Flowmeter, Sensor Unit and Method for Manufacturing a Flowmeter

Abstract

A flowmeter includes at least one measuring tube, a measuring arrangement for measuring the flow of a medium flowing through the measuring tube, at least one receiving unit for a sensor unit and a sensor unit. The receiving unit is arranged on the measuring tube. The sensor unit includes at least one sensor, at least one flexible printed circuit board and at least one carrier. The at least one sensor is arranged on the at least one flexible printed circuit board. The sensor unit is plugged into the receiving unit. The at least one flexible printed circuit board is at least partially wrapped or folded around the carrier such that the sensor is arranged inside the measuring tube in the inserted state.

Claims

1. A flowmeter, comprising: at least one measuring tube; a measuring arrangement for measuring the flow of a medium flowing through the measuring tube; at least one receiving unit for a sensor unit; and a sensor unit; wherein the receiving unit is arranged on the measuring tube; wherein the sensor unit includes at least one sensor, at least one flexible printed circuit board and at least one carrier; wherein the at least one sensor is arranged on the at least one flexible printed circuit board; wherein the sensor unit is plugged into the receiving unit; and wherein the at least one flexible printed circuit board is at least partially wrapped or folded around the carrier such that the sensor is arranged inside the measuring tube in the inserted state.

2. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit is cup-shaped and the carrier of the sensor unit is at least partially plug-shaped so that the carrier closes the cup-shaped receiving unit as a plug.

3. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor and/or a pressure sensor and/or a conductivity sensor.

4. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is a bendable printed circuit board.

5. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board encloses the carrier at least partially in the longitudinal direction and/or at least partially transverse to the longitudinal direction.

6. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the carrier has at least one recess and the flexible printed circuit board has at least one first connection area; wherein the shape of the recess substantially corresponds to the shape of the first connection area; and wherein the flexible printed circuit board is placed with the connection area into the at least one recess.

7. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the carrier has at least one fixing element for fixing the printed circuit board to the carrier.

8. The flowmeter according to claim 7, wherein the at least one fixing element is a slot and/or a groove and/or a seam and/or a chamfer and/or an edge projecting beyond the printed circuit board.

9. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has at least one mounting element; and wherein the at least one mounting element is preferably in operative connection with the at least one fixing element.

10. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein a ground connection is arranged on the flexible printed circuit board and that the ground connection is connected to the housing of the flowmeter.

11. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has several functional subsections; wherein the functional subsections are arranged on different arms of the flexible printed circuit board, such that the functional subsections are positioned at the point of their connection by separately bending of the arms.

12. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein an insulation element and/or a heat conduction element is arranged on the sensor.

13. The flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is held positively and/or non-positively in the receiving unit.

14. A sensor unit for installation in a flowmeter, wherein the flowmeter includes at least one measuring tube, a measuring arrangement for measuring the flow of a medium flowing through the measuring tube, and at least one receiving unit arranged on the measuring tube for receiving the sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising: at least one sensor; at least one flexible printed circuit board; and at least one carrier; wherein the at least one sensor is arranged on the at least one flexible printed circuit board; and wherein the at least one flexible printed circuit board is at least partially wrapped or folded around the carrier.

15. The sensor unit according to claim 14, wherein the receiving unit of the flowmeter is cup-shaped; and wherein the at least one carrier of the sensor unit is at least partially plug-shaped so that the carrier closes the cup-shaped receiving unit as a plug.

16. A method for manufacturing a flowmeter, wherein the flowmeter includes at least one measuring tube, a measuring arrangement for measuring the flow of a medium flowing through the measuring tube, at least one receiving unit for a sensor unit, and a sensor unit, wherein the receiving unit is arranged on the measuring tube, wherein the sensor unit includes at least one sensor, at least one flexible printed circuit board and at least one carrier, wherein the at least one sensor is arranged on the at least one flexible printed circuit board, wherein the sensor unit is plugged into the receiving unit, and wherein the at least one flexible printed circuit board is at least partially wrapped or folded around the carrier such that the sensor is arranged inside the measuring tube in the inserted state, the method comprising: wrapping and/or folding the at least one flexible printed circuit board at least partially around the carrier; and plugging the sensor unit into the receiving unit so that the sensor is arranged inside the measuring tube.

17. The sensor unit according to claim 14, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is a bendable printed circuit board.

18. The sensor unit according to claim 14, wherein the flexible printed circuit board encloses the carrier at least partially in the longitudinal direction and/or at least partially transverse to the longitudinal direction.

19. The sensor unit according to claim 14, wherein the carrier has at least one recess and the flexible printed circuit board has at least one first connection area; wherein the shape of the recess substantially corresponds to the shape of the first connection area; and wherein the flexible printed circuit board is placed with the connection area into the at least one recess.

20. The sensor unit according to claim 14, wherein the carrier has at least one fixing element for fixing the printed circuit board to the carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] There is now a plurality of possibilities for designing and further developing the flowmeter, the sensor unit and the method according to the invention. For this, reference is made to the following description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a sensor unit in the unconnected state.

[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a sensor unit according to the invention, with the flexible printed circuit board folded around the carrier.

[0044] FIG. 3 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in another view.

[0045] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a sensor unit according to the invention.

[0046] FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a sensor unit according to the invention.

[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates the connection of a sensor unit according to the invention to a measuring tube of a flowmeter.

[0048] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a flowmeter according to the invention.

[0049] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a flexible printed circuit board.

[0050] FIG. 9 illustrates a further embodiment of a sensor unit according to the invention.

[0051] FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a flowmeter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a sensor unit 2. The sensor unit 2 comprises a sensor 4, which is arranged on a flexible printed circuit board 5, and a carrier 6 to accommodate the flexible printed board 5. In the embodiment shown, the sensor 4 is designed as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the sensor 4 can, of course, also be designed as a pressure sensor or as a conductivity sensor.

[0053] The illustration shows the sensor unit 2 in an unconnected state, i.e. the flexible printed circuit board 5 is not arranged directly on the carrier 6. The printed circuit board 5 has a connection area 12 for connection to the carrier 6. To accommodate the printed circuit board 5, the carrier 6 has an intake area 8 into which the connection area 12 can be inserted.

[0054] To fix the printed circuit board 5 on the carrier 6, the carrier has fixing elements in the form of edges 7. For better fixation, the edges can also form an acute angle between 45 and 90° with the receiving surface of the carrier 6. For connection to the carrier, the printed circuit board 5 can thus be inserted into the intake area 8 of the carrier 6 and fixed by the edges 7 protruding beyond the printed circuit board 5. Furthermore, the carrier 6 has a slot 10 in the intake area 8 for fixing into which the printed circuit board 5 can be inserted.

[0055] In addition, the carrier 6 has two chamfers 9 in the area of the receiving area for further fixation. For connection, the printed circuit board 5 has mounting elements in the form of lateral projections 11 which can be folded into the chamfers 9 when connected.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a sensor unit 2 with the flexible printed circuit board 5 bent around the carrier 6, such that the printed circuit board 5 can be mounted with the carrier 6. In this arrangement, the sensor 4 is arranged below the plug-like carrier 6 so that the sensor 4 can be placed in the measuring tube 17 by inserting it into the receiving unit 16 of a measuring tube 17.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of a sensor unit 2 as shown in FIG. 2 in a rotated view. The illustration shows that, in addition to the printed circuit board 5 being fixed in the first connection area 12, the printed circuit board 5 is also fixed to the carrier 6 by edges on the side opposite to the first connection area 12. This ensures that the printed circuit board 5 lies flat against the carrier 6.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a sensor unit 2, wherein the carrier 6 has a further intake area in Form of a recess 13 to accommodate a further functional part of the printed circuit board 5, wherein the corresponding connection area of the printed circuit board 5 is designed such that it can be inserted into the recess 13. The connection area is held in the recess 13 of the carrier 6 by stops. On the connection area of the printed circuit board 5, there is a ground connection 14, which is designed for connection to the housing when the carrier 6 is inserted.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows an example of a sensor unit 2 in which the printed circuit board 5 is folded around the longitudinal axis of the carrier 6. A cover element 15 is arranged on the sensor 4. This cover element 15 is used to insulate the sensor 4 during operation. In addition, the cover element 15 has a high thermal conductivity so that the response time of the sensor 4, which is designed as a temperature sensor in the embodiment shown, is particularly high during operation.

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a combination of the sensor unit 2 shown in FIG. 5 and a cup-shaped receiving unit 16 for the sensor unit 2. The receiving unit 16 is arranged on a measuring tube 17 of a flowmeter 1. The illustration shows that the sensor unit 2 is designed such that it only needs to be inserted into the receiving unit 16 for connection to the flowmeter 1 and thus for placement of the sensor 4. In the receiving unit 16, the sensor unit 2 is then held non-positively in place so that, at the same time, the sensor unit can be replaced very easily.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a flowmeter 1 in the form of an electromagnetic flowmeter, comprising a measuring tube 17, a measuring arrangement 18 for measuring the flow of a medium flowing through the measuring tube 17, with at least one receiving unit 16 for a sensor unit 2 and with a sensor unit 2 arranged in the receiving unit 16. The printed circuit board 5 of the sensor unit 2 has further functional areas in addition to the connection to the carrier 6. In detail, the printed circuit board is also connected to the measuring arrangement 18 for measuring the flow with functional areas 22 and also has connectors 21 for the supply and/or communication of the measuring arrangement and/or the sensor.

[0062] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a printed circuit board 5 according to the invention, wherein the printed circuit board 5 has several functional subsections. A first subsection 23 is used for connection to the carrier 6, a second subsection 22 is used for connection to the measuring arrangement 18 to measure the flow through the measuring tube and a third subsection 24 is used for supply and/or communication of the measuring arrangement 18 and/or the sensor 4. Using advantageous bending of the printed circuit board 5, all functional subsections can be arranged at the position intended for connection.

[0063] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the sensor unit 2 in the bent state, wherein the printed circuit board 5 is at least partially wrapped around the carrier.

[0064] FIG. 10 shows a first embodiment of a method 3 according to the invention for manufacturing, in detail for mounting a flowmeter 1, wherein the flowmeter 1 is designed according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

[0065] In a first step 19, the flexible printed circuit board 5 is at least partially folded around the carrier 6 and fixed to it.

[0066] Then the sensor unit 2 is inserted 20 into the receiving unit 16 so that the sensor 4 is located inside the measuring tube 17. At the same time the additional functional subsections 22 and 24 are positioned intended for their connection.

[0067] The installation of the sensor 4 is therefore particularly easy. In addition, the sensor unit can also be replaced very easily.