Liquid level gauge with integral electronic display

• US 10,082,416 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rochester Sensors LLC
• Original Assignee: Rochester Gauges Incorporated
• Inventors: Lease, Benjamin Neal, Ross, Jr., Herbert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Son
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHONG, XIN Y
• Application Number:
  US15/492,862
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/007 for hydrocarbon gases, such as methane or natural gas, propane, butane or mixtures thereof [LPG]
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/02 Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment measuring in general G01
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/026 having the temperature as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/028 having the volume as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/03 Control means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/034 using wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/036 using alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0413 with floats
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0417 with electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0482 : Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0491 : Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0495 : the indicated parameter is a converted measured parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/024 : Improving metering
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0171 : Trucks
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/38 : using magnetically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 : containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level

Abstract

An electronic liquid level gauge assembly includes an electronic display located in a housing connected to a tank. The display has first and second display portions for indicating liquid level condition. A first electronic sensor senses a change in magnetic field of a magnet associated with a liquid level transducer, with magnet rotation being proportional liquid level change. A processor determines a temperature-compensated liquid level condition by correlating the liquid level signal with temperature measurement of the liquid. A temperature-compensated vapor space can also be calculated based on tank information and properties of the liquid. Signals related to the temperature-compensated liquid level and vapor space are sent to the display and wirelessly transmitted to a smart phone or the like for remotely viewing the tank information. The smart phone also includes a special app for sending information, firmware updates, and display configuration data to the electronic gauge assembly.

Claims

1. An electronic gauge assembly for indicating liquid condition within a tank, the gauge assembly being operatively connectable to a liquid level sensor probe, and comprising:

a mounting base adapted for connection to the tank;

a housing connected to the mounting base;

an electronics assembly located in the housing and comprising;

a first electronic display located in the housing and having a first display portion for displaying a liquid level condition within the tank;

a first electronic sensor connected to the housing, the first electronic sensor being couplable to the liquid level sensor probe such that a change in the liquid level sensor probe due to a change in liquid level causes a change in an electronic state of the first electronic sensor;

a first processor in communication with the first electronic sensor and the first electronic display for determining and displaying the liquid level condition; and

a first RF transceiver associated with the first processor for wirelessly transmitting information associated with the tank to a portable smart device operable by a user, and for wirelessly receiving information from the portable smart device for controlling display information on the first electronic display, the portable smart device having a second processor, a second electronic display, and a second RF transceiver for communication with the first RF transceiver and first processor; and

a user-specific application program downloadable onto the portable smart device, the user-specific application program comprising;

first user selectable information related to different tank geometries;

second user selectable information related to at least one property of different liquids to be measured;

means for selecting the first information and the second information by the user; and

means for transmitting, via the second and first transceivers, respectively, the first and second information to the electronic gauge assembly for remotely customizing the appearance of the first electronic display, including displaying, on the first electronic display, the first liquid level condition of the tank based on;

a) the electronic state of the first electronic sensor;

b) the first information related to the tank geometry selected by the user of the portable smart device; and

c) the second information related to the at least one property of the liquid to be measured selected by the user of the portable smart device.

2. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 1, and further comprising a second electronic sensor for detecting a temperature of the liquid within the tank, the second electronic sensor being in communication with the first processor;

wherein the first processor includes means for calculating a second temperature-compensated liquid level condition based on the first liquid level condition and the temperature of the liquid, and sending signals representing the second liquid level condition to the first display portion for displaying the temperature-compensated liquid level condition.

3. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first electronic display comprises a second display portion for displaying the temperature-compensated liquid level condition.

4. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first display portion comprises a display panel having a first display section for showing the temperature-compensated liquid level as a percent of a full tank condition.

5. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 4, wherein the second display portion comprises an illuminated bargraph display with individual sources of light and a scale extending along the bargraph display, the scale including indicators for liquid level as a percent of a full tank condition, wherein the individual sources of light of the bargraph display are illuminated along the scale until the indicator representative of the calculated temperature-compensated liquid level is reached.

6. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first display portion comprises:

further display sections for displaying specific gravity of the liquid in the tank based on specific gravity information of a particular liquid to be measured in the tank as selected by a user in the application specific program on the portable smart device and transmitted to the first processor via the second and first RF transceivers, respectively, as well as the temperature of the liquid in the tank; and

at least one alarm condition that is automatically actuated by at least one of a plurality of events comprising a sloped or tilted tank condition, high or low levels of liquid in the tank, tank pressure that drops below a low threshold or exceeds a high threshold, the vehicle being improperly parked, or indicating that fill or distribution valves are not fully open or closed.

7. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the liquid level sensor probe comprises a shaft, a magnet connected to a first end of the shaft, a float rod connected to a second end of the shaft for rotating the shaft and magnet about a longitudinal axis upon pivotal movement of the float rod, and a float connected to the float rod for floating on a surface of the liquid, wherein movement of the float due to a change in liquid level causes pivoting movement of the float rod and rotational movement of the shaft and magnet;

wherein the first sensor comprises a magnetic field sensor for detecting rotational movement of the magnet.

8. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second information associated with the user-specific application program comprises specific gravity information for each liquid, wherein the specific gravity information is selectable by the user and wirelessly transmitting to the first processor via the second and first transceivers, respectively, to thereby determine and display, on the first electronic display, an actual volume of liquid in the tank based on the specific gravity of the liquid for affecting the appearance of the electronic display.

9. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first user-selectable information includes a first look-up table correlating liquid height in the tank to liquid volume for the particular tank geometry to thereby display a volume of liquid on at least the first electronic display.

10. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second user-selectable information further comprises a second look-up table correlating liquid volume and temperature so that temperature-compensated liquid volume of the tank can be calculated by the processor and displayed on at least the first electronic display.

11. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 10, and further comprising:

a pressure sensor in communication with the processor for sensing a pressure inside the tank; and

,

third user-selectable information associated with the user-specific application program comprising a third look-up table correlating liquid volume, liquid height, and tank pressure to thereby calculate a temperature-compensated vapor space in the tank above the liquid level and display the vapor space on at least one of the first and second electronic displays.

12. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first display portion comprises a display panel having a first display section for showing the liquid level as a percent of a full tank condition.

13. The electronic gauge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second display portion comprises an illuminated bargraph display with individual sources of light and a scale extending along the bargraph display, the scale including indicators for liquid level as a percent of a full tank condition, wherein the individual sources of light of the bargraph display are illuminated along the scale until the indicator representative of the calculated temperature-compensated liquid level is reached.

14. A method of measuring and displaying liquid condition within a tank, the method comprising:

providing an electronic gauge assembly having a mounting base adapted for connection to the tank, a housing connected to the mounting base, a processor in communication with a memory, an electronic display, a first sensor for sensing liquid level and a second sensor for sensing temperature of the liquid;

providing a user-specific application program that is downloadable to a remote smart device to be carried by a user, the user-specific application program including user-selectable first information related to a plurality of different tanks with different tank geometries and related volumes of liquid at any given liquid height for each tank geometry, and user-selectable second information related to at least one property of at least one liquid of a plurality of different liquids that may be located within the tank;

providing a RF transceiver wirelessly transmitting a user-selected tank geometry and related volume of liquid of the first information and the at least one user-selected liquid property of the at least one liquid of the second information to the electronic gauge assembly;

storing the user-selected tank geometry and related volume of liquid and the at least one user-selected liquid property of the at least one liquid in the memory;

automatically customizing the electronic gauge assembly, including the electronic display, with the user-selected information by;

determining a liquid level condition of the tank with the first sensor;

determining a temperature of the liquid within the tank with the second sensor;

calculating, with the processor, a temperature-corrected liquid level condition of the tank by correlating the first information stored in the memory related to the user-selected tank geometry and volume of liquid at any given liquid height, and correlating the second information stored in the memory related to the at least one user-selected liquid property of the at least one liquid stored in the tank; and

displaying at least one of temperature-corrected liquid level and temperature-corrected liquid volume on the electronic display for the user-selected tank geometry and the at least one user-selected liquid property of the at least one liquid stored in the tank.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first information associated with the user-specific application program comprises at least a first lookup table correlating liquid height in the tank to liquid volume for the user-selected tank geometry;

and

calculating liquid volume within the tank based on the liquid level within the tank as detected by the first sensor, for wirelessly controlling at the first information loaded into the memory of the electronic gauge assembly and the first information displayed on the electronic display.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second information associated with the user-specific application program further comprises a second look-up table having specific gravity information of the user-selected at least one liquid for correlating liquid volume and temperature;

wirelessly transmitting the second look-up table to the electronic gauge assembly;

calculating, with the processor, the temperature-compensated liquid volume of the tank; and

displaying the temperature-compensated liquid volume of the tank on the electronic display.

17. The method according to claim 16, and further comprising:

sensing a pressure inside the tank; and

,

wherein the user-specific application program includes third information having a third look-up table correlating liquid volume, liquid height, and tank pressure for each of the plurality of liquids;

wirelessly transmitting the third look-up table associated with the user-selected at least one liquid to the electronic gauge assembly;

calculating, with the processor, a temperature-compensated vapor space in the tank; and

displaying the temperature-compensated vapor space.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of automatically customizing the electronic gauge assembly further comprises operating the user-specific application program to wirelessly load software updates to the electronic gauge assembly.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of automatically customizing the electronic gauge assembly further comprises operating the user-specific application program to remotely turn on and off one or more portions of the electronic display.