Capacitive fill level measurement device

• US 6,823,730 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
• Original Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
• Inventors: Palata, Jaromir, Buck, Bernd, Gundlach, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, André K.
• Application Number:
  US09/789,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 733/04.C, 361/284, 324/658, 340/620
• US Class Current: 73/304.00C
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/265 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/266 measuring circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes

Abstract

A capacitive fill level measurement device with a fill level sensor having a plurality of sensor fields, electrical wires for electrically connecting the plurality of sensor fields to a multipole side of a selector switch, and a power supply and evaluation circuit electrically connected to a monopole side of the selector switch. The capacitive fill level measurement device can be made with simple production technology and thus economically for a host of different applications using a matrix of printed conductors which extend vertically and horizontally such that each horizontally extending printed conductor on one side is connected to one sensor field and on the other side connected to a vertically extending printed conductor. Each horizontally extending printed conductor is connected with a respective vertically extending printed conductor to form an electrical line or a part of an electrical line.

Claims

1. A capacitive fill level measurement device comprising:

a fill level sensor having a plurality of sensor fields, said plurality of sensor fields being composed of metal and mounted on top of one another;

a selector switch electrically connected on a multiple side to said plurality of sensor fields;

a power supply and evaluation circuit electrically connected to a monopole side of said selector switch; and

a matrix of vertically extending printed conductors and horizontally extending printed conductors so as to electrically connect said selector switch to said plurality of sensor fields,

wherein each horizontally extending printed conductor is connected at one end to a respective one of said plurality of sensor fields and at an opposing end to a respective one of said vertically, extending printed conductors, wherein a plurality of said horizontally extending printed conductors are connected to a respective one of said vertically extending printed conductors, wherein said vertically extending printed conductors are provided with widened areas for use as solder surfaces, and wherein said widened areas are aligned in rows that are offset from each of the vertically extending printed conductors to the next of the vertically extending printed conductors.

2. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor fields and said printed conductors are mounted on a flexible conductor support.

3. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fill level sensor is rolled around a vertical axis.

4. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said horizontally extending printed conductors are at least partially surrounded by said plurality of sensor fields.

5. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said vertically extending printed conductors are at least partially surrounded by said plurality of sensor fields.

6. A capacitive fill level measurement device comprising:

a fill level sensor having a plurality of sensor fields, said plurality of sensor fields being composed of metal and mounted on top of one another;

a selector switch electrically connected on a multiple side to said plurality of sensor fields;

a power supply and evaluation circuit electrically connected to a monopole side of said selector switch;

a matrix of vertically extending printed conductors and horizontally extending printed conductors so as to electrically connect said selector switch to said plurality of sensors,

wherein each horizontally extending printed conductor is connected at one end to a respective one of said plurality of sensor fields and at an opposing end to a respective one of said vertically extending printed conductors,

wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor fields and said printed conductors are mounted on a flexible conductor support and,

wherein said fill level sensor is rolled around a vertical axis; and

a cylindrical hollow body having a longitudinal slot and wherein said plurality of sensor fields are located an the outer periphery of said cylindrical hollow body, said horizontally extending printed conductors are located at least partially in the inner periphery of said cylindrical hollow body and said vertically extending printed conductors are located in the inner periphery of said cylindrical hollow body.

7. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cylindrical hollow body is electrically conductive and is composed of metal.

8. A capacitive fill level measurement device comprising:

a fill level sensor having a plurality of sensor fields, said plurality of sensor fields being composed of metal and mounted on top of one another;

a selector switch electrically connected on a multiple side to said plurality of sensor fields;

a power supply and evaluation circuit electrically connected to a monopole side of said selector switch;

a matrix of vertically extending printed conductors and horizontally extending printed conductors so as to electrically connect said selector switch to said plurality of sensors,

wherein each horizontally extending printed conductor is connected at one end to a respective one of said plurality of sensor fields and at an opposing end to a respective one of said vertically extending printed conductors,

wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor fields and said printed conductors are mounted on a flexible conductor support and,

wherein said fill level sensor is rolled around a vertical axis; and

a cylindrical carrier rod, and wherein said conductor support is wound around the outer periphery of said cylindrical carrier rod.

9. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said conductor support is electrically conductive at least in an area proximate to said plurality of sensor fields on a side facing away from said plurality of sensor fields.

10. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said conductor support is electrically conductive in an area proximate to said printed conductors on a side facing away from said printed conductors.

11. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said conductor support is provided with at least one electrically conductive which is made in the form of a Faraday surface.

12. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the horizontal printed conductors and/or the vertical printed conductors are at least partially surrounded by the plurality of sensor fields.

13. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conductor support is attached overlapping and closely bordering on the carrier rod and the vertical printed conductors are implemented in said overlapping area of the printed support.

14. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said vertically extending printed conductors are constricted at least once.

15. The capacitive fill level measurement device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the width over each of said vertically extending printed conductors in an area proximate to said constriction corresponds at most to one half the width over each of said vertically extending printed conductors in a non-constricted area.