Level indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8939022-B2
Application number	US-59572708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2008
Priority date	Apr 11, 2007
Publication date	Jan 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 27, 2015

Abstract

A level indicator having a support, a thick-film resistor network arranged on the support, a bow that carries a contact structure that produces, depending on the position of the bow, an electrical signal in the thick-film resistor network, a lever arm that is retained in the bow and has a float on its other end. The float has a seat for the lever arm. The lever arm has a pivoting range in a first plane. The float has a second plane that is perpendicular and that extends perpendicular to the first plane and through the center of mass of the float. The float is mounted on the lever arm to be positionally immobile. The seat for the lever arm is arranged in a region of the float which is arranged on the side of the second plane that faces away from the seat of the bow and that is delimited by the second plane and the outer periphery of the float.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A level indicator comprising:
a support;
a thick-film resistor network arranged on the support;
a bow that is pivotable with respect to the support;
a contact structure carried by the bow, the contact structure configured to contact the thick-film resistor network to produce an electrical signal in the thick-film resistor network depending on a bow position;
a lever arm having a first end retained in the bow, the lever arm having a pivoting range lying in a first plane; and
a float immovably fixed to a second end of the lever arm, the float having a rectangular cuboid shape with first and second longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end being farther from the bow than the second longitudinal ends, the float defining:
a seat for the second end of the lever arm arranged in a region of the float delimited by the first longitudinal end of the float and a second plane through a center of mass of the float, perpendicular to the first plane, the second plane being between the first and second longitudinal ends; and
a slot in a side of the float, the slot extending from the seat, away from the first longitudinal end of the float,
wherein a portion of the lever arm is arranged in the slot to immovably fix the float on the lever arm.

2. The level indicator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the seat is a bore extending into an interior of the float.

3. The level indicator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the float further comprises an axis of symmetry that extends through the center of mass of the float and the slot is arranged parallel to the axis of symmetry.

4. The level indicator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the float comprises two major surfaces configured to form a top and a bottom side of the float when the lever arm is in a position corresponding to the emptied fuel tank, the top and the bottom side of the float being configured to be substantially parallel to a bottom of the fuel tank.

5. The level indicator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slot further comprises a second slot extending from the first slot at an angle, wherein a portion of the lever arm is arranged in the second slot.

6. A level indicator comprising:
a support;
a thick-film resistor network arranged on the support;
a bow that is pivotable with respect to the support;
a contact structure carried by the bow, the contact structure configured to contact the thick-film resistor network to produce an electrical signal in the thick-film resistor network depending on a bow position;
a lever arm having a first end retained in the bow, the lever arm having a pivoting range lying in a first plane; and
a float immovably fixed to a second end of the lever arm, the float having a rectangular cuboid shape with first and second longitudinal ends, the first longitudinal end being farther from the bow than the second longitudinal end, the float defining:
a seat for the second end of the lever arm arranged in a region of the float delimited by the first longitudinal end of the float and a second plane through a center of mass of the float, perpendicular to the first plane, the second plane being between the first and second longitudinal ends.

7. The level indicator as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
the lever arm pivots between a minimum deflection and a maximum deflection within the pivoting range; and
the seat is positioned so that the lever arm is movable between the minimum deflection when the filling level is at a minimum level and the maximum deflection when the filling level is at a maximum level, without the float striking a wall of a tank, during operation.

8. The level indicator as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the float is at least partially solid and the seat is a bore extending into a solid portion of the float.

9. The level indicator as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the bore is perpendicular to the first plane.

10. The level indicator as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the bore is perpendicular to the first plane.

11. The level indicator as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the axis of symmetry lies in a third plane perpendicular to the first and second planes, and the slot is arranged parallel to the third plane.

Assignees

• Pauer Bernd
• Sasse Daniela
• Continental Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Pauer Bernd
• Sasse Daniela

Classifications

• G01F23/76

  characterised by the construction of the float · CPC title

• G01F23/363 Primary

  using electromechanically actuated indicating means · CPC title