Tilt angle detection device
First Claim
1. A level detector comprising:
- a first fluid;
a second fluid immiscible with said first fluid and having a dielectric constant different from said first fluid dielectric constant;
means for containing said first and second fluids;
a first capacitor having said first and second fluids as dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means;
a second capacitor having said first and second fluids as dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means in a manner inverse to said first capacitor;
a third capacitor having said first and second fluids as dielectric material in a manner independent of the angle of said containing means;
a fourth capacitor having only said second fluid as dielectric material; and
means for generating a signal related to the angle of said containing means based upon the capacitance of said first, second, third, and fourth capacitors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A level detector comprising a container holding two fluids. Four capacitors are formed between four electrodes disposed on one side of the container cooperating with an opposing common electrode. Two of the capacitors have a capacitance value influenced by the position of one of the fluids in the container (related to container tilt) but in inverse relationships. A third capacitor is influenced by the dielectric value of the two fluids but in a manner independent of the tilt angle of the container. The fourth capacitor has a capacitance value influenced only by the dielectric constant of one of the two fluids. Based on the four capacitance values, circuitry is provided for generating a signal relating to the angle of the container.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A level detector comprising:
-
a first fluid; a second fluid immiscible with said first fluid and having a dielectric constant different from said first fluid dielectric constant; means for containing said first and second fluids; a first capacitor having said first and second fluids as dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means; a second capacitor having said first and second fluids as dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means in a manner inverse to said first capacitor; a third capacitor having said first and second fluids as dielectric material in a manner independent of the angle of said containing means; a fourth capacitor having only said second fluid as dielectric material; and means for generating a signal related to the angle of said containing means based upon the capacitance of said first, second, third, and fourth capacitors. - 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. A level detector comprising:
-
a first fluid; a second fluid immiscible with said first fluid and having a dielectric constant different from said first fluid dielectric constant; means for containing said first and second fluids; a common electrode disposed on one side of said containing means; a first electrode disposed on an opposite side of said containing means from said common electrode, said first and second fluids being disposed between said first electrode and said common electrode as a dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means; a second electrode disposed on said opposite side of said containing means, said first and second fluids being disposed between said second electrode and said common electrode as dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means in a manner inverse to said first electrode and said common electrode; a third electrode disposed on said opposite side of said containing means, said first and second fluids being disposed between said third electrode and said common electrode as dielectric material in a manner independent of the angle of said containing means; a fourth electrode disposed on said opposite side of said containing means, only said second fluid being disposed between said fourth electrode and said common electrode as dielectric material; said first and second electrodes being disposed on opposite sides of said third electrode; the distance between said common electrode and one of said first, second, third and fourth electrodes being substantially constant; the area of said first electrode being substantially equal in size to that of said second electrode; the area of said third electrode being substantially equal in size to that of said fourth electrode; and means for generating a signal related to the angle of said containing means based upon capacitances between selected combinations of said first, second, third, and fourth electrodes and said common electrode.
-
-
24. A level detector comprising:
-
a first fluid; a second fluid immiscible with said first fluid and having a dielectric constant different from said first fluid dielectric constant; means for containing said first and second fluids; a common electrode disposed on one side of said containing means; a first electrode disposed on an opposite side of said containing means from said common electrode, said first and second fluids being disposed between said first electrode and said common electrode as a dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means; a second electrode disposed on said opposite side of said containing means, said first and second fluids being disposed between said second electrode and said commond electrode as dielectric material, the amount of said first fluid acting as dielectric material being related to the angle of said containing means in a manner inverse to said first electrode and said common electrode; a third electrode disposed on said opposite side of said containing means, said first and second fluids being disposed between said third electrode and said common electrode as dielectric material in a manner independent of the angle of said containing means; a fourth electrode disposed on said opposite side of said containing means, only said second fluid being disposed between said fourth electrode and said common electrode as dielectric material; said first and second electrodes being disposed on opposite sides of said third electrode; the distance between said common electrode and one of said first, second, third and fourth electrodes being substantially constant; the area of said first electrode being substantially equal in size to that of said second electrode; the area of said third electrode being substantially equal in size to that of said fourth electrode; a capacitance controlled oscillator; means for connecting selected ones of said first, second, third, and fourth electrodes to said oscillator to vary the timings of the output signals of said oscillator; means for determining the timings of said output signals when said selected ones of first, second, third, and fourth electrodes are connected to said oscillator; and means for generating a signal related to the angle of said container from said timings.
-
Specification