TANK-IN-TANK CONTAINER FILL LEVEL INDICATOR
First Claim
1. A tank-in-tank container fill level indicator for a container having a rigid outer tank, a rigid inner tank, and an space therebetween comprising:
- an electromechanical device for vibrating an outer surface of the outer tank, the electromechanical device adapted to be coupled to the outer surface of the outer tank, the vibration of the outer tank inducing a resonant vibration of the inner tank;
a vibration detecting device for detecting and transmitting a data signal indicative of a resultant beat frequency of the inner and outer tanks'"'"' resonant vibrations detected at the outer tank; and
a data processing device for receiving the data signal from the vibration detecting device and analyzing resultant beats to determine the container fill level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tank-in-tank fill level indicator, making use of noninvasive tank-in-tank measuring techniques. A vibration device, such as an exciter or resonator, vibrates the outer tank at its natural frequency of vibration, thereby inducing the vibration of the inner tank and a beating effect as a result of the interaction of the vibrations of the two tanks. A vibration detection device, such as an accelerometer, detects the resultant beating effect of the two tanks'"'"' induced vibrations. A data processing device, such as a microcontroller, processes the detection data to obtain the liquid volume. A display, wired or wireless data transmission device, or combination thereof, is then used to provide tank or container fill-level information.
15 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A tank-in-tank container fill level indicator for a container having a rigid outer tank, a rigid inner tank, and an space therebetween comprising:
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an electromechanical device for vibrating an outer surface of the outer tank, the electromechanical device adapted to be coupled to the outer surface of the outer tank, the vibration of the outer tank inducing a resonant vibration of the inner tank; a vibration detecting device for detecting and transmitting a data signal indicative of a resultant beat frequency of the inner and outer tanks'"'"' resonant vibrations detected at the outer tank; and a data processing device for receiving the data signal from the vibration detecting device and analyzing resultant beats to determine the container fill level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A tank-in-tank container fill level indicator for a container having a rigid outer tank, a rigid inner tank, and an space therebetween comprising:
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a sound exciter for vibrating an outer surface of the outer tank, the acoustic exciter adapted to be coupled to the outer surface of the outer tank, the vibration of the outer tank inducing a resonant vibration of the inner tank; a vibration detecting device for detecting and transmitting a data signal indicative of a resultant vibration of the inner and outer tanks'"'"' resonant vibrations detected at the outer tank; and a data processing device for receiving the data signal from the vibration detecting device and analyzing the resultant vibration to determine the container fill level. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A noninvasive method for measuring a liquid level within a tank-in-tank liquid container comprising the steps of:
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vibrating an outer surface of an outer tank of a container comprising an inner tank disposed therein, and further comprising a volume of liquid within the inner tank; receiving a resultant beating effect signal of the inner and outer tanks'"'"' induced vibrations from the outside surface of the outer tank by use of a vibration detecting device positioned outside of the container and adjacent to the outer surface of the outer tank; analyzing the resultant beats; and determining the container fill level based on the resultant beats. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification