Sensor device for containers of liquid substances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10677725-B2
Application number	US-201716080187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

Associated to the body of the device is a second arrangement for detection of a characteristic of the liquid substance, which comprises an emitter and a receiver of a given optical radiation. A first portion of the body of the device is made of a material designed for propagation of the given optical radiation, the emitter and the receiver being optically coupled to the inner surface of the body at the first portion. The first portion of the body of the device is shaped to contribute to propagation of the given optical radiation from the emitter to the receiver, in such a way that the given optical radiation is propagated through the first portion of the body of the device towards the receiver, at an angle and/or with an intensity that are/is variable as a function of the characteristic of the liquid substance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor device for a container of a liquid substance, the sensor device comprising a body with a housing portion having a closing structure that includes an interface wall having an inner surface and an outer surface,
wherein the housing portion is pre-arranged for being mounted at an opening of the container, in such a way that at least one portion of the outer surface of the interface wall faces the inside of the container so as to be in contact with the liquid substance, and the inner surface of the interface wall is isolated from the inside of the container,
wherein a first arrangement for detection of the level of the liquid substance is associated to the body, the first arrangement including a level detection part configured to extend at least partially into the container, the level detection part including electrodes for detecting an electrical quantity representative of the level of the liquid substance,
wherein a second arrangement for detection of at least one qualitative characteristic of the liquid substance which depends upon the composition thereof is associated to the interface wall and comprises at least one emitter and at least one receiver of a given optical radiation;
wherein at least one first portion of the interface wall is made of a material suitable for propagation of the given optical radiation, the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver being optically coupled to the inner surface of the interface wall;
wherein said first portion of the interface wall is shaped so as to contribute to propagation of the given optical radiation by refraction and/or reflection from the at least one emitter to the at least one receiver, in such a way that the given optical radiation is at least in part propagated through said first portion of the interface wall towards the at least one receiver, at an angle and/or with an intensity that are/is variable as a function of said at least one qualitative characteristic of the liquid substance;
and wherein the device moreover comprises a circuit arrangement configured for supplying first electrical signals, representing level detections made via the first arrangement for detection, and second electrical signal, representing qualitative detections made via the second arrangement for detection.

2. The sensor device according in claim 1 ,
wherein the second arrangement for detection comprises an optical module, which includes a structure for support and electrical connection of the at least one emitter and of the at least one receiver, the structure for support and electrical connection comprising a module body which is configured as a part separate from the body of the sensor device, and
wherein the module body defines a first body part and second body part which are set angled with respect to one another, the at least one emitter being mounted at the first body part and the at least one receiver being mounted at the second body part such that an axis of the at least one emitter and an axis of the at least one receiver intersect to form therebetween an angle greater than 90°, whereas the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver are arranged according to respective laying planes that form therebetween an angle smaller than 90°.

3. The sensor device according to claim 2 , wherein the structure for support and electrical connection includes at least one of the following:
one or more bodies made of electrically insulating material overmoulded on connection elements made at least in part of electrically conductive material;
one or more bodies overmoulded on a flexible circuit support that comprises electrical-connection elements;
a plurality of distinct bodies connected together by means of electrical-connection elements;
a plurality of distinct bodies associated to a flexible circuit support that comprises electrical-connection elements;
a plurality of bodies moulded with electrically insulating polymeric material and electrical-connection elements moulded with electrically conductive material comprising a polymer;
a plurality of moulded bodies which are connected together and are able to vary a relative position thereof during assembly of the optical module on the device body.

4. The sensor device according in claim 1 ,
wherein the inner surface of the interface wall is shaped at said first portion to define a positioning site for the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver,
wherein the positioning site includes at least one projecting element which extends at the inner side of the interface wall towards the inside of the housing portion and which defines a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface,
wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are inclined in opposite directions to identify therebetween an angle smaller than 90°, the at least one emitter facing the first inclined surface and the at least one receiver facing the second inclined surface,
wherein the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver each have a respective axis and are set such that a plane passing through the axis of the at least one emitter intersect a plane passing through the axis of the second receiver to form therebetween an angle greater than 90°,
wherein an angle of incidence of the given optical radiation emitted by the at least one emitter with respect to an interface region between the liquid substance and the outer side of the interface wall at said first portion is comprised between 50° and 70°,
in such a way that the given optical radiation is reflected at said interface region at an angle which depends upon said at least one qualitative characteristic of the liquid substance.

5. The sensor device according in claim 4 ,
wherein the second arrangement for detection comprises an optical module, which includes a structure for support and electrical connection of the at least one emitter and of the at least one receiver and which is configured as a part separate from the body of the sensor device,
wherein the optical module comprises a module body that supports the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver and that is mounted at the positioning site, and
wherein at said least one projecting element of the positioning site is coupled to a blocking and/or positioning member of the optical module, to secure the module body in position with the at least one emitter facing the first inclined surface and the at least one receiver facing the second inclined surface.

6. The sensor device according in claim 4 , wherein the at least one projecting element comprises one or more optical elements for propagation of the given optical radiation selected from a single optical element defining the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, or a pair of optical elements each defining a respective one of said first inclined surface and second inclined surface.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first arrangement for detection and the second arrangement for detection have a circuit support in common, the circuit support having an elongated body which defines:
a first portion which extends within the housing portion, the at least one emitter and the at least one receiver, or a corresponding optical module to which they belong, being electrically connected to or mechanically supported by the first portion of the elongated body; and
a second longitudinally extended portion, which extends in a level sensing axis and carries said electrodes belonging to the first detection arrangement,
wherein said electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes each extending in a direction transverse to a length direction of said second longitudinally extended portion, the electrodes being set apart from one another along the l

Assignees

• Eltek Spa

Inventors

• Pizzi Marco
• Merlano Piercarlo
• Cavalli Fabio
• Zorzetto Mauro

Classifications

• G01N2021/434

  Dipping block in contact with sample, e.g. prism · CPC title

• F01N2610/142

  Controlling the filling of the tank · CPC title

• F01N2610/1406

  Storage means for substances, e.g. tanks or reservoirs · CPC title

• G01F23/30 Primary

  by floats · CPC title

• G01N21/43 Primary

  by measuring critical angle · CPC title