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US 8,134,469 B2Granted
Wireless fuel level sensor for a vehicle fuel tank
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMatthew Bucciero
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle fuel tank is provided. The vehicle fuel tank includes a housing defining an interior region, a fuel level sensor coupled to the interior region, the fuel level sensor responsive to a fuel pressure, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) device electronically coupled to the fuel level sensor configured to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of a fuel level in the fuel tank.
Claims18
A vehicle fuel tank, comprising:
- a housing defining an interior region;
- a fuel level sensor coupled to the interior region, the fuel level sensor responsive to a fuel pressure, the fuel level sensor being a wireless device and positioned at a location in the fuel tank remote from a fuel pump, the fuel pump within the fuel tank and part of a module;
- and
- a radio frequency identification (RFID) device electronically coupled to the fuel level sensor configured to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of a fuel level in the fuel tank, the module providing power to the RFID device via an electromagnetic field.
1 more element
A vehicle fuel tank, comprising:
- a fuel tank housing with first and second interior regions;
- a fuel pump positioned in the first interior region;
- a fuel pick-up positioned in the second interior region and in fluid communication with the fuel pump;
- a wireless fuel level sensor positioned within the second interior region, the wireless fuel level sensor including a strain gauge, an electrical resistance of the strain gauge altered responsive to a fuel level pressure.
1 more element
A method for indicating fuel level, comprising:
- wirelessly transmitting a signal indicative of the fuel level in a first interior region of a fuel tank via a radio frequency identification (RFID) device;
- indicating an aggregate fuel level in the fuel tank from the signal and the fuel level in a second interior region of the fuel tank;
- and
- preceding the transmitting, altering a resistance in a fuel level sensor coupled to the RFID device based on a pressure in the first interior region of the fuel tank.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.