Liquid-level sensor having multiple solid optical conductors with surface discontinuities
First Claim
1. A liquid-level sensor operable with a volume in which a liquid may be present to different heights above a bottom of the volume, the sensor comprising;
- at lead two solid optical conductors, each solid optical conductor including an outer surface having at least one reflective surface discontinuity of sufficient size to interfere with a total internal reflection of the solid optical conductor when the reflective surface discontinuity does not contact the liquid;
a support that positions the reflective surface discontinuity of each of the at least two solid optical conductors at a location corresponding to a different height above the bottom of the volume;
a light source which introduces light into a first end of each of the solid optical conductors; and
a light detector structure which receives light that has been introduced into each of the solid optical conductors and has traveled through the respective solid optical conductor at least as far as at least one of the reflective surface discontinuities of the respective solid optical conductor.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid-level sensor is used to sense th level of a liquid. The sensor has at least two solid optical conductors, wherein each solid optical conductor includes an outer surface having at least one reflective surface discontinuity of sufficient size to interfere with a total internal reflection of the solid optical conductor when the reflective surface discontinuity does not contact the liquid. A support positions the reflective surface discontinuities at a different height above the boom of the volume. A light source introduces light into a first end of each of the solid optical conductors. A light detector structure receives light that has been introduced into each of the solid optical conductors and has traveled through the respective solid optical conductor at least as far as at least one of the reflective surface discontinuities of the respective solid optical conductor.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A liquid-level sensor operable with a volume in which a liquid may be present to different heights above a bottom of the volume, the sensor comprising;
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at lead two solid optical conductors, each solid optical conductor including an outer surface having at least one reflective surface discontinuity of sufficient size to interfere with a total internal reflection of the solid optical conductor when the reflective surface discontinuity does not contact the liquid;
a support that positions the reflective surface discontinuity of each of the at least two solid optical conductors at a location corresponding to a different height above the bottom of the volume;
a light source which introduces light into a first end of each of the solid optical conductors; and
a light detector structure which receives light that has been introduced into each of the solid optical conductors and has traveled through the respective solid optical conductor at least as far as at least one of the reflective surface discontinuities of the respective solid optical conductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 20)
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13. A liquid-level sensor operable with a volume in which a liquid may be preset to different heights above a bottom of the volume, the sensor comprising:
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at least two solid optical conductors, each solid optical conductor including an outer surface having at least one reflective surface discontinuity of sufficient size to interfere with a total internal reflection of the solid optical conductor when the reflective surface discontinuity does not contact the liquid;
a support that positions the reflective discontinuity of each of the at least two solid optical at a location corresponding to a different height above the bottom of the volume;
a light source which introduces light into a first end of each of the solid optical conductors; and
a light detector structure comprising a non-electrical light diffuser positioned so that a second and of each of the solid optical conductors directs a respective output beam onto a respective region of the light diffuser, each of the respective regions having a visual indication thereon of being illuminated by its respective output beam. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification