Remote Level Sensor for a Liquid Tank

• US 20170078769A1
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jared Theberge
• Original Assignee: Jared Theberge
• Inventors: Theberge, Jared
• Application Number:
  US15/262,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/292 Light , e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/88 Providing power supply at the sub-station
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A remote level sensor for a liquid tank. The remote level sensor for a liquid tank comprises a housing having a wireless transmitter, a sensor and a power source. The housing is configured to be mounted within the interior of a tank. The sensor detects the level of contents within the tank and transmits the level information via wireless signal to a receiving unit. The receiving unit comprises a display and is configured to present the level to a user. An auditory alarm can be configured to sound if the level of the tank falls below a predetermined threshold. Further, some embodiments of the receiving unit e configured to display additional information, such as local gas merchants and the current price of oil.

Claims

1. ) A remote level sensor for a liquid tank, comprising:

a housing forming an enclosed interior;

a fastener disposed on the housing, the fastener removably securable to an interior surface of the liquid tank;

a power source disposed within the enclosed interior;

a sensor disposed on the housing and operably connected to the power source, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a level of liquid contents within the liquid tank;

a wireless transmitter disposed within the enclosed interior and operably connected to the power source and the sensor, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to relay a signal indicating the level of the liquid contents to a remote display.

2. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

3. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

4. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter.

5. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter uses an 802.11 wireless communication standard to transmit the signal.

6. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 1, wherein the remote display comprises:

a housing;

a wireless receiver disposed within the housing and configured to receive the wireless signal transmitted by the wireless transmitter;

a screen configured to display the level of the liquid contents.

7. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 6, wherein the remote display is further configured to display a visual alert when the sensor detects that the level of the liquid contents has reached a predetermined level.

8. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 6, further comprising an audio speaker, wherein the audio speaker is configured to emit an auditory alert when the sensor detects that the level of the liquid contents has reached a predetermined level.

9. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 1, wherein the remote display is a mobile electronic device running a software application.

10. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 9, wherein the mobile electronic device is configured to display a visual alert when the sensor detects that the level of the liquid contents has reached a predetermined level.

11. ) The remote level sensor for a liquid tank of claim 7, wherein the mobile electronic device is configured to activate an auditory alert when the sensor detects that the level of the liquid contents has reached a predetermined level.