Method and apparatus for orienting a measuring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989401-B2
Application number	US-201113976604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2011
Priority date	Dec 30, 2010
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A measuring device featuring ascertaining and monitoring optimized orientation of the measuring device. Thus, the invention provides a measuring device for determining and/or monitoring limit level or fill level of a medium in a container, comprising at least one sensor unit and a measurement transmitter unit, wherein at least one inclination sensor is integrated in the measuring device for ascertaining orientation of the measuring device and/or the sensor unit on the container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measuring device for determining and/or monitoring limit level or fill level of a medium in a container, comprising:
at least one sensor unit; and
a measurement transmitter unit, and
at least an inclination sensor, wherein:
said at least one inclination sensor is integrated in the measuring device for ascertaining orientation of the measuring device and/or said at least one sensor unit on the container;
said at least one inclination sensor continually monitors orientation of the measuring device and/or said sensor unit in the form of at least one orientation measured value during operation of the measuring device; and
said measurement transmitter unit has a memory unit, in which limit values for the orientation measured value are stored, and the measuring device outputs an error report in the case of an ascertained orientation measured value lying outside the range of the limit values.

2. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one inclination sensor is embodied in said at least one sensor unit.

3. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one inclination sensor is integrated in said measurement transmitter unit.

4. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said inclination sensor ascertains orientation of the measuring device and/or said sensor unit in the form of at least one orientation measured value at start-up of the measuring device.

5. The measuring device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein:
a display unit is integrated in said measurement transmitter unit which displays the orientation measured value and/or the error report visually or acoustically for ascertaining the orientation.

6. The measuring device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein:
a communication unit integrated in said measurement transmitter unit and transmits the orientation measured value and/or the error report via a fieldbus to a remote, control station.

7. The measuring device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
an automatic orienting apparatus is integrated in the measuring device for performing, based on the orientation measured value, a corresponding change of the orientation of the measuring device on the container.

8. The measuring device as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising:
a drive, which, by means of said orienting apparatus, automatically brings about an installed position of the measuring device and/or said sensor unit.

Assignees

• Ferraro Franco
• Faber Harald
• Markoni Steffen
• Endress Hauser Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Ferraro Franco
• Faber Harald
• Markoni Steffen

Classifications

• G01F23/2967

  for discrete levels · CPC title

• G01F23/00

  Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm · CPC title

• G01F23/2962

  Measuring transit time of reflected waves · CPC title

• G01F25/0084 Primary

  for measuring volume · CPC title

• G01F23/284 Primary

  Electromagnetic waves · CPC title