Liquid level measuring apparatus

• US 5,347,864 A
• Filed: 04/12/1993
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Remote Operating Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electrolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Jing, Senghaas, Peter, Senghaas, Karl A., Michalec, Jerzy, Kolonko, Pete T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTIERREZ, DIEGO F
• Application Number:
  US08/046,063
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 73/313, 73/308, 73/319, 73/DIG. 5, 73/311, 73/291, 364/509, 200/84 C, 335/206, 335/207, 377/21, 377/54
• US Class Current: 73/313
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/72 using magnetically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/74 for sensing changes in level only at discrete points
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/02 actuated by movement of a float carrying a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 73/05 Liquid levels with magnetic transmission

Abstract

An improved liquid level measuring apparatus having a plurality of spaced reed switches having a microprocessor attached to the liquid level measuring sensor apparatus. The switches are wired together in parallel and in sets and are addressed by a shift register for providing a parallel to serial shift of the switch status position to the microprocessor. This allows a reduction in the number of conductors existing the sensor and providing an output signal indicating the vertical position of a float relative to the switches. A microprocessor control notes any inoperative switches, disregards the reading of the inoperative switches in calculating liquid level, and provides stored information to the measurement process for compensating for defective switches.

Claims

1. In a liquid level measuring apparatus having a plurality of spaced reed switches vertically aligned for positioning in a liquid, each reed switch vertically overlapping the adjacent above and below reed switches, the longitudinal axis of said reed switches being at an angle to the vertical axis of the apparatus and a float carrying magnetic means movably positioned adjacent said plurality of switches, said magnetic means having a magnetic field for sequentially actuating switches as the float moves relative to the switches, the improvement comprising,

a microprocessor attached to the liquid level measuring apparatus,

said switches electrically connected together in parallel in a plurality of sets,

a plurality of shift registers, each register connected to one of the sets of switches, said registers connected together and to the microprocessor for supplying a parallel to serial conversion of the open or closed status of each switch, and

said microprocessor providing an output signal indicating the vertical position of the float relative to said switches.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including

a closed housing enclosing the switches, and

a ground electrode a bottom of the housing and below the switches for detecting any moisture inside the housing.

3. In a liquid level measuring apparatus having a plurality of spaced reed switches vertically aligned for positioning in a liquid, each reed switch vertically overlapping the adjacent above and below reed switches, the longitudinal axis of said reed switches being at an angle to the vertical axis of the apparatus and a float carrying magnetic means movably positioned adjacent said plurality of switches, said magnetic means having a magnetic field for sequentially actuating switches as the float moves relative to the switches, the improvement comprising,

a microprocessor electrically connected to the liquid level measuring apparatus,

said switches electrically connected together in parallel in a plurality of sets,

a plurality of shift registers, each register connected to one of the sets of switches, said registers connected together and to the microprocessor for supplying a parallel to serial conversion of the open or closed status of each switch,

said microprocessor providing an output signal indicating the vertical position of the float relative to said switches, and

said magnetic field is effective for providing a sequential activation of at least two and then at least the next three switches of said plurality of switches at all times.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including means connected to the microprocessor for noting an inoperative switch and disregarding the reading of the inoperative switch.

5. In a liquid level measuring apparatus having a plurality of spaced reed switches vertically aligned for positioning in a liquid, each reed switch vertically overlapping the adjacent above and below reed switch, the longitudinal axis of said reed switches being at an angle to the vertical axis of the apparatus and a float means carrying magnetic means movably positioned adjacent said plurality of switches, said magnetic means having a magnetic field for sequentially actuating switches as the float means moves relative to the switches, the improvement comprising,

a microprocessor electrically connected to the liquid level measuring apparatus,

said switches electrically connected together in parallel in a plurality of sets,

a plurality of shift registers, each register connected to one of the sets of switches, said registers connected together and to the microprocessor for supplying a parallel to serial conversion of the open or closed status of each switch,

said microprocessor providing an output signal indicating the vertical position of the float means relative to said switches, and

said float means including first and second separate floats having different buoyancies for simultaneous measuring the level of two liquids of different densities.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein when said two floats are positioned in contact with each other, the two floats jointly actuate a plurality of consecutive switches.

7. In a liquid level measuring apparatus having a plurality of spaced reed switches vertically aligned for positioning in a liquid, each reed switch vertically overlapping the adjacent above and below reed switches, the longitudinal axis of said reed switches being at an angle to the vertical axis of the apparatus and a float carrying magnetic means movably positioned adjacent said plurality of switches, said magnetic means having a magnetic field for sequentially actuating switches as the float moves relative to the switches, the improvement comprising,

a microprocessor electrically connected to the liquid level measuring apparatus,

said switches electrically connected together in parallel in a plurality of sets,

a plurality of shift registers, each register connected to one of the sets of switches, said registers connected together and to the microprocessor for supplying a parallel to serial conversion of the open or closed status of each switch,

said microprocessor providing an output signal indicating the vertical position of the float relative to said switches, and

means connected to the microprocessor for noting inoperative switches and disregarding the reading of the inoperative switches.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said microprocessor stores a list of said inoperative switches.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 including

means electrically connected to said microprocessor for updating the list of inoperative switches.