Fuel sender with reed switch and latching magnets
AssigneePricol Limited
InventorM. Kaja Aliar Husain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a fuel sensor adapted for sensing the level of fuel in a vehicle fuel tank and in particular to a fuel sensor adapted to sensing the level of fuel which would be accurate, compact and dragged. The fuel sensor of the invention is further adapted to be readily fitted in the vehicle fuel tank for measuring the fuel level efficiently and reliably. Importantly the fuel sensor is further adapted for operative connection to indicative instrument to facilitate ready and accurate reading of the fuel level in the tank.
Claims16
A fuel sensor adapted for sensing the level of fuel in a vehicle fuel tank comprising:
- a hollow cylindrical housing having
- (a) plurality of spaced apart non-overlapping reed switches each magnetically latched to a PCB magnet, located at different locations in a serial electrical circuit such as to favour activation of the reed switches on the principle of biasing a reed switch with a magnet;
- and
- (b) a float assembly carrying an operative magnet and adapted to rise and fall according to the fuel level;
- such that said float assembly carrying the operating magnet produces a horizontal magnetic field to activate said reed-switches having biasing magnets from any angular orientation of the float assembly and adapted to provide accurate, compact and rugged fuel level sensing.
A fuel sensor according to claim to 8 adapted such that the voltage is applied across the pattern of resistance, the floating magnet and the pattern of resistance cooperate to provide a value of resistance corresponding to the depth of fuel in the fuel tank at the measurement location.
A fuel sensor according to claim to 9 comprising an indicator adapted to interpret the value of resistance to determine the instantaneous quantity of fuel in the fuel tank.
A fuel sensor according to claim to 10 wherein the float is guided by a tube adapted to protect from liquid slash.
A fuel sensor according to claim to 12 wherein the activation of reed switch is based on the principle of biasing a reed switch with another magnet to allow normally closed operation and bringing another magnet of opposite polarity, in close proximity to the magnet/reed switch assembly to open the contacts.
A fuel sensor according to claim to 13 wherein a biasing magnet is adapted to allow reed switch operation in the hold area or hysteresis area, there by providing a latching type.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.