METHOD FOR EQUIPPING A CORIOLIS MASS FLOWMETER WITH ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS

Abstract

A method (1) for at least partially equipping a Coriolis mass flowmeter (2) with electric connections (3), wherein the Coriolis mass flowmeter (2) at least has at least one measuring tube (5a, 5b), at least one actuator receptacle (6a, 6b) attached to the measuring tube (5a, 5b) and at least one sensor receptacle (7a-7d) attached to the measuring tube (5a, 5b) as structural parts and such a Coriolis mass flowmeter (2) can be implemented for achieving smaller production tolerances, higher accuracy and reliability in production and operation in that the electric connections (3) are applied on at least one structural part of the Coriolis mass flowmeter (2) by means of a mechanical printing method.

Claims

1. A method for at least partially equipping a Coriolis mass flowmeter with electric connections, wherein the Coriolis mass flowmeter at least has at least one measuring tube, at least one actuator receptacle attached to the measuring tube and at least one sensor receptacle (attached to the measuring tube as structural parts, the method comprising: applying the electric connections on at least one structural part of the Coriolis mass flowmeter (by means of a mechanical printing method.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of applying an electrically insulating coating to the structural part, and wherein the electric connections are mechanically printed on the electrically insulating coating.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the mechanically printed electric connections are at least partially covered with an electrically insulating cover layer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein end points of the electric connections are formed with an expanded surface for attaching electric lines by means of a joining method.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric connections are printed on the measuring tube as structural parts.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the electric connections on the measuring tube are applied from a starting point to an end point according to at least one of the following variations by means of the mechanical printing method: the mechanical printing being performed between the actuator receptacle and the at least sensor receptacle, wherein the at least sensor receptacle is two sensor receptacles, the mechanical printing being performed between the two sensor receptacles, at least one node plate being provided on an end of the tube, and the mechanical printing being performed between the sensor receptacle and the node plate, at least two node plates being provided on an end of the tube,and the mechanical printing being performed between the node plates.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein electric connections for electrical power supply of components of the Coriolis mass flowmeter or for transmitting signals are guided on the measuring tube via tracks having a minimum expansion or compression.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric connections are printed as strain gauges having meandering conducting paths.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric connections are printed on as heating resistances.

10. A Coriolis mass flowmeter, comprising: at least one measuring tube, at least one actuator receptacle (attached to the at least one measuring tube, at least one sensor receptacle attached to the measuring tube, and electric connections connected to the measuring tube, where the electric connections have been applied to at least one part of the Coriolis mass flowmeter by mechanical printing.

11. Coriolis mass flowmeter according to claim 10, wherein the electric connections are located on the measuring tube and run from a starting point to an end point according to at least one of the following variations: the electric connections run between the actuator receptacle and the at least one sensor receptacle, the at least one sensor receptacle is two sensor receptacles, and the electric connections run between the two sensor receptacles, at least one node plate is provided on and end of the tube, and the electric connections run between the sensor receptacle and the node plate, and at least two node plates are provided on the end of the tube, the electric connections run between the node plates.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 is a Coriolis mass flowmeter equipped using a method according to the invention having electric connections applied by means of a mechanical printing method,

[0028] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the end point of the electric connections applied by means of a mechanical printing method and

[0029] FIG. 3 is a meandering structure of conducting paths as a strain gauge applied by means of a mechanical printing method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] A method 1 for equipping a Coriolis mass flowmeter 2 with electrical connections 3 as well as a Coriolis mass flowmeter equipped in this manner is illustrated overall in the figures.

[0031] The illustrated Coriolis mass flowmeter 2, at least in the most complete form, in FIG. 1 has several structural parts, including two parallel running, measuring tubes 5a, 5b, actuator receptacles 6a, 6b attached to the measuring tubes 5a, 5b and sensor receptacles 7a-7d attached to the measuring tubes 5a, 5b, on an input side, and on an output side, the two Coriolis measuring tubes 5a, 5b are held by two node plates 8a, 8b. Coriolis mass flowmeters 2 can, of course, have a plurality of further structural parts, which are not shown here. This, however, is not of importance, since the principle being introduced here for equipping the Coriolis mass flowmeter 2 with electric connections 3 can be easily understood overall and transferred to other structural parts.

[0032] The electrical connections 3 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 are all applied to the measuring tube 5a, 5b as structural part of the Coriolis mass flowmeter using a mechanical printing method—in the present case by means of aerosol jet printing.

[0033] Before the electric connections 3 are applied, an electrically insulating coating is applied to the measuring tube 5a, 5b, which is not shown separately here. The electric connections 3 are further also coated with an electrically insulating cover layer for protecting the conducting paths 3 as well as for ensuring device safety. The electric connections are accordingly “packaged” to be electrically insulated in the shown embodiments.

[0034] It can be easily seen that the very precise, repeatable and filigree implementation of the electric connections 3 by means of a mechanical printing method leads to a clearly lower influence of the measuring tubes 5a, 5b than, for example, cables guided on the measuring tubes 5a, 5b that have been attached using tape or adhesive points on the surface of the measuring tubes 5a, 5b.

[0035] It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the end points 9 of the electric connections 3 have been designed with an extensive surface, so that they are suitable for attaching wires—for example, by means of soldering. The wires that can be attached to the end points 9, which are not shown here, are then, for example, guided to the connections of an oscillation sensor that is attached in the sensor receptacle 7a, 7b.

[0036] The perspective view of FIG. 1 shows how the electric connections 3 run on the measuring tubes 5a, 5b. In the shown implementation, the electric connections 3 applied by means of a mechanical printing method run between the actuator receptacle 6a, 6b and one of the sensor receptacles 7a-7d. The end points of all electric connections 3 are located adjacent to the node plates 8a, 8b. From there, a further contact and possible cabling can take place.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows that the electric connections are printed as strain gauges, here in the form of meandering conducting paths 10. With the respective printing method, it is possible to print other functional components directly onto the structural elements of the Coriolis mass flowmeter 2.