Patents Assigned to Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
  • Patent number: 8197135
    Abstract: A sensor system for determining a physical, measured variable, and includes a sensor and a control/evaluation unit, which are spatially separated from one another and electrically conductively connected via a cable having at least two conductors, wherein provided in the sensor are a temperature measuring element for determining temperature and a sensor identifier for sensor identification. The control/evaluation unit drives the temperature measuring element and the sensor identifier via a shared conductor with a positive voltage or a negative voltage, and, depending on the applied voltage, reads a temperature measured value of the temperature element or an identifying value of the sensor identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Grozinger, Klaus Ruf
  • Publication number: 20120130509
    Abstract: A method and a system for adjusting a measuring device. The measuring device, determines the physical or chemical process variable based on measurement data; an analytical tool, ascertains the analytical data from the measurement data; a database, in which data sets with analytical data for different process conditions and associated parameter sets for adjusting the measuring device are stored, or in which a plurality of models with associated calculational specifications are stored, which produce the analytical data; and a calculation/control unit, which compares the ascertained analytical data with the stored analytical data, ascertains that data set of the stored analytical data, which has maximum agreement with the ascertained analytical data and adjusts the measuring device corresponding to the associated parameter set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Altendorf, Peter Klöfer, Dietmar Spanke
  • Publication number: 20120125193
    Abstract: A pressure transfer device comprises a hydraulic path, which is formed by a duct, which extends through a solid body arrangement from a pressure source to a pressure sink, wherein the pressure source comprises a separating diaphragm chamber, which communicates with the duct, and which is sealed with a flexible isolating diaphragm, wherein the isolating diaphragm is contactable with a pressure to be transferred, wherein the pressure sink comprises a sealed sink chamber, which communicates with the duct, wherein the separating diaphragm chamber, the duct and the pressure sink chamber are filled with a pressure transfer liquid, wherein the pressure transfer liquid has according to the invention a magnetically changeable viscosity, and wherein the pressure transfer means further comprises in at least one section of the hydraulic path at least one magnet for influencing the viscosity of the pressure transfer liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael PHILIPPS
  • Publication number: 20120119758
    Abstract: A method for determining and/or monitoring at least one physical, process variable of a medium with an oscillatable unit, wherein the oscillatable unit is excited by means of a frequency search sweep within a predetermined frequency band in the working range of the oscillatable unit in the form of transmitted signals successively to oscillate with discrete exciter frequencies wherein the corresponding oscillations of the oscillatable unit are received in the form of received signals, wherein, via the frequency search sweep, the exciter frequency is ascertained, in the case of which the oscillatable unit oscillates with an oscillation frequency, which has a predetermined phase shift between the transmitted signal and the received signal. The transmitting/receiving unit excites the oscillatable unit to oscillate with the ascertained oscillation frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Urban
  • Patent number: 8176791
    Abstract: An elastic ceramic body and a pressure sensor. The elastic ceramic body comprises: a base body of an elastic ceramic material; and a cover layer, which covers at least one section of a surface of the base body, wherein the cover layer is of a material other than that of the base body, and the cover layer comprises microcrystalline Al2O3 (corundum). The cover layer is preferably prepared in a sol gel process. The pressure sensor, comprises: a disk-shaped measuring membrane, which is embodied as an elastic ceramic body according to the above definition; and at least one membrane support body, on which the measuring membrane is connected at its edge region along an encircling joint to form a pressure-tight measuring chamber between the membrane support body and the measuring membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Hegner, Andreas Rossberg
  • Patent number: 8159386
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by means of a field device by a travel time measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted in the direction of the medium and reflection signals are received, wherein received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function dependent on travel time or travel distance, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal in the echo function are/is ascertained by means of an echo search algorithm and a continuous echo tracking of changes of position and/or of changes of amplitude of the wanted echo signal in the echo function is performed in a defined search window, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal is maintained, in case no wanted echo signal is ascertained in the search window, wherein from position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal, fill level is ascertained, and wherein a measured value of fill level is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexey Malinovskiy, Dietmar Spanke, Edgar Schmitt, Steffen Markoni, Simon Greth, Klaus Pankratz, Stefan Gorenflo
  • Publication number: 20120085165
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining or monitoring a predetermined fill level, a phase boundary or a density of a medium in a container with an oscillatable unit. The oscillatable unit is placed at the height of the predetermined fill level and is excited to oscillate successively with discrete exciter frequencies following one another in a frequency scanning operation (sweep) within a predeterminable frequency band in the working range of the oscillatable unit. The corresponding oscillations of the oscillatable unit are received in the form of received signals; wherein that exciter frequency is ascertained in the frequency scanning operation, at which the oscillatable unit oscillates with an oscillation frequency, which has a predetermined phase shift between the transmission signal and the received signal; and wherein the transmitting/receiving unit excites the oscillatable unit to oscillate with the ascertained oscillation frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Hortenbach, Martin Urban, Dietmar Frühauf, Tobias Brengartner, Frank Ruhnau, Michael Siegel
  • Publication number: 20120085180
    Abstract: A measurement arrangement for measuring and/or monitoring a physical property, comprising a measurement device comprising: at least one primary sensing element to be exposed to a product at a measurement site, a remotely located secondary measurement device, and transmission lines connecting said primary sensing elements to said secondary measuring device, suitable for applications wherein the primary sensing elements may be exposed to strong vibrations at the measurement sites, is described, wherein said secondary measurement device is mounted above all primary sensing elements and wherein said transmission lines comprise an inner core, an outer tubular protection conduit enclosing said core, and a vibration absorbing medium filling an interior of said outer protection conduit surrounding said inner core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Georg Carton, Rob Vermeulen
  • Publication number: 20120060600
    Abstract: An arrangement for measuring fill level of a fill substance in a container, comprising: a fill level measuring device, wherein the device includes measuring device electronics and an antenna connected to the measuring device electronics; and at least one feedthrough installed in a signal path of the microwave signals or the reflection signals; the feedthrough. The feedthrough comprises a hollow conductor, into which a microwave transparent window is inserted gas tightly. The window comprises: a disk, whose thickness corresponds approximately to a half wavelength or a small integer multiple of the half wavelength of a first, hollow conductor propagation capable, signal mode of the microwave signals at a predetermined signal frequency in the disk; and two matching layers located on oppositely lying, outer surfaces of the disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: ENDRESS + HAUSER GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Reimelt
  • Publication number: 20120055256
    Abstract: A ceramic component having at least one electrical feedthrough, comprising: a ceramic body, through which a bore extends; and a metal conductor, which is arranged at least sectionally in the bore and which is secured in the bore by means of an active hard solder, or braze, whereby the bore is sealed. The active hard solder fills an annular gap between the metal conductor and the ceramic body, characterized in that the active hard solder has a radially variable, chemical composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: ENDRESS + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Ulfert Drewes
  • Patent number: 8127615
    Abstract: A method for embossing a separating membrane of a pressure transfer means including a membrane carrier having a membrane bed. With the method, an optimal forming of the separating membrane matched to the form of the membrane bed is achievable. The method includes steps of: welding a planar, separating membrane blank onto the membrane carrier; filling with a lubricant a pressure receiving chamber enclosed by the welded, separating membrane blank and the membrane carrier; producing the separating membrane from the separating membrane blank by embossing the separating membrane blank by pressing it against the membrane bed while lubricant is present in the pressure receiving chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Dannhauer, Igor Getman, Harri Notacker
  • Publication number: 20120043466
    Abstract: A radiometric measuring device for measuring a physical, measured variable, especially a fill level or a density, of a fill substance located in a container, and/or for monitoring an exceeding or subceeding of a predetermined limit value for the physical, measured variable, comprising: a radioactive radiator, which, during operation, sends radioactive radiation through the container; and a detector arranged on a side of the container lying opposite the radiator and serving to receive a radiation intensity penetrating through the container, dependent on the physical, measured variable, and to convert such into an electrical output signal. With this measuring device, in an extremely flexibly predeterminable region to be metrologically registered by the detector, a very exact measuring of the radiation intensity can be put into practice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Simon Weidenbruch, Hartmut Damm, Robert Schauble
  • Patent number: 8117910
    Abstract: An apparatus for capacitive determining and/or monitoring of fill level of a medium in a container. The apparatus includes: A probe unit; a control unit, which supplies the probe unit with a drive signal; and an evaluating unit, which receives a response signal from the probe unit and which determines from the response signal a statement concerning fill level. Stored in the evaluating unit are at least a first and a second formula or a first and a second evaluating algorithm; and, in case accretion lies below a predetermined limit value, the evaluating unit determines the statement concerning fill level via a first formula and, in case accretion lies above the predetermined limit value, the evaluating unit determines the statement concerning fill level via a second formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Igor Getman
  • Patent number: 8104353
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a platform and an elastic measuring membrane, which is joined with a surface of the platform to form a measuring chamber sealed closed at the edge, wherein the platform and/or the measuring membrane comprise ceramic, glass or a single crystal material, the measuring membrane has at least a first electrode, which faces the surface of the platform, the surface of the platform has at least a second electrode, which faces that of the measuring membrane. The capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode is a measure for the pressure to be measured; wherein additionally at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises a conductive layer, which contains metal and glass, and wherein the metal comprises at least two noble metal elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Frank Hegner, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt, Sabine Stolle, Christel Kretschmar, Melanie Hentsche
  • Publication number: 20120022672
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing or minimizing disturbance signals in the case of a field device of process automation, wherein the field device has a control/evaluation unit and a sensor, with, respectively, at least one main electronics and at least one sensor electronics. At least one data line is provided, via which the main electronics and the sensor electronics communicate. At least one galvanic isolating component is provided, which is integrated into the at least one data line, and which prevents transmission of disturbance signals via the one or more data lines. Power supply lines are provided, via which a power supply voltage sufficient for operation of the sensor is made available to the sensor; and wherein, in the power supply lines , filter means are provided, which are designed in such a manner that predetermined requirements for disturbance resistance of the power supply lines are fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Ruf, Marc Schlachter, Wolfgang Brutschin
  • Publication number: 20120017690
    Abstract: A pressure sensor, comprising: a monocrystalline membrane body, which includes a measuring membrane and an edge region surrounding the measuring membrane. The edge region has a greater material thickness than the measuring membrane and the edge region has a first mounting surface, whose surface normal is given by a first principal crystal axis. A monocrystalline substrate, which, with respect to crystal structure, comprises the same semiconductor material as the membrane body, the substrate has a second mounting surface, whose surface normal extends parallel to the first principal crystal axis. The membrane body is tightly connected to the substrate by joining the first mounting surface to the second mounting surface. The orientations of other principal crystal axes of the membrane body and the substrate are, in each case, oriented parallel relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Philipps
  • Patent number: 8096178
    Abstract: An apparatus for capacitive ascertaining and/or monitoring of the fill level of a medium in a container. The apparatus includes at least one probe unit, which is electrically insulated relative to the medium, and at least one electronics unit, which supplies the probe unit with at least one electrical, actuating signal, receives an electrical measurement signal from the probe unit, and evaluates the measurement signal as regards the fill level The actuating signal is an electrical alternating voltage signal. The electronics unit is embodied in such a manner that it supplies the probe unit with the actuating signal in a measuring phase, and supplies the probe unit with a test signal in a test phase, and that it receives a test measurement signal in the test phase from the probe unit, wherein the test signal is selected in such a manner that it has at least one section with an essentially constant voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Armin Wernet, Roland Dieterle, Kaj Uppenkamp
  • Publication number: 20120004860
    Abstract: A field device for determining or monitoring a physical or chemical, process variable, comprising: a sensor, which works according to a defined measuring principle; and a control/evaluation unit. The control/evaluation unit is realized on a partially dynamically reconfigurable FPGA component, which is constructed from a plurality of FPGA blocks units. Each FPGA block unit comprises a plurality of logic blocks. Global resources or global function blocks are associated with each FPGA block unit or groups of FPGA block units. At least a first section and a second section are provided on the FPGA-component. The sections comprise FPGA block units and corresponding global resources global function blocks. In each section a digital measuring path comprising a plurality of software based and/or hardware based, function modules, is partially dynamically reconfigurable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Romuald Girardey
  • Publication number: 20110303023
    Abstract: A pressure sensor, comprising: a semiconductor pressure measuring transducer having a measuring membrane and a circuit for transducing a deformation of the measuring membrane into a signal; a pressure transfer structure having a hydraulic path, which extends through a solid body between a first a second opening. The first opening is sealed by an isolating diaphragm, which is contactable with a pressure, in order to introduce the pressure to be measured into the hydraulic path. The hydraulic path opens, at the second opening, into a transducer chamber, in which the pressure measuring transducer is arranged and which is sealed by the measuring membrane of the pressure measuring transducer. The hydraulic path contains a transfer liquid; a filling element, which is arranged in the transducer chamber, in order to fill hollow spaces between metal walls of the transducer chamber and the semiconductor pressure measuring transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Raimund Becher, Ralf Nurnberger, Fred Haker, Olaf Krusemark, Olaf Textor
  • Patent number: 8069729
    Abstract: A pressure measuring device for measuring and/or monitoring the pressure of a measured medium. The pressure measuring device includes a sensor housing and a measurement transmitter, wherein assigned to the sensor housing is a pressure measuring cell with a pressure sensitive measuring element. Assigned to the pressure measuring cell is a temperature sensor, and assigned to the measurement transmitter is a control/evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Dannhauer, Michael Philipps