Liquid-level monitor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for measuring the level of a liquid confined to a container comprising:
- a light guiding medium having an input end and an output end,means for launching a light wave into said input end of said light guiding medium,said light guiding medium having at least a portion which, when immersed to a certain degree in said liquid transmits fractionally less of said light wave from said input end to said output end than when said portion is immersed to a lesser degree in said liquid,said portion extending over a distance which is greater than the cross sectional thickness of said light guiding medium such that a range of liquid levels greater than said cross sectional thickness can be measured, anddetector means positioned at the output end of said light guiding medium, said detector means measuring the intensity of said light wave which has traversed said light guiding means, said intensity being a function of the extent to which said portion of said light guiding means is immersed in said liquid.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting the level of a liquid in a container by modulating the intensity of light propagating through a fiber-optic light guide, a section of which has the cladding removed or partially removed. The system consists of a light source which is coupled into the input end of a fiber, a section of fiber from which the cladding is removed, a liquid-containing vessel into which the unclad fiber section can become immersed, and a detector at the output end of the fiber.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for measuring the level of a liquid confined to a container comprising:
-
a light guiding medium having an input end and an output end, means for launching a light wave into said input end of said light guiding medium, said light guiding medium having at least a portion which, when immersed to a certain degree in said liquid transmits fractionally less of said light wave from said input end to said output end than when said portion is immersed to a lesser degree in said liquid, said portion extending over a distance which is greater than the cross sectional thickness of said light guiding medium such that a range of liquid levels greater than said cross sectional thickness can be measured, and detector means positioned at the output end of said light guiding medium, said detector means measuring the intensity of said light wave which has traversed said light guiding means, said intensity being a function of the extent to which said portion of said light guiding means is immersed in said liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
Specification