APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE FILLING LEVEL OF A UREA CONTAINER HAVING AN ULTRASOUND SENSOR AND MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A UREA CONTAINER

• US 20130160433A1
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emitec Gesellschaft für Emissionstechnologie mbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Emitec Gesellschaft für Emissionstechnologie mbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: SCHEPERS, SVEN, HODGSON, JAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/295
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/142 Controlling the filling of the tank
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2963 magnetostrictive
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring a filling level of a urea container by determining distance using sound waves (ultrasound) emitted by a sensor and echoes thereof, includes a urea container bottom and a sump with an overall height. The sump is adjacent the urea container bottom and located below the level of the urea container bottom. The sump is connected in an open manner to the urea container and bounded at the bottom by a sump bottom. The sensor is accommodated in the vicinity of the sump and, with a sound-emitting surface for emitting sound waves and receiving echoes of the sound waves, is fitted in the urea container with the sound-emitting surface of the sensor at most adjacent the level of the urea container bottom. A motor vehicle having the urea container is also provided.

Claims

1. In a urea container having a urea container bottom at a level and a sump lying below the level of the urea container bottom, the sump having an overall height and being downwardly bounded by a sump bottom and the sump adjoining the urea container bottom and having an open connection to the urea container,

an apparatus for measuring a filling level of the urea container, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor disposed in vicinity of the sump;

said sensor having a sound-emitting surface configured to emit sound waves and to receive echoes of the same sound waves for measuring the filling level of the urea container by distance determination; and

said sensor fitted in the urea container with said sound-emitting surface of said sensor adjoining at most the level of the urea container bottom.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a urea extraction device connected to the sump and lying at a height between the level of the urea container bottom and the sump bottom.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is disposed externally on the sump in a recess.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor protrudes at least partially into the sump.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the overall height of the sump corresponds to an installation height of said sensor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises:

a fundamental sound direction;

a perpendicular to said sound-emitting surface of said sensor oriented at an angle to said fundamental sound direction; and

a sound deflector configured to deflect the sound waves substantially upward.

7. A motor vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a urea container;

at least one exhaust gas treatment apparatus receiving exhaust gas from said internal combustion engine and receiving urea from said urea container; and

the apparatus according to claim 1 with said sound-emitting sensor for measuring a filling level of said urea container by distance measurement using sound waves, being accommodated in said sump of said urea container.

8. An apparatus for measuring a filling level, the apparatus comprising:

a urea container having a urea container bottom at a level;

a sump lying below said level of said urea container bottom, said sump having an overall height and being downwardly bounded by a sump bottom, and said sump adjoining said urea container bottom and having an open connection to said urea container; and

a sensor disposed in vicinity of said sump, said sensor having a sound-emitting surface configured to emit sound waves and to receive echoes of the same sound waves for measuring the filling level of said urea container by distance determination, and said sensor fitted in said urea container with said sound-emitting surface of said sensor adjoining at most said level of said urea container bottom.