Measuring Arrangement for Registering Chemical and/or Physical, Measured Variables, as well as Measuring Device therefor

• US 20130197818A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Karbula, Jiri, Lalla, Robert, Engstler, Gernot
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/02 in which the signal transmitted is magnitude of current or voltage G08C19/36, G08C19/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A measuring arrangement of the invention includes: At least one measuring device, which generates, repeatedly during operation, measured values, especially digital, measured values, representing the at least one measured variable to be registered; as well as an electronic data processing system superordinated to the at least one measuring device, especially a data processing system which is spatially distributed and/or spatially remote from the measuring device. Measuring device and data processing system are connected together by means of at least two line-pairs, through each of which an electrical current flows, at least at times, during operation. According to the invention, the measuring device transmits the internally generated, measured values to the data processing system via both line-pairs. In this way, it is then possible to transmit a plurality of measured values simultaneously, when each of the two line-pairs is embodied as part of a two-conductor current-loop.

Claims

1. The measuring device, comprising:

a measuring transducer reacting to changes of at least one physical or chemical, measured variable and delivering at least one measurement signal influenced by the at least one measured variable; and

a measuring device electronics connected to said measuring transducer, wherein;

said measuring device electronics is connectable to a superordinated, electronics data processing system by means of at least a first line-pair and by means of at least a second line-pair; and

said measuring device electronics is designed for, during operation, generating a plurality of measured values representing, at least in part, the at least one measured variable and for transmitting these measured values to the connected data processing system at least partially via said first line-pair and at least partially via said second line-pair.

2. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a first current driven from said superordinated electronics data processing system flows during operation, at least at times, through said measuring device electronics and said first line-pair; and

/or

present in said first and/or second line-pair within said measuring device electronics are voltage limiters, which limit an electrical overvoltage possibly applied in said measuring device electronics to an allowable maximum value; and

/or

present in said first and/or second line-pair within said measuring device electronics are electrical current limiters, which limit short circuit currents possibly flowing in a line-pair to an allowable maximum value; and

/or

said first line-pair is, at least within said measuring device electronics, galvanically separated and/or spatially separated said second line-pair; and

/or

at least one transformer is provided in said measuring device electronics for galvanic separation of said two line-pairs; and

/or

at least one optocoupler is provided in said measuring device electronics for galvanic separation of said two line-pairs; and

/or

said measuring device electronics includes a first voltage converter connected on a primary side to said first line-pair and a second voltage converter connected on a primary side to said second line-pair; and

/or

said measuring device electronics further includes at least one measuring transducer reacting to changes at least of the at least one measured variable to be registered and the at least one measuring transducer delivers to said measuring device electronics a measurement signal corresponding at least with this measured variable; and

/or

the measuring device further includes an electronics housing, which houses said measuring device electronics.

3. The measuring device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

at least the first electrical current serves completely also for supplying the measuring device with electrical energy; and

/or

at least one voltage limiter is placed in said first line-pair and/or said second line-pair at an input of the measuring electronics for limiting an electrical overvoltage possibly applied to the input of the measuring device; and

/or

at least on current limiter is placed at an input of said measuring device electronics; and

/or

said first line-pair is partitioned and/or encapsulated apart from said second line-pair, at least within said measuring device electronics.

4. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a first current driven from the data processing system flows during operation, at least at times, through said measuring device electronics and said first line-pair, and a second current driven from the data processing system flows during operation, at least at times, through said measuring device electronics and said second line-pair.

5. The measuring device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

each of the two electrical currents serves, at least at times and/or at least in part, also for supplying the measuring device with electrical energy; and

/or

the measuring device covers its energy requirement during operation at least partially by means of the first current; and

/or

the measuring device covers its energy requirement during operation at least partially by means of the first current and at least partially by means of the second current; and

/or

the measuring device covers its energy requirement during operation, at least at times, completely by means of the first current and/or the second current.

6. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said measuring device electronics includes a first voltage converter connected on a primary side to said first line-pair and a second voltage converter connected on a primary side to said second line-pair.

7. The measuring device as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the two voltage converters are electrically coupled together, especially galvanically connected together, on a secondary side; and

/or

the two voltage converters are switched during operation essentially at equal frequency; and

/or

the two voltage converters are switched asynchronously during operation; and

/or

the two voltage converters are switched during operation out of phase.

8. The measuring device as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said two voltage converters are switched during operation with opposite phase.

9. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the measuring device further includes at least one measuring transducer reacting to changes at least of the at least one measured variable to be registered and the at least one measuring transducer delivers to said measuring device electronics a measurement signal corresponding at least with said at least one measured variable.

10. The measuring device as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said measuring device electronics of the measuring device produces the measured values at least partially taking into consideration the at least one measurement signal.

11. The measuring device as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said measuring transducer reacts to changes of a measured variable of a first kind to be registered and to at least one measured variable of a second kind to be registered; and

/or

said measuring transducer delivers at least a first measurement signal and a second measurement signal.

12. The measuring device as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said measuring transducer reacts to changes of a measured variable of a first kind to be registered and to at least one measured variable of a second kind to be registered, and the at least one measurement signal delivered by said measuring transducer also represents the measured variable of the second kind; and

/or

said measuring transducer delivers at least a first measurement signal and a second measurement signal, and said measuring device electronics produces the measured values at least partially taking the first and second measurement signals into consideration.

13. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the measuring device further includes a measuring transducer housing at least partially housing said measuring transducer.

14. The measuring device as claimed in the previous claim, wherein:

the measuring device further includes an electronics housing, which houses said measuring device electronics.

15. The measuring device as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said measuring transducer housing and said electronics housing are mechanically connected together; and

/or

said measuring transducer housing and said electronics housing are essentially rigidly connected together.

16. The use of a measuring device as claimed in claim 1 for measuring a medium flowing in a pipeline and/or held in a container.

17. A measuring arrangement for measuring a medium flowing in a pipeline and/or held in a container, said measuring arrangement comprising:

a measuring transducer reacting to changes of at least one physical or chemical, measured variable and delivering at least one measurement signal influenced by the at least one measured variable; and

a measuring device electronics connected to said measuring transducer, wherein;

said measuring device electronics is connectable to a superordinated, electronics data processing system by means of at least a first line-pair and by means of at least a second line-pair; and

said measuring device electronics is designed for, during operation, generating a plurality of measured values representing, at least in part, the at least one measured variable and for transmitting these measured values to the connected data processing system at least partially via said first line-pair and at least partially via said second line-pair.

18-20. -20. (canceled)