Fluid storage systems and monitoring
AssigneeDarling Ingredients Inc.
InventorCraig Allen Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A monitoring unit for a fluid storage receptacle includes a sensor to attach to the fluid storage receptacle and detect an amount of empty space between fluid contents of the fluid storage receptacle and the sensor, and a transmitter to receive and transmit data from the sensor. The monitoring unit also includes a proximity sensor to detect a presence of a beacon within a proximity range of the proximity sensor, a controller to selectively open a fluid control valve of the waste oil receptacle, or both the proximity sensor and the controller.
Claims28
A fluid storage system, comprising:
- a fluid storage receptacle defining an interior volume and configured to hold fluid contents;
- and
- a monitoring unit coupled to the fluid storage receptacle proximate a top of the fluid storage receptacle, the monitoring unit comprising:
- a fluid level sensor directed vertically downward into the interior volume of the fluid storage receptacle, the fluid level sensor configured to detect an amount of space between the fluid contents and the fluid level sensor;
- a transmitter configured to receive and transmit data from the fluid level sensor;
- and
- a proximity sensor configured to detect a presence of a beacon within a proximity range of the monitoring unit.
A method, comprising:
- attaching a monitoring unit to a fluid storage receptacle proximate a top of the fluid storage receptacle, the fluid storage receptacle configured to hold fluid contents;
- detecting, with a fluid level sensor of the monitoring unit, an amount of space between the fluid contents and the fluid level sensor;
- transmitting, with a transmitter of the monitoring unit, data from the fluid level sensor to a server, the data being representative of the amount of space between the fluid contents and the fluid level sensor;
- and
- detecting, with a proximity sensor of the monitoring unit, a presence of a beacon within a proximity range of the monitoring unit.
A monitoring unit for a waste oil receptacle, the monitoring unit comprising:
- an ultrasonic sensor configured to attach to a waste oil receptacle and detect an amount of empty space between fluid contents of the waste oil receptacle and the ultrasonic sensor;
- a transmitter configured to receive and transmit data from the ultrasonic sensor;
- and
- a proximity sensor configured to detect a presence of a beacon within a proximity range of the proximity sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.