Device for level and/or temperature control of liquids

• US 3,882,967 A
• Filed: 01/15/1973
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dieter Schutzenauer, Peter Gulla
• Original Assignee: Dieter Schutzenauer, Peter Gulla
• Inventors: Gulla, Peter, Schutzenauer, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yasich, Daniel M.
• Application Number:
  US05/323,416
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 73/295 137/392,44,389 318/482,642 307/116,118 340/52R,59,244R 184/1.5,13R,13A
• US Class Current: 184/103.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/247 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/005 Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature fire detection G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7297 With second diverse control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7306 Electrical characteristic sensing

Abstract

An installation for controlling the level and/or temperature of liquids such as, for example, engine oil, brake fluid, cooling water, fuel, etc. in vehicles, especially in motor vehicles, with the use of temperature-dependent resistances which are incorporated in sensors whereby one or several sensors are so arranged in the liquid to be controlled and are so connected with each other that with the use of electronic threshold switching devices an unequivocal signal is produced when dropping below a predetermined liquid level and/or when exceeding or dropping below a predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. An installation for the level and/or temperature control of liquids in vehicles with the use of temperature dependent resistance means, comprising a plurality of sensor means, each of said sensor means including said resisTance means being arranged at predetermined points in the liquid to be controlled which is contained in a vehicle container, at least one electronic threshold switching means, control means responsive to at least operating level and/or temperature parameters of the vehicle for selectively closing switching means for connecting at least one of said sensor means with at least one of said electronic threshold switching means in accordance with predetermined input signal values of the operating parameters for ensuring that an unequivocal signal indicative of level and/or temperature of the liquid is produced by said connected sensor means via said electronic threshold switching means for application to an indicating means and/or controlling means under all operating signal valve parameters of the vehicle irrespective of whether the engine is running or the position of the vehicle.

2. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means so connects the sensor means with the threshold switching means that an unequivocal signal is produced when dropping below a predetermined liquid level.

3. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means so connects the sensor means with the threshold switching means that an unequivocal signal is produced upon exceeding a predetermined temperature.

4. An installation according to claim 3, characterized in that said control means so connects the sensor means with the threshold switching means that an unequivocal signal is produced when dropping below a predetermined temperature.

5. An installation according to claim 4, characterized in that said liquid is at least one of engine oil, brake fluid, cooling water, and fuel in motor vehicles.

6. An installation according to claim 5, characterized in that said control means interconnects at least two of said sensor means with each other and with said electronic threshold switching means to produce the unequivocal signal.

7. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that a respective sensor means is so arranged that driving the vehicle along a curve does not exert any influence on the measurement results.

8. An installation according to claim 7, characterized in that a respective sensor means is so arranged that inclination of vehicle exerts no influence on the measurement results.

9. An installation according to claim 8, characterized in that a respective sensor means is so arranged that tilting of vehicle exerts no influence on the measurement results.

10. An installation according to claim 9, wherein engine oil is the liquid, characterized in that with the control of the engine oil, engine speed is an operating parameter and the sensor means are so arranged that predetermined ones of said sensor means are connected with said threshold switching means by said control means in response to predetermined values of engine rotational speed.

11. An installation according to claim 10, characterized in that with the control of the engine oil, predetermined ones of said sensor means are connected with said threshold switching means by said control means in response to predetermined values of temperature.

12. An installation according to claim 11, characterized in that with the control of the engine oil, predetermined ones of said sensor means are connected with said threshold switching means by said control means in response to values indicative of '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'engine running'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'engine standing-still.'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'

13. An installation according to claim 12, characterized in that an oil pump for circulating oil is provided which includes a suction line and a pressure line as well as a by-pass line connected with one of said lines, one of the sensor means being arranged in said by-pass line.

14. An installation according to claim 13, characterized in that the temperature dependent resistance means of the sensor means serving the temperature measurement has a steep characteristic curve property within The temperature range in which a predetermined temperature lies.

15. An installation according to claim 14, characterized by said controlling means operable by switching signals produced in a respective threshold switching means for initiating the automatic refilling when the liquid drops below a predetermined liquid level.

16. An installation according to claim 15, characterized in that said control means so connects that sensor means with the threshold switching means that an unequivocal signal is produced when dropping below a predetermined liquid level.

17. An installation according to claim 16, characterized in that said control means so connects the sensor means with the threshold switching means that an unequivocal signal is produced upon exceeding a predetermined temperature.

18. An installation according to claim 16, characterized in that said control means so connects the sensor means with the threshold switching means that an unequivocal signal is produced when dropping below a predetermined temperature.

19. An installation according to claim 18, characterized in that said control means interconnects at least two of said sensor means with each other and with said electronic threshold switching means to produce the unequivocal signal.

20. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that a respective sensor means is so arranged that inclination of vehicle exerts no influence on the measurement results.

21. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that a respective sensor means is so arranged that tilting of vehicle exerts no influence on the measurement results.

22. An installation for the control of engine oil according to claim 1, characterized in that with the control of the engine oil, engine speed is an operating parameter and the sensor means are so arranged that predetermined ones of said sensor means are connected with said threshold switching means by said control means in response to predetermined values of engine rotational speed.

23. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that with the control of the engine oil, predetermined ones of said sensor means are connected with said threshold switching means by said control means in response to predetermined values of temperature.

24. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that with the control of the engine oil, predetermined ones of said sensor means are connected with said threshold switching means by said control means in response to values indicative of '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'engine running'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'engine standing-still'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'.

25. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that an oil pump is provided for circulating oil which includes a suction line and a pressure line as well as a by-pass line connected with one of said lines, one of the sensor means being arranged in said by-pass line.

26. An installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the temperature dependent resistance means of the sensor means serving the temperature measurement has a steep characteristic curve property within the temperature range in which a perdetermined temperature lies.

27. An installation according to claim 1, characterized by said controlling means operable by switching signals produced in a respective threshold switching means for initiating the automatic refilling when the liquid level drops below a predetermined liquid level.