Device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container

• US 6,629,457 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Keller, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ANDRE K
• Application Number:
  US09/654,648
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 733/04.C, 732/90.V, 732/90, 367/99, 367/908
• US Class Current: 73/290.00V
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03118 Multiple tanks, i.e. two or more separate tanks supplementary tanks inside the fuel tank B60K2015/03105
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 33/003 Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845; Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0082 Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters electrical pumps submerged in fuel tanks F02M37/10, jet pumps F02M37/025
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0094 Saddle tanks; Tanks having partition walls
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2968 Transducers specially adapted for acoustic level indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/908 Material level detection, e.g. liquid level

Abstract

A device for measuring a fill level of liquid in a container includes a measuring tube arranged inside the container and an ultrasonic sensor arranged outside the container such that a portion of the wall of the container is arranged between the measuring tube and the ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic sensor therefore has no contact with the liquid located in the container.

Claims

1. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor; and

an evaluation unit operatively connected to said ultrasonic sensor for determining the fill level from the signals of the ultrasonic sensor, wherein said evaluation unit and said ultrasonic sensor are arranged as a structural unit and said structural unit is arranged directly on said portion of a container wall.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said measuring tube is produced from plastic via injection molding.

3. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor; and

a housing arranged for holding said ultrasonic sensor onto the container.

4. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor;

a housing arranged for holding said ultrasonic sensor onto the container; and

a contact means arranged in said housing for filling spaces between said ultrasonic sensor and said housing, wherein said contact means is a conductor of ultrasonic waves.

5. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor;

an evaluation unit operatively connected to said ultrasonic sensor for determining the fill level from the signals of the ultrasonic sensor, wherein said evaluation unit and said ultrasonic sensor are arranged as a structural unit; and

a housing arranged for holding said ultrasonic sensor and said evaluation unit onto the container.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a contact means arranged in said housing for filling spaces between said ultrasonic sensor and said housing, wherein said contact means is a conductor of ultrasonic waves.

7. The device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate said proximal end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said proximal end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor, wherein said portion of said container wall comprises a bottom of a container and said ultrasonic sensor bears directly against said portion of said container wall; and

support elements arranged in the container for laterally supporting said distal end of said measuring tube.

8. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor; and

a component arranged in the container, wherein said measuring tube forms a structural unit with said component.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the container comprises a fuel tank and said component to be arranged in the container comprises one of a splash pot and a suction jet pump.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the container comprises a fuel tank and said component to be arranged in the container comprises one of a splash pot and a holder for the splash pot.

11. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container; and

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor, wherein the container comprises a multichamber tank and said device comprises a plurality of ultrasonic sensors bearing against the outside of the container, each of said plural ultrasonic sensors corresponding to one of the chambers in the multichamber tank.

12. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor; and

a float arranged in said measuring tube for following the fill level of the liquid in the container, and wherein said measuring tube comprises a stop for bounding the float below a range of movement such that said ultrasonic sensor receiving two reflections when said fill level is below said stop.

13. A device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a container, comprising:

a measuring tube arranged in the container, said measuring tube comprising compensating openings operatively arranged for allowing an equalization of pressure and fill level between the measuring tube and the container;

an ultrasonic sensor arranged proximate an end of said measuring tube and operatively arranged for generating an ultrasonic signal and receiving reflections of the ultrasonic signal reflected in the region of the fill level of the liquid in the container, wherein said ultrasonic sensor is arranged on said container such that a portion of a container wall of the container is arranged between said end of said measuring tube and said ultrasonic sensor; and

a damping element arranged in at least one of said compensating openings of said measuring tube for damping the pressure compensation.