Liquid level sensor
AssigneeSaban Ventures Pty Limited
InventorsBrian Hingley, Michael Potas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nebuliser cup for maintaining a safe level of liquid during nebulization, the cup comprising a liquid level sensor comprising: a first element sensing liquid at or below a position corresponding to a filled liquid level in the nebuliser cup; a second element electrically isolated from the first element and located at a position corresponding to a filled liquid level in the nebuliser cup; and wherein when the cup is not filled with a liquid to the filled liquid level, the first element, the liquid and the second element do not form an electrically coupled circuit; and when the cup is filled with a liquid to the filled to liquid level, the first element, the liquid and the second element together form an electrically coupled circuit.
Claims14
A method of maintaining a liquid level in a nebuliser cup in a sterilisation apparatus during operation, the method comprising:
- providing a first element sensing liquid at or below a position corresponding to a filled liquid level in the nebuliser cup;
- providing a second element electrically isolated from the first element to contact a liquid at a position corresponding to the filled liquid level in the nebuliser cup;
- providing sufficient liquid to the nebuliser cup to reach said filled liquid level thereby to complete an electrically coupled circuit between the first element, the liquid and the second element;
- and
- whereby a drop in the liquid level to below the filled liquid level triggers a break in the circuit between the first element, the liquid and the second element;
- and
- whereby the break in the circuit triggers dispensation of further liquid in the nebuliser cup,
- wherein the sterilisation apparatus comprises a sterilisation chamber, an inlet valve an outlet valve, an ultrasonic nebuliser in fluid communication with the chamber via the inlet valve, and a fan upstream of and in fluid communication with the ultrasonic nebuliser during operation, and
- wherein the nebuliser cup comprises a base, an upwardly extending wall, and an open top, whereby an aerosol can be generated directly from the liquid in the nebuliser cup wherein the open top is free of a cover, wherein the cover would prevent flow of the aerosol out of the open top;
- and wherein nebulization takes place on an intermittent basis and wherein sensing of the liquid levels is conducted when nebulization is off.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.