Liquid condition sensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A capacitive liquid condition sensing apparatus to be submerged at least partly in a liquid, for sensing a liquid condition of the liquid, the liquid condition sensing apparatus comprising:
- a first electrode pair of a 1-1 electrode and a 1-2 electrode arranged to form a first capacitance varying in accordance with a condition of the liquid;
a second electrode pair of a 2-1 electrode and a 2-2 electrode arranged to form a second capacitance varying in accordance with another condition of the liquid;
a circuit board formed with a sensing circuit to monitor the first and second capacitances and to sense the liquid condition in accordance with the first and second capacitances;
a 1-1 conductive path connecting the 1-1 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 1-1 conductive segment;
a 1-2 conductive path connecting the 1-2 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 1-2 conductive segment;
a 2-1 conductive path connecting the 2-1 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 2-1 conductive segment; and
a 2-2 conductive path connecting the 2-2 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 2-2 conductive segment;
wherein the 1-1 conductive segment, the 1-2 conductive segment, the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment are arranged in a row, and extend side by side; and
wherein the 2-1 conductive segment extends between the 1-1 conductive segment and the 1-2 conductive segment, and the 1-2 conductive segment extends between the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Capacitive liquid condition sensing apparatus includes a pair of a 1-1 electrode and a 1-2 electrode arranged to form a first capacitance; a pair of a 2-1 electrode and a 2-2 electrode arranged to form a second capacitance; a circuit board formed with a sensing circuit to sense the liquid condition such as a liquid level in accordance with the first and second capacitances; and 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 and 2-2 conductive paths connecting the 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 and 2-2 electrodes, respectively, to the sensing circuit, and including 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 and 2-2 conductive segments, respectively. The 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 and 2-2 conductive segments are arranged in a row, and extend side by side. The 1-1, 1-2, 2-1 and 2-2 conductive segments are arranged so that a first parasitic capacitance formed between the 1-1 conductive segment and the 1-2 conductive segment is equal to a second parasitic capacitance formed between the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment.
21 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A capacitive liquid condition sensing apparatus to be submerged at least partly in a liquid, for sensing a liquid condition of the liquid, the liquid condition sensing apparatus comprising:
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a first electrode pair of a 1-1 electrode and a 1-2 electrode arranged to form a first capacitance varying in accordance with a condition of the liquid; a second electrode pair of a 2-1 electrode and a 2-2 electrode arranged to form a second capacitance varying in accordance with another condition of the liquid; a circuit board formed with a sensing circuit to monitor the first and second capacitances and to sense the liquid condition in accordance with the first and second capacitances; a 1-1 conductive path connecting the 1-1 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 1-1 conductive segment; a 1-2 conductive path connecting the 1-2 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 1-2 conductive segment; a 2-1 conductive path connecting the 2-1 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 2-1 conductive segment; and a 2-2 conductive path connecting the 2-2 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 2-2 conductive segment; wherein the 1-1 conductive segment, the 1-2 conductive segment, the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment are arranged in a row, and extend side by side; and wherein the 2-1 conductive segment extends between the 1-1 conductive segment and the 1-2 conductive segment, and the 1-2 conductive segment extends between the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A capacitive liquid condition sensing apparatus to be submerged at least partly in a liquid, for sensing a liquid condition, the liquid condition sensing apparatus comprising:
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a first electrode pair of a 1-1 electrode and a 1-2 electrode arranged to form a first capacitance varying in accordance with a condition of the liquid; a second electrode pair of a 2-1 electrode and a 2-2 electrode arranged to form a second capacitance varying in accordance with a condition of the liquid; a circuit board formed with a sensing circuit to monitor the first and second capacitances and to sense the liquid condition in accordance with the first and second capacitances; a 1-1 conductive path connecting the 1-1 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 1-1 conductive segment; a 1-2 conductive path connecting the 1-2 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 1-2 conductive segment; a 2-1 conductive path connecting the 2-1 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 2-1 conductive segment; and a 2-2 conductive path connecting the 2-2 electrode to the sensing circuit and including a 2-2 conductive segment; the 1-1 conductive segment, the 1-2 conductive segment, the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment being arranged in a row, and extending side by side; and the 1-1 conductive segment, the 1-2 conductive segment, the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment being arranged so that a first parasitic capacitance formed between the 1-1 conductive segment and the 1-2 conductive segment is equal to a second parasitic capacitance formed between the 2-1 conductive segment and the 2-2 conductive segment. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification