Method and device for indicating the level of liquid in an automobile fuel tank

• US 4,890,491 A
• Filed: 08/04/1988
• Issued: 01/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Pfeifer, Thomas, Daub, Werner, Vetter, Egon, Burghoff, Heinz-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUTIERREZ, DIEGO F
• Application Number:
  US07/228,219
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 73/290 R, 73/291, 73/301, 73/304 R, 73/304 C, 73/313, 73/113, 73/114, 364/556, 364/561, 364/571.01, 364/571.05, 364/509, 364/424.01, 364/424.06, 340/618, 340/619, 340/620, 340/621, 340/622, 340/623, 340/624, 340/625
• US Class Current: 73/290.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03 Fuel tanks chassis frame comprising fluid storage compartment B62D21/16 ; Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank F02M37/0076
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0321 characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/24 by measuring variations of resistance of resistors due to contact with conductor fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/808 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level

Abstract

A method and a device are provided for displaying the level of liquid in the fuel tank of an automotive vehicle. A liquid-level detector 1 and a display device 3 for indicating liquid level are included in the device. The measurement values of the liquid level are provisionally stored at predeterminable time intervals and compared with the instantaneous measurement values. During travel, increasing measurement values determined by the comparison are not displayed.

Claims

1. A method of indicating the level of liquid in an automobile fuel tank, the method employing a liquid-level detector and a display device which are disposed in an automobile vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

provisionally storing values of the level of the liquid measured at successive predeterminable time intervals;

comparing said measured values with values subsequently measured;

cancelling subsequently measured values which upon travel are determined by the comparing step to have increased, so as not to indicate increased measured values on the display device;

sensing longitudinal and transverse accelerations and an inclined position of the vehicle during travel; and

rejecting measured values obtained during longitudinal and transverse accelerations and obtained during an inclined position of the vehicle during travel.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of

correcting measured values with the automotive vehicle at a standstill as a function of the inclination of the vehicle with respect to the horizontal and of the geometry of the tank and of the liquid-level detector.

3. A system for indicating the level of a liquid in an automotive fuel tank, disposed in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a liquid level detector in said tank;

a display device carried upon the vehicle;

a computer with an analog-to-digital converter;

a sensor of the longitudinal inclination and longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle;

a sensor of the transverse inclination and transverse acceleration of the vehicle, both said sensors being connected to the analog-to-digital converter;

a velocity sensor carried by the vehicle; and

wherein

the liquid-level detector is connected via the analog-to-digital converter to the computer, an input of the computer being connected to the velocity sensor, the display device being connected to an output port of the computer; and

said computer is operative to suppress changes in liquid level in the tank detected by said detector as a result of longitudinal and transverse accelerations obtained during an inclined position of the vehicle during travel

4. A system according to claim 3,

wherein

said computer includes a read-only memory storing a characteristic curve for the eliminating of the influence of the inclination on the indication of the liquid level.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a correction circuit arranged between the liquid-level detector and the display device, the correction circuit being connected to both said sensors for the longitudinal and transverse inclination of the vehicle.