Liquid level detectors
AssigneeFresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
InventorsDavid Yuds, Mark Googasian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Liquid level detectors may include a pump for drawing liquid from a reservoir, a channel fluidically coupling the pump to the reservoir, and a J-tube connected to an end of the channel within the reservoir. The J-tube may include a first tube section and a second tube section extending along the first tube section. Perforations may extend between the first tube section and the second tube section. A pressure sensor may be positioned and configured to sense a pressure of liquid drawn from the reservoir through the J-tube and the channel and to sense pressure drops when a liquid level in the reservoir passes the respective perforations. Various other related systems and methods are also disclosed.
Claims20
A liquid level detector, comprising:
- a pump for drawing liquid from a reservoir;
- a channel fluidically coupling the pump to the reservoir;
- a J-tube connected to an end of the channel within the reservoir, the J-tube comprising:
- a first tube section comprising a proximal end configured to couple to the end of the channel and a distal end extending downward into the reservoir;
- a second tube section extending upward from the distal end of the first tube section and along the first tube section;
- and
- perforations extending between the first tube section and the second tube section;
- and
- a pressure sensor positioned and configured to sense a pressure of liquid drawn from the reservoir through the J-tube and the channel and to sense pressure drops when a liquid level in the reservoir passes the respective perforations.
A J-tube for withdrawing a liquid from a reservoir, the J-tube comprising:
- a first tube section comprising a proximal end configured to couple to the end of a channel and a distal end for extending downward into the reservoir;
- a second tube section extending upward from the distal end of the first tube section and along the first tube section, the first tube section and the second tube section sharing a common wall;
- and
- perforations passing through the common wall between the first tube section and the second tube section.
A method of detecting a liquid level in a reservoir, the method comprising:
- drawing liquid from a reservoir through a channel with a pump;
- drawing the liquid into the channel from a first tube section of a J-tube;
- drawing at least some of the liquid into the first tube section of the J-tube from a second tube section of the J-tube that extends along the first tube section and through perforations extending between the first tube section and the second tube section;
- and
- detecting, with a pressure sensor, a pressure drop in the liquid drawn through the channel when a liquid level within the reservoir passes a respective one of the perforations to determine the liquid level within the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.