# US 2014/0190591 A1 · Over-Fill Monitoring System

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- Number: US 2014/0190591 A1
- Document ID: US20140190591A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/738,964
- Filed: 2013-01-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10
- Inventors: Marty Robert Scott
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190591A1

## CPC

- B60K 15/03: Fuel tanks
- B60K 2015/0319: {with electronic systems, e.g. for controlling fuelling or venting}
- B60K 2015/03217: {Fuel level sensors}
- B60K 2015/03368: {for preventing overfilling of tanks}
- G01F 23/74: for sensing changes in level only at discrete points
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

The over-fill monitoring system monitors the liquid level of a container as its being filled and visually indicates that the fill process should be stopped, thereby reducing the chance of over-filling and overflow spills. The over-fill monitoring system includes a fuel probe, a visual “fill limit” indicator, and an electronic control unit. The control unit is responsive to the fuel probe and activates the “fill limit” indicator during the fueling process when the fuel level within the tank reaches a predetermined “fuel fill” level. The control circuitry of the control unit also includes a “shut-down” timer, which deactivates the indicator light after a set period of time to prevent the control unit from drawing power from the battery.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An over-fill monitoring system for indicating the fill level of a container when the container is being filled with a liquid, comprising:
a fuel probe for determining the fill level of the liquid within the container;
a visual indicator adapted to be activated between an illuminated state and an un-illuminated state; and
a control unit operatively connected to the visual indicator and the fuel probe and responsive to the fuel probe for activating the indicator from the un-illuminated state to the illuminated state once the fill level of the liquid within the container reaches a predetermined level and deactivating the indicator from the illuminated state to the un-illuminated state after a predetermined time.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The over-fill monitoring system of claim 1 fuel probe include an elongated shaft disposed within the container and a float shiftably mounted to the shaft, the floating includes a magnet connected thereto and the shaft includes a switch operatively connected to the control unit and responsive to the magnetic field of the magnet for closing the switch when the float is within predefined proximity of the switch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The over-fill monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the fuel probe is a fuel sender.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the control unit includes a shut down timer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The over-fill monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the control unit also includes an audible alarm adapted to sound once the fill level of the liquid within the container reaches a predetermined level and silence after a predetermined time.

### Claim 6

An over-fill monitoring system for indicating the fill level of the tank when the tank is being filled with fuel, comprising.
a fuel sender operatively disposed within the fuel tank for determining the fill level of the fuel within the tank;
a visual indicator adapted to be activated between an illuminated state and an un-illuminated state; and
a controller unit operatively connected to the visual indicator and the fuel sender and responsive to the fuel sender for activating the indicator from the un-illuminated state to the illuminated state once the fill level of the fuel within the tank reaches a predetermined level and deactivating the indicator from the illuminated state to the un-illuminated state after a predetermined time.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The over-fill monitoring system of claim 6 fuel probe include an elongated shaft disposed within the container and a float shiftably mounted to the shaft, the floating includes a magnet connected thereto and the shaft includes a switch operatively connected to the control unit and responsive to the magnetic field of the magnet for closing the switch when the float is within predefined proximity of the switch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the control unit includes a shut down timer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The over-fill monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the control unit also includes an audible alarm adapted to sound once the fill level of the fuel within the tank reaches a predetermined level and silence after a predetermined time.