Device and method for measuring capacitance and device for determining the level of a liquid using one such device

US7161361B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• HYDAC Electronic GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Wenmin Qu · Dresden, DE
• Julien Frederic Gamel · Freyming-Merlebach, FR
• Horst Mannebach · Rockenberg, DE
• Leo Mathias Jirgal · Riegelsberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 16, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 9, 2007
• Expiry date: Oct 16, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01F23/265
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device (5) measures capacity, and includes an electrode arrangement with a plurality of electrodes (E1, E2, . . . , En) which are adjacently and/or successively arranged on a carrier (6). An intrinsic measuring device (8) measures the capacitance between a first electrode (E2), in the form of a measuring electrode, and a second electrode (E1), in the form of a counter-electrode. A controllable switching device (7) connects the electrodes (E1, E2, . . . , En), in the form of first and second electrodes (E2, E1), to the measuring device (8) in such a way that they can be switched in a pre-determinable manner. Each electrode (E1, E2, . . . , En) of the electrode arrangement can be switched in a controlled, alternate manner by the switching device (7), in the form of a measuring electrode, and respectively at least one of the other electrodes (E1, E2, . . . , En), in the form of a counter-electrode, can be switched to a pre-determinable reference potential. An associate method and a device (1) determine the level (2) of a liquid (3) using one such device (5).