Sensor Assembly for a Sensor, Sensor, and Measuring System Formed Therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017284841-A1
Application number	US-201515507350-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2015
Priority date	Sep 1, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The sensor assembly ( 11 ) comprises: a bowl shaped, namely at least sectionally dished, membrane ( 111 ), with a curved surface ( 111+ ) and an oppositely lying surface ( 111# ); and a sensor blade ( 12 ) extending from the surface ( 111+ ) of the membrane. The membrane ( 11 ) is so formed that at least one region of the surface ( 111+ ) adjoining the sensor blade is convex. A sensor formed by means of such a sensor assembly and by means of a transducer element ( 12 ) coupled therewith and serving for generating a sensor signal representing movements of the sensor blade changing as a function of time and/or deformations of the membrane changing as a function of time, respectively a measuring system formed by means of the sensor and a measuring electronics connected thereto, can be used for registering pressure fluctuations in a flowing fluid, such as, for instance, a 400 C hot steam, for instance, in order to measure a flow parameter of the fluid.

First claim

1 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . A sensor assembly for a sensor, especially for a sensor for registering pressure fluctuations in a Kármán vortex street formed in a flowing fluid, which sensor assembly comprises:
a bowl shaped, namely at least sectionally dished, membrane, with a curved, first surface and an oppositely lying, second surface, especially a curved, second surface and/or a second surface at least partially parallel and/or at least partially non parallel, to the first surface; and
a sensor blade extending from said first surface of said membrane, especially a rod-shaped or plate-shaped or wedge-shaped, sensor blade, wherein:
said membrane is so formed that at least one region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is convex.

28 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is so formed that the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is aspherical; and/or said membrane is so formed that the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is axially symmetric relative to at least one imaginary axis of symmetry, especially in such a manner that the symmetry axis is parallel to a principle axis of inertia of said sensor blade and/or in such a manner that the symmetry axis is perpendicular to a principle axis of inertia of said sensor blade.

29 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is so formed that the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is axially symmetric relative to exactly two imaginary axes of symmetry, which are perpendicular to one another, especially in such a manner that at least one of the axes of symmetry is parallel to a principle axis of inertia of said sensor blade and/or in such a manner that a principle axis of inertia of said sensor blade is perpendicular to one of the imaginary axes of symmetry and parallel to the other imaginary axis of symmetry.

30 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is so formed that a region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is rotationally symmetric, especially spherical.

31 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
a segment of said membrane carrying said sensor blade has a first zone forming a center of said membrane and having a first thickness and a second zone adjoining said first zone, especially surrounding said first zone, and having a second thickness different from said first thickness, especially in such a manner that said first thickness is less than said second thickness; and/or at least one region of said second surface lying opposite the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is concave; and/or said membrane is so formed that a membrane height, measured as a minimum separation of a center of area of said first surface from an imaginary projected area inscribed by a peripheral outer edge of the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade is less than a membrane diameter, measured as a greatest diameter of the projected area, especially in such a manner that said membrane diameter is less than a greatest semi axis, respectively less than a radius, of said projected area, and/or that a diameter to-height ratio of said membrane, defined as a ratio of the membrane diameter to the membrane height is less than 30 and/or greater than 2, especially less than 20 and/or greater than 5, and/or in such a manner that a ratio of said membrane diameter to a length of said sensor blade, measured as the minimum separation between a proximal end of said sensor blade, namely an end adjoining said membrane, and a distal end of said sensor blade remote from said membrane, or its surface, amounts to less than 2 and/or greater than 0.5.

32 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is at least partially conical.

33 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is so formed that at least the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade corresponds to a surface of a spherical zone, especially in such a manner that a top area of said spherical zone corresponds to a cross sectional area of said sensor blade.

34 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is so formed that at least the region of said first surface adjoining said sensor blade corresponds to a lateral surface of a frustum.

35 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
the membrane is so formed that at least the region of the first surface adjoining the sensor blade corresponds to a segment of a surface of an ellipsoid.

36 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said sensor blade and said membrane are so positioned and oriented relative to one another that a principle axis of inertia of said sensor blade is parallel to or coincides with a principle axis of inertia of said sensor assembly, and/or said sensor blade and said membrane are so positioned and oriented relative to one another that a principle axis of inertia of said membrane, when lengthened, extends parallel to a principle axis of inertia of said sensor assembly, especially coincides therewith.

37 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane is composed, at least partially, especially predominantly or completely, of a metal, especially a stainless steel, or a nickel based alloy; and/or said sensor blade is composed, at least partially, especially predominantly or completely, of a metal, especially a stainless steel, or a nickel based alloy; and/or said membrane and said sensor blade are of the same material; and/or said membrane and said sensor blade are components of one and the same, monolithic, molded part, for example, one cast or manufactured by 3D laser melting.

38 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , wherein:
said membrane and said sensor blade are connected with one another by material bonding, especially welded, respectively soldered or brazed.

39 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 27 , further comprising:
a compensating body extending from said second surface of the membrane, especially a rod-shaped or plate-shaped or sleeve-shaped, compensating body, for compensating forces and/or moments resulting from movements of the sensor assembly.

40 . The sensor assembly as claimed in claim 39 , wherein:
at least one region of said second surface adjoining said compensating body is concave; and/or said membrane and said compensating body are connected with one another by material bonding, especially welded, respectively soldered or brazed; and/or said sensor blade and said compensating body are arranged aligned with one another; and/or said membrane is so formed that the region of said second surface adjoining said compensating body is rotationally symmetric; and/or said compensating body and said membrane are so positioned and oriented relative to one another that a principle axis of inertia of said membrane, when lengthened, extends parallel to a principle axis of inertia of said compensating body, especially coincides therewith; and/or said sensor blade, said compensating body and said membrane are so positioned and oriented relative to one another that a principle axis of inertia of the sensor assembly is parallel both to a principle axis of inertia of said sensor blade as well as also to a principle axis of inertia of said compensating body, as well as also to a principle axis of inertia of said membrane, respectively the principle axis of inertia of said sensor assembly coincides both with the principle axis of inertia of the sensor blade as well a

Assignees

• Endress & Hauser Flowtec Ag
• Endress+ Hauser Flowtec Ag

Inventors

• Lais Christian
• Strub Andreas
• Wiederkehr Dominique

Classifications

• G01F15/16

  Diaphragms; Bellows; Mountings therefor · CPC title

• G01F1/3209 Primary

  using Karman vortices · CPC title

• G01F1/3254 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01F1/3259 Primary

  for detecting fluid pressure oscillations · CPC title