Oil level monitor
OwnerDonald P. Amesinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid level monitor for sensing the level of fluid in a reservoir such as for sensing an oil level in an internal combustion engine crankcase containing a quantity of oil, the monitor includes a light source for generating a light beam having a frequency which causes fluorescence in the fluid and a fiber optic cable for transmitting the light beam to the reservoir for exciting the fluid in the reservoir to generate fluorescent radiation and for receiving the fluorescent radiation emitted by the fluid as a result of the excitation. The monitor also includes a photodetector for receiving the fluorescent radiation and for generating a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received fluorescent radiation and a display for receiving the signal to indicate the level of fluid in the reservoir.
Claims24
A fluid level monitor for sensing the level of fluid in a reservoir such as for sensing an oil level in an internal combustion engine crankcase containing a quantity of oil, the monitor comprising:
- means for generating a light beam having a frequency which will cause fluorescence in the fluid;
- means for transmitting the light beam to the reservoir for exciting the fluid in the reservoir to generate fluorescent radiation;
- means for receiving the fluorescent radiation emitted by the fluid as a result of the excitation;
- means for generating a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received fluorescent radiation;
- means, responsive to the intensity signal, for determining the level of fluid in the reservoir;
- and
- means for indicating the determined level of the fluid in the reservoir.
A fluid level monitor for sensing contamination of a fluid in a reservoir such as for sensing contamination of oil in an internal combustion engine crankcase containing a quantity of oil, wherein the fluid includes an additive therein which emits fluorescent radiation when excited by the light beam wherein the amount of fluorescent radiation emitted by the additive decreases over time, the monitor comprising:
- means for generating a light beam having a frequency which will cause fluorescence in the fluid;
- means for transmitting the light beam to the reservoir for exciting the fluid in the reservoir to generate fluorescent radiation;
- means for receiving the fluorescent radiation emitted by the fluid as a result of the excitation;
- means for generating a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received fluorescent radiation;
- means for indicating when the signal falls below a preset level to indicate that the fluorescent properties of the additive have deteriorated.
An engine oil level monitor for an internal combustion engine having a crankcase containing a quantity of oil, the monitor comprising:
- means for generating radiation having a first wavelength;
- means for transmitting the first wavelength radiation to the crankcase to excite the oil in the crankcase to generate radiation having a second wavelength;
- means for receiving the second wavelength radiation;
- means for generating a first signal which is a function of the intensity of the first wavelength radiation;
- means for generating a second signal which is a function of the intensity of the second wavelength radiation;
- means for comparing the first and second signals;
- and
- means for indicating the level of oil in the crankcase.
A fluid level monitor for sensing the level of fluid in a reservoir such as for sensing an oil level in an internal combustion engine crankcase containing a quantity of oil, the monitor comprising:
- a light source for generating a light beam having a frequency which causes fluorescence in the fluid;
- a fiber optic cable for transmitting the light beam to the reservoir for exciting the fluid in the reservoir to generate fluorescent radiation and for receiving the fluorescent radiation emitted by the fluid as a result of the excitation, said cable having one end associated with the light source and the other end at a preset level in the reservoir;
- a photodetector for receiving the fluorescent radiation and for generating a signal which is a function of the intensity of the received fluorescent radiation;
- and
- a display for indicating a low level of fluid in the reservoir when the signal indicates a level of fluid below a predetermined minimum level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.