# US 2023/0404358 A1 · Fluid level sensor assembly and on-demand glasswasher incorporating the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0404358 A1 - Document ID: US20230404358A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/334,495 - Filed: 2023-06-14 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-17 - Assignees: Moyer Diebel Ltd. - Applicants: Moyer Diebel Ltd. - Inventors: Raymond Charles HOWE; Ivan Josip KATKIC; Ryan John MCMILLAN; Lester David SWANSON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230404358A1 ## CPC - A47L 15/4244: {Water-level measuring or regulating arrangements} - A47L 15/4217: {Fittings for water supply, e.g. valves or plumbing means to connect to cold or warm water lines, aquastops} - A47L 15/4223: {Devices for water discharge, e.g. devices to prevent siphoning, non-return valves} - A47L 15/4278: {Nozzles} - A47L 15/4297: {Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity} - G01F 23/2962: Measuring transit time of reflected waves - A47L 15/0023: {Water filling (A47L15/4244 takes precedence)} - A47L 15/0065: {specially adapted for drinking glasses} - A47L 2401/09: Water level - A47L 2401/10: Water cloudiness or dirtiness, e.g. turbidity, foaming or level of bacteria - A47L 2401/14: Water pressure or flow rate - A47L 2401/20: Time, e.g. elapsed operating time - A47L 2501/01: Water supply, e.g. opening or closure of the water inlet valve - A47L 2501/02: Water discharge, e.g. opening or closure of discharge valve - G01F 23/296: Acoustic waves - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract An on-demand glasswasher comprises a wash tank; a fluid level sensor assembly that includes an ultrasonic sensor assembly positioned within the wash tank; at least one microprocessor connected to the ultrasonic sensor assembly; and a memory device coupled to the at least one microprocessor, the memory device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, configure the microprocessor to receive, from the ultrasonic sensor assembly, ultrasonic signals; and analyze the ultrasonic signals to determine a level of fluid in the wash tank. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An on-demand glasswasher comprising: a wash tank; a fluid level sensor assembly that includes an ultrasonic sensor assembly positioned within the wash tank; at least one microprocessor connected to the ultrasonic sensor assembly; and a memory device coupled to the at least one microprocessor, the memory device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, configure the microprocessor to: receive, from the ultrasonic sensor assembly, ultrasonic signals; and analyze the ultrasonic signals to determine a level of fluid in the wash tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: compare the level of fluid in the wash tank to a threshold; and responsive to determining that the level of fluid in the wash tank is less than the threshold, send a signal causing a valve to open to fill the wash tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: compare the level of fluid in the wash tank to a threshold; and responsive to determining that the level of fluid in the wash tank is equal to or greater than the threshold, send a signal causing a valve to close to stop filling the wash tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: engage a fluid level prediction engine to predict a level of fluid in the wash tank; determine that a difference between the level of fluid in the wash tank and the predicted level of fluid in the wash tank is greater than a threshold; and responsive to determining that the difference between the level of fluid in the wash tank and the predicted level of fluid in the wash tank is greater than the threshold, perform at least one of sending a signal causing a valve to close or sending a signal to output an alert. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 4, wherein the fluid level prediction engine predicts the level of fluid in the wash tank based on at least one of time and flow rate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: analyze the ultrasonic signals to determine a contamination level of the fluid in the wash tank; determine that the contamination level is greater than a threshold; and responsive to determining that the contamination level is greater than the threshold, send one or more signals to perform a wash refresh sequence. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein when performing the wash refresh sequence, the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: send a signal to halt operation of the on-demand glass washer; send a signal to open a drain to drain out fluid from the wash tank; send a signal to close the drain; send a signal to open one or more valves to fill the wash tank; determine that a level of fluid in the wash tank is equal to a threshold; send a signal to close the one or more valves; and send a signal to resume normal operation of the on-demand glass washer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor assembly operates as a turbidity sensor to determine a soil level of fluid in the wash tank. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: determine that a quality of the ultrasonic signals or an amount of the ultrasonic signals received has decreased; responsive to determining that the quality of the ultrasonic signals or the amount of the ultrasonic signals has decreased, send a signal to drain an amount of fluid from the wash tank; and responsive to draining the amount of fluid, send a signal to fill the wash tank with the amount of fluid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 9, wherein the amount of fluid drained from the wash tank is dependent on an approximate percentage of ultrasonic signals received. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 9, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one microprocessor, further configure the at least one microprocessor to: determine a soil level of the fluid in the wash tank based on the quality of the ultrasonic signals or the amount of the ultrasonic signals. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, further comprising at least one nozzle positioned above the wash tank at a height greater than a maximum fill level of the wash tank, the at least one nozzle in fluid communication with a valve to selectively fill the wash tank with fluid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 1, wherein the fluid level sensor assembly further comprises a harbour tube located within the wash tank, wherein the ultrasonic sensor assembly is positioned within the harbour tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 13, wherein the fluid level sensor assembly further comprises an intermediary chamber that includes an inlet for receiving fluid from a fluid source and an outlet in fluid communication with the harbour tube for directing egress of fluid from the intermediary chamber to the harbour tube. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The on-demand glasswasher of claim 14, wherein the intermediary chamber includes an interior wall defining a serpentine fluid channel between the inlet and the outlet. ### Claim 16 A fluid level sensor assembly comprising: a harbour tube having a notch defined in a first end thereof; and an ultrasonic sensor assembly positioned within the harbour tube adjacent to the first end thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 16, wherein the ultrasonic sensor assembly emits ultrasonic signals from the first end of the harbour tube towards a second end of the harbour tube. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 17, wherein the ultrasonic sensor assembly receives reflected ultrasonic signals and communicates the received reflected ultrasonic signals to a microprocessor for processing to determine a fluid level within the harbour tube. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 16, wherein the fluid level sensor assembly further comprises an intermediary chamber that includes an inlet that receives fluid from a fluid source and an outlet in fluid communication with the harbour tube that directs egress of fluid from the intermediary chamber to the harbour tube. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 19, wherein the intermediary chamber includes an interior wall defining a serpentine fluid channel between the inlet and the outlet.