System Consisting of a Fill Level Measuring Device for Measuring the Fill Level of a Medium in a Container and Attachment and an Attachment

Abstract

A system includes a fill level measuring device and at least one attachment. The fill level measuring device measures the fill level of a medium in a container. The fill level measuring device has a control and evaluation unit for generating a measurement signal, and a process connection element. The process connection element has a transmission element on the medium side. The transmission element is at least partially permeable to the measurement signal. The at least one attachment is connected to the process connection element. The at least one attachment has, on the medium side, an attachment lens for coupling the measurement signal into the container. The attachment lens is designed and, during operation, arranged behind the transmission element in the propagation direction of the measurement signal in such a way that the attachment lens changes the opening angle of the measurement signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising a fill level measuring device for measuring the fill level of a medium in a container; and at least one attachment; wherein the fill level measuring device has a control and evaluation unit for generating a measurement signal and a process connection element; wherein the process connection element has a transmission element on a medium side; wherein the transmission element is at least partially permeable to the measurement signal; wherein the at least one attachment is connected to the process connection element; wherein the at least one attachment has, on the medium side, an attachment lens coupling the measurement signal into the container; and wherein the attachment lens is designed and, during operation, arranged behind the transmission element in the propagation direction of the measurement signal in such a way that the attachment lens changes the opening angle of the measurement signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission element is designed as a lens or as a window.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the process connection element and the at least one attachment is designed as a detachable connection; wherein the connection is designed as a non-positive and/or positive connection; and wherein the connection is implemented via a thread or via a latching connection or via a flange connection.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the process connection element and the at least one attachment is designed as a non-detachable connection; and wherein the non-detachable connection is designed as a substance-to-substance connection.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein a holder is provided; and wherein the at least one attachment is configured to be connected to the container via the holder.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment is designed as an adapter; and wherein the adapter is designed to be connected both to the process connection element and to a container connection via a thread.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment has an interior space and the region between the transmission element and the attachment lens is designed as a hollow space.

8. The system according claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment has an interior space and that-at least one dielectric material is present in the interior space of the at least one attachment for guiding and/or for adjusting the measurement signal.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment has an interior space and that a horn structure for guiding the measurement signal is present in the interior space of the at least one attachment.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission element is designed as a lens; and wherein a diameter of the lens is smaller than the diameter of the attachment lens.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission element is designed as a lens; and wherein a diameter of the lens is larger than the diameter of the attachment lens.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission element is designed as a lens; and wherein a diameter of the lens is substantially identical to the diameter of the attachment lens.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein an overpressure protection is present in the region of the hollow space for limiting the overpressure in the hollow space.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the overpressure protection is designed to be triggered when a limit value for the pressure in the at least one attachment is exceeded; and wherein the limit value is smaller than the maximum permitted process pressure.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission element and/or the attachment lens are designed as a seal.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the attachment lens is designed and adjusted to the transmission element in such a way that the attachment lens additionally changes the propagation direction of the measurement signal.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fill level measuring device is assigned a plurality of attachments with which different opening angles of the measurement signal and/or different directional changes in the propagation direction of the measurement signal are implemented; and wherein the individual attachments differ in the shape and/or in the size and/or in the material of the attachment lens and/or in the distance of the attachment lens from the transmission element in the connected state.

18. An attachment for connection to a process connection element of a fill level measuring device for producing a system including the fill level measuring device and the attachment, wherein the fill level measuring device is configured to measure the fill level of a medium in a container, wherein the fill level measuring device has a control and evaluation unit for generating a measurement signal and the process connection element, wherein the process connection element has a transmission element on a medium side, wherein the transmission element is at least partially permeable to the measurement signal, the attachment comprising: an attachment lens for coupling the measurement signal into the container; and wherein the attachment lens is designed and, during operation, arranged behind the transmission element in the propagation direction of the measurement signal in such a way that the attachment lens changes the opening angle of the measurement signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] There is now a plurality of possibilities for designing and further developing the system according to the invention and the attachment according to the invention. For this, reference is made to the description of the following embodiments together with the drawings.

[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0053] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0056] FIG. 7 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention.

[0057] FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment of a system according to the invention arranged on a container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a system 1 comprising a fill level measuring device 2 for measuring the fill level of a medium in a container and an attachment 3, wherein the fill level measuring device 2 has a control and evaluation unit 4 and a process connection element 5, wherein the process connection element 5 has on the medium side a transmission element 6 in the form of a lens 7, wherein the lens 7 is at least partially permeable to the measurement signal generated by the control and evaluation unit 4.

[0059] An attachment 3 is connected to the process connection element 5 via a threaded connection 8, wherein the attachment 3 has an attachment lens 9 on the medium side for coupling the measurement signal into a container 10. In the connected state shown, the attachment lens 9 is designed and arranged in such a way that it shapes, i.e. focuses or expands, the directional characteristic of the measurement signal in the propagation direction of the measurement signal behind the transmission element 6 for adaptation to the process situation.

[0060] In the embodiment shown, the attachment lens 9 and the lens 7 are adapted to each other in such a way that the opening angle of the measurement signal is reduced by the attachment lens. For this, the opening of the attachment lens 9 is particularly large. This embodiment is thus particularly advantageous in measuring situations in which the container 10 is long and narrow, or in which interfering installations protrude into the container 10.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention, wherein, in contrast to the first embodiment, the lens 7 designed as a transmission element 6 has a larger diameter than the attachment lens 9. According to this design, the lens 7 and the attachment lens 9 are adapted to each other in such a way that the opening angle of the measurement signal is increased by the attachment lens 9. For this, the diameter of the attachment lens 9 is smaller than the diameter of the lens 7.

[0062] In addition to the deviation in diameter, the attachment lens 9 can also deviate from the lens 7 in shape, in particular in the radius of curvature and/or in material. This is shown in FIG. 3.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment, wherein the distance between the attachment lens 9 and the lens 7 formed as a transmission element 6 is shortened.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a system 1 consisting of a fill level measuring device 2 and an attachment 3, wherein the transmission element 6 is formed as a lens 7 and wherein the attachment lens 9 is adapted to the lens 7 in such a way that it both decreases and pivots the opening angle of the measurement signal by a few degrees.

[0065] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the diameter of the first lens 7 formed as a transmission element 6 corresponds to the diameter of the attachment lens 9. A dielectric material 12 is arranged between the lenses 7 and 9 for guiding the measurement signal. In this embodiment, both the first lens 7 formed as a transmission element 6 and the attachment lens 9 are formed as a seal, so that here the electronics of the control and evaluation unit 4 and the associated wiring, not shown here, are protected by a double seal.

[0066] This embodiment is particularly advantageous in applications where there is a risk of explosion.

[0067] The attachment 3 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 additionally has an overpressure safety device 11, which releases pressure from the attachment 3 in the event of an undesired overpressure in the attachment 3, for example if the seal arranged on the process side is defective. Particularly in combination with a double seal, this embodiment is advantageous with regard to the application in explosive measuring situations.

[0068] FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention, which is arranged on a container 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment 3 is designed as an adapter. The adapter is screwed to both the process connection element 5 and the container connection. Also shown is an overpressure protection 11, which is arranged on the housing of the attachment 3 outside the container 10. As a result, this embodiment is also particularly suitable for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.