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US 10,209,120 B2Granted
Level sender with contactless sensor
AssigneeTI Group Automotive Systems, L.L.C.
InventorsAlbert J. Boecker, Garrett M. Tetil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A level sender for a tank includes a sensor device. A driven member is associated with a float assembly. The sensor device is adapted to determine a level of fluid within the tank based on an angular position of the driven member. A float arm is coupled to a float at a first end and is coupled to the driven member at a second end.
Claims17
A level sender for a tank, comprising:
- a sensor device comprising a contactless sensor defining a central axis;
- a driven member comprising a magnet having a longitudinal axis aligned with the central axis such that the magnet is configured to axially rotate about the central axis, wherein the sensor device is configured to determine a level of fluid within the tank based on an axially rotated position of the driven member;
- and
- a float assembly comprising a driving member, a swivel and a float, the driving member configured to axially rotate the driven member about the central axis, the driving member being directly coupled to the magnet at one end and coupled to the swivel at a second end,
- wherein the float has a body with an axially-extending driving passage, the body moving up and down along the longitudinal axis aligned with the central axis to drive rotation of the driving member, and
- wherein a carrier with the sensor device is separately attached to an outside of the tank, and the driven member with the float assembly is provided inside the tank and aligned to the carrier so that the driven member becomes proximate the sensor device.
3 more elements
A method for determining a level of fluid within a tank, the method comprising:
- axially rotating a driven member comprising a magnet via a float assembly that is in communication with fluid within the tank and that comprises a driving member, a swivel and a float, the driving member being directly coupled to the magnet at one end and coupled to the swivel at the second end, the magnet defining a longitudinal axis about which the magnet rotates, the magnet and the one end of the driving member rotating together about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- using a sensor device that comprises a contactless sensor defining a central axis, determining an axially rotated position of the driven member associated with the level of fluid within the tank,
- wherein the float has a body with an axially-extending driving passage, the body moving up and down along the longitudinally axis aligned with the central axis to drive rotation of the driving member, and
- wherein a carrier with the sensor device is separately attached to an outside of the tank, and the driven member with the float assembly is provided inside the tank and aligned to the carrier so that the driven member becomes proximate the sensor device.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.