Variable orientation fluid level sensor with optional slosh guard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46944-E
Application number	US-201615079618-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2011
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A fluid level sensor assembly comprises a sensor mounted to a sensor housing. A carrier extends from the sensor housing in an angled orientation. A float is located within the carrier such that the float may move along a longitudinal axis of the carrier. A fragment is secured to the float, and the sensor detects a location of the fragment as the float moves within the carrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid level sensor assembly comprising:
a sensor mounted coupled to a sensor housing;
a carrier extending from the sensor housing in an angled orientation;
a float located within the carrier such that the float may move along a longitudinal axis of the carrier;
a fragment secured to one end of the float, wherein the sensor detects a location of is activated by the presence of the fragment within a field of the sensor; and
wherein the float has a barrel an oblong shape and the fragment is secured to one end of the float, and wherein the float is assembled within the carrier such that the fragment end is closest to the sensor, and wherein the width of the carrier prevents the float from rotating traverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

2. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier further comprises a plurality of fingers extending from the sensor housing and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, and wherein the fingers are spaced from one another sufficiently to allow the float to be assembled within the carrier such that the longer axis of the barrel shaped float is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

3. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the float further comprises a plurality of grooves spaced about the circumference of the float and extending parallel to the longer axis of the float, and when the float is assembled within the carrier the plurality of grooves may be aligned with the plurality of fingers, such that the finger will prevent the float from spinning about the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

4. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the float has a round barrel shape with one of a magnetic core and a ferrous core.

5. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier has a 45 degree orientation with respect to the sensor housing.

6. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a connector secured to the sensor housing on an opposing side from the carrier, wherein the connector has a connector pin electrically connected to the sensor, and a flanged backing to secure the connector to the sensor housing.

7. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein fluid level sensor assembly is mountable to one of: a reservoir having a side mounting location orientation and a reservoir having a bottom mounting location orientation.

8. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor, carrier and float are secured to a washer reservoir for a vehicle washer system.

9. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fragment is a magnetic material and the sensor is a reed switch in perpendicular orientation to the fragment.

10. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fragment is one of a magnetic material and a ferrous material.

11. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a slosh guard secured to the carrier in a universal manner for the fluid level sensor.

12. A fluid level sensor assembly comprising:
a reservoir for a vehicle washer system;
a reed switch mounted coupled to a sensor housing and secured to the reservoir;
a carrier extending from the sensor housing in an angled orientation wherein the reservoir has one of a side mounting location and a bottom mounting location for the carrier;
a float with a barrel an oblong shape located within the carrier such that the float may move along a longitudinal axis of the carrier and is prevented from rotating transverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier;
a magnetic fragment secured at one end of the float, wherein the float is assembled within the carrier such that the magnetic fragment is closest to the reed switch wherein the reed switch detects a location is activated by the presence of the magnetic fragment within a magnetic field of the reed switch; and
wherein the carrier further comprises a plurality of fingers extending from the sensor housing and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, and wherein the fingers are spaced from one another sufficiently to allow the float to be assembled within the carrier such that the longer axis of the barrel shaped float is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, such that the finger prevents the float from rotating traverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

13. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 12 , wherein the float further comprises a plurality of grooves spaced about the circumference of the float and extending parallel to the longer axis of the float, and when the float is assembled within the carrier the plurality of grooves may be aligned with the plurality of fingers, such that the finger will prevent the float from spinning about the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

14. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 12 , wherein the carrier has a 45 degree orientation with respect to the sensor housing.

15. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a connector secured to the sensor housing on an opposing side from the carrier, wherein the connector has a connector pin electrically connected to the sensor, and a flanged backing to secure the connector to the sensor housing.

16. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 12 , wherein fluid level sensor assembly is mountable to one of: a reservoir having a side mounting location orientation and a reservoir having a bottom mounting location orientation.

17. The fluid level sensor assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a slosh guard secured to the carrier in a universal manner for the fluid level sensor.

18. A washer reservoir and fluid level sensor assembly comprising: a fluid level sensor comprising;
a sensor mounted coupled to a sensor housing; a carrier extending from the sensor housing in an angled orientation; a float located within the carrier such that the float may move along a longitudinal axis of the carrier;
a fragment secured to one end of the float, wherein the sensor detects a location of is activated by the presence of the fragment within a field of the sensor, wherein the float has a barrel an oblong shape and the fragment is secured to the one end of the float, and wherein the float is assembled within the carrier such that the fragment end is closest to the sensor, and wherein the width of the carrier prevents the float from rotating traverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier;
a connector secured to the sensor housing on an opposing side from the carrier, wherein the connector has a connector pin electrically connected to the sensor, and a flanged backing to secure the connector to the sensor housing; and
a grommet assembled on the exterior of the sensor housing; and
a reservoir for a vehicle washer system having one of a side mounting location and a bottom mounting location, wherein the fluid level sensor is assembled at the mounting location such that the grommet fluidly seals the fluid level sensor within the reservoir and the connector is accessible to the exterior of the washer reservoir.

19. The washer reservoir and fluid level sensor assembly of claim 18 , wherein the carrier further comprises a plurality of fingers extending from the sensor housing and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, and wherein the fingers are spaced from one another sufficiently to allow the float to be assembled within the carrier such that the longer axis of the barrel shaped float is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

20. The washer reservoir and fluid level sensor

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc
• Continental Automotive System Inc

Inventors

• Mawhinney Nicholas Lee
• Zaitz Michael

Classifications

• F16K31/18

  actuated by a float (floats F16K33/00; float-actuated valves in steam-traps F16T1/20, in boilers F22D5/08) · CPC title

• G01F23/74 Primary

  for sensing changes in level only at discrete points · CPC title

• G01F23/38 Primary

  using magnetically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• Y10T137/7358

  By float controlled valve · CPC title

• G01F23/32

  using rotatable arms or other pivotable transmission elements · CPC title