Electro-optic liquid sensor enabling in-liquid testing
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsGregory Kopansky, Rolland James
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Abstract
An electro-optic liquid sensor may include a light source, a light detector, a prism, and a reflective optical member. The optical member may be arranged to reflect light emitted by the light source to the light detector when a liquid is disposed between the light source and the optical member. The electro-optic sensor may enable assessment of its operational state in the presence of liquid, thus improving on known electro-optic liquid sensors. A method of operating a sensor to assess the presence of liquid is disclosed.
Claims11
A method of operating a sensor to assess the presence of liquid, the method comprising:
- driving first light with a light source of the sensor at a first intensity;
- receiving reflected first light with a light detector of the sensor;
- comparing an amount or intensity of first light received to a first threshold;
- driving second light with the light source at a second intensity;
- receiving reflected second light with the light detector;
- comparing an amount or intensity of second light received to a second threshold;
- and
- concluding whether liquid is present between the light source and the light sensor and whether the sensor is functioning properly according to the result of the comparing steps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.