Fuel supply indicator arrangement for a motor vehicle fuel tank
First Claim
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1. A fuel supply indicator arrangement for a motor vehicle fuel tank comprising:
- a device for detecting fuel consumption by an internal combustion engine and providing a fuel consumption signal;
a fuel tank having a tank filling nozzle and a fuel withdrawal unit with a fuel withdrawal point near the bottom of the fuel tank and containing an end position switch means including at least three end position switches disposed above the withdrawal point in the tank and at heights corresponding to predetermined tank fill levels;
the end position switch means providing an end position switch signal when an end position switch is immersed in fuel in the tank; and
an electric circuit for calculating a for supply indication value from the fuel consumption signal and end position switch signals wherein the end position switch means comprises an “
Empty”
end position switch located at a first height above a fuel withdrawal point corresponding to a minimal fill level of the fuel tank, a “
Reserve”
end position switch located at a second height above the fuel withdrawal point corresponding to a fill level of the fuel tank at or below which a fuel reserve warning signal is activated and a “
Full”
end position switch located at a third height above the fuel withdrawal point corresponding to a maximum fill level of the fuel tank.
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Abstract
A fuel supply indicator arrangement for a motor vehicle fuel tank includes a device for generating a fuel consumption signal to measure the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine. A fuel supply indication is provided by an end position switch arrangement in the fuel tank including several end position switches located above a fuel withdrawal point at heights corresponding to predetermined fill levels, the end position switch arrangement being of such configuration that it emits an end position switch signal depending on which of the end position switches is immersed in fuel, and an electric circuit calculates a value for the fuel supply indication from the fuel consumption signal and the end position switch signals.
41 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A fuel supply indicator arrangement for a motor vehicle fuel tank comprising:
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a device for detecting fuel consumption by an internal combustion engine and providing a fuel consumption signal;
a fuel tank having a tank filling nozzle and a fuel withdrawal unit with a fuel withdrawal point near the bottom of the fuel tank and containing an end position switch means including at least three end position switches disposed above the withdrawal point in the tank and at heights corresponding to predetermined tank fill levels;
the end position switch means providing an end position switch signal when an end position switch is immersed in fuel in the tank; and
an electric circuit for calculating a for supply indication value from the fuel consumption signal and end position switch signals wherein the end position switch means comprises an “
Empty”
end position switch located at a first height above a fuel withdrawal point corresponding to a minimal fill level of the fuel tank, a “
Reserve”
end position switch located at a second height above the fuel withdrawal point corresponding to a fill level of the fuel tank at or below which a fuel reserve warning signal is activated and a “
Full”
end position switch located at a third height above the fuel withdrawal point corresponding to a maximum fill level of the fuel tank.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeVolkswagen AG
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Original AssigneeVolkswagen AG
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InventorsSchmidtchen, Jörg, Gerdtz, Uwe
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Primary Examiner(s)Wu, Daniel J.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Nguyen, Tai T.
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Application NumberUS09/361,897Time in Patent Office700 DaysField of Search340/450.2, 340/618, 340/936, 701/96, 701/103US Class Current340/450.2CPC Class CodesG01F 23/804 containing circuits handlin...
