Electronic circuit for fuel level sensor

• US 5,050,433 A
• Filed: 09/14/1990
• Issued: 09/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Inventors: Lumetta, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US07/582,753
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 73/304 R, 73/308, 73/313, 73/304 C, 340/509, 340/620, 324/693, 324/697, 324/699, 324/705, 324/706, 364/509, 364/550, 364/560
• US Class Current: 73/313
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/30 by floats
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/806 Particular electronic circuits for handling non-digital processing equipment

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.

Claims

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.

2. The circuit as in claim 1 wherein the synchronizing circuit is a microprocessor capable of sending a sequence of signals.

3. The circuit as in claim 1 wherein the sample and hold circuit is activated by said synchronizing circuit after said pulsed energy source has energized said sender.

4. The circuit as in claim 1 wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises a first and second resistor which are coupled to have a Thevenin impedance substantially equal to that of said gage.

5. The circuit as in claim 4 wherein said sender is connected in parallel with said first resistor and in series with said second resistor.

6. A fuel level gage sensor for preventing electrolysis of float resistive element comprising of:

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.

7. The fuel level gage sensor as in claim 6 wherein the switched power means is comprised of:

a microprocessor capable of sending said sequence of at least three discrete signals;

a circuit means to sequentially activate said first power means, said second power means, and said resistance impedance matching means in response to said three discrete signals.

8. The fuel level gage sensor as in claim 6 wherein the variable float device is periodically energized by a discrete signal sent by the switched power means.

9. The fuel level gage sensor as in claim 6 wherein the variable float device is periodically energized at less than 50% duty cycles.

10. The fuel level gage sensor as in claim 6 wherein the resistance impedance matching means comprises:

a first resistor having first terminal connected to said switched power means controlling the flow of the second power source and having second terminal;

a second resistor having third and fourth terminals, said third terminal connected with the second terminal of said first resistor and said third terminal also connected to define a sampling point with the sample and hold means, and said fourth terminal connected to said switched power means controlling the flow of the first power source;

said level sender being coupled to said third and fourth terminals whereby the impedance of said level sender is measured;

said first and second resistors connected at second and third terminals to define a sampling point, said sampling point in turn connected to the fuel level sender gage and in parallel with the second resistor.