Remote monitoring of fluid containers

• US 20050056090A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MIJA Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, John J. Jr., McSheffrey, Brendan T., O'Shea, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/291
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/084 for small-sized storage vessels, e.g. compressed gas cylinders or bottles, disposable gas vessels, vessels adapted for automotive use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0119 with flat end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0624 with four or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0111 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0126 One vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0165 with handgrip
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0188 Hanging up devices
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/052 by stickers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/03 Mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/035 High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/034 using wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/036 using alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 : Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/072 : Action when predefined value is reached
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/015 : Facilitating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/04 : using an independent energy source, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0754 : Fire extinguishers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/62 : using magnetically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 : containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level

Abstract

Apparatus for remote inspection of fluid containers, e.g., portable tanks, includes an electronic circuit in communication between each container (or at various locations along a pipeline) and a remote central station. The electronic circuit is adapted to issue a signal to the remote central station that includes information about predetermined internal and/or external conditions such as the level of liquid stored in the tank, a pressure condition of material stored in the tank, a lack of presence of the tank in an installed position, or the presence of an obstruction restricting access to the tank.

Claims

1. Apparatus for remote inspection of a portable tank located in an installed position and adapted to store a liquid material, the apparatus comprising:

a first detector in communication with the liquid material for measurement of a level of liquid material stored in the portable tank;

a second detector configured to detect lack of presence of the portable tank from its installed position; and

an electronic circuit in communication between the first and second detectors and a central station located remotely from the portable tank, the electronic circuit configured to issue a signal to the central station that includes information about the level of liquid material stored in the container or presence of the portable tank in its installed position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit is adapted to issue a wireless signal to the central station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a signal to the central station upon detection of a lack of presence of the portable tank from its installed position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to continuously issue a signal to the display device that includes information about the level of liquid material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to periodically issue the signal to the display device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a signal to the display device upon detection of a liquid level at or below a predetermined threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third detector configured to detect presence of an obstruction restricting access to the portable tank.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a signal that includes information about the presence of an obstruction restricting access to the portable tank.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue the signal that includes information about the presence of an obstruction restricting access to the tank upon detection of an obstruction by the third detector.

10. A system for remote inspection of a portable tank configured to store volatile material that is stored as a liquid under pressure and released from the tank in gaseous form, the system comprising:

a detector in communication with the liquid fuel material for measurement of the level of the liquid fuel material stored in the tanks;

a portable display device located remotely from the detector;

an electronic circuit in communication between the detector and the display device for issue of a wireless signal to the display device, the wireless signal including information about the level of liquid material, and wherein the portable display device is configured to receive the wireless signal and display information about the level of liquid material.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the volatile material comprises propane.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to continuously issue the wireless signal to the display device.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to periodically issue the wireless signal to the display device.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue the wireless signal to the display device upon detection of a liquid level at or below a predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the portable display device comprises a personal data assistant.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the portable display device is configured to be mounted to a support structure.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the detector comprises:

a float member extending into the tank, the float member defining a float chamber configured to allow the float member to float in the liquid;

a float magnet joined to an upper portion of the float member;

an elongated shaft positioned at an upper end of the tank, the upper portion of the float member being telescopically engaged with the elongated shaft;

a fluid impermeable, non-magnetic wall disposed between the upper portion of the float member and the elongated shaft; and

a liquid level indication magnet positioned to couple with the float magnet across the fluid impermeable wall for axial positioning of the shaft in response to axial positioning of the float member;

the shaft member being configured to indicate the tank liquid level by its axial positioning.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the detector further comprises:

a transducer configured to generate an electrical signal that contains information about the position of the liquid level indication magnet.

19. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a second electronic circuit configured to issue a signal including information about the level of liquid material to a communications device associated with a refueling company.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the second electronic circuit is in communication between the portable display device and the communications device associated with a refueling company.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to issue the signal to the communications device associated with a refueling company upon detection of a liquid level at or below a predetermined threshold.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to issue the signal over a telephone line.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the signal issued by the second electronic circuit comprises a wireless signal that includes information about the level of liquid material.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the second electronic circuit is further configured to receive input indicating a user'"'"'s desire for additional fuel.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the second electronic circuit issues the signal to a communications device associated with a refueling company in response to receiving input indicating a user'"'"'s desire for additional fuel.

26. The system of claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is also in communication with a communications device associated with a refueling company and is configured to issue a second signal to the communications device associated with a refueling company that includes information about the level of fuel.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the second electronic circuit is further configured to retrieve pricing information from one or more refueling companies.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to retrieve pricing information via telephone.

29. A system for remote inspection of a tank configured to store heating oil, the system comprising:

a detector in communication with the heating oil for measurement of the level of the heating oil stored in the tank;

a display device located remotely from the detector;

an electronic circuit in communication between the detector and the display device for issue of a signal to the display device, the signal including information about the level of fuel, and wherein the portable display device is configured to receive the signal and display information about the level of fuel.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the signal issued by the communications device is a wireless signal.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to continuously issue the signal to the display device.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to periodically issue the signal to the display device.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue the signal to the display device upon detection of an oil level at or below a predetermined threshold.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein the display device comprises a personal data assistant.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the detector comprises:

a float gauge; and

a transducer configured to generate an electrical signal that contains information about the position of the float gauge.

36. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

a second electronic circuit configured to issue a signal including information about the level of oil to a communications device associated with a refueling company.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit is in communication between the display device and the communications device associated with a refueling company.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to issue the signal to the communications device associated with a refueling company upon detection of an oil level at or below a predetermined threshold.

39. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to issue the signal over a telephone line.

40. The system of claim 36 wherein the signal issued by the second electronic circuit comprises a wireless signal that includes information about the level of oil.

41. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit is further configured to receive input indicating a user'"'"'s desire for additional oil.

42. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit issues the signal to a communications device associated with a refueling company in response to receiving input indicating a user'"'"'s desire for additional oil.

43. The system of claim 29 wherein the electronic circuit is also in communication with a communications device associated with a refueling company and is configured to issue a second signal to the communications device associated with a refueling company that includes information about the level of oil.

44. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit is further configured to retrieve pricing information from one or more refueling companies.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to retrieve pricing information via the Internet.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the display device is configured to display pricing information retrieved from one or more of the refueling companies.

47. The system of claim 36 wherein the second electronic circuit is further configured to receive input from a user that includes information about one or more refueling company.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to receive the input via a key pad.

49. The system of claim 47 wherein the second electronic circuit is configured to receive the input via a graphical user interface.