US-12627029-B2 - Sensor assembly with alignment device

US12627029B2US 12627029 B2US12627029 B2US 12627029B2US-12627029-B2

Abstract

A sensor arrangement is provided for level measurement or limit level measurement of a filling material or a bulk material in a container, the sensor arrangement including: a sensor with an antenna; and a sensor housing having an alignment device including a first portion and a second portion configured to receive the antenna, the first portion and the second portion being configured to be rotatable relative to each other, in which the alignment device is configured to change a radiation direction of a measurement signal of the sensor by rotating the first section and/or the second section. A sensor housing including an alignment device is also provided.

Inventors

Clemens Hengstler

Assignees

VEGA GRIESHABER KG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20200924
Priority Date: 20200415

Claims (20)

1 . A sensor arrangement for level measurement or limit level measurement of a filling material or a bulk material in a container, the sensor arrangement comprising: a sensor with an antenna; and a sensor housing having an alignment device comprising a first portion and a second portion configured to receive the antenna, the first portion and the second portion being configured to be rotatable relative to each other, wherein the sensor housing comprises a third portion having a third cavity disposed between the first portion and the second portion and is configured to be rotatable relative to at least one of the first portion and the second portion, wherein the alignment device is configured to change a radiation direction of a measurement signal of the sensor by rotating the first portion and/or the second portion and/or the third portion, and wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to be mounted on an outside of a roof of the container by means of the first portion of the sensor housing, and, when mounted on an inclined container roof, the antenna in a second cavity is configured to radiate the measurement signal through the sensor housing in the direction of the filling material or the bulk material in the container.
2 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a first cavity, and wherein the second portion includes the second cavity in which the antenna is disposed.
3 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the antenna of the sensor is configured to protrude into the first cavity.
4 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is disposed off-center in the second portion of the sensor housing.
5 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a polarization device configured to change the alignment of the measurement signal of the sensor and change a polarization of the measurement signal by rotating the first portion and/or the second portion.
6 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor housing is completely closed and/or cannot be opened non-destructively.
7 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured as a stand-alone radar sensor.
8 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising an attachment device disposed between the first portion and the container and configured to attach the sensor arrangement to the container via the first portion.
9 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising an absorber device made of an absorber material and disposed mounted inside the sensor housing or on an inner side wall of the first portion to reduce spurious reflections caused by a first reflection.
10 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are each in the form of an obliquely cut hollow cylinder and are configured to integrally and cylindrically form the sensor housing, and wherein the sensor housing of the alignment device includes an inclined surface disposed between the first portion and the second portion and is configured such that the first portion and the second portion are rotatable relative to each other via the inclined surface.
11 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the third portion are each formed as an obliquely truncated hollow cylinder, and the second portion is formed as a hollow cylinder, wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are configured to form the sensor housing integrally and cylindrically, and wherein the sensor housing has an inclined surface disposed between the first portion and the third portion and is configured such that the first portion and the third portion are rotatable relative to each other via the inclined surface, and a straight surface disposed between the second portion and the third portion.
12 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the antenna of the sensor is formed in the second cavity so as to protrude into the first cavity and/or the third cavity.
13 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured to be disposed at a highest position by rotating the second portion relative to the third portion and rotating the third portion relative to the first portion.
14 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion is formed separably from the first portion and the third portion, and wherein the sensor housing comprises a first housing unit formed by the first portion and the third portion, and a second housing unit formed by the second portion.
15 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 14 , further comprising a fastening device disposed between the first housing unit and the second housing unit and configured to connect the first housing unit and the second housing unit.
16 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is in the form of a bracket and the second portion of the sensor housing is in the form of a hollow sphere.
17 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member configured to seal the sensor housing.
18 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is in the form of a bracket and the second portion is in the form of a flattened spherical segment.
19 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is in the form of a support device and the second portion is in the form of a hollow cylinder, and wherein the second portion is connected to the first portion by a connecting device.
20 . The sensor arrangement according to claim 19 , further comprising a third portion having a shape of a rubber sleeve and disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the priorities of International Patent Application Nos. PCT/EP2020/060614, filed Apr. 15, 2020, and PCT/EP2020/060615, filed Apr. 15, 2020, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to sensor arrangements for use in an industrial environment. In particular, the invention relates to a sensor arrangement for level or limit measurement of a product or bulk material in a container, a sensor housing with an alignment device for mounting and aligning a sensor arrangement on a container, the use of a sensor arrangement for level or limit measurement of a product or bulk material in a container, and the use of a sensor housing with an alignment device for mounting and aligning a sensor arrangement on a container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Measuring sensors are frequently used in the industrial environment, for example for level measurement, limit level measurement, flow measurement, pressure measurement, level or flow velocity measurement or temperature measurement. Secure mounting of such sensors on the vessels to be measured is of great importance for reliable measurement, especially if a lid of a vessel, such as a GRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) silo, in a process plant is provided with an oblique or irregularly shaped outer contour. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to specify a measuring sensor with flexible usability and high reliability for various process vessels in a process plant. The object is solved by the features of the independent patent claims. Further embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims and the following description. One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a sensor arrangement for level or point level measurement of a product or bulk material in a container. The sensor arrangement includes a sensor having an antenna, a sensor housing having an alignment device. The alignment device of the sensor housing has a first section and a second section adapted to receive the antenna. The first section and the second section are configured to be rotatable relative to each other. The alignment device is arranged to change the radiation direction of the measurement signal of the sensor by rotating the first section and/or the second section. The sensor of the sensor arrangement may be a radar sensor and may be set up as a non-contact measuring sensor for emitting and receiving an electromagnetic measuring signal or measuring beam. The sensor arrangement can be mounted or arranged outside a process vessel or on the outside of a vessel roof, even if the vessel roof is sloped, partially sloped, for example cone-shaped, lump-shaped. When mounted on an inclined container roof, the sensor may be oriented vertically downward or in the direction of the product or bulk material in the container. The sensor may, for example, be set up for level or limit level measurement through the container roof. The first section and the second section may form the alignment device such that the first section and the second section of the alignment device may rotate or pivot relative to each other, thereby changing the orientation of the antenna received by the second section. The first section of the sensor housing may be arranged below the second section of the sensor housing. Thus, in each case, the first section may be a lower portion and the second section may be an upper portion of the sensor housing. The first section and the second section may be directly or indirectly connected. Furthermore, the first section may be mounted in close proximity to the container or on the outside of the container roof. Thus, the second section can be mounted to the container over the first section and the sensor assembly can be fixed to the container by the lower first section. The container can be a plastic container or a GRP container. For example, the sensor can be glued to the outside of the container by means of the sensor housing or the alignment device in order to measure the filling material or bulk material in the container. The adhesive mounting can advantageously allow easy and quick insertion of the measuring sensor. The sensor arrangement can be optimized in such a way that the measuring signal or the measuring beam is always emitted through the same materials of the container and/or the sensor housing with the same material thicknesses and thus cannot be deflected or deformed. This can result in a reliable measurement with the sensor arrangement. The rotatability of the first section and the second section of the sensor housing can advantageously allow the antenna or the measuring signal to be aligned in a specific orientation to the product, for example in a vertical orientation or perpendicular to the surface of the product, even when mounted on an inclined container roof. The rotation can be controlled manually or automatically. The change of the