Oil level sensor guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10768037-B2
Application number	US-201715620311-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2017
Priority date	Jun 12, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A fluid tank system comprises a fluid container that includes a sensor opening in a fluid container wall defined by a rim, and a fluid level sensor comprising a radial flange on a proximate end of a longitudinally extending electronics stem that includes a distal end. The distal end of the electronic stem is inserted into the fluid container via the sensor opening and the radial flange seats on the rim. The distal end of the electronics stem is guided via a first radial support and a second radial support to a seat that is located coaxial with the sensor opening, where the first and second radial supports are longitudinally separated and radially spaced apart to allow the electronics stem to longitudinally pass between the first and second radial supports until the flange seats on the rim ensuring that the distal end of the electronic stem is longitudinally positioned adjacent to the seat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid tank system, comprising:
a fluid container that includes a sensor opening in a fluid container wall defined by a rim;
a fluid level sensor comprising a radial flange on a proximate end of a longitudinally extending electronics stem that includes a distal end;
where the distal end of the electronics stem is inserted into the fluid container via the sensor opening and the radial flange seats on the rim that forms the sensor opening, and the distal end of the electronics stem is guided to a seat that is located coaxial with the sensor opening via a support that extends longitudinally inward to the fluid container from the fluid container wall, where the electronics stem slides along the support until the radial flange seats on the rim ensuring that the distal end of the electronic stem is longitudinally positioned adjacent to the seat;
where the support partially surrounds the sensor opening by extending around only a portion of a circumference of the sensor opening.

2. The fluid tank system of claim 1 , where the support includes a first face surface that is concave and along which the stem slides during insertion into the fluid container.

3. The fluid tank system of claim 2 , wherein the support comprises a first end in contact with the container wall a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, and a bend located longitudinally between the first end and the second end, the bend located radially inward of the first end and the second end.

4. The fluid tank system of claim 3 , wherein the support extends radially inward from the first end to the bend and radially outward from the bend to the second end.

5. The fluid tank system of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a first end in contact with the container wall a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, wherein the support comprises a first face surface that is concave and faces the stem and a second face surface that is convex and faces away from the stem, and wherein the support comprises first and second edges which extend longitudinally between the first end and the second end.

6. The fluid tank system of claim 5 , wherein the first and second edges face the stem.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Duong Hung
• Long Wesley P
• Zimmitti Jonathan
• Stachowiak David A
• Bettagere Lakshminarayan S
• Abedon Brian V

Classifications

• G01F23/68 Primary

  using electrically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• G01F23/60 Primary

  using electrically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• B60K15/03

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• G01F23/00

  Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm · CPC title

• B60K2015/03217

  Fuel level sensors · CPC title