Weather station

• US RE42,057 E1
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La Crosse Technology IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Richmond IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Schaffel, Fritz, Haupt, Rolf Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US11/485,648
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 7317001-17028
• US Class Current: 73/170.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/3473 Circular or rotary encoders
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34776 Absolute encoders with analogue or digital scales
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/02 Indicating direction only, e.g. by weather vane
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/07 with electrical coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology

Abstract

A weather station with at least one element mounted on bearings on a housing or rack on a vertical axis for alignment with the direction of the wind and with a measuring device, which depending on the angle position of the element aligning in the direction of the wind provides an electrical signal, wherein the measuring device is an opto electric measuring device with at least two light paths. Each of the at least two light paths has its own light-emitting element and which have a common light detector and form a light path configuration, each light path is used to scan a group of markings, which are located around an axis of at least one screen in such a manner that the markings provide a code when scanning that defines the angle area of the position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind. The light-emitting elements determine the angle position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind.

Claims

1. A weather station with at least one element mounted on bearings on a housing or rack on a vertical axis for alignment with the direction of the wind and with a measuring device, which depending on the angle position of the element aligning in the direction of the wind provides an electrical signal, wherein the measuring device comprising an opto electric measuring device with at least two light paths, each of which has its own light-emitting element and which have a common light detector and form a light path configuration, each light path is used to scan a group of markings, which are located around an axis of at least one screen in such a manner that the markings provide a code when scanning that defines the angle area of the position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind, the at least one screen and the light path configuration corresponding to the position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind can be swivelled relative to each other around the axis of the screen, and an electronic control and analysis unit is provided that individually activates the light-emitting elements during a measuring or analysis phase and hereby determines the angle position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind.

2. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the markings are openings or slits in the screen.

3. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screen is an orifice plate.

4. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting elements are light-emitting diodes.

5. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light sensor is a photo diode or a photo transistor.

6. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element aligning with the direction of the wind is a wind vane.

7. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element aligning with the direction of the wind is fastened to a shaft, which is mounted on bearings in the housing or rack and on which the at least one screen is located.

8. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic analysis and control unit activates the light-emitting elements at predetermined time intervals, at least once in each time interval during a measuring phase.

9. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic analysis and control unit activates the light-emitting elements non-simultaneously during the measuring phase.

10. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting elements are activated during each measuring phase at least once with a different frequency.

11. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the screen is a disc or plate with several groups of optically scannable markings located on concentric circles on the axis of the disc or plate, the light-emitting elements are arranged in sequence radially to the axis of the plate.

12. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the screen is a cylinder with several groups of optically scannable markings that are offset in relation to each other in the direction of the cylinder axis, the light-emitting elements are offset in relation to each other axially to the axis of the screen.

13. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light sensor is located on a light guide, which forms several light inlet areas, of which at least one is allocated to each light-emitting element.

14. The weather station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the light guide or the light inlet areas of this light guide are located on a line parallel to the arrangement of the light-emitting elements.

15. The weather station as claimed in claim 1, wherein a device for measuring the wind force with a wind wheel driven in a rotary manner by the wind that works together with a sensor for generating an electric signal corresponding to the wind force, whereby the wind wheel is a freely revolving impeller wheel.

16. The weather station as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor for generating the signal corresponding to the wind force is an inductive sensor.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one light emitting element configured to scan a group of markings located about an axis of at least one circular screen to determine the angular position of an element aligning with a wind direction;

wherein the screen comprises four groups of optically scannable markings each group located on a different concentric circle on the axis of the screen.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the markings are openings in the screen;

and each group comprises one or more openings.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the openings are slits.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the screen is an orifice plate.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the at least one light-emitting element is at least one light-emitting diode.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a light sensor.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the light sensor is a photo diode or a photo transistor.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the element aligning with the direction of the wind is a wind vane.

25. A device for measuring the direction of the wind comprising:

a light path configuration comprising at least one light emitting element configured to scan a group of markings located around an axis of at least one circular screen;

wherein the screen contains four groups of optically scannable markings, each group located on a different concentric circle on the axis of the screen;

wherein when scanned, the markings provide a code defining an angle area of the position of an element aligning with the direction of the wind.

26. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the markings are openings in the screen;

and each group comprises one or more openings.

27. The device as claimed in claim 26 wherein the openings are slits.

28. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the screen is an orifice plate.

29. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the at least one light-emitting element is at least one light-emitting diode.

30. The device as claimed in claim 25 comprising at least two light-emitting elements.

31. The device as claimed in claim 25 further comprising a light sensor.

32. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the light sensor is a photo diode or a photo transistor.

33. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the element aligning with the direction of the wind is a wind vane.

34. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the screen is a disc or plate.

35. The device as claimed in claim 34 further comprising at least two of light-emitting elements arranged in sequence radially to the axis of the plate.

36. The device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the screen is a cylinder with several groups of optically scannable markings that are offset in relation to each other in the direction of the cylinder axis.

37. The device as claimed in claim 36 further comprising at least two of the light-emitting elements are offset in relation to each other axially to the axis of the screen.

38. An apparatus comprising

a shaft;

a circular screen disposed about an axis of the shaft and connected with the shaft, wherein the screen is a disc or plate having four groups of optically scannable markings, each group located on a different concentric circle on the axis of the disc or plate, wherein the screen rotates with the shaft,

at least one light-emitting element located in a stationary manner adjacent the screen; and

a light detector for detecting a code that defines the position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the circular screen is an orifice plate.

40. A measuring device for measuring the direction of the wind comprising

an element for aligning with the wind comprising a shaft;

an angle transmitter comprising an orifice plate on the same axis as the shaft and connected with the shaft, wherein the plate rotates with the shaft;

the orifice plate comprising four groups of openings that are distributed on four concentric circles from the middle axis of the orifice plate, the openings being offset from each other; and

the orifice plate being radially divided into angle segments wherein each angle segment has a unique area defined by the openings.

41. The device of claim 40 further comprising at least one light-emitting element located in a stationary manner adjacent the orifice plate and together with the openings form light paths;

and

the light paths providing a code that defines the position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind.

42. The device of claim 40 wherein the orifice plate is radially divided into sixteen uniquely defined angle areas.

43. The device of claim 40 comprising slit-shaped openings distributed on the four circles.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein on an outermost circle, one circular arc opening extends over an angle area of 180°

, on the adjacent, further inward circle, two circular arc openings are offset in relation to each other by 180°

each of which extends over an angle area of 90°

, on the adjacent, further inward circle four circular arc openings 16 offset in relation to each other by 90°

each of which extend over an angle area of 45°

, and on the innermost circle a slit-shaped opening extends over an angle area of 180°

.

45. A method of detecting the position of an element aligning with the direction of the wind comprising:

rotating both a shaft connected to the element aligning with the direction of the wind and an orifice plate disposed about an axis of the shaft;

wherein the orifice plate contains four groups of optically scannable markings, each group located on a different concentric circle on the axis of the plate;

scanning the orifice plate with at least one light-emitting element located in a stationary manner adjacent the orifice plate; and

detecting a code that defines the position of the element aligning with the direction of the wind.