Fuel tank float arm assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A float arm assembly for a vehicle fuel tank comprising:
- a first float support mountable in the fuel tank;
a second float support mountable in the fuel tank;
a first resistor card mounted to the first float support;
a second resistor card mounted to the second float support, spaced from the first resistor card and electrically connected in series with the first resistor card;
a first float arm pivotally connected to the first resistor card and extending therefrom;
a second float arm pivotally connected to the second resistor card and extending therefrom;
a first float fixed to the first float arm; and
a second float fixed to the second float arm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention concerns a float arm assembly for use in a vehicle fuel tank and a method of operating the float arm assembly to determine a level of fuel in the tank. First and second resistor cards are electrically connected in series and each includes a pivoting float arm with a float attached to an end. The first and second resistor cards, with separate floats allow the fuel level to be more accurately determined, especially in fuel tanks with complex contours and indentations in the tank wall that create dead bands in a single float type of arrangement.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A float arm assembly for a vehicle fuel tank comprising:
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a first float support mountable in the fuel tank; a second float support mountable in the fuel tank; a first resistor card mounted to the first float support; a second resistor card mounted to the second float support, spaced from the first resistor card and electrically connected in series with the first resistor card; a first float arm pivotally connected to the first resistor card and extending therefrom; a second float arm pivotally connected to the second resistor card and extending therefrom; a first float fixed to the first float arm; and a second float fixed to the second float arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A float arm assembly for a vehicle fuel tank comprising:
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at least one float support mountable in the fuel tank; a first resistor card mounted to the at least one float support; a second resistor card mounted to the at least one float support, spaced from the first resistor card and electrically connected in series with the first resistor card; a first float arm pivotally connected to the first resistor card and extending therefrom; a second float arm pivotally connected to the second resistor card and extending therefrom; a first float fixed to the first float arm; and a second float fixed to the second float arm. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of detecting a level of a fuel in a vehicle fuel tank having a float arm assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) connecting a first resistor card in electrical series connection with a second resistor card that is spaced from the first resistor card; (b) allowing a first float, having a density less than the fuel, to pivot on a first float arm relative to the first resistor card due to the buoyancy of the first float in the fuel; (c) allowing a second float, having a density less than the fuel, to pivot on a second float arm relative to the second resistor card due to the buoyancy of the second float in the fuel; and (d) communicating a signal indicative of a position of the first float arm relative to the first resistor card and a position of the second float arm relative to the second resistor card to a powertrain control module. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification