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US 8,539,828 B2Granted
Magnetostrictive liquid density detector
AssigneeVeeder-Root Company
InventorsAmbroise Prinstil, Joseph Tessitore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid level probe for use in a tank containing a first fluid, including a probe shaft, a first float with a first magnet that is slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft and adapted to float at the top surface of the first fluid, a second float with a first magnet that is slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft beneath the first float and adapted to float within the first fluid, and electronics adapted to determine a first distance between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float which is used to determine a first density of the first fluid.
Claims29
A fluid level probe for use in a tank containing a first fluid, comprising:
- a probe shaft including a top end and a bottom end;
- a first float carrying a first magnet, the first float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft and adapted to float at a top surface of the first fluid;
- a second float carrying a first magnet, the second float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft beneath the first float and adapted to float within the first fluid such that there is magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float;
- and
- electronics operative to determine a first distance between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float,
- wherein the mass of the first float is greater than the mass of the second float such that the magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float has greater effect on the second float.
3 more elements
A fluid level probe for use in a tank containing a first fluid and a second fluid forming an interface therebetween, comprising:
- a probe shaft including a top end and a bottom end;
- a first float carrying a first magnet, the first float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft and adapted to float at the interface between the first fluid and the second fluid;
- a second float carrying a first magnet, the second float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft above the first float and adapted to float within the first fluid such that there is magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float;
- and
- electronics operative to determine a first distance between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float,
- wherein the mass of the first float is greater than the mass of the second float such that the magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float has greater effect on the second float.
3 more elements
A fluid level probe for use in a tank containing a first fluid, comprising:
- a probe shaft including a top end and a bottom end;
- a first float carrying a first magnet and a second magnet, the first float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft;
- a second float carrying a first magnet, the second float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft between the first magnet and the second magnet of the first float and adapted to float within the first fluid such that there is magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float and also between the second magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float;
- and
- electronics adapted to determine a first density of the first fluid adjacent the second float based on spacing between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float and between the second magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float.
2 more elements
A fluid level probe for use in a tank containing a first fluid, comprising:
- a probe shaft including a top end and a bottom end;
- a first repulsion magnet and a second repulsion magnet, the first repulsion magnet and the second repulsion magnet being disposed at fixed positions along the probe shaft;
- a first float carrying a first magnet, the first float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft between the first repulsion magnet and the second repulsion magnet and adapted to float within the first fluid such that there is magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first repulsion magnet and also between the first magnet of the first float and the second repulsion magnet;
- electronics operative to determine at least a first distance between one of the first repulsion magnet and the second repulsion magnet and the first magnet of the first float;
- and
- a first frame that is fixedly connected to the probe shaft,
- wherein the first repulsion magnet and the second repulsion magnet are disposed on a first frame that is fixedly connected to the probe shaft.
4 more elements
A fluid level probe for use in a tank containing a first fluid, comprising:
- a probe shaft including a top end and a bottom end;
- a first float carrying a first magnet, the first float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft and adapted to float at a top surface of the first fluid;
- a second float carrying a first magnet, the second float being slidably disposed for movement along the probe shaft beneath the first float and adapted to float within the first fluid such that there is magnetic repulsion between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float;
- and
- electronics operative to determine a first distance between the first magnet of the first float and the first magnet of the second float,
- wherein the first float further carries a second magnet, the second magnet being positioned such that the first magnet of the first float is disposed between the second magnet and the first magnet of the second float.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.