Non-Contact Time-of-Flight Fuel Level Sensor Using Plastic Optical Fiber
US-2020326224-A1 · Oct 15, 2020 · US
Optical sensor for detecting the liquid level in a container, in particular for a removable container for an electric household appliance and associated lens and method
US8994812B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-8994812-B2 |
| Application number | US-201013388756-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Aug 3, 2010 |
| Priority date | Aug 4, 2009 |
| Publication date | Mar 31, 2015 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 2015 |
How to read this patent
A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.
- Title
What the patent document calls the invention.
- Abstract
A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.
- Assignees and inventors
Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.
- Key dates
Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.
- First independent claim
The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.
- CPC / IPC classifications
Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.
- Citations and related patents
Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.
Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
An optical sensor including a photo emitting element and a photo receiving element carried side-by-side by a supporting and feeding element either associated or associable in use with a support for a container, and a composite lens, either associated or associable with the container, designed so as to remain in use immersed in a liquid contained in the container and facing the photo emitting and photo receiving elements; the lens including: a first cylindrical body made of a light-permeable material, mountable in use vertically from the top of the container facing the photo emitting and photo receiving elements to a bottom wall of the container; and a second cylindrical body, arranged concentrically with and outside the first body and open towards the bottom wall; respective side walls of the first and second cylindrical bodies having the same length, that of the second body being separated from that of the first body by a predetermined annular clearance, and being made so as to be at least partially reflecting towards the first cylindrical body.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
The invention claimed is: 1. An optical sensor for detecting the level of a liquid in a container, particularly intended to equip a removable container of an electric household appliance, such as for example a liquid soap dispenser for a dishwasher or washing machine, the sensor comprising a photo emitting element and a photo receiving element carried side-by-side by a supporting and feeding element either associated or associable in use with a support for the container, in particu…
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Physics · mapped topic
Physics · mapped topic
Human Necessities · mapped topic
- G01F23/2925Primary
Physics · mapped topic
Physics · mapped topic
Patent family
Related publications grouped by family.
External sources
Next steps
Free tools are coming soon. Tell us what you want to track and we'll notify you.
Frequently asked questions
Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.
- What does patent US8994812B2 cover?
- An optical sensor including a photo emitting element and a photo receiving element carried side-by-side by a supporting and feeding element either associated or associable in use with a support for a container, and a composite lens, either associated or associable with the container, designed so as to remain in use immersed in a liquid contained in the container and facing the photo emitting an…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Giordano Sergio, Chianura Alessio, Pietrafesa Domenico, and 2 more
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification G01F23/2925. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Mar 31 2015 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).