Mass coupling at clocked HF-elements

• US 8,129,866 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Mueller, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/043,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20080290926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 307/110, 307/129, 307/131, 327/376, 324/124, 732/90.R, 732/90.V
• US Class Current: 307/110
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves

Abstract

A circuit for a fill-level measuring device is for the fast switching-on of a high-frequency element on a ground port is disclosed. The circuit comprises a switching unit with a circuit mass; a high-frequency element with a high-frequency mass; and a coupling element that couples the two masses together and at the same time insulates them from each other in a direct-current manner. In this way the switching unit can be arranged on the GND port of the HF-element, without influencing the HF characteristics of said HF element.

Claims

1. A circuit for a fill-level measuring device for fast switching-on of a high-frequency (“

HF”

) element on a ground port, comprising;

a switching unit with a first ground port;

a high-frequency element with a second ground port that is designed as a HF ground port;

a coupling element; and

an insulation between the first and second ground ports;

wherein the switching unit is connected between the first ground port and the high-frequency element;

wherein the second ground port is coupled, by way of the coupling element, to the first ground port,

wherein the coupling of the second ground port to the first ground port is a high frequency coupling, and

wherein a direct-current flow between the first ground port and the high-frequency element is only possible when the switching unit is switched so that a short circuit between the first ground port and the second ground port is established.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element and the insulation prevent a direct-current flow between the first ground port and the high-frequency element.

3. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element is a capacitor.

4. The circuit according to claim 3, further comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein the coupling element is a plate capacitor that is formed by the second layer and the third layer.

5. The circuit according to claim 3, further comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein the coupling element is a coupling area in the third layer.

6. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is a micro-strip circuit and wherein the second ground port is an area on an underside of the printed circuit board.

7. The circuit according to claim 5, wherein the first, second and third layers comprise the first ground port.

8. The circuit according to claim 4, wherein the first layer includes the high-frequency element, the second layer comprising an insulated high-frequency mass area that represents the second ground port, the third layer comprising the coupling element.

9. The circuit according to claim 5, wherein the first layer includes the high-frequency element, the second layer comprising an insulated high-frequency mass area that represents the second ground port, the third layer comprising the coupling element.

10. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the switching unit is an element selected from a group comprising transistors, diodes, signal switches, and relays.

11. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the high-frequency element is an element selected from a group comprising oscillators, transmitter amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, mixers, and multipliers.

12. A fill-level measuring device, comprising:

a circuit including

(a) a switching unit with a first ground port;

(b) a high-frequency element with a second ground port that is designed as a HF ground port;

(c) a coupling element; and

(d) an insulation between the second ground port and the first ground port,

wherein the switching unit is connected between the first ground port and the high-frequency element;

wherein the second ground port is coupled, by way of the coupling element, to the first ground port,

wherein the coupling of the second ground port to the first ground port is a high frequency coupling, and

wherein a direct-current flow between the first ground port and the high-frequency element is only possible when the switching unit is switched so that a short circuit between the first ground port and the second ground port is established.

13. The use of a circuit for fill level measuring, the circuit including (a) a switching unit with a first ground port;

(b) a high-frequency element with a second ground port that is designed as a HF ground port;

(c) a coupling element; and

(d) an insulation between the second ground port and the first ground port, wherein the switching unit is connected between the first ground port and the high-frequency element; and

wherein the second ground port is coupled, by way of the coupling element, to the first ground port, wherein the coupling of the second ground port to the first ground port is a high frequency coupling, and wherein a direct-current flow between the first ground port and the high-frequency element is only possible when the switching unit is switched so that a short circuit between the first ground port and the second ground port is established.