AUTOMATIC DISTANCE MEASUREMENT IN A FLOW CHANNEL

Abstract

In measuring devices (1) including measuring sensors (2) on a distal end (3) of a shaft (4), it is also provided to configure at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) and/or an acceleration sensor (16) on this distal end (3), in order to enable an automatic distance measurement and/or determination of the position and/or the orientation of the measuring sensor (2) within a measuring range (6), and thus the recording of spatially resolved measured values.

Claims

1. A measuring device (1), comprising: a measuring sensor (2) on a distal end (3) of a shaft (4); and at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) arranged on the distal end (3).

2. The measuring device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measuring sensor (2) is configured to perform a measurement as a function of a distance (12, 13, 14) measured with the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9).

3. The measuring device (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an acceleration sensor (16) arranged on the distal end (3).

4. The measuring device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measuring device (1) is configured as a flow probe (11).

5. The measuring device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one distance sensor comprises at least two, of the distance sensors (7, 8, 9) which are oriented in different directions and arranged on the distal end (3).

6. The measuring device (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a signal generator for outputting a signal, and the signal is adapted to be output as a function of a distance (12, 13, 14) determined with the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9).

7. A method for recording a location-dependent measured variable, the method comprising: bringing a measuring sensor (2) into a measuring range (6) to be measured, which is defined by a boundary (15); via the measuring sensor (2), bringing at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) into the measuring range (6); and recording at least one distance (12, 13, 14) of the measuring sensor (2) from the boundary (15) at a time of a measurement.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising determining an orientation of at least one of the measuring sensor (2) or the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) in a gravitational field using an acceleration sensor (16) fixedly connected to at least one of the measuring sensor (2) or the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one of a) using the orientation determined by the acceleration sensor (16) to inform a user about the orientation at the time of a measurement, or b) correcting measured values of the measuring sensor (2) by a deviation of the orientation from an ideal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising outputting measured values of the measuring sensor (2) with at least one of an associated at least one distance (12, 13, 14) or an associated orientation.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising inserting the measuring sensor (2) into the measuring range (6) through an opening (5) in the boundary (15).

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising determining at least one of a geometric quantity or a measuring location from measured values of at least one of the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) or the acceleration sensor (16).

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a measurement by the measuring sensor (2) takes place as a function of at least one of a distance (12, 13, 14) determined by the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) or a determined position of the measuring sensor (2) in the measuring range (6).

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a signal is output when at least one of a) the distance (12, 13, 14) determined by the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) corresponds to a previously determined distance, or b) the determined position of the measuring sensor (2) corresponds to a previously determined position.

15. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring device (1) comprises the measuring sensor (2) arranged on a distal end (3) of a shaft (4), and the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) arranged on the distal end (3).

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising at least one of a) determining an overlap of the measuring range (6) by the measuring device (1), or b) correcting measured values of the measuring sensor (2) by the overlap of the measuring range (6).

17. The measuring device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is configured for bringing the measuring sensor (2) into a measuring range (6) to be measured, which is defined by a boundary (15), via the measuring sensor (2), bringing the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) into the measuring range (6), and recording the at least one distance (12, 13, 14) of the measuring sensor (2) from the boundary (15) at a time of a measurement.

18. The measuring device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one distance sensor (7, 8, 9) is configured for a continuous measurement of a distance (12, 13, 14)

19. The measuring device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor (7, 8, 9) is a laser distance sensor.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the measuring range (6) is two-dimensional or three-dimensional, or the measured variable is a flow rate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] In the drawings:

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a measuring device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a measuring device 1 according to the invention comprising a measuring sensor 2 which is formed on a distal end 3 of a shaft 4. The shaft 4 of the measuring device 1 is inserted with its distal end 3 first into a measuring range 6 through an opening 5 which is matched to a size of the measuring sensor 2. Distance sensors 7, 8, 9 are also configured on the distal end 3 and oriented in different directions. The measuring sensor 2 is a volume flow sensor 10, so that the measuring device constitutes a flow probe 11. The measured variable is a flow rate. The distance sensors 7, 8, 9, which are laser distance sensors, determine the distances 12, 13, 14 of the distal end 3 from the boundary 15 of the measuring range 6. Thus, the determined distances or a position of the distal end 3 of the shaft 4 calculated therefrom and thus also of the measuring sensor 2 can be recorded and/or output together with the respective measured values. In this case, the measuring range 6 is also multidimensional. Furthermore, an acceleration sensor 16 is arranged on the distal end 3. By means of the measuring device 1, it is possible to make a measurement as a function of a distance 12, 13, 14 measured with the at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9. The at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9 can be configured for a continuous measurement of a distance 12, 13, 14. The measuring device comprises a signal generator, which is not shown in greater detail, for outputting a visual and acoustic signal, wherein the signal can be output as a function of a distance 12, 13, 14 determined with the at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9. The signal transmitter is a combination, not shown in detail, of a luminous element with a loudspeaker.

[0049] The measuring device 1 shown is suitable for carrying out a method according to the invention. Here, at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9 is inserted into the two-dimensional or three-dimensional measuring range 6 with the measuring sensor 2. The measured variable is a flow rate. With the distance sensors 7, 8, 9, at least a distance 12, 13, 14 of the measuring sensor 2 from the boundary 15 is recorded at the time of the measurement, even continuously. An orientation of the measuring sensor 2 and the distance sensors 7, 8, 9 in the gravitational field is determined by means of the acceleration sensor 16 fixedly connected to the measuring sensor 2 and the distance sensors 7, 8, 9. The orientation determined by means of the acceleration sensor 16 is used to inform a user about the orientation, for example an impermissible orientation, and is determined at the time of a measurement. Measured values of the measuring sensor 2 are corrected by a deviation of the orientation from an ideal and are output with associated distances 12, 13, 14 and an associated orientation. From measured values of the at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9 and the acceleration sensor 16, a geometric quantity, namely the shape and the size of the measuring range 6, as well as a measuring location, are determined. The measurement by the measuring sensor 2 is performed as a function of a distance 12, 13, 14 recorded by means of the at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9 and as a function of a determined position of the measuring sensor 2 in the measuring range 6. A visual signal and an acoustic signal are output when the distance 12, 13, 14 determined by means of the at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9 corresponds to a previously determined distance and when the determined position of the measuring sensor 2 corresponds to a previously determined position. The measured values of the measuring sensor 2 are also corrected by an overlap of the measuring range 6 by means of the measuring device 1.

[0050] In measuring devices 1 comprising measuring sensors 2 on a distal end 3 of a shaft 4, it is thus proposed also to configure at least one distance sensor 7, 8, 9 and/or an acceleration sensor 16 on this distal end 3, in order to enable an automatic distance measurement and/or determination of the position and/or orientation of the measuring sensor 2 within a measuring range 6, and thus the recording of spatially resolved measured values (see FIG. 1).

LIST OF ELEMENT NUMBERS

[0051] 1 Measuring device [0052] 2 Measuring sensor [0053] 3 Distal end [0054] 4 Shaft [0055] 5 Opening [0056] 6 Measuring range [0057] 7 Distance sensor [0058] 8 Distance sensor [0059] 9 Distance sensor [0060] 10 Volume flow sensor [0061] 11 Flow probe [0062] 12 Distance [0063] 13 Distance [0064] 14 Distance [0065] 15 Boundary [0066] 16 Acceleration sensor