Liquid level indicator

In a liquid level indicating arrangement of the type including means for visually indicating the level in a tank movably mounted to be positioned in either a first or second position, said second position vertically tilted from said first position;

• an air column fluid passage in communication with a lower region of the interior of said tank;
• a U-tube in fluid communication with said air column fluid passage;
• a volume of indicator liquid in said U-tube assuming differing levels in the respective legs of said U-tube section by pressure exerted by liquid in said tank acting through said air column fluid passage;
• viewing gage means associated with the second leg of said U-tube remote from said air column fluid passage;
• the improvement comprising:
• means for introducing said indicator liquid from said tank, said means including a fill and drain fluid passage extending from said tank into said second leg of said U-tube;
• an anti-siphon fluid passage in fluid communication with said fill and drain fluid passage and said second leg of said U-tube, said anti-siphon fluid passage also extending into said tank;
• whereby indicating liquid may be introduced into said U-tube by movement of liquid in said tank through said fill and drain fluid passage into said U-tube by positioning of said tank in said second position vertically tilted from said first position, whereby said level in said tank is to be indicated, without siphoning said liquid in said U-tube back into said fill and drain fluid passage upon movement of said tank back to said first position.

A rinse aid tank indicator arrangement for a front-loading dishwasher of the type wherein a rinse aid tank is mounted in an access door of said dishwasher, said access door being mounted for opening movement from a first, generally vertical, closed position to a second, generally horizontal, open position, wherein said dispenser tank has a fill opening accessible with said access door in the open position, in combination:

• a liquid level indicator arrangement including an air column fluid passage extending from said rinse aid tank into fluid communication with a vertically reversely curved section forming, with said door closed, a vertically disposed transparent U-tube having a first leg in communication with said air column fluid passage and a second indicator leg remote from said air column fluid passage;
• a quantity of indicator liquid in said U-tube;
• viewing gage means associated with said indicator leg providing an indication of said indicator liquid level therein, whereby compression of the air in said air column fluid passage by liquid in said rinse aid tank causes said indicator liquid in said U-tube indicator leg to assume positions in correspondence thereto, whereby visual indication of said liquid level and said rinse aid detector is provided in said front access door;
• the terminal portion of said U-tube leg remote from said air column fluid passage extending vertically upward therefrom with said door in said open position, whereby indicator liquid introduced into said U-tube will be retained therein during opening and closing of said door.