Fuel gauge

• US 6,915,690 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okada, Hiroshi, Kumagai, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELLAMY, TAMIKO D
• Application Number:
  US10/833,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20040231415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 733/225, 733/05, 733/17, 733/19, 733/14, 733/13, 340/623, 340/625, 324/207.2
• US Class Current: 73/290.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/38 using magnetically actuated indicating means

Abstract

A fuel gauge includes an arm moving with the level of fuel in a fuel tank, a detection body for movably supporting the arm and including a rotor moving together with the arm and a stator for movably supporting the rotor, and a magnetic-flux detecting element arranged in the stator and for detecting the displacement amount of the arm.

Claims

1. A fuel gauge, comprising:

an arm which moves with a level of fuel in a tank;

a detection body which movably supports the arm, the detection body comprising a moving member, which moves together with the arm, and a stationary member which movably supports the moving member; and

a non-contact detecting element arranged in the stationary member of the detection body, the non-contact detecting element detecting the displacement amount of the arm,

wherein the non-contact detecting element is directly hermetically arranged in the stationary member of the detection body.

4. The fuel gauge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-contact detecting element includes a magnetic-flux detecting element.

5. The fuel gauge as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connector provided to the stationary member, the connector being connected to the non-contact detecting element.

8. The fuel gauge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm is rotatably supported by the detection body.

9. The fuel gauge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm has a base end linearly movably supported by the detection body.

2. A fuel gauge, comprising:

an arm which moves with a level of fuel in a tank;

a detection body which movably supports the arm, the detection body comprising a moving member which moves together with the arm and a stationary member which movably supports the moving member; and

a non-contact detecting element arranged in the stationary member of the detection body, the non-contact detecting element detecting the displacement amount of the arm; and

a box which accommodates the non-contact detecting element, wherein the non-contact detecting element is hermetically arranged in the stationary member of the detection body in the state of being accommodated in the box.

3. The fuel gauge as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the non-contact detecting element and the box is formed with the stationary member by insert resin molding.

6. A fuel gauge, comprising:

an arm which moves with a level of fuel in a tank;

a detection body which movably supports the arm, the detection body comprising a moving member, which moves together with the arm, and a stationary member which movably supports the moving member; and

a non-contact detecting element arranged in the stationary member of the detection body, the non-contact detecting element detecting the displacement amount of the arm,

further comprising a probe pin arranged to protrude outward from the tank, the probe being connected to the non-contact detecting element.

7. The fuel gauge as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a casing for accommodating the probe, the casing having an opening formed in a position corresponding to the probe pin, the opening being closed with a lid.