Vibration sensor with integrated temperature detection

Abstract

A vibration sensor with a diaphragm that can be set into vibration, a piezo-electric drive for setting the diaphragm into vibration and for detecting vibrations in the diaphragm, with the drive having at least two serial mechanical piezo elements, a temperature sensor, with at least a first piezo element made from a first piezo-electric material and at least a second piezo element made from a second piezo-electric material.

Claims

1. A vibration sensor with an integrated temperature detection, such vibration sensor comprising: a diaphragm that can be set into vibration, and a piezo-electric drive for setting the diaphragm into vibration and for detecting vibrations of the diaphragm, with the drive comprising at least two serial mechanical piezo elements, wherein at least a first piezo element is formed from a first piezo-electric material and at least a second piezo element from a second piezo-electric material, and a temperature is determined by detecting a capacity of at least one piezo element, a first relative dielectric constant of the first piezo-electric material and a second relative dielectric constant of the second piezo-electric material show a different temperature dependency, and a first coupling factor has different material and a second coupling factor in the direction of the material polarization of the second piezo-eccentric material.

2. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second piezo-electric material is a different lead-zirconate-lead-titanate (PZT), and wherein a first coupling factor has an almost linear change in a temperature range from 50 C. to +200 C.

3. The vibration sensor according to claim 2, wherein the first coupling factor (k.sub.1) has in the temperature range a relative change of less than +/15%.

4. The vibration sensor according to claim 2, wherein the first coupling factor has in the temperature range values ranging from 10 to 20.

5. The vibration sensor according to claim 2, wherein the second relative dielectric constant (.sub.r2) has in the temperature range a relative change of more than +/10%.

6. The vibration sensor according to claim 2, wherein the second relative dielectric constant in the temperature range has a change of at least 30%.

7. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the drive has at least two piezo elements made from the first piezo-electric material.

8. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the drive comprises a coupling factor of at least 20.

9. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, further comprising wherein a piezo element at the membrane side is made from the second piezo-electric material.

10. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first piezo element has a Curie point of at least 300 C.

11. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second piezo element has a Curie point of 255 C.

12. The vibration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the vibration sensor has a radio module for data communication with another unit and parameterization of the vibration sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a line drawing evidencing a longitudinal section through a vibration sensor according to the present application.

(2) FIG. 2 is a line drawing evidencing an electrical flowchart of the drive of the vibration sensor of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a line drawing evidencing a relative change of the coupling factor of the piezo element of the drive of FIG. 1 with the temperature.

(4) FIG. 4 is a line drawing evidencing an absolute change of the coupling factor of the piezo elements of the drive of FIG. 1 with the temperature.

(5) FIG. 5 is a line drawing evidencing a relative change of the capacity of the piezo elements of the drive of FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 6 is a line drawing evidencing a change of the coupling factor with the temperature for a drive with three piezo elements.

(7) FIG. 7 is a line drawing evidencing a coordinate system as used to mark directions of polarization, coupling factor, and relative dielectric constant.

(8) FIG. 8 is a line drawing evidencing a vibration sensor according to prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) The vibration sensor according to the invention with an integrated temperature detection of a diaphragm set in vibration, a piezo-electric drive for setting the diaphragm into vibration and for detecting vibrations of the diaphragm, with the drive comprising at least two serial mechanical piezo elements, is characterized in that at least one piezo element is made from a first piezo-electric material and at least one second piezo element is made from a second piezo-electric material, and a temperature is determined by detecting a capacity of at least one piezo element.

(10) By using at least two piezo elements made from different piezo-electric materials, it is achieved that the two different piezo elements may show different temperature dependencies for their features, such as coupling factor and dielectric constant. This way, by a suitable material composition, a vibration sensor can be provided with a drive, which can be used in a wide temperature range and also allows an integrated temperature determination.

(11) The selection of different materials is necessary here, since materials showing a coupling factor that is largely constant over a wide temperature range or varying only within a narrow range generally also display a low temperature dependency of their dielectric features, particularly the relative dielectric constant. However, piezo-electric materials with a high temperature dependency of their dielectric features, which are therefore well suited for determining a temperature, also show a high temperature dependency of the coupling factor, with this particularly collapsing considerably during the approach of the Curie point of the respective material, so that the effectiveness of the drive is largely reduced here.

(12) In order to determine directions in reference to the piezo elements used, as shown in FIG. 7, the axes 1, 2, and 3 are introduced, which are aligned like the X, Y, and Z axes of the Cartesian coordinate system. In addition, the directions of rotation about the respective axes, as also shown in FIG. 7, are marked with the numbers 4, 5, and 6. The axis 3 is here aligned along the direction of polarization of the respective piezo element. Due to the fact that the piezo-electric material is anisotropic, the respective physical parameters are described by tensors and indicated according to the above numbering of axes.

(13) The coupling factor k is a measure for the embodiment of the piezo-electric effect. It describes the capacity of a piezo-electric material to convert electrical energy absorbed into mechanical energy and vice versa. The coupling factor is calculated here from the square root of the ratio of mechanical energy stored to energy stored overall. Under dynamic conditions, the coupling factor k depends on the respective vibration form of the piezo-electric body. The coupling factor of the longitudinal vibration k.sub.33, i.e. the extent a piezo element converts an electric voltage applied in the direction of polarization into an extension in the direction of the axis 3, i.e. in the direction of the polarization, is particularly relevant for piezo-electric drives of vibration sensors of the present type.

(14) In the same fashion, the dielectric constant and/or the relative dielectric constant .sub.r are dependent on the direction. .sub.r describes here the ratio of the dielectric constant of the piezo-electrical material and the dielectric constant .sub.0, with the dielectric constant representing a measure for the polarizability of the piezo-electric material in the electric field. The function of the relative dielectric constant .sub.r of the direction of the electric field and the dielectric shift is also indicated by a respective indicator. .sub.33 describes here the dielectric constant in the direction of polarization with an electric field applied also in the direction of polarization.

(15) When in the present application a coupling factor is mentioned without any explicit indication or statement of direction, this shall represent the coupling factor in the 33-direction, i.e. parallel in reference to the polarization of the piezo element and in a direction perpendicular to the diaphragm of the vibration sensor. The same applies to the relative dielectric constant, which shall also be understood in the 33-direction without any explicit indication and statement of direction.

(16) The use of appropriately different materials is advantageous when a first relative dielectric constant of the first piezo-electric material and a second relative dielectric constant of the second piezo-electric material show different temperature dependencies. In particular, it is advantageous when the first relative dielectric constant in the 33-direction and the second relative dielectric constant in the 33-direction show different temperature dependencies.

(17) It is also advantageous for the material combination when a first coupling factor in the direction of the material polarization of the first piezo-electric material and a second coupling factor in the direction of the material polarization of the second piezo-electric material show different temperature dependencies. By appropriately different temperature dependencies, a material combination can be selected here for the drive which has a coupling factor sufficient for the operation of a vibration sensor for a wide temperature range, for example from 50 to +200, advantageously to +250 or +300 C. in total.

(18) When a piezo-electric material comes into the proximity of its Curie point, its coupling factor drops considerably with increasing temperature. This effect is particularly distinct starting at approximately 70% of the Curie point.

(19) Advantageously, the first coupling factor has in a temperature range from 50 C. to +200 C. an approximately linear temperature dependency, i.e. change relative to temperature.

(20) In particular, the first coupling factor may show in the temperature range a relative change of less than +/15%, preferably less than +/10%, and further preferred is at or less than +/5%. Such a linear behavior at an approximately constant coupling factor ensures that the piezo-electric drive can be used reliably for the entire temperature range.

(21) The first coupling factor may show in this temperature range, for example, values ranging from 10 to 20, preferably from 15 to 20.

(22) The coupling factor in the 33-direction is defined as follows:

(23) $k_{33}^2=\frac{W_{\mathrm{mech}.,3}}{W_{\mathrm{electr}.,3}}=\frac{0.5.Math.d_{33}^2.Math.U_3^2.Math.b.Math.h/\left(s_{33}^E.Math.l\right)}{0.5.Math.U_3^2.Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{33}^T.Math.b.Math.h/l}=\frac{d_{33}^2}{s_{33}^E.Math.{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{33}^T}.$
With the components of the formula representing the following:

(24) K.sub.33Coupling factor in the 33-direction

(25) W.sub.mech,3mechanical work in the 33-direction

(26) W.sub.electr,3electrical energy in the 33-direction

(27) U.sub.3Electrode voltage in the 33-direction

(28) bPiezo width in the 22-direction

(29) hPiezo height in the 11-direction

(30) lPiezo length in the 33-direction

(31) d.sub.33Piezo-electric charge constant in the 33-direction

(32) s.sub.33.sup.EElastic flexibility constant in the 33-direction

(33) .sub.33.sup.TRelative dielectric constant in the 33-direction

(34) In order to ensure temperature detection as well as possible using a capacity measurement of the drive overall or an individual piezo element, it is advantageous for the second relative dielectric constant to show a relative change in the range of more than +/10%, preferably more than +/15%, particularly from 10% to +30%, preferably from 10% to +50%. By an appropriately large change of the second dielectric constant of the second piezo element, an appropriately distinct change of a capacity of a plate capacitor is yielded, which is formed by the piezo-electric elements, so that a temperature determination can occur with sufficient precision.

(35) Preferably the second relative dielectric constant has in the temperature range a change of at least 30%, preferably at least 50%, particularly at least 80%, with here a numeric change being referred to over the entire temperature range.

(36) In order to ensure sufficiently high coupling factors for the overall drive over the entire temperature range, it may be advantageous if the drive has at least two piezo elements made from a first piezo-electric material. The coupling factors of serial mechanical piezo elements are added here to an overall coupling factor of the drive.

(37) It is advantageous for the coupling factor of the drive in the entire temperature range to amount to at least 20, preferably at least 25, further preferred at least 35, because this way at a predetermined bias of the drive, sufficient mechanical excitation of the diaphragm can be yielded.

(38) It may be advantageous here for the first piezo element to show a Curie point of at least 300 C., preferably at least 320 C.

(39) The second piezo element can then show, for example, a Curie point of 255 C. and thus a higher temperature dependency in said temperature range.

(40) Typically, piezo-electric materials based on lead-zirconate-lead-titanate (PZT) are used for piezo-electric drives of vibration sensors according to the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(41) FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a vibration sensor 1 according to the present application. A housing as well as a sensor electronic are not shown in the present case for clarity.

(42) The vibration sensor 1 shown essentially comprises a drive 3, which is screwed via a tension bolt 17 and a clamping screw 19 to a diaphragm 5. At a side of the diaphragm 5 opposite the drive 3, mechanical vibrators 11 are provided, for example in the form of paddles arranged at the diaphragm 5 and aligned parallel to each other.

(43) A central component of the drive 3 is in the present exemplary embodiment a stack of two piezo elements 7, which in the following are marked as the first piezo element 71 and the second piezo element 72 in order for them to be distinguished. The piezo elements 7 are embodied in the form of rings in the present case and thus surround the tension bolt 17 in the circumferential direction. For the centered alignment of the piezo elements 7 as well as their electrical isolation from the metallic tension bolt 17, an isolating sleeve 10 is arranged between the tension bolt 17 and the piezo elements 71. The piezo elements 7 are electrically contacted via electrodes 8, with an electrical voltage being applied via the cables 25 extending at the rear. The electrodes 8 respectively contact a metal coat of the surface of the piezo elements 7, not shown in greater detail in the present figure.

(44) The front side is understood in the present application as an orientation in the direction of the diaphragm 5, and the rear side is understood as an orientation away from the diaphragm 5.

(45) At the front and rear of the piezo elements 7, respectively, one adjustment ceramic 13 is arranged for the purpose of electrical isolation.

(46) In turn, at the front and the rear of the adjustment ceramics 13 the spring washers 14 are arranged by which the drive rests on the diaphragm 5 on the front and rear with the help of the clamping screw 19, screwed to the tension bolt 17, and thus biased in the direction of the diaphragm 5.

(47) The first piezo element 71 and the second piezo element 72 are stacked on top of each other in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and thus mechanically switched serially. This means that a change in length of the first piezo element 71 and the second piezo element 72 in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the tension bolt 17 inside the drive 3 is added and thus allows yielding an increased stroke.

(48) In a serial mechanical circuit, as shown in FIG. 1, the coupling factors of the stacked piezo elements 7 add to an overall coupling factor of the drive 3.

(49) The vibration sensor can additionally have a communication unit to communicate with another unit, particularly for data communication and parameterization of the sensor. With this communication unit, the data of the sensor, particularly the temperature and capacity values, can be forwarded to the additional unit in which they can be processed and the sensor can be parameterized by the communication unit from a remote module. The communication unit is advantageously embodied in a wireless fashion, particularly as a radio module. It forms a beneficial and space-saving communication option.

(50) FIG. 2 shows an electrical equivalent circuit of the piezo elements 7 of FIG. 1. From this equivalent circuit it is discernible that the first piezo element 71 and the second piezo element 72 are switched parallel, in the electrical sense.

(51) As discernible from FIG. 2, the first piezo element 71 forms a first capacity C.sub.1 and the second piezo element 72 forms a second capacity C.sub.2. By the electrical parallel circuitry here, the capacities C.sub.1, C.sub.2 add. By the electrical parallel circuitry here, the capacities.sub.1, C.sub.2 add to a total capacity C.sub.tot of the drive 3.

(52) As discernible from the equivalent circuit, the piezo elements 7 are here considered the dielectric inside the plate capacitors so that any change of the relative dielectric constant .sub.r of the piezo-electric material of the respective piezo element leads to a change of the capacity of the corresponding plate capacitor. This way, by determining the total capacity C.sub.tot of the drive 3, as shown in the following, a determination occurs of the temperature of the piezo elements with sufficient precision.

(53) FIG. 3 shows a relative change of the first coupling factor k.sub.1 and the second coupling factor k.sub.2 of the first piezo element 71 and/or the second piezo element 72. Respectively, the change of the coupling factor k is shown in the 33-direction of the piezo elements, with a polarization of the piezo elements being aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the tension bolt 17 and thus perpendicular to the diaphragm 5.

(54) FIG. 3 shows with 31 the characteristic of the relative change of the first coupling factor k.sub.1 of the first piezo element 71 and with 32 the relative change of the second coupling factor k.sub.2 of the second piezo element 72, in reference to the temperature.

(55) As discernible from FIG. 3, the first coupling factor k.sub.1 has in a temperature range from 50 C. to +200 C. a relative change of about +/5%, with the first coupling factor k.sub.1 additionally showing an extremely linear change behavior. The second coupling factor k.sub.2 comprises, as discernible from the characteristic 32, a non-linear change behavior, with the characteristic 32, starting with a relative change of 20% at 50 C., rising almost linearly to the zero point, then reaches its maximum at approx. 60 C. and +10%, and drops sharply with increasing temperature. The characteristic 32 of the relative change of the second coupling factor k.sub.2 intersects the X-axis at approximately 125 C. once more and then drops almost linearly to a value of 80% at +200 C. It is discernible from this characteristic that the second coupling factor k.sub.2 of the second piezo element 72 drastically drops with increasing temperature. FIG. 4 shows the temperature dependency of the first coupling factor k1 (characteristic 41), the second coupling factor k.sub.2 (characteristic 42), as well as the total of the first coupling factor k.sub.1 and the second coupling factor k.sub.2 (characteristic 43).

(56) Here it is discernible from FIG. 4 that the first coupling factor k.sub.1 develops in the temperature range from 50 C. to +200 C. almost linearly from a value of +17 to a value of +15.

(57) The second coupling factor k.sub.2 of the second piezo element 72 has in the temperature range stated a stronger temperature dependency, with the coupling factor starting at a temperature of 50 C. of +20 essentially rising linearly to approximately +25 at a temperature of 0 C., at a temperature of approximately 60 C. reaches its maximum with +27.5, and then drops up to a temperature of 200 C. to approximately +5.

(58) The characteristic 43 shows the temperature dependency of the total coupling factor k.sub.tot). The total coupling factor k.sub.tot results here from the addition of the first coupling factor k.sub.1 and the second coupling factor k.sub.2 of the first piezo element 71 and the second piezo element 72, which is equivalent to the addition of the characteristics 41 and 42 shown in the diagram in FIG. 4.

(59) FIG. 5 shows the relative change of the first capacity C.sub.1 (characteristic 51), of the second capacity C.sub.2 (characteristic 52) as well as the total capacity C.sub.tot (characteristic 53) in reference to the temperature. The same characteristic also shows the relative change of the respective relative dielectric constant .sub.r. Since under the assumption that an area A of the electrodes, by which the piezo elements 71, 72 are contacted and their distance d remains essentially constant, these values cancel each other out in the formula for calculating the capacity of a plate capacitor such that only the relative change of the relative dielectric constant remains. The formula for calculating the capacity of a plate capacitor is
C=.sub.0.sub.rA/d
With .sub.0 marking the dielectric constant, .sub.r the relative dielectric constant of the material, A the area of the electrode, and d the distance of the electrodes.

(60) It is discernible from FIG. 5 that the first capacity C.sub.1 of the plate capacitor formed with the first piezo element 71 changes essentially linearly in the temperature range from 50 C. to +200 C. in a range of +/5%, with the capacity rising, starting at 5% at 50 C. to +5% at 200 C.

(61) The second capacity C.sub.2 of the plate capacitor formed with the second piezo element 72 changes in the same temperature range from 10% to +55%, whereby in a temperature range from 50 C. to +125 C. an essentially linear increase occurs from 10% to +25% and then an increase with positive curvature to +55%. The relative temperature dependency of the total capacity C.sub.tot of the drive 3 is illustrated by the characteristic 53. The characteristic 53 is here the addition of the characteristics 51 and 52, so that the total capacity C.sub.tot increases from 15% to +60% at 200 C. Such a change in capacity can be well determined with common methods, so that a temperature can be clearly allocated to particularly each capacity change, allowing a temperature determination based on a capacity measurement.

(62) FIG. 6 shows for a drive with two piezo elements made from the first piezo-electric material and a piezo element comprising the second piezo-electric material, the temperature dependency of the coupling factor k of the individual piezo elements as well as the total coupling factor already explained with reference to FIG. 4. By providing two piezo elements made from the first piezo-electric material, the total coupling factor is shifted further upwards so that overall a coupling factor is yielded of greater than 35 over the entire temperature range.

(63) Having learned the present invention, for one trained in the art it is easily possible to reach suitable material combinations in order to yield a sufficient coupling factor over the entire temperature range with simultaneously sufficiently strong temperature dependency for a total capacity of the drive such that a temperature determination is possible based on a capacity measurement without any additional sensors.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(64) 1 Vibration sensor 3 Drive 5 Diaphragm 7 Piezo elements 8 Electrodes 9 Opening 10 Sleeve 11 Mechanical vibrator 13 Adjustment ceramics 14 Spring washer 17 Tension bolt 19 Clamping screw 22 Temperature sensor 25 Cable 31 relative change k.sub.1 32 relative change k.sub.2 41 change k.sub.1 42 change k.sub.2 43 change k.sub.tot 71 First piezo element 72 Second piezo element .sub.0 Dielectric constant .sub.r1 First relative dielectric constant .sub.r2 Second relative dielectric constant k.sub.1 First coupling factor k.sub.2 Second coupling factor k.sub.ges Total coupling factor C.sub.1 First capacity C.sub.2 Second capacity C.sub.ges Total capacity L Longitudinal axis

(65) The references recited herein are incorporated herein in their entirety, particularly as they relate to teaching the level of ordinary skill in this art and for any disclosure necessary for the commoner understanding of the subject matter of the claimed invention. It will be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the above embodiments may be altered or that insubstantial changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is determined by the scope of the following claims and their equitable equivalents.