Electronic circuit for fuel level sensor
First Claim
1. A circuit for interconnecting a variable impedance fuel level sender of a fuel tank with a fuel gage of the type having nonlinear character, comprising:
- a source of input ignition voltage;
a synchronizing circuit;
a pulsed energy source controlled by said synchronizing circuit supplying a voltage level in proportion to said input ignition voltage and coupled to said sender for periodically energizing said sender;
an impedance matching circuit having an impedance related to the impedance of said gage and coupled to said sender for sensing a condition indicative of the level of fuel in the fuel tank;
a sample and hold circuit coupled to said impedance matching circuit and to said gage and controlled by said synchronizing circuit for sampling said condition sensed by said impedance matching circuit and supplying a signal for causing said gage to display the level of fuel in the fuel tank.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Corrosion of the fuel tank float device by electrolysis is minimized by driving the fuel level sender with short duty cycle pulses instead of a continuous current. While the fuel level sender is energized by a pulse, the analog sample and hold circuit obtains a reading from which fuel level can be determined. A synchronizing circuit controls the sequence in which the fuel level sender is energized and the reading taken, to insure that readings are taken during steady state conditions. An impedance matching circuit compensates for nonlinearities of the fuel level gauge. The impedance matching circuit includes a pair of precision resistors and a voltage multiplier circuit. The impedance matching circuit allows the moving coil fuel level gauge to be energized in a fashion which simulates a continuous current flowing between fuel level sender and gauge. The circuit can be interposed between conventional fuel level sender and conventional moving coil gauge, requiring little or no modification of those components but greatly reducing corrosion due to electrolysis.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A circuit for interconnecting a variable impedance fuel level sender of a fuel tank with a fuel gage of the type having nonlinear character, comprising:
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a source of input ignition voltage; a synchronizing circuit; a pulsed energy source controlled by said synchronizing circuit supplying a voltage level in proportion to said input ignition voltage and coupled to said sender for periodically energizing said sender; an impedance matching circuit having an impedance related to the impedance of said gage and coupled to said sender for sensing a condition indicative of the level of fuel in the fuel tank; a sample and hold circuit coupled to said impedance matching circuit and to said gage and controlled by said synchronizing circuit for sampling said condition sensed by said impedance matching circuit and supplying a signal for causing said gage to display the level of fuel in the fuel tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A fuel level gage sensor for preventing electrolysis of float resistive element comprising of:
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a switched power means capable of sending a sequence of at least three discrete signals; a first power means producing a negative voltage, controlled in response to the first of said at least three discrete signals sent by the switched power means; a second power means producing a positive voltage, controlled in response to the second of said at least three discrete signals sent by the switched power means; a variable float device impedance level sender; an impedance matching measurement means controlled in response to the third of said at least three discrete signals sent by the switched power means for receiving and measuring the impedance of the level sender and activated by the switched power means; a sample and hold means for measuring the instantaneous signal from the impedance matching measurement means; a voltage multiplier means for adjusting the signal from the sample and hold means; and a current responsive gage means, connected to the voltage multiplier means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification