Abstract: The measuring assembly comprises a sensor module containing at least one sensor and an analog/digital converter for digitizing the analog measurement signal furnished by the sensor as well as an analyzer module with means for digitally processing the digitized measurement data furnished by the sensor module. The program code and the sensor-specific coefficients for processing the digitized measurement data are stored in a non-volatile digital memory in the sensor module. On power up a control circuit contained in the sensor module prompts transfer of the memorized data and subsequent transfer of the digitized measurement data via a unidirectional serial interface to the analyzer module, as a result of which on installation or replacement of a sensor module all sensor-specific data is directly available at the analyzer module. Furthermore, DC decoupling the sensor module from the analyzer module is made possible by simple means.

Abstract: A relative-pressure sensor is provided which is protected against contaminants and/or moisture and manages without an oil filling, having a gas-filled measuring chamber (5), which is sealed with a pressure-sensitive measuring diaphragm (3), on the outside of which a pressure (P) to be measured acts during operation, a gas-filled compressible resilient bellows (17, 18), on which a reference pressure (R) acts from outside during operation, whose internal volume depends on the reference pressure (R), and which is connected to the measuring chamber (5) in order to adapt an internal pressure prevailing in the measuring chamber (5) to the reference pressure (R), and a transducer for converting a pressure-dependent deflection of the measuring diaphragm, (3) into an electric measured variable.

Abstract: In this flush-diaphragm relative pressure sensor (1), the reference air reaches its current dew point before getting into the interior of the housing. The sensor has a capacitive, resistive, or piezoelectric sensing element (2) with a diaphragm (21) an external surface of which comes into direct contact with a medium under pressure. A housing (7) has an interior space (71) and a front portion (72) open across the interior space in the vicinity of which the diaphragm closes the interior space such that the front portion projects beyond the diaphragm. Further, the housing has a bore (721) extending through the front portion from an outer side thereof to the interior space for guiding the reference air. The bore is closed from the outer side with an open-pore, highly heat-conducting and hydrophobic filter (8), so that the filter and the diaphragm are at the same or nearly the same temperature. The filter can be made of a sintered metal, e.g. high-grade steel or bronze, or of a metallic sponge, e.g.

Abstract: In order to excite Lamb waves in a plate or container wall, an IDT transducer (interdigital transducer) is employed. The IDT comprises a layer composed of piezoelectric material, and on one of whose surfaces two electrodes which engage in one another like fingers are applied. The IDT is acoustically coupled to the plate or container wall by means of the surface facing away from the electrodes. If a radio-frequency AC voltage is applied to the connections of the electrodes, then a thickness vibration is initiated in the piezoelectric layer. If the speed of propagation or speed of sound of the longitudinal waves which result in this thickness vibration in the piezoelectric layer is matched to the phase velocity with which a s0 mode Lamb wave propagates in the material of the plate or of the container wall then only s0 mode Lamb waves are initiated by the resonance effect in the plate or container wall, by virtue of the acoustic coupling between the piezoelectric layer and the plate or container wall.

Abstract: A description is given of a filling level measuring device operating with microwaves, having a housing and an insert composed of a dielectric, and of a process for producing the dielectric, in which the dielectric constant of the insert is adjustable and in which the insert has a high chemical resistance and a mechanical strength adequate for industrial applications. The dielectric is a composite material composed of a fluoroplastic, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene, and ceramic and is produced by mixing powdered ceramic and powdered fluoroplastic, drying the mixture, pressing the mixture and sintering the pressed mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the highly accurate determination of the filling level (q) of a product (4) in a container (2), measuring signals being transmitted in the direction of the surface (5) of the filled product (4) and reflected at the surface (5) as echo signals and the filling level (q) in the container (2) being determined by evaluation of the amplitude values (A) and phase values (&psgr;) of the reflected echo signals by means of a pulse delay-time method. Furthermore, an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method is proposed. The invention is based on the object of proposing a method and an apparatus which permit highly accurate filling level measurements in containers (2), even if multipath propagation or multimode propagation occurs.

Abstract: A measurement device for measuring medium levels having a cable probe including a cable, and a method for shortening the cable of the cable probe are discussed. The cable is shortened without the need to remove the housing of the measurement device. The device has a housing in which measurement electronics are accommodated and within which the probe extends. A built-in sleeve is provided in the interior of the housing which can be removed from the housing by rotation of the built0in sleeve about its longitudinal axis. This removal provides the needed access to shorten the cable. All that is necessary are a screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

Abstract: A fastening means (7) is proposed for bushings of all types on housings (1), in particular plastic housings, on which at least two bushings (2a, 2b) are formed on in the form of short, hollow-cylindrical projections, which permit accesses into the housing interior and on which various lines, such as supply lines and/or signal lines and the like for an item of equipment located in the housing (1), are fastened by means of adapters (5a, 5b) fastened there. The fastening means (7) comprises a sheet-like base plate (8) in which openings are provided, the inner surfaces of which are shaped in such a way that the base plate (8) fits on all the adapters (5a, 5b) and in this way connects them to one another and braces them against one another. This achieves the effect that, when screwing in and tightening cable connections or connections of other lines into the adapters (5), overstressing of the connection of the adapters (5a, 5b) to the housing (1) is avoided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for establishing and/or monitoring the filling level of a medium in a container and to the determination of the density of a medium in a container. It is the object of the invention to propose a method and an apparatus which permit reliable determination and/or monitoring of the filling level or the density of a medium. With reference to the apparatus according to the invention, the object is achieved by virtue of the fact that at least a first mode and a second mode of the oscillations of the oscillable unit (2) are evaluated, and the evaluated modes are used to detect a change in mass at the oscillable unit (2).

Abstract: A sensor apparatus (1) designed for industrial applications is provided for transmitting electrical pulses from a signal line (2) into and out of a vessel to measure a process variable, which has a low outer diameter, preferably of 1½″ or lower, while providing high mechanical stability and maintaining a high degree of transmission efficiency.

Abstract: The electrodes of these pressure or differential pressure sensors are formed using a technique other than silk-screen printing or sputtering: The pressure sensor (10) has a substrate (1) and a first major surface (11), a second major surface (12) and a circumferential surface (13. A plate-shaped electrode (14) of electrically conductive material is secured in a recess (15) in the major surface (11) in a high-pressure-resistant and high-vacuum-tight manner by a joining material (16). A through connection (17) is provided from the electrode (14) through the substrate (1) to the major surface (12) or the circumferential surface (13). A diaphragm (2) of ceramic, glass, or single-crystal material is attached to the substrate (1) outside the recess (15) along a joint (18) by a joining material (26), and forms itself a further electrode or is covered, on a surface facing the electrode (14), with a further electrode (24) which is contacted through the joint (18).

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a pressure sensor which avoids temperature hysteresis effects caused on account of heat-induced expansions as a result of stresses between a ceramic pressure-measuring cell and a metallic housing. The inventive pressure sensor (100) for determining the pressure of a process medium comprises a metallic housing (110), which is open to a process medium and has a continuous hole (111) for accommodating the ceramic pressure-measuring cell (120), the pressure-measuring cell (120) comprising a ceramic base body (122) and a ceramic diaphragm (121), which is fitted thereon and is exposed to the process medium, and also suitable means (124a, 124b, 130), which supply an electrical signal which can be picked off and corresponds to the process pressure acting on the diaphragm (121).

Abstract: A description is given of an electronic device for use in regions subject to explosion hazards, which is small and light, can be produced cost-effectively and offers a high degree of flexibility, having a housing (1) with a connecting chamber (3), which is designed in accordance with the safety class Ex-d or Ex-e, in which there is arranged a connecting element (6) to which electric lines can be connected, and in which there is arranged a circuit (9) for limiting a current, a voltage and a power which are fed to the device via the lines during operation, the limitation being performed in accordance with the requirements of safety class Ex-i, and having an electronics chamber (4), in which there is arranged an electronic system (11) designed in accordance with the safety class Ex-i, and which can be opened, in which housing (1) the connecting chamber (3) and the electronics chamber (4) are mutually separated, and a pressure-proof electric bushing (10) is provided through which at least one output line of the c

Abstract: A transmitter housing is provided in which the transmitter electronic unit is protected against ambient influences even during the electrical connection of the transmitter. The transmitter housing comprises a housing (1) for accommodating a transmitter electronic unit, and a connection housing (3), in which electrical connections that can be connected to external lines are provided and which is mechanically releasably connected to the housing (1). A plug-in connection (9) is provided between the housing (1) and the connection housing (3), via which plug-in connection the transmitter electronic unit can be connected to the connections.

Abstract: An antenna for transmitting microwaves is provided, which radiates microwaves to be transmitted as far as possible uncorrupted into free space and operates in a low-loss manner, having a circular waveguide (13) short-circuited at the end on one side, in which circular waveguide a transmitting element (15, 33) for feeding in microwaves is arranged, a funnel-shaped horn (25) adjoining an open end of the circular waveguide (13), the radius of which horn increases in the direction facing away from the circular waveguide, and an insert (27) made of a dielectric, which insert has a first cylindrical section (29), which fills the circular waveguide (13), and which insert has a conical section (31), whose tip points in the direction facing away from the circular waveguide and whose base area has a diameter which is greater than a diameter of the cylindrical section (29).

Abstract: For discrete-time reactance measurement the reactance is activated by a clocked generator device with an electric voltage, an electric current or an electric charge. A clocked analyzer device generates an output signal as a function of the reactance to be measured from discrete-time sampling values of the electric voltage, electric current or electric charge. The generator device and the analyzer device are clocked in synchronism, the clock controlling the generator device and the analyzer device being varied in the same way by a frequency or phase modulator for reducing the influence of narrowband disturbances coupled into the circuit caused by aliasing.

Abstract: In an assembly for remote control and/or remote operation of a field device by a controller via a field bus a program code describing the functionality of this device is stored in the field device. The field device contains a processor in which the program code is implementable. The controller is equipped with a run-time environment in which the program code can be run following transfer from the field device to the controller via the field bus. The remote control and/or remote operation of the field device is implementable by transferring field device parameters via the field bus in the run-time environment.

Abstract: A filling level measuring device operating with microwaves and to be fastened on a container (3) is provided, the device having a housing (11) and a rod-shaped antenna (7) pointing into the container (3) and the device being designed such that the antenna (7) does not transmit or receive microwaves in the region of a measuring device fastening and the transmitted power is not impaired by condensate or moisture. According to a first solution variant, the antenna (7) is fastened in the housing (11) and a section of the antenna (7) in the region of the measuring device fastening is surrounded by a metallic sleeve (8). According to a second solution variant, a sleeve (8a) in which the antenna (7) is fastened is formed onto the housing (11).

Abstract: These capacitive pressure sensor cells have joints between substrates and diaphragms being both pressure and/or tension-proof and high-vacuum-tight and long-term-stable. The sensor cell comprises a ceramic substrate (1) having a cylindrical surface (11), a major surfaces (12, 13). The major surface (12) includes a concave central area (121) merging, in the direction of and up to said cylindrical surface (11), into a convex surface (124) having a vertex line (125) and forming a planar ring surface (126) in its area. An electrode (122) is located in the concave area (121). An electrical connection (123) extends from electrode (122) through the substrate (1) to surface (13). A ceramic diaphragm (5) has a planar inner surface (51) on which an electrode (52) is located and which rests on the ring surface (126) of the substrate (1).

Abstract: An assembly for monitoring a predetermined level of a material in a container comprises two ultrasonic transducers mounted on the container in line with the level to be monitored, such that an interspace exists between the ultrasonic transducers into which the material enters on attaining the level to be monitored. The one ultrasonic transducer is an emitter transducer which at predetermined points in time for emitting ultrasonic pulses is energized by a frequency which is so low that the ultrasonic pulses are transmitted through the interspace to the detector transducer even when the interspace is filled with air. The other ultrasonic transducer is a detector transducer which converts detected ultrasonic pulses into electrical detection signals.