Liquid level sensing system

• US 9,261,395 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Shearer, Jon Douglas, Periyathamby, Sabeshan Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, David A
• Application Number:
  US13/765,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes

Abstract

A linear liquid level sensing system (10) comprises a vessel (20), an electrically conductive liquid (30) contained within the vessel (20), and a collector (40) spanning a vertical distance corresponding to the desired-level-determining range. An insulator (50) encases the collector (40) to define a dielectric gap between it and the fluid (30), with the insulated area in contact with the fluid (30) correlating with the fluid level. A single electrical line (60) connects the collector (40) to both a voltage-supplying source (70) and a charge-sensing device (80).

Claims

1. A linear liquid level sensing system comprising:

an electrically conductive liquid with an electrical ground,

a collector spanning a vertical distance corresponding to a desired-level-determining range,

an insulator encasing the collector and having a liquid-contacting area which changes with the level of the liquid;

a voltage-supplying source which supplies a voltage to the collector so that the collector incurs a charge corresponding to the vertical level of the conductive liquid that is in contact with the liquid-contacting area of the insulator;

a charge-sensing device configured to sense the collector-incurred charge, wherein the collector-incurred charge correlates to the liquid-contacting area of the insulator; and

a single electrical line electrically connecting both the voltage-supplying source and the charge-sensing device to the collector such that the voltage-supplying source supplies the voltage to the collector through the single electrical line and the charge-sensing device senses the charge induced on the collector through the same single electrical line.

2. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 1, characterized by a single collector.

3. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the vertical distance spanned by the collector extends at least from a near-empty level to a near-full level.

4. A linear liquid sensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the voltage-supplying source supplies a voltage to the collector and wherein the charge-sensing device senses voltage and capacitance.

5. A linear liquid sensing system as set forth in claim 1, comprising a display panel which displays a parameter related to the charge sensed by the charge-sensing device.

6. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electrically-conductive liquid is water.

7. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the electrically-conductive liquid is potable water.

8. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 1, comprising a vessel in which the electrically conductive liquid is contained.

9. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the vertical distance spanned by the collector extends at least from a near-empty level to a near-full level.

10. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the vessel is made of an electrically conductive material and wherein the collector is situated within the vessel and is at least partially submerged in the liquid.

11. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the vessel is made of metal.

12. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the vessel is a tank installed on an aircraft.

13. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the vessel is made of an insulating material and wherein the collector is situated within the vessel and at least partially submerged in the liquid.

14. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the vessel is made of plastic.

15. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the vessel is a tank installed on an aircraft.

16. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the vessel is made of an insulating material and wherein the collector is situated outside of the vessel and not submerged in the liquid.

17. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the vessel is made of plastic.

18. A linear liquid level sensing system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the vessel is a tank installed on an aircraft.