Method and device for determining the thickness of material using high frequency

• US 20070188169A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Krapf, Reiner, Mahler, Michael, Wieland, Christoph, Hoffmann, Ulli, Wewers, Felix
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/229
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/10 using magnetic means, e.g. by measuring change of reluctance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining the thickness of material by penetrating the material, in particular a method for measuring the thickness of walls, ceilings and floors, with which a measurement signal (28) in the gigahertz frequency range emitted using a high-frequency transmitter (24) penetrates the material (10) to be investigated at least once and is detected by a high-frequency receiver (38).

According to the present invention, it is provided that the thickness (d) of the material (10) is measured via at least two transit-time measurements of the measurement signal (28) performed at various positions (20, 22) of the high-frequency transmitter (24) and/or the high-frequency receiver (34).

The present invention also relates to a device system (12; 40, 140, 240, 340) for carrying out the method described above.

Claims

1. A method for determining the thickness of material by penetrating the material, in particular a method for measuring the thickness of walls, ceilings and floors, with which a measurement signal (28) in the gigahertz frequency range emitted using a high-frequency transmitter (24) penetrates the material (10) to be investigated at least once and is detected by a high-frequency receiver (38), wherein

the thickness (d) of the material (10) is measured via at least two transit-time measurements of the measurement signal performed at various positions (20, 22) of the high-frequency transmitter (24) and/or the high-frequency receiver (34).

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein

the high-frequency transmitter (24) and the high-frequency receiver (38) are operated on a first surface (14) of the material (10), and the measurement signal (28) from the high-frequency transmitter (24) is reflected back to the high-frequency receiver (38) by a reflector means (18).

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein,

the reflector means (18) includes a transponder (40, 140, 240, 340).

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein

the high-frequency transmitter (24) and the high-frequency receiver (38) are operated in the same device (12), in particular a hand-held device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein

the measuring device (12) is moved over a surface (14) of the material to record the at least two transit-time measurements.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein,

the displacement path (s) of the measuring device (12) is detected.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein

the measurement signal (28) is generated in the gigahertz frequency range using a pulsed-radar method and is launched into the material (10).

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein

one or more measurement frequency/frequencies (28) are used in an interval of 1000 MHz to 5000 MHz, and preferably in an interval of 1500 MHz to 3500 MHz.

9. A device system for carrying out the method as recited in claim 1, wherein

the device includes at least one high-frequency measuring device (12) capable of being placed on a surface (14) of a material (10), with at least one high-frequency transmitter (24) and a high-frequency receiver (38), and a transponder (40, 140, 240, 340) capable of being moved relative to this high-frequency measuring device.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein

the high-frequency measuring device (12) includes a position-detection system (50, 52) for recording a path (s).