DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AN OBJECT

Abstract

A device for detecting an object conveyed through a measuring region comprises a transmission apparatus configured to emit measuring radiation onto the outer contour of the object. The measuring radiation comprises a frequency in a range of one of gigahertz and terahertz. A protective mesh is positioned between the measuring region and at least one of the transmission apparatus and the receiving apparatus. The protective mesh is transparent for the measuring radiation and permeable to as gas.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A device for detecting an object conveyed through a measuring region, the device for detecting the object comprising: a transmission apparatus configured to emit measuring radiation onto an Outer contour of the object, wherein the measuring radiation comprises a frequency in a range of one of gigahertz and terahertz; a receiving apparatus configured to receive the measuring radiation reflected by the object; and a protective mesh positioned between the measuring region and at least one of the transmission apparatus and the receiving apparatus, wherein the protective mesh is transparent to the measuring radiation and permeable to a gas.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the transmission apparatus and the receiving apparatus are formed by a transceiver.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the protective mesh comprises a glass fiber fabric.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the transmission apparatus and the receiving apparatus are arranged in a housing defining a housing opening that faces the measuring region, and wherein the protective mesh covers the housing opening.

19. The device according claim 15, further comprising a flushing apparatus configured to flush the protective mesh with a flushing gas.

20. The device according to claim 19 wherein the flushing apparatus is configured to continuously flush the protective mesh with the flushing gas at at least one of: (1) a time before; (2) a time during; and (3) a time after a measurement.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the flushing apparatus is configured to intermittently flush the protective mesh with the flushing gas at at least one of: (1) a time before; (2) a time during; and (3) a time after a measurement.

22. The device according to claim 19, further comprising an evaluation apparatus configured to, receive measurement values from the receiving apparatus, and determine at least one of: (1) a diameter; (2) a wall thickness; and (3) an outer contour of the object based on the measurement values.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the evaluation apparatus is configured to activate the flushing apparatus to flush the protective mesh with the flushing gas when an intensity of the measuring radiation received by the receiving apparatus changes.

24. The device according to claim 15, further comprising, a reflector configured to deflect the measuring radiation, wherein the reflector is arranged between the measuring region and at least one of the transmission apparatus and the receiving apparatus.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the reflector is arranged between the protective mesh and the measuring region.

26. A method for detecting an object, the method comprising: emitting measuring radiation onto an outer contour of the object, wherein the radiation comprises a frequency in a range of one of gigahertz and terahertz; receiving the measuring radiation reflected by the object; determining measurement values using the reflected measuring radiation; and determining at least one of: (1) a diameter; (2) a wall thickness; and (3) an outer contour of the object based on the measurement values.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the object is detected in a region of a cooling line downstream of a production line for the object.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein at least one transmission apparatus is arranged beneath the object during a measurement.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein at least one receiving apparatus is arranged beneath the object during the measurement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to figures. Schematically:

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a device for detecting an object;

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the embodiment of the device for detecting an object from FIG. 1; and

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the device for detecting an object.

[0031] The same reference numbers refer to the same objects in the figures unless indicated otherwise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The device according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 has a housing 10, shown in sections, with a supply 12 for a flushing gas along the arrow 14. Flushing air, for example, can be used as the flushing gas. The housing 10 is held in a holding section 11 The device also comprises a transceiver 16 integrated into the housing 10, which transceiver forms a transmission apparatus for emitting measuring radiation and a receiving apparatus for receiving measuring radiation, in. the example shown, the transceiver 16 has an antenna 18 configured as a hyperboloid, which, for example, can be comprised of Teflon®. The device also comprises an evaluation apparatus 20, to which the measurement results from the receiving apparatus are applied.

[0033] The housing 10 also has a housing opening 22 (FIG. 2) which is circular in the example shown and is provided with a protective mesh 24. The protective mesh 24 can, for example, be a glass fiber protective mesh. An object 26, in the example shown a tube-shaped object 26 such as a metal tube, in particular a steel tube, or a plastic tube, to he detected by the device is located in a measuring region. The tube-shaped object 26 can be conveyed along its longitudinal axis through the measuring region of the device, in FIG. 1 perpendicularly into the plane of the drawing, by means of a conveying apparatus of the device. The transmission apparatus of the transceiver 16 emits electromagnetic measuring radiation through the protective mesh 24 onto the outer contour oldie tube-shaped object 26, from which the electromagnetic radiation is reflected back to the transceiver 16 and thus to the receiving apparatus, as illustrated in FIG. 1 by the arrow 28. On this basis, the evaluation apparatus 20 can ascertain the distance between the transceiver 16 and the outer contour of the tube-shaped object 26 from a propagation delay measurement and thus infer other measurement variables, as is known per se. In particular, a di stance can correspondingly be measured at multiple positions distributed over the circumference of the object 26 to determine the diameter and/or the wall thickness and/or the outer contour of the tube-shaped object 26.

[0034] A flushing apparatus 30 is provided to supply the flushing gas to the housing 10 during the measurement via the supply 12 corresponding to the arrow 14. As illustrated by the arrows 32 in FIG. 1, the supplied flushing gas escapes again to the outside into the environment through the protective mesh 24. This keeps the protective mesh 24 free of any contaminants. The flushing gas can be introduced by the flushing apparatus 30 continuously or intermittently before, during and or alter a measurement. For example, a radiation intensity received by the receiving apparatus of the transceiver 16 can be ascertained by the evaluation apparatus 20 at regular intervals, without or with an object 26 arranged in the measuring region. If this radiation intensity moves outside of a previously established permissible corridor, whether through an increase or reduction in the radiation intensity, the evaluation apparatus 20 can activate the flushing apparatus 30, for example, to perform an intermittent flushing.

[0035] A second exemplary embodiment of the device is shown in FIG. 3 that largely corresponds to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. The tube-shaped object 26 to be detected is shown in FIG. 3 rotated by 90° in relation to the representation from FIG. 1. The object 26 can again be conveyed along its longitudinal axis through the measuring region. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the embodiment according to FIG. 3 shows a reflector 34 arranged between the transceiver 16 and the measuring region with the object 26 to be detected, which reflector 34 reflects or deflects the measuring radiation in the example shown basically perpendicularly, as illustrated in FIG. 3 by the arrows 28. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the reflector 34 is located between the protective mesh 24 and the measuring region with the object 26 to be detected. In this manner, the protective mesh 24 can be protected particularly securely from contaminants. Of course, it would also be alternatively conceivable in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3 to arrange the protective mesh 24 between the reflector 34 and the measuring region with the object 26 to be detected in order, for example, to protect the reflector 34. Additional transceivers 16 could also be arranged distributed over the circumference of the object 26, wherein a protective mesh 24 and reflector 34 can be provided in each case. The protective meshes can each be arranged in this case such that contaminants and/or hot air fall away or pass by.

[0036] Although the invention has been explained in the figures based on the example of the measurement of a tube-shaped object 26, the object could also be an object lying basically in a plane, for example a plate, in particular a heavy plate, a hot strip plate or a cold strip plate. At least one transmission apparatus and/or at least one receiving apparatus could also be arranged beneath the object during the measurement.