Device for measuring the quantity of liquid contained in a tank

• US 4,935,727 A
• Filed: 07/29/1988
• Issued: 06/19/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FIAT Auto SPA 10135 Torino Corso Giovanni Agnelli 200
• Original Assignee: Fiat Auto S.p.A.
• Inventors: Tonello, Piero, Re Fiorentin, Stefano
• Primary Examiner(s): Orsino, Joseph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US07/226,040
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 340/59, 340/618, 340/620, 340/622, 340/450, 340/450.2, 340/450.3, 73/304 R, 73/304 C, 361/284
• US Class Current: 340/618
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/266 measuring circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/80 Arrangements for signal processing

Abstract

A device for measuring the quantity of light in a tank is disclosed, including three level sensors housed within a tank in a predetermined relative position. Alternative processors are disclosed for processing information supplied by the level sensor, wherein the information depends on the liquid level sensed by each of the sensors. An indicator, controlled by the processor, indicates the quantity of liquid contained in the tank.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the quantity of a liquid in a single tank, comprising:

three identical level sensors to be housed in respective predetermined relative positions within said tank, each sensor generating a respective output signal depending on the respective value (a, b, or c) of the liquid level in said respective predetermined position within said tank;

processing means for processing said respective output signals supplied by said level sensors to generate an output signal depending on the quantity of the liquid within said single tank independently of the inclination of said tank, said processing means comprising means for implementing respective polynomial single functions (f(a), f(b), f(c)) corresponding to said respective output signals, and means for adding said respective single functions, whereby the sum of said respective single functions (f(a), f(b), f(c)) approximates to a function (f(a, b, c)) that gives the amount of the quantity of liquid contained in said tank when the values (a, b, c) of the liquid levels measured by said three liquid sensors are known, the coefficients of said respective polynomial single functions ((f(a), f(b), f(c)) being determinable by a regression of said function (f(a, b, c)) measured experimentally for said tank; and

indicator means, supplied by said output signal generated by said processing means, for indicating the quantity of liquid contained in said tank.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said sensors are positioned along a circumference.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said sensors are positioned angularly equidistant 120°

apart along said circumference.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said sensors consist of variable resistors, in which the slider position is determined by the level reached by said liquid.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said sensors are of electrothermal type.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said sensors consist of capacitors provided with mutually facing plates arranged to be wetted by said liquid when in use, and said processing means comprise respective compensation capacitors arranged to compensate for the residual capacitance of said capacitors when liquid is absent in said tank.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, and further characterized by indicator means controlled by said processing means to indicate, when in use, the inclination of said tank to a reference plane.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said liquid is fuel and said tank is a vehicle tank.