Fluid storage device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10719032-B2
Application number	US-201815916814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A fluid storage device includes a container and a torsion sensor. The container stores a fluid to be agitated. The torsion sensor has a substrate and detects torsion of the substrate. The substrate has a first end inserted in the container and a second end fixed to the container or a housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid storage device comprising:
a container configured to store a fluid; and
a torsion sensor including a substrate and a piezoelectric element configured to detect a torsion of the substrate when the fluid is stirred by a stirring mechanism not coupled to the torsion sensor,
wherein the substrate has a first free end extending in the container and a second fixed end,
wherein the piezoelectric film is configured to generate an electric charge when the fluid is stirred to change a voltage output from the torsion sensor indicating a presence of the liquid in the container, and
wherein the torsion sensor is configured such that the piezoelectric element does not generate the electric charge in response to a bending displacement of the substrate.

2. The fluid storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the first free end is inserted to a predetermined position into the container.

3. The fluid storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the first free end is configured to agitate the fluid in the container, such that the fluid is rotated in the container causing the torsion of the substrate.

4. A fluid storage device comprising:
a container configured to store a fluid; and
a torsion sensor including a substrate and a piezoelectric element configured to detect a torsion of the substrate when the fluid is stirred,
wherein the substrate has a first free end extending in the container and a second fixed end opposite the first free end, and
wherein the substrate has a rectangular shape extending into the container, such that the first free end has first and second corners being inserted into the container at a position, such that the first and second corners extend in opposite directions with respect to each other,
wherein the piezoelectric film is configured to generate an electric charge when the fluid is stirred to indicate a presence of the liquid in the container, and the torsion sensor is configured such that the piezoelectric element does not generate the electric charge in response to a bending displacement of the substrate.

5. The fluid storage device according to claim 4 , wherein the first end is inserted in a center of the fluid relative to a cross-section of the container.

6. The fluid storage device according to claim 4 , wherein only one of the first corner and the second corner of the first free end of the substrate is inserted in the fluid.

7. The fluid storage device according to claim 4 , wherein the substrate comprises a connection plate extending into the container to be inserted in the fluid.

8. The fluid storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element is directly coupled to the substrate.

9. The fluid storage device according to claim 8 , wherein the piezoelectric element is configured to detect the torsion of the substrate when the fluid is stirred.

10. The fluid storage device according to claim 9 , wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a film comprising a chiral polymer.

11. The fluid storage device according to claim 10 , wherein the chiral polymer is a polylactic acid.

12. The fluid storage device according to claim 10 , wherein the film includes a stretching direction that coincides with a longitudinal direction of the substrate.

13. The fluid storage device according to claim 1 , further comprising a stirrer disposed within the container and configured to stir the liquid, such that the stirred fluid causes the torsion of the substrate.

14. A fluid storage device comprising:
a container configured to store a fluid;
a torsion sensor including a substrate that has a first end fixed to at least one of the container and a housing of the fluid storage device and a second end disposed in the container; and
a piezoelectric element coupled to the substrate and configured to generate an electric charge when the fluid is stirred in the container, such that the torsion sensor generates a voltage indicating a presence of the liquid in the container,
wherein the torsion sensor is configured such that the piezoelectric element does not generate the electric charge in response to a bending displacement of the substrate.

15. The fluid storage device according to claim 14 , wherein the second end is configured to agitate the fluid in the container, such that the fluid is rotated.

16. The fluid storage device according to claim 14 , further comprising a stirrer disposed within the container and configured to stir the liquid such that the stirred fluid causes the torsion of the substrate.

17. The fluid storage device according to claim 14 , wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a film comprising a chiral polymer.

18. The fluid storage device according to claim 17 , wherein the film includes a stretching direction that coincides with a longitudinal direction of the substrate.

19. The fluid storage device according to claim 14 , wherein the second end has a first corner and a second corner, with the second end being inserted into the container at a position such that the first and second corners extend in opposite directions with respect to each other.

20. A fluid storage device comprising:
a container configured to store a fluid; and
a torsion sensor including a substrate and configured to detect a torsion of the substrate when the fluid is stirred,
wherein the substrate has a first free end extending in the container and a second fixed end, and
wherein the torsion sensor is configured such that the torsion sensor does not detect a bending displacement of the substrate.

21. The fluid storage device according to claim 20 , wherein the torsion sensor is configured to prevent a false detection due to an external vibration that causes the bending displacement of the substrate.

Assignees

• Murata Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Ando Masamichi

Classifications

• B01F27/054

  Deformable stirrers, e.g. deformed by a centrifugal force applied during operation · CPC title

• B01F33/25

  Mixers with loose mixing elements, e.g. loose balls in a receptacle · CPC title

• B01F35/212

  of the driving system data, e.g. torque, speed or power data · CPC title

• B01F35/2112

  Level of material in a container or the position or shape of the upper surface of the material · CPC title

• B01F23/60

  Mixing solids with solids · CPC title