Rheometer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895520-B2
Application number	US-201916289899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2019
Priority date	Mar 1, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A rheometer includes a measuring shaft unit being rotatably mounted in a stationary support unit and having a measuring shaft carrying a measuring part. Transmitting units having optical transmitters are disposed on the support unit and receiving units having optical receivers are disposed on the measuring shaft unit for data transmission therebetween. A measuring sensor disposed on the measuring shaft detects at least one parameter. The transmitting and receiving units are disposed between the measuring shaft unit and the support unit and are associated with one another for exchanging data. The optical transmitters on the support unit transmit data and energy to the optical receivers on the measuring shaft unit. The transmitting units feed or transmit to the optical receivers at least energy required by the optical transmitters on the measuring shaft unit and the measuring sensor to output or transmit data to the optical receivers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rheometer, comprising:
a stationary support unit;
at least one measuring shaft unit being rotatably mounted in said stationary support unit, said at least one measuring shaft unit having a measuring shaft carrying a measuring part;
transmitting units having optical transmitters and being disposed on said support unit and receiving units having optical receivers and being disposed on said at least one measuring shaft unit for data transmission between said at least one measuring shaft unit and said support unit;
at least one measuring sensor disposed on said at least one measuring shaft unit for detecting at least one parameter;
said transmitting units and said receiving units being formed between said at least one measuring shaft unit and said support unit and being associated with one another for exchanging data;
said optical transmitters located on said support unit being configured both for transmitting data and for transmitting energy to said optical receivers located on said at least one measuring shaft unit; and
said transmitting units feeding or transmitting to said optical receivers at least energy required by said optical transmitters located on said at least one measuring shaft unit and said at least one measuring sensor to output or transmit data to said optical receivers.

2. The rheometer according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one measuring shaft unit includes a housing or a stand;
said measuring shaft is driven by a motor or a measuring motor;
said at least one parameter is at least one of temperature or pressure of at least one of said measuring part or a sample under investigation;
said data are data detected by said measuring sensor;
said optical transmitters are LEDs, laser diodes or light diodes;
said optical receivers are photosensors; and
said transmitting units and said receiving units are disposed in opposite planes oriented perpendicularly to an axis of said measuring shaft.

3. The rheometer according to claim 1 , wherein:
one of said optical transmitters is provided on said at least one measuring shaft for sending data and an associated one of said optical receivers is provided on said support unit for receiving said data;
said optical transmitters are mounted on said measuring shaft, centrally in a region of an axis of rotation or at an end face or on a circumferential surface of said measuring shaft; and
an associated optical receiver is located on said support unit of said measuring shaft, disposed in a surrounding or circumferential area and oriented opposite said measuring shaft or an end face of said measuring shaft.

4. The rheometer according to claim 1 , which further comprises at least one of:
a plurality of said optical receivers for receiving energy being disposed on said at least one measuring shaft unit or
a plurality of said optical transmitters for emitting energy being disposed on said support unit.

5. The rheometer according to claim 4 , which further comprises circuit boards respectively receiving said optical receivers and said optical transmitters disposed along a circumference of a circle with a center point in an axis of rotation of said measuring shaft or distributed centrally symmetrically about the axis of rotation.

6. The rheometer according to claim 1 , which further comprises at least one of:
a processor unit provided on said at least one measuring shaft unit, said processor unit at least one of controlling both outputting data from said at least one measuring shaft unit to said support unit and receiving at least one of data or energy from said support unit or preparing measured values having been ascertained by said measuring sensor and feeding said measured values to at least one of said optical transmitters for transmitting data to said support unit, or
a control and evaluation unit provided on said support unit for controlling an output of at least one of data or energy to said optical receivers located on said at least one measuring shaft unit and for reception and evaluation of data obtained from said optical transmitters located on said at least one measuring shaft unit.

7. The rheometer according to claim 6 , wherein said processor unit supplies the energy transmitted to said optical receivers to said measuring sensor and said at least one optical transmitter for sending the detected measured values, evaluates incoming data signals and stores excess energy if appropriate.

8. The rheometer according to claim 6 , which further comprises at least one switching unit disposed in at least one of said support unit or said at least one measuring shaft unit or said processor unit and in said control and evaluation unit, said switching unit being configured to clock at least one of light or energy radiation of said optical transmitters with a clocking representing a code predetermined by said switching unit for the data to be transmitted to be decoded in at least one of said processor unit or said control and evaluation unit.

9. The rheometer according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of said processor unit or said control and evaluation unit regulates at least one of the energy or intensity of light emitted by said optical transmitters.

10. The rheometer according to claim 2 , wherein said optical transmitter disposed on said at least one measuring shaft unit for data output is disposed on an end face in an end region of said measuring shaft far from said measuring part, and said photosensor associated with said optical transmitter is disposed opposite said transmitter on said support unit in an interior region of said motor.

11. The rheometer according to claim 2 , wherein said optical transmitters located on said support unit are directly supported by said motor or said support unit.

12. The rheometer according to claim 2 , which further comprises:
a first circuit board having a circumference along which said optical transmitters are distributed; and
a second circuit board or mounting part disposed opposite said first circuit board for supporting said optical receivers.

13. The rheometer according to claim 12 , wherein said first circuit board is circular and is supported by said support unit or said motor.

14. The rheometer according to claim 1 , wherein said optical transmitters have a predetermined beam angle and are located at an offset from said optical receivers causing light cones emitted by said optical transmitters to overlap in an area covered by said optical receivers while rotating about an axis of said measuring shaft or illuminating the area continuously or completely.

15. The rheometer according to claim 6 , wherein:
at least one of said processor unit or said control and evaluation unit has a control unit containing a setpoint memory for a setpoint for energy radiated from said optical transmitters to photosensors and for voltage formed at said optical receivers or photosensors; and
a comparison circuit is connected to said setpoint memory for comparing said setpoint with an actual value corresponding to irradiated energy and voltage formed thereby, and for regulating energy emitted by said optical transmitters based on a result of said comparison.

Assignees

• Anton Paar Gmbh

Inventors

• Ziegler Anton

Classifications

• G01N2011/0006

  Calibrating, controlling or cleaning viscometers · CPC title

• G01N11/142 Primary

  Sample held between two members substantially perpendicular to axis of rotation, e.g. parallel plate viscometer · CPC title

• G01N2011/145

  both members rotating · CPC title

• G01N2011/008

  optical properties · CPC title

• G01N11/00

  Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity, plasticity; Analysing materials by determining flow properties · CPC title