Wireless fuel level sensor for a vehicle fuel tank

• US 8,134,469 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bucciero, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/913,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/612, 340/614, 340/626, 340/450.2, 340/618, 340/936, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 701/96, 701/103, 732/90.R, 732/90.V
• US Class Current: 340/612
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/18 Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A vehicle fuel tank is provided. The vehicle fuel tank includes a housing defining an interior region, a fuel level sensor coupled to the interior region, the fuel level sensor responsive to a fuel pressure, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) device electronically coupled to the fuel level sensor configured to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of a fuel level in the fuel tank.

Claims

1. A vehicle fuel tank, comprising:

a housing defining an interior region;

a fuel level sensor coupled to the interior region, the fuel level sensor responsive to a fuel pressure, the fuel level sensor being a wireless device and positioned at a location in the fuel tank remote from a fuel pump, the fuel pump within the fuel tank and part of a module; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device electronically coupled to the fuel level sensor configured to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of a fuel level in the fuel tank, the module providing power to the RFID device via an electromagnetic field.

2. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 1, where the fuel level sensor includes a strain gauge, an electrical resistance of the strain gauge altered in response to a pressure of a fuel stored in the fuel tank.

3. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 2, where the RFID device is a passive RFID device configured to receive power from an electromagnetic field generated via a remote field transmission device, and where the passive RFID device wirelessly transmits the signal in response to a change in the electrical resistance of the strain gauge, the signal modified by the change in electrical resistance.

4. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 1, where the RFID device is an active RFID device configured to receive electrical power from a wired input.

5. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 1, where the fuel level sensor is overmolded via a polymeric material.

6. A vehicle fuel tank, comprising:

a fuel tank housing with first and second interior regions;

a fuel pump positioned in the first interior region;

a fuel pick-up positioned in the second interior region and in fluid communication with the fuel pump;

a wireless fuel level sensor positioned within the second interior region, the wireless fuel level sensor including a strain gauge, an electrical resistance of the strain gauge altered responsive to a fuel level pressure.

7. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 6, where the fuel pick-up is a fuel pick-up module that is coupled to an active crossover conduit, the active crossover conduit fluidly coupling the fuel pick-up and the fuel pump.

8. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 6, where the wireless fuel level sensor is electrically coupled to a radio frequency identification (RFID) device configured to wirelessly transmit a signal modified by the alteration in electrical resistance in the strain gauge.

9. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 8, where the RFID device is a passive RFID device configured to receive power from an electromagnetic field generated via a remote field transmission device.

10. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 9, where the remote field transmission device is included in an electronic component cluster positioned in the vehicle outside of the fuel tank.

11. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 9, where the remote field transmission device is positioned in the first interior region.

12. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 6, where the fuel tank housing is blow molded.

13. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 6, where the vehicle fuel tank includes a single opening.

14. The vehicle fuel tank of claim 6, further comprising a second wireless fuel level sensor positioned within the first interior region, the second wireless fuel level sensor including a second strain gauge, an electrical resistance of the strain gauge altered responsive to a fuel level pressure.

15. A method for indicating fuel level, comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a signal indicative of the fuel level in a first interior region of a fuel tank via a radio frequency identification (RFID) device;

indicating an aggregate fuel level in the fuel tank from the signal and the fuel level in a second interior region of the fuel tank; and

preceding the transmitting, altering a resistance in a fuel level sensor coupled to the RFID device based on a pressure in the first interior region of the fuel tank.

16. The method of claim 15, where the RFID device is a passive device, and where an increased amount of fuel is drawn from one of the first or second interior regions when the other of the first and second interior regions is at a higher level.

17. The method of claim 16, where the RFID device wirelessly transmits the signal to a receiver device positioned in the second interior region of the fuel tank.

18. The method of claim 17, where the RFID device wirelessly transmits the signal at predetermined intervals.