Liquid level detector

• US 6,711,950 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Seiki Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Seiki Company Limited
• Inventors: Sakamaki, Akira, Tanaka, Tomoyuki, Yamaura, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, RODNEY T
• Application Number:
  US09/890,236
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.R, 733/05, 733/17
• US Class Current: 73/317
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/36 using electrically actuated indicating means G01F23/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/363 using electromechanically actuated indicating means

Abstract

There is provided a liquid level detecting apparatus capable of achieving miniaturization, which includes a float arm 2 provided with a float floating on a liquid surface, an arm holder 4 for holding the float arm 2 and provided with shaft portions 24 as rotation supporting points of the float arm 2, a main body frame 3 provided with two bearing portions 30 and 31 for axially supporting the shaft portions 24 of the arm holder 4, a circuit board 7 fixed to the main body frame 3, and a contact holding member 5 provided with a sliding contact 6 sliding on the circuit board 7 and fixed to the arm holder 4, and the arm holder 4 is positioned between the bearing portions 30 and 31 and holds the float arm 2 and the contact holding member 5.

Claims

1. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a main body frame provided with two bearing portions for axially supporting the shaft portions of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the main body frame; and

a contact holding member provided with a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder, characterized in that the arm holder is positioned between the bearing portions and holds the float arm and the contact holding member.

6. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a holding arm piece formed to extend in a direction vertical to the axial direction is formed between the shaft portions of the arm holder, and the float arm and the contact holding member are held by the holding arm piece.

7. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that a bent portion is provided at which an end portion of the float arm is bent in a direction intersecting with the shaft portions, and the arm holder is provided with a holding portion for rotatably holding the end portion and a holding piece for preventing rotation of the float arm.

8. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that a bending direction of the end portion is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft portions.

9. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body frame is provided with a guide portion for suppressing movement of the float arm in a rotation axis direction.

2. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a main body frame for axially supporting the shaft portions of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the main body frame; and

a contact holding member provided with a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder, characterized in that the two separate shaft portions are provided at the arm holder, two bearing portions for axially supporting the two shaft portions are provided at the main body frame, and the arm holder holding the front arm and the contact holding member is provided between the bearing portions.

3. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a first frame constituting a main body frame and provided with a first bearing portion for axially supporting a shaft portion of the arm holder;

a second frame constituting the main body frame and provided with a second bearing portion for axially supporting another shaft portion of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the first frame; and

a contact holding member including a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder, characterized in that the arm holder is held by and between the first and the second frames, and the first and the second frames are fixed.

5. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first and the second frames are fixed by welding.

10. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a concave-convex fit portion is provided near the first and the second bearing portions of the first and the second frames.

13. A liquid level detecting apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a reinforcing rib is provided at a rear surface of the second frame.

4. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a main body frame for axially supporting the shaft portions of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the main body frame; and

a contact holding member provided with a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder, characterized in that the two separate shaft portions are provided at the arm holder, the main body frame is formed of a first frame and a second frame, the circuit board is fixed to the first frame which is provided with a first bearing portion for axially supporting a shaft portion of the arm holder, the second frame is provided with a second bearing portion for axially supporting another shaft portion of the arm holder, the arm holder is held by and between the first and the second frames, and the first and the second frames are fixed.

11. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a first frame constituting a main body frame and provided with a first bearing portion for axially supporting a shaft portion of the arm holder;

a second frame constituting the main body frame and provided with a second bearing portion for axially supporting another shaft portion of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the first frame; and

a contact holding member including a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder, characterized in that the arm holder is held by and between the first and the second frames, and the first and the second frames are fixed by welding; and

characterized in that a rotation regulating portion for regulating a rotation range of the float arm is provided at at least one of the first and the second frames, and a weld fixing portion for welding the first and the second frames is provided near the rotation regulating portion.

12. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a first frame constituting a main body frame and provided with a first bearing portion for axially supporting a shaft portion of the arm holder;

a second frame constituting the main body frame and provided with a second bearing portion for axially supporting another shaft portion of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the first frame; and

a contact holding member including a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder, characterized in that the arm holder is held by and between the first and the second frames, and the first and the second frames are fixed by welding; and

characterized in that the weld fixing portion is a positioning member for determining a positional relation of the first and the second frames.

14. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a main body frame for axially supporting the shaft portions of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the main body frame; and

a contact holding member provided with a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder,

characterized in that the two separate shaft portions are provided at the arm holder, the main body frame is formed of a first frame and a second frame, the circuit board is fixed to the first frame which is provided with a first bearing portion for axially supporting a shaft portion of the arm holder, the second frame is provided with a second bearing portion for axially supporting another shaft portion of the arm holder, the arm holder is held by and between the first and the second frames, and the first and the second frames are fixed by welding; and

characterized in that a rotation regulating portion for regulating a rotation range of the float arm is provided at at least one of the first and the second frames, and a weld fixing portion for welding the first and the second frames is provided near the rotation regulating portion.

15. A liquid level detecting apparatus comprising:

a float arm provided with a float floating on a liquid surface;

an arm holder for holding the float arm and provided with shaft portions as rotation supporting points of the float arm;

a main body frame for axially supporting the shaft portions of the arm holder;

a circuit board fixed to the main body frame; and

a contact holding member provided with a sliding contact sliding on the circuit board and fixed to the arm holder,

characterized in that the two separate shaft portions are provided at the arm holder, the main body frame is formed of a first frame and a second frame, the circuit board is fixed to the first frame which is provided with a first bearing portion for axially supporting a shaft portion of the arm holder, the second frame is provided with a second bearing portion for axially supporting another shaft portion of the arm holder, the arm holder is held by and between the first and the second frames, and the first and the second frames are fixed by welding; and

characterized in that the weld fixing portion is a positioning member for determining a positional relation of the first and the second frames.