Back to results
US 4,215,574 AGranted
Indication of the momentary value of liquid level
AssigneeClaude A. Patalidis
InventorMichel Godeux
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeClaude A. Patalidis
InventorMichel Godeux
Estimating the term…
An apparatus and method for checking and measuring the momentary value of a variable physical magnitude, such as a volume of liquid in a container or tank, or a temperature, viscosity, or velocity, for example. The invention comprises a transducer free to follow without friction the variations of the physical magnitude, such as for example the level of a liquid fluid in a reservoir, the transducer having a portion of progressively varying cross-section displaceable as a function of the changes in the physical magnitude disposed in alignment with a sensor normally positioned in a reference position out of contact from the transducer. When a checking or measurement is desired, the sensor is displaced in engagement with the varying cross-section portion of the transducer, and the amount of displacement of the sensor from its reference position to its position of engagement with the transducer represents the instantaneous position of the transducer and therefore the momentary value of the magnitude, such as the level of a liquid, to be checked or measured.
Apparatus for checking or measuring the momentary value of a variable physical magnitude comprising a movable transducer, means connecting said movable transducer to the physical magnitude to be checked or measured and displacing said transducer from a reference position as a function of any small variation of said magnitude, a portion of said transducer having a cross-section progressively varying as a function of the displacement of said transducer, sensing means in registry with said transducer portion and normally in a reference position away from said transducer, control means displacing said sensing means in abutting engagement with said transducer portion for selectively checking displacement of said transducer, indicator means providing an indication of the position of said sensing means when in engagement with said transducer portion, said control means selectively returning said sensing means to said reference position, and means measuring the amount of displacement of said sensing means between said reference position and said position in engagement with said transducer portion.
A method for checking the momentary instantaneous value of a variable physical magnitude, said method comprising displacing a transducer from a reference position as a function of the variation of said physical magnitude, said transducer having a first vertically displaceable portion and a second portion of a cross-section progressively varying as a function of said vertical displacement, selectively engaging the first portion of the transducer with said second portion of said transducer as the transducer is displaced, and noting the position of said sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.