SENSOR ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A sensor arrangement for identifying and measuring environmental parameters, in particular in flat roof structures, including a first group of functional units containing at least one sensor and a transmission/reception antenna for wireless communication, and a second group of functional units containing at least one sensor, a measurement, storage and evaluation unit, and a power supply. The two groups of functional units are accommodated in separate housings, but operatively connected to one another. The first functional group has a sensor for water in liquid form and a humidity sensor, and the second functional group preferably has at least one surface pressure sensor. A measurement network can include a group of the sensor arrangements that are controlled/monitored from a common transmission/reception unit. The installation of such a measurement network is also described.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement (10) for identifying and measuring environmental parameters, the sensor arrangement comprising: a first group of functional units (100) including at least one first sensor and a transmission/reception antenna (250) for wireless communication; a second group of functional units (200) including at least one second sensor, a measurement, storage and evaluation unit, and a power supply; and the first and second groups of functional units (100, 200) are accommodated in separate housings (110, 210) and are operatively connected to one another.

2. The sensor arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second group of functional units (200) comprises a sensor for water in liquid form and a humidity sensor.

3. The sensor arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first group of functional units (100) comprises a surface pressure sensor.

4. The sensor arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second groups of functional units (100, 200) are operatively connected by way of a cable (50).

5. The sensor arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housings (110, 210) of the first and second groups of functional units (100, 200) are connected using a form fit by fitting them together along longitudinal axes thereof.

6. The sensor arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply includes a battery having a life of more than 20 years.

7. The sensor arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (210) of the second group of functional units (200) has one or more apertures for the at least one second sensor.

8. A method for installing a plurality of the sensor arrangements (10) as claimed in claim 1 in an insulation layer (30) of a flat roof (350), said flat roof (350) comprising at least one statically load-bearing ceiling (20) and an insulation layer (30) arranged thereabove; the method comprising: a) providing the flat roof having the insulation layer (30); b) providing a plurality of the sensor arrangements (10) to be installed; c) making an opening in the insulation layer (30) at a predetermined point on the flat roof by way of preforming at least one of incision, removal, drilling or cutting, or punching; d) inserting one said sensor arrangement into the opening by introducing the housing (210) of the second group of functional units (200) to a predefined, or predetermined, depth; e) sliding the housing (100) of the first group of functional units (100) into the same said opening until the predefined position for said group is reached; f) repeating steps c) to f) until all of the plurality of the sensor arrangements are installed.

9. The installing as claimed in claim 8, further comprising g) laying and securing a roof film (40).

10. The installing as claimed in claim 9, wherein step d) further comprises mounting the housing (210) of the second group of functional units (200) close to or in contact with the ceiling (20), and step e) comprises mounting the housing (110) of the first group of functional units (100) close to, or on, an outwardly, or upwardly, pointing surface of the insulation layer (30).

11. The installing as claimed in claim 10, wherein that end of the housing (110) of the first group of functional units (100) which has been introduced close to the surface of the insulation layer (30) finishes flush with the surface of the insulation layer (30) and, after step g), is in direct contact with the roof film (40).

12. A measurement network (300) comprising a plurality of the sensor arrangements (10, 310, 310, . . . ) as claimed in claim 1 installed in an insulation layer (30) of a flat roof (350); and one or more transmission/reception station(s) (320, 320) for transferring data and instructions between the sensor arrangements (10, 310, 310, 310) and the transmission/reception station(s) (320, 320).

13. The measurement network (300) as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a computer-based evaluation, storage and information conditioning unit configured to receive data from the sensor arrangements, to assess said data, to compare said data with target and alarm values and to use stored information to output instructions to at least one of the sensor arrangements or display devices.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a roof structure showing an installed sensor arrangement.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a roof showing a measurement network comprising individual sensor arrangements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a sensor arrangement 10 installed in a roof structure. The first functional group 100 is embedded in an insulation layer 30 at the top edge of the image, just below a roof film 40. The functional group 100 is accommodated in a housing 110, here consisting of a cylindrical body part 120 having a planar, disk-shaped head 130. This shape was chosen in order firstly to ensure that the body part 120 remains definitively in the upper part of the insulation layer 30, because the head 130 acts as a stop when inserted into the insulation layer 30. Secondly, this shape is advantageous for embedding a surface pressure sensor into the head 130 in a protected manner. Not least, the surface area of the head 130 also provides the opportunity to mount an antenna (indicated as 250).

[0042] The functional group 100, or the housing 110, is operatively connected to the second functional group 200, or the housing 210. This connection is ensured in this case by a connecting cable, indicated here as a spiral cable 50. This permits the use of a sensor arrangement 10 in insulation layers 30 of different thickness. The housing 210 likewise has a cylindrical body part 220 and a tip 230, which has the shape of a truncated cone here. In preferred embodiments, the underside (referenced to the drawing) of the truncated cone here will have an opening that points towards the surface of the ceiling 20 (downwards). This has the advantage that a sensor for water may be brought closer to precisely that surface on which liquids potentially collect.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a measurement network 300 comprising individual sensor arrangements 310, 310, 310, . . . (small triangles) arranged on a roof 350. The flush mounting, as shown in FIG. 1, is not meant to be important in this bird's eye view. It can be seen that some of the sensor arrangements 310 may be arranged in regular patterns, but also in denser groups. This may be appropriate for the task of monitoring damage, in order to be able to monitor at-risk roof sections more closely. As such, FIG. 2 shows multiple sensor arrangements 310 grouped around a skylight 330. Non-critical areas may be thinned out, on the other hand. The drawing shows two base stations 320, 320. Both have a sphere of influence 340 that covers multiple sensor arrangements. In this sphere of influence, data may be received and transmitted between the sensor arrangements 310, 310, . . . and the base stations 320, 320. The range will depend on the transmission/reception systems used, the local circumstances and any coverage of the sensors by snow or other material.