Liquid level indicating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10739181-B2
Application number	US-201816129169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2018
Priority date	Oct 28, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

In some examples, a liquid container comprises a chamber forming a volume containing a liquid, an elongated strip extending into the volume containing the liquid, the strip supported along a side of the volume such that a face of the strip adjacent the side of the volume is not opposed by the liquid, a plurality of heaters supported by the strip along the strip, and a plurality of temperature sensors supported by the strip along the strip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid container comprising:
a chamber forming a volume to contain a liquid;
an elongated strip extending into the volume, the strip supported along a side of the volume such that a face of the strip adjacent the side of the volume is not opposed by the liquid in the volume;
a plurality of heaters supported by the strip along the strip;
a plurality of temperature sensors supported by the strip along the strip, wherein the plurality of heaters and the plurality of temperature sensors are supported by a first surface of the strip, wherein the temperature sensors are to output signals indicative of dissipation of heat from the heaters to indicate a level of the liquid in the volume;
a carrier supporting the strip;
an electrical interconnect electrically connected to the temperature sensors; and
a collar extending about the carrier and providing a liquid seal to separate the liquid in the volume from the electrical interconnect.

2. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heaters and the plurality of temperature sensors form a plurality of stacks supported by the first surface of the strip, each respective stack in the plurality of stacks comprising a respective heater and a respective temperature sensor that are one over another in respective different layers above the first surface of the strip.

3. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein the electrical interconnect comprises contact pads.

4. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein the electrical interconnect is covered by an electrically insulating encapsulant.

5. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein the electrical interconnect is covered by an electrically insulating adhesive.

6. The liquid container of claim 1 , further comprising:
a driver to drive the heaters and the temperature sensors in response to signals received through the electrical interconnect.

7. The liquid container of claim 6 , wherein the driver comprises an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

8. The liquid container of claim 6 , wherein the driver, the electrical interconnect, the heaters, and the temperature sensors are covered by an electrically insulating adhesive or encapsulant.

9. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein the strip comprises silicon.

10. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein each of the heaters comprises a resistor.

11. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heaters comprises a first heater, and wherein the plurality of temperature sensors comprises a temperature sensor spaced from the first heater by less than or equal to 20 μm.

12. The liquid container of claim 1 , wherein activation of each respective heater of the plurality of heaters generates a heat pulse for sensing by a respective temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors.

13. A liquid container comprising:
a chamber forming a volume to contain a liquid;
an elongated strip extending into the volume, the strip supported along a side of the volume such that a face of the strip adjacent the side of the volume is not opposed by the liquid in the volume;
a plurality of heaters supported by the strip along the strip;
a plurality of temperature sensors supported by the strip along the strip, wherein the plurality of heaters and the plurality of temperature sensors are supported by a first surface of the strip, wherein the temperature sensors are to output signals indicative of dissipation of heat from the heaters to indicate a level of the liquid in the volume; and
a carrier, wherein the strip is glued to the carrier.

14. The liquid container of claim 13 , further comprising:
an electrical interconnect to communicate with a controller; and
an encapsulant covering the plurality of heaters, the plurality of temperature sensors, and the electrical interconnect.

15. The liquid container of claim 14 , further comprising a driver to drive the heaters and the temperature sensors in response to signals received through the electrical interconnect,
wherein the encapsulant further covers the driver.

16. A liquid container comprising:
a chamber forming a volume to contain a liquid;
an elongated strip extending into the volume, the strip supported along a side of the volume such that a face of the strip adjacent the side of the volume is not opposed by the liquid in the volume;
a plurality of heaters supported by the strip along the strip;
a plurality of temperature sensors supported by the strip along the strip, wherein the plurality of heaters and the plurality of temperature sensors are supported by a first surface of the strip, wherein the temperature sensors are to output signals indicative of dissipation of heat from the heaters to indicate a level of the liquid in the volume; and
a carrier, wherein the strip is adhered to the carrier, and the carrier is suspended from a top of the chamber.

17. The liquid container of claim 16 , further comprising:
an electrical interconnect electrically connected to the temperature sensors, the electrical interconnect comprising a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board to electrically connect to a controller.

18. The liquid container of claim 16 , further comprising:
an electrical interconnect electrically connected to the temperature sensors; and
a collar extending about the carrier and providing a liquid seal to separate the liquid in the volume from the electrical interconnect.

19. A liquid container comprising:
a chamber forming a volume to contain a liquid;
an elongated strip extending into the volume, the strip supported along a side of the volume such that a face of the strip adjacent the side of the volume is not opposed by the liquid in the volume;
a plurality of heaters supported by the strip along the strip;
a plurality of temperature sensors supported by the strip along the strip, wherein the plurality of heaters and the plurality of temperature sensors are supported by a first surface of the strip, wherein the temperature sensors are to output signals indicative of dissipation of heat from the heaters to indicate a level of the liquid in the volume; and
a carrier supporting the elongated strip, wherein the elongated strip comprises:
a first layer supporting the plurality of heaters; and
a second layer supporting the plurality of temperature sensors.

20. The liquid container of claim 19 , further comprising:
an electrical interconnect to communicate with a controller; and
an encapsulant covering the plurality of heaters, the plurality of temperature sensors, and the electrical interconnect.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Cumbie Michael W
• Browning Robert N K

Classifications

• H05B3/82

  Fixedly-mounted immersion heaters · CPC title

• G01K13/02

  for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow · CPC title

• G01F23/248 Primary

  Constructional details; Mounting of probes · CPC title

• G01F23/247

  for discrete levels · CPC title

• G01F23/246

  thermal devices · CPC title