Inductive sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9983045-B2
Application number	US-201514833500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2015
Priority date	Aug 22, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

An inductive sensor device for sensing the level of a liquid within a reservoir. The inductive sensor device includes a rotor pivotally connected to an overmold housing. Further, an inductive coupler is mounted to the rotor. Moreover, a float is connected to the rotor to pivot the inductive coupler by the at least one receiving coil to determine the level of liquid within the reservoir.

First claim

I claim:

1. A sensor device for sensing a level of a liquid within a reservoir having at least one inner wall, the sensor device comprising:
a sensing inductive module, the sensing inductive module having a housing and an inductive coupler, the housing having a side surface, the sensing inductive module mounted within the reservoir spaced apart from all of the at least one inner wall of the reservoir;
at least one receiving coil and at least one transmitting coil disposed radially outwardly from a pivot axis, the at least one receiving coil and the at least one transmitting coil mounted within the housing;
a rotor pivotally connected to the side surface of the housing at the pivot axis, the rotor pivots coplanar with the at least one receiving coil and the at least one transmitting coil along the side surface of the housing; the inductive coupler mounted to the rotor; and
a float connected to the rotor to pivot the inductive coupler along the side surface of the housing adjacent to the at least one receiving coil to generate a signal indicating the level of liquid in the reservoir.

2. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein at least one single printed circuit board containing at least one transmitting coil and the at least one receiving coil is in communication with the inductive coupler.

3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the signal is communicated to a vehicle information system.

4. A sensor device for measuring a level of fluid within a reservoir having at least one inner wall, the sensor device comprising:
a sensing inductive module, the sensing inductive module having a housing and an inductive coupler, the housing having a side surface, the sensing inductive module mounted within the reservoir spaced apart from all of the at least one inner wall of the reservoir;
at least one printed circuit board containing at least one transmitting coil and at least one receiving coil mounted within the housing, the at least one printed circuit board disposed radially outwardly from a pivot axis;
a rotor pivotally connected to the side surface of the housing at the pivot axis, the rotor pivots coplanar with the printed circuit board along the side surface of the housing and adjacent to the at least one printed circuit board, the rotor having the inductive coupler, the rotor connected to a float contained within the liquid, the inductive coupler in communication with the at least one printed circuit board to measure angular displacement of the rotor in response to movement of the float.

5. The sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the single printed board is encapsulated in the housing.

6. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the housing has at least one integrated connector.

7. The sensor device of claim 6 , wherein the integrated connector of the housing connects to a vehicle system.

8. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein a passive wireless antenna is connected to the single printed circuit board within the housing.

9. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein a sensing element of conductive metal snaps into the housing.

10. The sensor device of claim 9 , wherein the coupler is comprised of steel.

11. The sensor of claim 9 , wherein as the rotor rotates, the changing position of the sensing element is detected by a passive wireless antenna connected to the single printed circuit board.

12. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the rotor is pivotally connected to the housing.

13. The sensor device of claim 12 , wherein the rotor, utilizing a clip assembly consisting of flexible clip ends and arms, snaps into a preformed receiver within the housing.

14. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the rotor rotates about the housing between an up position and a down position as the fluid level in a tank changes.

15. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the housing has at least one up-stop, at least one down-stop, at least one guide track, and at least one mounting point on a side opposite the rotor.

16. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the housing is mounted to an existing fuel sensor mount points on a fuel pump and the first end of a rod is attached to the rotor through preformed clips on the backside of the rotor and the second end of the rod is attached to the fuel float.

17. The sensor device of claim 5 , wherein the sensor is a fuel level sensor for a vehicle.

18. A sensor device for measuring a level of fluid within a reservoir having at least one inner wall, the sensor device comprising:
a sensing inductive module, the sensing inductive module having a housing and a sensing coupler, the housing having a side surface, the sensing inductive module mounted within the reservoir spaced apart from the all the at least one inner wall of the reservoir;
at least one printed circuit board containing at least one transmitting coil and at least one receiving coil mounted within the housing, the at least one printed circuit board disposed radially outwardly from a pivot axis;
a rotor pivotally connected to the side surface of the housing at the pivot axis, the rotor pivots coplanar with the printed circuit board along the side surface of the housing and adjacent to the printed circuit board, the rotor having the sensing coupler, the rotor connected to a float contained within the fluid, the sensing coupler in communication with the printed circuit board to measure angular displacement of the rotor in response to movement of the float;
the at least one transmitting coil providing an electric current, the at least one transmitting coil produces an electromagnetic field when energized;
the sensing coupler in the rotor is a resonator and generates an induced magnetic field which is received by the at least one receiving coil; and
the at least one printed circuit board-detects the changes in the magnetic field generated by the sensing coupler and determines a position of the rotor.

Assignees

• Ksr Ip Holdings Llc
• Ksr Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• O'Neill Dan

Classifications

• G01F23/36

  using electrically actuated indicating means {(G01F23/38 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01D5/202

  by movable a non-ferromagnetic conductive element (G01D5/2033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01D5/2013

  by a movable ferromagnetic element, e.g. a core (G01D5/2033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01D5/2006

  by influencing the self-induction of one or more coils (G01D5/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F23/363 Primary

  using electromechanically actuated indicating means · CPC title