Fill level transducer

• US 20040182151A1
• Filed: 01/28/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Meure, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US10/765,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20040182151A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/313
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/363 using electromechanically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/38 using magnetically actuated indicating means

Abstract

Known fill level transducers are disposed in the open in a tank and thus exposed to the sometimes aggressive liquid in the tank. It is a disadvantage that from the liquid, unwanted deposits often occur on a potentiometer of the fill level transducer. The fill level transducer of the invention protects the potentiometer against the liquid contained in the tank in that the potentiometer is sealed off tightly from the tank and the liquid located in it, and that the fill level transducer has a float arm, which is in contactless operative connection with a wiper arm of the potentiometer.

Claims

1. A fill level transducer for ascertaining a liquid level in a tank filled with a liquid, comprising a float arm carrying a float, a position sensor having a wiper arm, and means providing contactless operative connection between the float arm and the wiper arm.

2. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the operative connection between the float arm (18) and the wiper arm (15) comprises at least one magnetic field.

3. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 2, wherein the at least one magnetic field is generated by at least one magnet (23, 24), which is disposed on the float arm (18) and/or on the wiper arm (15).

4. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 3, wherein the at least one magnet (23, 24) is a permanent magnet.

5. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 4, wherein that the permanent magnet is embodied as a bar magnet.

6. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means rotationally supporting the wiper arm (15) about a first pivot point (14) and means rotationally supporting float arm (18) about a second pivot point (20), and wherein the first pivot point (14) and the second pivot point (20) are disposed concentrically.

7. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means rotationally supporting the wiper arm (15) about a first pivot point (14) and means rotationally supporting float arm (18) about a second pivot point (20), and wherein the through (20), and wherein the first pivot point (14) and the second pivot point (20) are offset from one another such that the rotary angle of the wiper arm (15) is always greater than the rotary angle of the float arm (18).

8. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first magnet (23) is disposed in the first pivot point (14) of the wiper arm (15), and the second magnet (24) disposed in the second pivot point (20) of the float arm (18).

9. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first magnet (23) is disposed outside the first pivot point (14) of the wiper arm (15), and the second magnet (24) disposed outside the second pivot point (20) of the float arm (18).

10. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 7, wherein the first magnet (23) is disposed outside the first pivot point (14) of the wiper arm (15), and the second magnet (24) disposed outside the second pivot point (20) of the float arm (18).

11. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the position sensor (11) is provided in a housing (8), and the housing (8) is wherein sealed off by a seal (29) from the tank (1) and any liquid (5) located in the tank (1).

12. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 2, wherein the position sensor (11) is provided in a housing (8), and the housing (8) is wherein sealed off by a seal (29) from the tank (1) and any liquid (5) located in the tank (1).

13. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 6, wherein the position sensor (11) is provided in a housing (8), and the housing (8) is wherein sealed off by a seal (29) from the tank (1) and any liquid (5) located in the tank (1).

14. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 7, wherein the position sensor (11) is provided in a housing (8), and the housing (8) is wherein sealed off by a seal (29) from the tank (1) and any liquid (5) located in the tank (1).

15. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 8, wherein the position sensor (11) is provided in a housing (8), and the housing (8) is wherein sealed off by a seal (29) from the tank (1) and any liquid (5) located in the tank (1).

16. The fill level transducer in accordance with claim 9, wherein the position sensor (11) is provided in a housing (8), and the housing (8) is wherein sealed off by a seal (29) from the tank (1) and any liquid (5) located in the tank (1).