Liquid level sensor measuring a characteristic indicative of inductive coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161779-B2
Application number	US-201615166053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A sensor for determining liquid level in a liquid reservoir can include a primary inductor and a secondary inductor to be associated with sides of the reservoir that changes shape as a volume of liquid changes or is displaced within the liquid reservoir. The sensor can include an electrical power source to inductively couple the primary inductor and the secondary inductor. The liquid level sensor can include an inductive coupling measurement device associated with the primary inductor and/or the secondary inductor to measure a characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling of the primary inductor and the secondary inductor (e.g., a distance between inductors). As liquid volume changes and the reservoir deforms, the inductors move relative to each other and a voltage change occurs to determine a liquid level in the reservoir. A sensor kit is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid level sensor, comprising:
a primary inductor positionable adjacent a first side of a liquid reservoir and a secondary inductor positionable adjacent an opposing second side of the liquid reservoir such that the inductors are spatially separated from each other;
electrical power source contacts electrically coupled to at least one of the primary inductor and the secondary inductor to inductively couple the inductors to each other; and
an inductive coupling measurement device associated with at least one of the primary inductor and the secondary inductor to measure a characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling of the primary inductor and the secondary inductor,
wherein displacement of a liquid in the reservoir causes the reservoir to change shape, which thereby causes a change in distance between the primary inductor and the secondary inductor, which causes a change in the inductive coupling of the primary inductor and the secondary inductor such that measurement of the characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling permits determining a liquid level in the reservoir.

2. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the inductive coupling measurement device comprises a voltage sensor, a current sensor, an inductance sensor, a capacitance sensor, or a combination thereof.

3. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling comprises voltage, current, inductance, capacitance, or a combination thereof.

4. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling is measured in the secondary inductor.

5. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the inductive coupling measurement device determines a distance between the primary inductor and the secondary inductor to determine a liquid level.

6. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the liquid reservoir is a flexible reservoir.

7. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator to indicate the liquid level to a user.

8. The liquid level sensor of claim 7 , wherein the indicator comprises a visual indicator, an audible indicator, a haptic indicator, or a combination thereof.

9. The liquid level sensor of claim 7 , further comprising a wireless transmitter operatively connected to the inductive coupling measurement device and adapted to communicate wirelessly with the indicator.

10. The liquid level sensor of claim 9 , wherein the indicator comprises a smart watch, a fitness band, a smart phone, a personal electronic device, or a combination thereof.

11. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein a predetermined quantity of the characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling indicates a relative position of the liquid level and the primary and secondary inductors.

12. The liquid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the primary inductor and the secondary inductor each comprise a plurality of inductors, wherein the inductors are spaced apart from one another on the respective sides of the liquid reservoir in a direction that corresponds to a changing liquid level of the reservoir such that, as a volume of liquid changes, a distance change occurs between some or all of the primary inductors and the secondary inductors.

13. The liquid level sensor of claim 12 , wherein the liquid level is determined by a comparison of the characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling measured in at least two of the secondary inductors.

14. The liquid level sensor of claim 12 , wherein the electrical power source provides current to the primary inductors in sequence to facilitate measuring the characteristic indicative of the inductive coupling in the secondary inductors.

15. The liquid level sensor of claim 12 , further comprising a buffer register coupled to at least one of the primary sensor or the secondary sensor, the register configured to gather inductance or liquid volume data to calculate an average liquid volume indication during a predetermined time period.

16. A liquid level sensor system, comprising:
a liquid reservoir that changes shape as a volume of liquid changes therein; and
a liquid level sensor having:
a primary inductor and a secondary inductor, the inductors spatially separated from each other on either side of the reservoir and coupled to the liquid reservoir; and
an inductive coupling measurement device coupled to the primary inductor to determine a distance between the primary inductor and the secondary inductor upon powering one of the inductors, such that the measurement device calculates a level or volume of liquid in the reservoir.

17. The liquid level sensor system of claim 16 , wherein the primary inductor includes a plurality of primary inductors and the secondary inductor includes a plurality of inductors, wherein the primary inductors are spatially separated from and opposing the secondary inductors about sides of the reservoir, whereby a change in volume of the liquid in the reservoir causes a change in distance between some or all of the primary inductors and the secondary inductors such that the measurement device determines a level or volume of liquid remaining in the reservoir.

18. The liquid level sensor system of claim 16 , further comprising a power source electrically coupled to one or both of the inductors.

19. A kit for measuring and providing liquid level in a reservoir, the kit comprising:
a panel having a primary side and a secondary side, the panel positionable about a reservoir;
a plurality of primary inductors attached to the primary side;
a plurality of secondary inductors attached to the secondary side and opposing the primary side of the reservoir such that the primary inductors are spatially separated from the secondary inductors; and
a measurement device associated with at least one of the primary inductors and the secondary inductors to measure a characteristic indicative of inductive coupling of at least one of the primary inductors and at least one of the secondary inductors and to determine therefrom a distance between at least one of the primary inductors and at least one of the secondary inductors upon application of energy to at least one of the primary inductors to determine a liquid level in the reservoir.

20. The kit of claim 19 , wherein removal of the liquid in the reservoir causes the reservoir to change shape, which thereby causes a change in distance between at least one primary inductor and at least one secondary inductor such that the measurement device facilitates determining a liquid level in the reservoir.

Assignees

• Univ Utah Res Found

Inventors

• Lazzi Gianluca
• Lazzi Dulce Altabella
• Rakhyani Anil Kumar Ram
• Loizos Kyle

Classifications

• G01F23/248

  Constructional details; Mounting of probes · CPC title

• G01F23/261

  for discrete levels · CPC title

• G01F23/268

  mounting arrangements of probes · CPC title

• G01F23/241 Primary

  for discrete levels · CPC title