Acoustic array sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A liquid level sensor, comprising:
- a substrate having at least one reflective side surface;
at least one wave generator on one end of the substrate configured to transmit a wave along the surface of the substrate in a first direction; and
a plurality of reflective echelons positioned on the substrate such that each echelon is at an angle relative to a reflective side surface of the substrate,wherein the reflective echelons are configured to convert a wave of a first mode to a wave of a second mode and direct the converted wave toward the reflective surface, andwherein the wave of the first mode is the only wave that travels in the first direction,and wherein the liquid level sensor is in a shape of a bent strip or a tube.
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Abstract
A level sensor includes a substrate having at least one reflective side surface, at least one wave generator on one end of the substrate configured to transmit a wave down the surface of the substrate and a plurality of reflective echelons mounted on the substrate such that each echelon is at an angle relative to reflective side surface. The reflective echelons are configured to convert a wave of a first mode in to a wave of a second mode.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A liquid level sensor, comprising:
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a substrate having at least one reflective side surface; at least one wave generator on one end of the substrate configured to transmit a wave along the surface of the substrate in a first direction; and a plurality of reflective echelons positioned on the substrate such that each echelon is at an angle relative to a reflective side surface of the substrate, wherein the reflective echelons are configured to convert a wave of a first mode to a wave of a second mode and direct the converted wave toward the reflective surface, and wherein the wave of the first mode is the only wave that travels in the first direction, and wherein the liquid level sensor is in a shape of a bent strip or a tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of determining the level of a fluid, the method containing the steps of:
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transmitting a first wave operating in a first mode in a first direction along a surface of a substrate by at least one wave generator coupled to the substrate, the substrate having a shape of a bent strip or a tube; converting a portion of the wave from a first mode to a second mode when the wave reaches each of a plurality of echelons on the substrate; directing the converted wave off each of the plurality of echelons toward a portion of a reflective side surface of the substrate; reflecting the converted wave from the reflective side surface toward each of the plurality of echelons; converting the wave reflected from the side surface from a second mode back to a first mode; and directing the converted first mode wave back toward the wave generator, wherein the wave operating in the first mode is the only wave that travels in the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A liquid level sensor including:
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a substrate having at least one reflective side surface, the substrate having a shape of a bent strip or a tube; at least one wave generator on one end of the substrate configured to transmit a wave along the surface of the substrate in a first direction; and a plurality of reflective echelons positioned on the substrate such that each echelon is at an angle relative to a reflective side surface of the substrate, wherein the reflective echelons are configured to direct a wave toward the reflective side surface and to direct a wave reflected from the reflective side surface back to the wave generator in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and wherein waves travelling in the first and second directions are waves of a first mode and waves directed to and reflected from the reflective side surface are waves of a second mode, and the waves of the first mode are the only waves that travel in the first and second directions.
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27. A tank including:
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a liquid level sensor having at least one wave generator on a top surface of the tank that is configured to transmit a wave along a surface of a substrate in a first direction, the substrate having a shape of a bent strip or a tube; and a plurality of echelons formed on a first surface of the tank such that each echelon is at an angle relative to a reflective side surface of the tank, wherein the reflective echelons are configured to direct a wave toward the reflective side surface and to direct a wave reflected from the reflective side surface back to the wave generator in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and wherein waves travelling in the first and second directions are of waves of a first mode and waves directed to and reflected from the reflective side surface are waves of a second mode, and the waves of the first mode are the only waves travel in the first and second directions.
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28. A liquid level reflective array including:
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a substrate, having at least two reflective side surfaces, the substrate having the shape of a bent strip or a tube; a plurality of echelons each arranged along a centerline of the substrate, with each echelon being tilted in relation to the centerline by an angle; a transducer positioned on an end of the substrate opposite a reflective side surface, the transducer configured to transmit an acoustic wave of a first mode along the substrate in a first direction, and the wave of the first mode is the only wave that travels in the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification