GB2104661A - Device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle - Google Patents
Device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2104661A GB2104661A GB08219378A GB8219378A GB2104661A GB 2104661 A GB2104661 A GB 2104661A GB 08219378 A GB08219378 A GB 08219378A GB 8219378 A GB8219378 A GB 8219378A GB 2104661 A GB2104661 A GB 2104661A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- dependence
- fuel
- instrument
- varying
- vehicle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
- G07C5/0816—Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)
- Instrument Panels (AREA)
- Level Indicators Using A Float (AREA)
- Measurement Of Levels Of Liquids Or Fluent Solid Materials (AREA)
Abstract
A device for displaying the distance a motor vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the tank having a level metering device (14) comprises a capacitive sensor (15) extending over the entire height of a container (3) and controls the frequency of an oscillator (16). The output from the oscillator via rectifier 17, supplies a series circuit comprising; a variable resistor (5) whose resistance is varied by the position of the throttle valve (9); a preset variable resistor (6) representing the average fuel consumption; a transistor (7) whose base is controlled by a voltage from a speed datum source (10) and a display instrument (8) which gives at any instant the distance which the vehicle can travel before the fuel tank is empty. <IMAGE>
Description
1
GB 2 104 661 A 1
SPECIFICATION
Device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a device for displaying 5 the distance a motor vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the fuel tank taking into account the fuel consumption of the motor vehicle.
Devices of this type are already known wherein 10 the fuel consumption is metered by means of a through-flow meter and the so-called residual distance of travel can be ascertained from the quantity of fuel left in the tank and the speed of the vehicle. A microprocessor is provided for 15 calculating the residual distance from the above information. It is true that such devices supply a precise indication of the particular residual distance of travel, but they require considerable outlay and are costly, and this limits their 20 application to motor vehicles of the luxury class. According to the present invention there is provided a device for displaying the distance a motor vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the fuel tank, including: 25 (a) an oscillator whose output is controlled from a capacitive filling level metering device located within the fuel tank as a function of the fuel in the fuel tank; (b) a display instrument;
30 (c) means for varying the current supplied to the instrument from the oscillator in dependence on the position of the throttle valve of the engine; and (d) preset adjustable means for controlling the 35 magnitude of the current supplied to the instrument in dependence on the average fuel consumption of the vehicle.
Since the sensor is in the form of a capacitance, it forms an oscillation-determining 40 element in an oscillator circuit, and, depending on the quantity of fuel present in the fuel tank, varies the frequency of the oscillator. The frequency of the oscillator which varies as a function of the level of the fuel left in the tank is then converted 45 into an analog voltage signal which is supplied to the display instrument through the current varying means and the current magnitude controlling means and thus enhances the accuracy of the device.
50 The means for varying the current supplied to the instrument from the oscillator in dependence on the position of the throttle valve may comprise a variable resistor whose resistance is modified by the position of the throttle valve. 55 The means for varying the current in preset adjustable means for controlling the magnitude of the current supplied to the instrument in dependence on the average fuel consumption may be preset variable resistor whose resistance 60 is representative of the average fuel consumption. Means may also be provided for varying the current in dependence on the speed of the vehicle. Preferably said means may comprise a transistor whose collector-emitter path is in series with the display instrument, the base electrode of the transistor receiving a voltage from a speed datum source.
The present invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein the sole figure is a circuit diagram of one preferred form of device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle.
Referring to the drawing, the device includes a capacitive filling level metering device 14. The metering device 14 comprises a capacitive sensor 15 extending over the entire height of a container 3 and which forms an oscillation-determining element of an oscillator 16.
The output from the oscillator 16 is connected via a rectifier 17 to a series circuit, comprising: a variable resistor 5; a variable resistor 6; the emitter-collector path of a transistor 7 and a moving coil instrument 8. The variable resistor 5 has its value of resistance varied by the position of the throttle valve 9. With this resistor 5, a modification of the specific average consumption as determined by the variable resistor 6 can be effected. A modification of the average consumption dependent on the speed of the vehicle is effected via the transistor 7, the resistance of the emitter-collector path being controlled by a speed-dependent voltage signal from a speed datum source 10 which is applied to the base electrode of the transistor 7.
Attention is drawn to our copending Application No. 79.26345 (Serial No. 2,032,113) from which this Application had been divided and in which there is claimed a device for displaying the distance a motor vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the fuel tank, including:
(a) a constant current source;
(b) fuel quantity detecting means including a resistor supplied by said constant current source and whose resistance is variable as a function of the fuel in the fuel tank;
(c) a display instrument;
(d) means for varying the current supplied to the instrument from the constant current source in dependence on the position of the throttle valve of the engine; and
(e) preset adjustable means for controlling the magnitude of the current supplied to the instrument in dependence on the average fuel consumption of the vehicle.
Claims (6)
1. A device for displaying the distance a motor vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the fuel tank, including:
(a) an oscillator whose output is controlled from a capacitive filling level metering device located within the fuel tank as a function of the fuel in the fuel tank;
(b) a display instrument;
(c) means for varying the current supplied to the instrument from the oscillator in
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GB 2 104 661 A 2
dependence on the position of the throttle valve of the engine; and
(d) preset adjustable means for controlling the magnitude of the current supplied to the 5 instrument in dependence on the average fuel consumption of the vehicle.
2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein means are also provided for varying the current in dependence on the speed of the vehicle. 10
3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said means for varying the current supplied to the instrument from the oscillator in dependence on the position of the throttle valve comprises a variable resistor whose resistance is modified by 1 5 the position of the throttle valve.
4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means for varying the current in preset adjustable means for controlling the magnitude of the current supplied
20 to the instrument in dependence on the average fuel consumption is a preset variable resistor whose resistance is representative of the average fuel consumption.
5. A device according to Claim 2, wherein said means for varying the current in dependence on
75 the speed of the vehicle comprises a transistor whose collector-emitter path is in series with the display instrument, the base electrode of the transistor receiving a voltage from a speed datum source.
80
6. A device for displaying the distance a motor vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the tank, constructed substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1983. Published by the Patent Office. 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained i
5. A device according to Claim 2, wherein said 25 means for varying the current in dependence on the speed of the vehicle comprises a transistor whose collector-emitter path is in series with the display instrument, the base electrode of the transistor receiving a voltage from a speed datum 30 source.
6. A device for displaying the distance a motor can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the tank, constructed substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in
35 the accompanying drawing.
New Claims filed on 12 October 82.
Superseded Claims 1 to 6.
New Claims;—
1. A device for displaying the distance a motor 40 vehicle can travel with a given quantity of fuel present in the fuel tank, including:
(a) an oscillator whose output frequency is controlled from a capacitive filling level metering device located within the fuel
45 tank as a function of the fuel in the fuel tank;
(b) a display instrument;
(c) means for varying current supplied to the instrument from the oscillator output in
50 dependence on the position of the throttle valve of the engine; and
(d) preset adjustable means for controlling the magnitude of the current supplied to the instrument in dependence on the average
55 fuel consumption of the vehicle.
2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein means are also provided for varying the current in dependence on the speed of the vehicle.
3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein
60 said means for varying the current supplied to the instrument from the oscillator in dependence on the position of the throttle valve comprises a variable resistor whose resistance is modified by the position of the throttle valve.
65 4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means, for varying the current in the preset adjustable means for controlling the magnitude of the current supplied to the instrument in dependence on the average
70 fuel consumption is a preset variable resistor whose resistance is representative of the average fuel consumption.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE19782836083 DE2836083A1 (en) | 1978-08-17 | 1978-08-17 | DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING THE REMAINING DISTANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2104661A true GB2104661A (en) | 1983-03-09 |
| GB2104661B GB2104661B (en) | 1983-08-03 |
Family
ID=6047294
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7926345A Expired GB2032113B (en) | 1978-08-17 | 1979-07-27 | Device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle |
| GB08219378A Expired GB2104661B (en) | 1978-08-17 | 1982-07-05 | Device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7926345A Expired GB2032113B (en) | 1978-08-17 | 1979-07-27 | Device for displaying the residual distance of travel of a motor vehicle |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE2836083A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2433794A1 (en) |
| GB (2) | GB2032113B (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1122451B (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD722879S1 (en) | 2012-06-14 | 2015-02-24 | S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. | Bottle |
| USD736089S1 (en) | 2012-06-14 | 2015-08-11 | S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. | Bottle |
| USD736637S1 (en) | 2012-06-14 | 2015-08-18 | S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. | Bottle |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2614422A (en) * | 1949-01-06 | 1952-10-21 | Viron E Payne | Fuel duration meter |
| US3084539A (en) * | 1958-03-24 | 1963-04-09 | Gen Motors Corp | Systems for determining fuel consumption of internal combustion vehicle engines |
| US3589176A (en) * | 1969-02-03 | 1971-06-29 | James J Wellons | System for calculating remaining mileage |
| DE2557028A1 (en) * | 1975-12-18 | 1977-06-23 | Schulte Franz Josef | Vehicle range determination and display device - measures amount of fuel remaining and compares with voltage representing average consumption |
-
1978
- 1978-08-17 DE DE19782836083 patent/DE2836083A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1979
- 1979-06-22 FR FR7916151A patent/FR2433794A1/en active Granted
- 1979-07-27 GB GB7926345A patent/GB2032113B/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-09 IT IT25013/79A patent/IT1122451B/en active
-
1982
- 1982-07-05 GB GB08219378A patent/GB2104661B/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE2836083A1 (en) | 1980-02-28 |
| GB2032113A (en) | 1980-04-30 |
| IT1122451B (en) | 1986-04-23 |
| FR2433794B1 (en) | 1984-07-20 |
| IT7925013A0 (en) | 1979-08-09 |
| FR2433794A1 (en) | 1980-03-14 |
| GB2104661B (en) | 1983-08-03 |
| GB2032113B (en) | 1983-04-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |