Car wash chemical solution level monitoring system

• US 9,389,114 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonny'S Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gilbert J. Rietsch Jr
• Inventors: Rietsch, Gilbert J. Jr., Gattinger, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US14/295,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 340/621
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/00 Vehicle cleaning apparatus not integral with vehicles cleaning in general B08B; cleaning peculiar to waterborne vessels B63B57/00, B63B59/00; ground equipment for cleaning aircraft B64F5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2967 for discrete levels

Abstract

A sensor probe for monitoring levels of chemical solutions used in automatic car washes, the sensor probes comprising an elongated sensor probe tube able to be installed by being inserted into a hole in the top of storage drums. A sealed enclosure mounted to the top of the tube is thereby positioned above the associated tank, which enclosure contains a liquid level sensor and a wireless receiver/transmitter able to send data to a computer/display/and web server.

Claims

1. A chemical solution liquid level probe for measuring the level of a chemical solution stored in storage containers located in a wet environment adjacent to an automated car wash, comprising:

an elongated drop in tube of a length able to reach a point adjacent the bottom of a container when inserted in a hole in a top of said container to thereby be supported by said tube with a section of said tube protruding above said top of said container, the bottom of each tube allowing entry of liquid in said associated container into said tube so as to thereby fill the tube to the same level as existing in the associated container;

a sealed water tight enclosure mounted to said protruding section of said tube to a top end of said tube, said enclosure containing a liquid level sensor mounted in said enclosure and arranged to emit sonic waves down into said tube and to sense the timing of return waves reflected from liquid in said tube corresponding to the liquid level in said container;

an electronic processor in said sealed enclosure storing and analyzing said sensor signals to periodically calculate the level of liquid in said storage container from the timing of sensed return waves, and to determine malfunctions of said sensor;

a wireless transmitter/receiver in said enclosure for transmitting data from the liquid level sensor to a remote signal storage analysis and display device;

a battery power source in said sealed enclosure powering said sensor therein, said wireless transmitter/receiver, and said electronic processor.

2. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 wherein said tube is transparent to enable visual detection of the presence of contamination therein.

3. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 wherein said sealed enclosure has a transparent cover and wherein one or more LED lights are mounted within said enclosure and are activated as alerts of abnormal conditions detected by said electronic processor, which LED'"'"'s are visible through said enclosure transparent enclosure cover, whereby the need for any LED'"'"'s mounted outside and for an opening for connecting wires to said outside located LED'"'"'s is eliminated.

4. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 wherein an electrical lead extends from within said sealed enclosure to a magnetic sensor associated with a solenoid valve in a mixer/dispenser for said chemical solution to thereby provide a signal corresponding to a washed vehicle count to said electronic processor.

5. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 wherein said electronic processor determines from said analysis of said return signals when more than one return signal occurs within a single time period, thereby enabling detection of contamination of said sensor tube.

6. The liquid level dispenser according to claim 1 wherein an antenna is mounted to said enclosure and connected to said wireless transmitter/receiver in said enclosure.

7. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 wherein said signal processor includes switches located within said enclosure able to be activated by placing a magnet against a region of an exterior surface of said enclosure resetting sensing said process when a container associated with said probe is refilled.

8. The liquid level probe according to claim 7 wherein said electronic processor further includes a second switch causing generations of an updated level signal upon activation by a magnet placed against another region of an exterior surface of said enclosure.

9. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 further including a temperature sensor in said enclosure connected to said electronic processor and utilized to adjust said level determination to reflect the effects of temperature on the determination of said liquid level.

10. The liquid level probe according to claim 1 wherein said electronic processor establishes high and low battery power outputs for use in powering said liquid level sensor and said electronic processor with said wireless transmitter/receiver respectively.

11. The liquid level probe according to claim 10 wherein said battery power source is disconnected by said electronic processor when a low battery voltage is detected.

12. In combination the liquid level sensor according to claim 1 and a remote combined computer display having a wireless transmitter/receiver receiving data streamed from said sensor probe wireless transmitter/receiver.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein said computer/display comprises a server for a website which also receives said data streamed from said sensor probe wireless transmitter/receiver.

14. The combination according to claim 12 wherein said sensor probe electronic processor determines a disconnected or defective level sensor, a sensor out of said container, and from the presence of an additional return wave foam in said sensor tube.

15. The combination of claim 12 wherein said electronic processor also determines from analysis of sensor signals any occurrence of an increase in sensed liquid level in said container or, a constantly decreasing sensed liquid level in said container, and generates a corresponding alarm signal upon development either of said sensed changing level conditions and transmits said alarm signal to said wireless transmitter/receiver which transmits said alarm signal to said computer/display for display thereof.