Fluid level sensing and control system

A fluid level sensing and control system comprising:

• a housing, wherein the housing includes a cavity and at least one opening to the cavity;
• a diaphragm in sealing engagement with the opening;
• a biasing member disposed within the cavity, wherein portions of the diaphragm are operative to move inwardly and outwardly with respect to the cavity responsive to the opposed pressures of the biasing member and a liquid disposed outside the cavity;
• a transducer in operative connection with the diaphragm, wherein the transducer is operative responsive to movement of the diaphragm to produce an electrical signal representative of the depth level of the liquid adjacent the diaphragm;
• at least one switch;
• a controller device in operative connection with the transducer and the switch, wherein the controller device includes at least one depth level threshold selection device that is configurable by an operator to select one of a plurality of depth level thresholds, wherein the controller device is operative to change an electrical condition of the at least one switch responsive to the electrical signal and the selected one of the depth level thresholds;
• and
• a compression chamber disposed within the cavity, wherein the compression chamber includes a generally sealed bore with a compressible fluid therein, wherein responsive to movement of the diaphragm an internal volume of the bore is changed, and wherein the transducer is disposed within the housing and is in fluid communication with the internal volume of the bore, wherein the transducer produces the electrical signals responsive to pressure of the compressible fluid within the bore.

A method comprising:

• a) enabling an operator to select one of a plurality of different depth ranges for fluid in a reservoir;
• b) enabling an operator to select at least one of a plurality of depth level thresholds, wherein the depth level thresholds correspond to fractions of the selected one of the depth ranges;
• c) generating electrical signals responsive to a pressure of a gas within a cavity of a pressure responsive device, wherein the pressure responsive device is adjacent the bottom of the reservoir, wherein the pressure responsive device includes a diaphragm between the fluid and the gas, wherein the pressure responsive device includes a biasing member acting on the diaphragm which opposes the inward movement of the diaphragm caused by a pressure of the fluid acting on the diaphragm;
• d) determining a fraction of the selected one of the depth ranges that corresponds to the depth level of the fluid in the reservoir responsive to the electrical signals and the selected one of the depth ranges;
• e) determining that the determined fraction of the selected one of the depth ranges has breached the selected one of the depth level thresholds;
• and
• f) causing a depth of the liquid within the reservoir to change.

A fluid level sensing and control system comprising:

• a housing, wherein the housing includes a cavity and at least one opening to the cavity;
• a diaphragm in sealing engagement with the opening;
• a biasing member in operative connection with the diaphragm, wherein portions of the diaphragm are operative to move inwardly and outwardly with respect to the cavity responsive to the opposed pressures of the biasing member and a fluid disposed outside the cavity;
• a transducer in operative connection with the diaphragm, wherein the transducer is operative to produce an electrical signal representative of a current depth level of the fluid responsive to the displacement of the diaphragm with respect to the cavity;
• at least one switch;
• a controller device in operative connection with the transducer and the switch, wherein the controller device includes at least one input device that is operative to receive an input by an operator of at least one depth level threshold, wherein the at least one input device is further operative to receive an input by an operator of a desired depth level for the fluid, wherein the controller device is operative to determine a fractional relationship between the received desired depth level for the fluid and the current depth level of the fluid responsive to the electrical signals and the received desired depth level for the fluid, wherein the controller device is operative to control the at least one switch responsive to the determined fractional relationship breaching the received at least one depth level threshold.

A method comprising:

• a) receiving an input representative of a desired depth level for a fluid in a reservoir;
• b) receiving an input representative of at least one depth level threshold;
• c) generating electrical signals responsive to a pressure responsive device disposed in the fluid;
• d) determining a fractional relationship between the received desired depth level of the fluid and a current depth level of the fluid in the reservoir responsive to the electrical signals and the received desired depth level for the fluid;
• and
• e) determining whether the determined fractional relationship has breached the received at least one depth level threshold.