TAP FOR MOUNTING ON CONTAINER FOR FLUID AND METHOD FOR REGISTERING THE LEVEL OF FLUID IN SAID CONTAINER

• US 20110077876A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Multisense AS
• Original Assignee: Multisense AS
• Inventors: Ellingsen, Bjarte Sorebo, Ellingsen, Olav
• Application Number:
  US12/990,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077876A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/55
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/027 Digital display, e.g. LCD, LED
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/06 Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/04 Level indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/067 combined with a valve, a tap or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1222 Pressure gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0041 with provisions for metering the liquid to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0077 Electronic circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/04 Liquid-dispensing taps or cocks adapted to seal and open tapping holes of casks, e.g. for beer closures with filling and discharging devices for containers B65D47/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/006 measuring volume in function of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/008 taps comprising counting- and recording means counting devices, counting of objects in general G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/02 involving measurement of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/18 Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1023 using a valve in the tip or nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 Fluid level sensing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tap for mounting on a container containing liquid, such as a wine box, a container containing medicine or a chemical, which tap comprises a sensor arranged on or in the tap for determining the outflow of liquid as a function of dispensing time and outflow characteristics. A display indicates the remaining amount of liquid in the container.

Claims

1. A tap for mounting on a container containing liquid, wherein said tap comprises a sensor arranged on or in the tap for determining outflow of liquid, outflow characteristics given by a pressure of liquid in the container and an opening of the tap determined by a dynamic position gauge, where an inductance of a coil is changed by insertion of an iron rod, wherein data is calculated by a microprocessor with an algorithm and the data are displayed on a display provided on the sensor.

2. The tap according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic position gauge indicates a degree of opening of the tap and its value is sent to the microprocessor for calculating an amount of liquid outflow in accordance with the opening and liquid level in the container, which is a measure of the pressure of the liquid against the tap, which in turn determines a degree of outflow at different opening degrees of the tap.

3. A method for detecting liquid level in a container equipped with a tap, according to claim 1 comprising:

detecting contents of the container by the sensor arranged on the tap;

calculating outflow of liquid as a function of dispensing time and outflow characteristics for full or partial opening of the tap, wherein a housing that accommodates the sensor in said tap comprises a display which displays measured values, a power source, a dynamic position gauge and a microprocessor equipped with a timer, algorithms and a calculating program for calculating an amount of liquid dispensed; and

displaying the remaining liquid on the display.

4. The method for detecting the liquid level in a container in accordance with claim 3, wherein, in the sensor, there is arranged a dynamic position gauge which indicates how much the tap has been opened and wherein values are sent to the microprocessor for calculation of outflow according to the opening and the liquid level in the container at the time of measurement.

5. A method of detecting liquid level in a medicine container, comprising:

mounting a tap according to claim 1 on the medicine container, and

detecting liquid level in the medicine container by detecting the data displayed on the display.

6. A method of detecting liquid level in a chemicals container, comprising:

mounting a tap according to claim 1 on the chemicals container, and

detecting liquid level in the chemicals container by detecting the data displayed on the display.

11. The tap of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor that reads temperature of the liquid.

7-10. -10. (canceled)