalent to the distance between the corresponding container wall and the lower edge of the structural part, has a roughened surface structure. 18. The device of claim 15, wherein:the surface of said conductive element, over the length of the structural part or over the length that is equivalent to the distance between the corresponding container wall and the lower edge of the structural part, has a surface structure, by which the longitudinal inductance of said conductive element is increased. 19. The device of claim 15, wherein:said conductive element, over the length of the structural part or over the length that is equivalent to the distance between the corresponding container wall and the lower edge of the structural part, has an insulating layer, whose magnetic and/or dielectrical properties are dimensioned such that the length of the electromagnetic fields is limited to the region at close range to said conductive element. 20. A device for determining and/or monitoring the level of contents, or the location of the boundary face between two media or phases, in a container, having:a signal generating unit, which generates high-frequency measurement signals, said signal generating unit having an input unit and a conductive element, the measurement signals being input to said conductive element via said input unit; and a receiving/evaluating unit, which directly or indirectly via the transit time of the measurement signals, reflected from the surface or boundary face the contents, determines the level of the contents or the location of the boundary face in the container, the transition region input unit?conductive element is disposed in the plane of said container wall; said conductive element, at least in the upper region, is made from a material of low electrical conductivity and/or high magnetic permeability; and/or said conductive element at least in the upper region has a roughened surface structure; and/or said conductive element at least in the upper region has a surface structure by which the longitudinal inductance of said conductive element is increased; and/or said conductive element at least in the upper region has an insulating layer, whose magnetic and/or dielectric properties are dimensioned such that the length of the electromagnetic fields is limited to the region at close range to said conductive element.