Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • 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
  • G01F23/30—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 by floats
  • G01F23/64—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 by floats of the free float type without mechanical transmission elements
  • G01F23/68—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 by floats of the free float type without mechanical transmission elements using electrically actuated indicating means
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • 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
  • G01F23/80—Arrangements for signal processing
  • G01F23/802—Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
  • G01F23/804—Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F9/00—Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine
  • G01F9/001—Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means

Definitions

• THIS INVENTION relates to the monitoring of the performance of a
• Fuel is a major day-to-day expense in any business which uses
• the present invention also relates to fuel level indicators
• indicator means for producing an output signal indicative of the fuel level
• Said indicator means can include a visual read out from which the
• Said indicator means can also include a
• said indicator means includes a resistance wire in a circuit to which a d.c. voltage is applied and a float which rises and falls with fuel level in
• the indicator means comprises a first resistance wire, a second
• the system can further include means for detecting engine speed and
• the system can also include a manually operated means in the vehicle
• the processor having means for comparing said signal
• a fuel level indicator comprising first and second vertically extending resistance
• the float including an
• Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates a monitoring system for a vehicle.
• Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a vehicle with the system of Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a side elevation of the vehicle
• Figure 4 is a pictorial view of a fuel level indicator
• Figure 5 is a circuit diagram
• Figure 6 is a pulse diagram.
• the vehicle is designated 16.
• Sensors 18 and 20 detect the rates at which the shafts 12 and 16
• Each sensor 18, 20 can comprise a
• the sensors can be a series of pulses at a rate indicative of shaft speed.
• the sensors can be any combination of sensors.
• the senor can generate a number of pulses per revolution.
• the sensor can
• the signals from the sensors 18 and 20 are fed to a microprocessor 22
• the fuel tank of the vehicle is shown at 28. Fuel flows from the tank 28
• a fuel level indicator is shown at 32, this providing a signal indicative of the fuel level in the tank 28.
• the indicator 32 is fed along a line 34 to the microprocessor 22. If the signal from
• the indicator 32 is analogue, an interface for converting it to digital form is required
• the vehicle can, to increase its operating range, have a so-called bulk
• tank 36 which is above the level of the tank 28.
• the tanks 28 and 36 are
• valve 40 is connected to the microprocessor 22 by a line 42.
• the tank 36 has, at the
• a switch 44 which operates to indicate that the tank 36 is full.
• the switch 44 is connected to the processor 22 by the line 46.
• both tanks 28, 36 be filled through a filler opening of
• each tank 28, 36 can have its own filler opening.
• a positioning system (such as that referred to as the GPS system) can
• the signal receiving antenna is shown at 48 and its
• connection to the microprocessor 22 is shown at 50.
• the information stored in the processor 22 can be downloaded onto a
• the processor 22 itself serves mainly to
• the fuel level indicator 32 By storing this information in the microprocessor 22, all subsequent readings of the indicator 32 represent fuel volume in the tank even if
• data being recorded can be correlated with the location of the vehicle on the road.
• the processor can also detect over-revving of the engine and when
• valve 40 is opened and fuel flows from the tank 36 to the tank 28.
• the indicator 32 detects the increasing level in the tank 28. In the event that the
• valve 40 is closed. As soon as the tank 36 has been emptied into the
• the processor 22 is able to calculate how much fuel was on the truck when
• the speed of the vehicle which can be derived from the rate at which
• display in the cab can include a facility which enables the drive to input a chosen
• the indicator 32 can be of any construction which will provide accurate
• resistive wires 56 The float 54 is guided by a vertical guide rod 58 which passes
• a pair of electrically conductive bridging elements (not shown) are provided
• the wires 56 extend down from an upper cap 64 to a bottom bar 64
• the wires 56 are anchored to the bar 66
• wires 56 electrically connects the lower ends of the wires 56 to one another.
• the wires 56 pass through bushes (not shown) which insulate the
• the line 34 extends from the
• the enclosure 68 has two displays 70 and 72.
• the display 72 indicates the change in
• a re-set button (not shown), preferably only
• the indicator 32 is fitted to the tank 28 with the cap 64 in an opening in the top of
• a constant current is applied to the wires 56 from a constant current
• the wires 56 are represented in Figure 5 by the variable
• the upper ends of the wires 56 are both connected to the constant current source 58.
• the input point of the amplifier is connected to earth via a
• microprocessor via an interface which converts it to digital form.
• the frequency signal is read by the microprocessor as an indication of float level.
• the float 54 is within a vertical housing (not shown) to which the fuel

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Level Indicators Using A Float (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25587455

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1999
  • 1999-12-10 EP EP99973324A patent/EP1155291A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-12-10 AU AU14803/00A patent/AU1480300A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-12-10 WO PCT/ZA1999/000135 patent/WO2000034749A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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