# US 2021/0275846 A1 · Adaptable Suppression Tank Level Sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0275846 A1 - Document ID: US20210275846A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/254,578 - Filed: 2019-09-20 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-30 - Assignees: Carrier Corporation - Applicants: Carrier Corporation - Inventors: Marcin Piech; Tadeusz Pawel Witczak; Beata I. Wawrzyniak; Lukasz Majchrzak; Dawid Milcarek; Cezary Jedryczka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210275846A1 ## CPC - A62C 13/64: the extinguishing material being released by means of a valve - G01F 23/72: using magnetically actuated indicating means - A62C 37/50: Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment - G01F 23/62: using magnetically actuated indicating means - G01F 23/74: for sensing changes in level only at discrete points - G01F 25/24: {Testing proper functioning of electronic circuits} - A62C 13/62: with a single permanently pressurised container - A62C: FIRE-FIGHTING (fire-extinguishing compositions, use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires A62D1/00; spraying, applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarms actuated by smoke or gases G08B17/10) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract A fire suppressant storage device (20) comprises: a tank (22) having a first port (40), a second port (70), and an interior (32) for storing fire suppressant. A discharge assembly (46) is mounted to the first port and comprises: a discharge valve (48); and a discharge conduit (50). The discharge conduit is at least partially within the interior and has an interior and an exterior. A liquid level measurement assembly is mounted to the second port and comprises: a tube (100) at least partially within the interior and having: an exterior and an interior sealed relative to the surrounding tank interior. A float (120) surrounds the tube and has one or more magnets (130) and having a range of motion. A plurality of magnetic field sensors (152, 154) are along a carrier (150) within the tube interior. The carrier extends from a proximal end to a distal end. The plurality of magnetic field sensors (152, 154) comprise: a first plurality of one dimensional sensors (152); and at least two three-dimensional sensors distally of the first plurality (154) ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fire suppressant storage device (20) comprising: a tank (22) having a first port(40), a second port (70), and an interior (32) for storing fire suppressant; a discharge assembly (46) mounted to the first port and comprising: a discharge valve (48); and a discharge conduit (50) at least partially within the interior and having: an interior; and an exterior; and a liquid level measurement assembly mounted to the second port and comprising: a tube (100) at least partially within the interior and having: an interior sealed relative to the surrounding tank interior; and an exterior; a float (120) surrounding the tube and having one or more magnets (130) and having a range of motion; and a plurality of magnetic field sensors (152, 154) along a carrier (150) within the tube interior, the carrier extending from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the plurality of magnetic field sensors (152, 154) comprise: a first plurality of one dimensional sensors (152); and at least two three-dimensional sensors distally of the first plurality (154). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 1 wherein: said first plurality of one dimensional sensors are analog interface sensors; and said at least two three-dimensional sensors are digital interface sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 1 wherein: said at least two three-dimensional sensors are lowermost sensors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 1 wherein: said first plurality of one dimensional sensors are at a first longitudinal spacing (S1); and said at least two three-dimensional sensors are at a second longitudinal spacing (S2) shorter than the first longitudinal spacing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 1 wherein: said at least two three-dimensional sensors are only two three-dimensional sensors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 1 further comprising: said fire suppressant within the tank interior, the discharge conduit at least partially immersed in the fire suppressant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 6 wherein: said fire suppressant comprises a clean agent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 6 further comprising: a compressed gas propellant in a headspace of the tank. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fire suppressant storage device of claim 1 further comprising an electronics module (166) coupled to the plurality of magnetic field sensors and programmed for: characterizing a float magnet configuration. ### Claim 10 A method for remanufacturing a fire suppressant storage device (20) from a first configuration to a second configuration, the fire suppressant storage device having in the first condition: a tank (22) having a first port(40), a second port (70), and an interior (32) for storing fire suppressant; a discharge assembly (46) mounted to the first port and comprising: a discharge valve (48); and a discharge conduit (50) at least partially within the interior and having: an interior; and an exterior; and a liquid level measurement assembly mounted to the second port and comprising: a tube (100) at least partially within the interior and having: an interior sealed relative to the surrounding tank interior; and an exterior; a float (120) surrounding the tube; and a magnetic member (122) axially moveable within the tube interior, the method comprising: removing the magnetic member; inserting into the tube a carrier (150) bearing a plurality of magnetic field sensors (152, 154), the carrier extending from a proximal end (156) to a distal end (158) and electronically coupling the plurality of magnetic field sensors to an electronics module (166), during the inserting one or more of the magnetic field sensors passing through the float; and using said passing to calibrate the electronics module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the magnetic member is a permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic steel and the removing comprises removing a measuring tape with the magnetic member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the carrier comprises a printed circuit board. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein: the tank has a fitting; the carrier comprises a cap or a plug; and the inserting comprises mating the cap or plug to the fitting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the method is performed while leaving suppresant in the tank. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the using said passing to calibrate the electronics module comprises: using the magnetic field sensors to characterize the float; and based on the characterization of the float, selecting a predefined sensing algorithm from a stored plurality of predefined sensing algorithms. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein: the plurality of magnetic field sensors (152, 154) comprise: a first plurality of one dimensional sensors (152); and at least two three-dimensional sensors distally of the first plurality (154); the using the magnetic field sensors to characterize the float comprises using the at least two three-dimensional sensors; and the predefined sensing algorithm is an algorithm for use of the first plurality of one dimensional sensors.