Measuring system for liquid volumes and liquid levels of any type

• US 5,802,910 A
• Filed: 12/10/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adolf Gunther, Heinrich Krahn, Werner Weindl
• Original Assignee: Adolf Gunther, Heinrich Krahn, Werner Weindl
• Inventors: Gunther, Adolf, Weindl, Werner, Krahn, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIGGINS, JOHN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/765,042
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 73/301, 73/299, 73/290 R, 73/291, 73/861.49, 73/861.42, 73/861.46, 340/618
• US Class Current: 73/299
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/18 Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically

Abstract

The apparatus measures the liquid volume of a liquid or liquids held in one or more containers. This apparatus has no moving parts and includes an open-ended dynamic pressure tube standing in each container with its open tube end at the lowest point of the container on the bottom surface of it and a pressure measurement converter closing the other tube end so as to form an air column between the pressure measurement converter and a liquid level in it. The apparatus also includes an electronic analyzing device (3,4) including an electronic circuit (3) connected electrically to the pressure measurement converter and producing an electronic signal characteristic of a liquid volume in the container and a digital meter for displaying a volume reading.

Claims

1. An apparatus with a single measurement tube for measuring liquid volume of liquid held in a container having a lowest point, said apparatus having no moving parts and comprising:

a dynamic pressure tube (1) having an open tube end (O), wherein said dynamic pressure tube (1) stands in said container (6) with said open tube end (O) at said lowest point (11) of said container and said open tube end (O) is shaped so that only some, but not all, points (PC) on said open tube end (O) rest on a bottom surface (S) of said container at said lowest point (11), so that said liquid can flow into and out of said dynamic pressure tube (1) until an equilibrium liquid level (L) is attained;

a pressure measurement converter (2) closing another end of said dynamic pressure tube (1) opposite from said open tube end (O) so as to form an air column (30) between the pressure measurement converter (2) and a liquid level (L) in said dynamic pressure tube (1); and

an electronic analyzing device (3,4) comprising an electronic circuit (3) mounted on the pressure measurement converter (2) and connected electrically to said pressure measurement converter (2), said electronic circuit (3) including means responsive to said pressure measurement converter for producing an electronic signal characteristic of the liquid volume in the container (6).

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said electronic analyzing device (3,4) comprises a digital meter (4, 50) for displaying a liquid volume reading connected to said electronic circuit (3).

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said dynamic pressure tube (1) is made of plastic, glass or metal.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said container (6) comprises a plastic material, a glass material or a metal.

5. An apparatus for measuring liquid volumes of liquid in each of a plurality of different containers, each of said containers (6) having a lowest point (11) and a single measurement tube inserted therein, said apparatus having no moving parts and comprising:

a dynamic pressure tube (1) having an open tube end (O) standing in each of said containers with said open tube end (O) at said lowest point (11) and said open tube end (O) is shaped so that only some, but not all, points (PC) on said open tube end (O) rest on a bottom surface (S) of said container so that said liquid can flow into and out of said dynamic pressure tube (1) until an equilibrium liquid level (L) is attained;

a pressure measurement converter (2) closing another end of each of said dynamic pressure tubes (1) opposite from said open tube end (O) so as to form an air column (30) between each of the pressure measurement converters (2) and a liquid level (L) in said dynamic pressure tube (1) closed thereby;

an electronic analyzing device (3,4) comprising an electronic circuit (3) mounted on each of said pressure measurement converters and connected electrically to each of said pressure measurement converters (2), said electronic circuit including means responsive to said pressure measurement converter for producing an electronic signal characteristic of said liquid volume measured by said pressure measurement converter (2), and said electronic analyzing device (3,4) includes a digital meter (50) for displaying a liquid volume reading, said digital meter (50) being located remotely from said electronic circuits; and

a selector switch (7) connected electrically to each of said electronic circuits (3) of said pressure measurement converters (2) and to said digital meter (4,50), said selector switch (7) including means for selecting one of said pressure measurement converters and connecting only the selected one of said pressure measurement converters to said digital meter (4,50), so that said digital meter displays the liquid volume measured by the selected one of said pressure measurement converters.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said dynamic pressure tubes (1) are made of plastic, glass or metal.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said container (6) comprises a plastic material, a glass material or a metal.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said different containers (6) include a radiator, windshield washer system/tank, engine coolant compartment, brake fluid tank, engine oil reservoir, transmission and fuel tank of a motor vehicle.