LIQUID LEVEL DETECTING DEVICE

• US 20120186341A1
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: OIKE, Toshio, TANAKA, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,820,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/317
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/165 by relative movement of a point of contact or actuation and a resistive track
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/363 using electromechanically actuated indicating means

Abstract

A liquid level detecting device includes a resistor plate having conductive segments, a float that vertically moves in accordance with a displacement of a liquid level, a float arm that has one end to which the float is attached and the other end which is rotatably supported so as to be rotated in association with a vertical movement of the float, and a contact point that slides on the conductive segments in association with a rotation of the float arm. Each of the conductive segments is formed of a first metallic material and a second metallic material. The first metallic material has silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd) and the second metallic material has gold (Au) as a main component. A part which is to be brought into contact with the contact point in each of the conductive segments is formed of the second metallic material.

Claims

1. A liquid level detecting device comprising:

a resistor plate having a plurality of conductive segments;

a float that vertically moves in accordance with a displacement of a liquid level of a liquid to be measured;

a float arm that has one end to which the float is attached and the other end which is rotatably supported so as to be rotated in association with a vertical movement of the float; and

a contact point that slides on the plurality of conductive segments in association with a rotation of the float arm in accordance with the liquid level of the liquid,

wherein each of the plurality of conductive segments is formed of a first metallic material and a second metallic material;

wherein the first metallic material has silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd) and the second metallic material has gold (Au) as a main component; and

wherein a part which is to be brought into contact with the contact point in each of the plurality of conductive segments is formed of the second metallic material.

2. The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductive segments is shaped into a long member, and has a central portion which is provided on the resistor plate and both side portions which are provided on the resistor plate so as to sandwich the central portion therebetween in viewed from a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the long member;

and

wherein the central portion is formed of the second metallic material and each of the side portions is formed of the first metallic material.

3. The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductive segments is shaped into a long member, and has a base portion which is provided on the resistor plate and an apex portion which is superposed on an upper part of the base portion in viewed from a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the long member;

and

wherein base portion is formed of the first metallic material and the apex portion is formed of the second metallic material.

4. The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the second metallic material contains 95% by mass or more of gold (Au).

5. The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the second metallic material contains a glass component.

6. The liquid level detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the first metallic material contains gold (Au).