Multi-channel fluid level sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10436626-B2
Application number	US-201715661877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2017
Priority date	Jul 27, 2017
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems for measuring a level of a fluid. A first output is obtained from first sensing elements at a first electrical circuit, the first sensing elements configured to produce the first output based on a position of a floater movable along a floater path. The position of the floater is determined at the first electrical circuit based on the first output. A second output is obtained from second sensing elements at a second electrical circuit, the second electrical circuit being isolated from the first electrical circuit, at least one of the first sensing elements being interleaved with at least one of the second sensing elements, the second sensing elements configured to produce the second output based on the position of the floater. The position of the floater is determined at the second electrical circuit based on the second output.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid level sensor, comprising:
a floater movable along a floater path in response to changes in a fluid level;
first sensing elements spaced apart from one another along the floater path and configured to produce a first output based on a position of the floater along the floater path;
second sensing elements spaced apart from one another along the floater path, at least one of the first sensing elements interleaved with at least one of the second sensing elements along the floater path such that the at least one of the first sensing elements is adjacent to the at least one of the second sensing elements, the second sensing elements configured to produce a second output based on the position of the floater along the floater path;
a first electric circuit coupled to the first sensing elements and configured to determine the position of the floater based on the first output; and
a second electric circuit, isolated from the first electric circuit, coupled to the second sensing elements and configured to determine the position of the floater based on the second output.

2. The fluid level sensor of claim 1 , further comprising at least one detector coupled to the first and second electric circuits and configured for determining the fluid level based on the first output and the second output.

3. The fluid level sensor of claim 2 , wherein determining the fluid level based on the position first output and the second output comprises comparing the first output to the second output.

4. The fluid level sensor of claim 2 , wherein the detector is further configured for detecting anomalies in the fluid level sensor based on the first output and the second output.

5. The fluid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the floater comprises at least one magnetic element, and wherein at least one of the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements comprises magnetic sensors.

6. The fluid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the floater comprises at least one optical element, and wherein at least one of the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements comprises optical sensors.

7. The fluid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein the floater comprises at least one electrical element, and wherein at least one of the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements comprises resistive sensors.

8. The fluid level sensor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sensing elements and the second sensing elements are affixed to a structural member that retains the floater.

9. The fluid level sensor of claim 8 , wherein the floater is movable along an outside surface of the structural member.

10. The fluid level sensor of claim 8 , wherein the floater is movable within a hollow cavity formed within the structural member.

11. The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least third sensing elements, spaced apart from one another along the floater path, at least one of the at least third sensing elements interleaved with at least one of the first and second sensing elements, each of the at least third sensing elements configured to produce at least one third output based on the position of the floater; and
at least one third electric circuit, isolated from the first and second electric circuits, coupled to the at least third sensing elements and configured to determine the position of the floater based on the at least one third output.

12. A method for measuring a level of a fluid, comprising: obtaining a first output from first sensing elements at a first electrical circuit coupled to the first sensing elements, the first sensing elements configured to produce the first output based on a position of a floater movable along a floater path; determining, at the first electrical circuit, the position of the floater based on the first output; obtaining a second output from second sensing elements at a second electrical circuit coupled to the second sensing elements, the second electrical circuit being isolated from the first electrical circuit, at least one of the first sensing elements being interleaved with at least one of the second sensing elements along the floater path such that the at least one of the first sensing elements is adjacent to the at least one of the second sensing elements, the second sensing elements configured to produce the second output based on the position of the floater; and determining, at the second electrical circuit, the position of the floater based on the second output.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a fluid level based on the first and second outputs.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the fluid level based on the first and second outputs comprises comparing the first output to the second output.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting anomalies in the fluid level sensor based on the first output and the second output.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein obtaining the first output comprises sensing at least one magnetic element of the floater via the first sensing elements and wherein obtaining the second output comprises sensing the at least one magnetic element of the floater via the second sensing elements.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein obtaining the first output comprises sensing at least one optical element of the floater via the first sensing elements and wherein obtaining the second output comprises sensing the at least one optical element of the floater via the second sensing elements.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein obtaining the first output comprises sensing at least one electrical element of the floater via the first sensing elements and wherein obtaining the second output comprises sensing the at least one electrical element of the floater via the second sensing elements.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
obtaining at least one third output from third sensing elements via at least one third electrical circuit coupled to the third sensing elements, the third sensing elements being interleaved with at least one of the first and second sensing elements, the at least one third electrical circuit being isolated from the first and second electrical circuits, the third sensing elements configured to produce the at least one third output based on the position of the floater; and
determining, at the at least one third electrical circuit, the position of the floater based on the at least one third output.

20. A fluid level sensor circuit comprising:
a first circuit configured for:
obtaining a first output from first sensing elements configured to produce the first output based on a position of a floater movable along a floater path; and
determining the position of the floater based on the first output; and

a second circuit isolated from the first circuit and configured for:
obtaining a second output from second sensing elements configured to produce the second output based on the position of the floater, at least one of the first sensing elements interleaved with at least one of the second sensing elements along the floater path such that the at least one of the first sensing elements is adjacent to the at least one of the second sensing elements; and
determining the position of the floater based on the second output.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Taillon Eric

Classifications

• G01F23/64 Primary

  of the free float type {without mechanical transmission elements} · CPC title

• G01F23/74

  for sensing changes in level only at discrete points · CPC title

• G01F23/30 Primary

  by floats · CPC title

• G01F23/68

  using electrically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• G01F23/706

  using opto-electrically actuated indicating means · CPC title