FILL STATE RADAR ANTENNA ASSEMBLY FOR MEASURING THE FILL STATE IN A CONTAINER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a level radar antenna assembly for measuring a level in a container. The level radar antenna assembly comprises a transmitting antenna assembly for transmitting a transmission signal in the direction of a filling material surface of a filling material stored in the container, a receiving antenna assembly for receiving a transmission signal reflected at the filling material surface, and a housing. The transmitting antenna assembly and the receiving antenna assembly are integrated in the housing, the transmitting antenna assembly being larger than the receiving antenna assembly.

Claims

1. A level radar antenna assembly for measuring a level in a container, comprising: a transmitting antenna assembly for transmitting a transmission signal in the direction of a product surface of a product stored in the container, a receiving antenna assembly for receiving a transmission signal reflected at the product surface, and a housing, wherein the transmitting antenna assembly and the receiving antenna assembly are integrated in or attached to the housing, and wherein the transmitting antenna assembly is larger than the receiving antenna assembly.

2. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna assembly or the receiving antenna assembly comprises an aperture radiator.

3. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein an aperture of the transmitting antenna assembly is larger than an aperture of the receiving antenna assembly.

4. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 3, wherein an effective area of the aperture of the transmitting antenna assembly is more than twice as large as an effective area of the aperture of the receiving antenna assembly.

5. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 4, wherein the sum of the aperture areas of the transmitting antenna assembly and the receiving antenna assembly is greater than 50% and preferably greater than 90% of an area of the housing on which the apertures of the transmitting antenna assembly and the receiving antenna assembly are arranged.

6. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1, the transmitting antenna assembly comprising a horn antenna.

7. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1, the receiving antenna assembly comprising a horn antenna.

8. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 6, wherein the horn antenna comprises a lens.

9. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna assembly comprises a patch antenna.

10. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receiving antenna assembly comprises a patch antenna.

11. A level radar device with the level radar antenna assembly according to claim 1.

12. A container with the level radar device attached to it according to claim 11.

13. The container according to claim 12, wherein a material of the container where the level radar device is mounted is identical to a material of the housing of the level radar antenna assembly.

14. The level radar antenna assembly according to claim 7, wherein the horn antenna comprises a lens.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a level radar antenna assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a level radar antenna assembly according to another embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a level radar antenna assembly according to another embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a level radar antenna assembly according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a level radar antenna assembly 10 for measuring a level in a container. The level radar antenna assembly 10 has a transmitting antenna assembly 20 and a receiving antenna assembly 30. The transmitting antenna assembly 20 transmits a transmitted signal in the direction of a product surface of a product stored in the container and the receiving antenna assembly 30 receives a transmitted signal reflected at the product surface. The transmitting antenna assembly 20 and the receiving antenna assembly 30 are arranged side by side in a housing 40. Thus, no adjustment of the transmitting antenna assembly and receiving antenna assembly against each other is necessary. The housing 40 can be square, conical, cylindrical or hemispherical and can, for example, be made of the same material as the container. The transmitting antenna array 20 and the receiving antenna array 30 have an aperture radiator, whereby one aperture of the transmitting antenna assembly 20 is larger than the aperture of the receiving antenna assembly 30. For example, a diameter of the aperture of the transmitting antenna assembly 20 may be more than twice as large as a diameter of the aperture of the receiving antenna assembly 30. In particular, the transmitting antenna assembly 20 can have a minimum size which fulfils radiation requirements, e.g. focusing of the transmitted signal in the direction of the product. In contrast, the receiving antenna assembly 30 can be considerably smaller so that it receives just enough energy of the reflected signal to be able to process and evaluate it in the desired quality. Nevertheless, the receiving antenna assembly 30 should be sufficiently large to receive the signal. Furthermore, in order to make the housing 40 and thus the level radar antenna assembly 10 as compact as possible, the sum of the aperture areas of the transmitting antenna assembly and the receiving antenna assembly can be larger than 50% and preferably larger than 90% of an area of the housing where the apertures of the transmitting antenna assembly and receiving antenna assembly are located. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 a horn antenna with lens is used for the transmitting antenna assembly 20 and receiving antenna assembly 30. Optionally, the transmitting and/or receiving antenna assembly can have a lens for further focusing of the signal.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a level radar antenna assembly 10, where the transmitting and receiving antenna assemblys are designed as patch antennas. The patch antenna enables a simple construction of the level radar antenna assembly 10 and a more cost-effective production of the level radar antenna assembly 10. Even when using the patch antenna, the transmitting antenna assembly 20 can be larger than the receiving antenna assembly 30. In particular, an antenna area of the transmitting antenna assembly 20 can be more than twice as large as the antenna area of the receiving antenna assembly 30 to focus the transmitted signal sufficiently.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a level radar antenna assembly 10, where the transmitting antenna assembly 20 is a horn antenna and the receiving antenna assembly 30 is a patch antenna. Here, too, the transmitting antenna assembly 20 can have a minimum size which is larger than the antenna area of the receiving antenna assembly 30 and fulfils the radiation requirements, e.g. focusing of the transmitted signal in the direction of the product. In FIG. 4, a lens for further focussing of the signal is attached to the transmitting antenna assembly 20.

[0036] It should be added that “comprising” and “having” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. It should also be noted that features or steps described by reference to one of the above design examples may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other design examples described above. Reference marks in the claims are not to be considered as restrictions.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0037] 10 Level radar antenna assembly

[0038] 20 Transmission antenna assembly

[0039] 30 Receiving antenna assembly

[0040] 40 Housing