Liquid level controller

• US 4,182,363 A
• Filed: 11/24/1978
• Issued: 01/08/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mark W. Fuller
• Original Assignee: Mark W. Fuller
• Inventors: Fuller, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwadron, Martin P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walton, G. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/963,394
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 73/304 R, 73/304 C, 137/392, 250/577, 340/244 R, 340/244 C
• US Class Current: 137/392
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/241 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 9/12 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7306 Electrical characteristic sensing

Abstract

A durable, long lasting liquid level controller utilizing an encapsulated, low current, solid state circuit, projecting metal probes arranged to minimize erroneous readings due to liquid adhering to the probes and a wave discriminating means as part of the encapsulated solid state circuitry, said wave discriminating means serving to eliminate false signals resulting from splash or wave action.

Claims

1. A liquid level control device comprising

a plurality of probes, including a high probe, a low probe and a ground probe;

solid state circuit means connected to said probes;

housing means encapsulating said solid state circuit means, including parts of each of said probes, whereby each of said probes extend from said housing through a surrounding well formed in the housing;

a cable extending from said housing, said cable including lead wires to connect the circuit to a power source, ground, and a means for controlling liquid level in a reservoir;

the probes extend through the wells and from the housing to different distances from the housing, so that when the housing is arranged in a reservoir with the probes extending downwardly therefrom, the wells extend upwardly in the housing and the probes extend different distances therefrom into the reservoir, with the high probe extending the shortest distance therefrom, the low probe extending the next greatest distance therefrom and the ground probe extending the greatest distance from the housing; and

the probes extend from a face of the housing parallel to one another and in sequential order according to length, so that when the housing is positioned with the probes extending parallel to liquid in the reservoir the high probe is above the low probe.

2. A liquid level control device as in claim 1, further including

an emergency signal generating probe extending through a well in the housing to a distance between the projecting end of the low probe and the projecting end of the ground probe.

3. A liquid level control device as in claim 2, wherein

the emergency signal generating probe extends parallel to the other probes and is arranged to project from the face of the housing in sequential order, according to length, with the other said probes.

4. A liquid level controller as in claim 1, wherein the solid state circuit means includes

means for delaying input signals from the high and low probes to the circuit means, whereby false signals due to only momentary liquid contact with the probes is prevented.

5. A liquid level controller as in claim 4, wherein the means for delaying input signals comprises

capacitors respectively electrically connected to the high and low probes.