System for detecting low liquid level and probe therefor

Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition

Patent

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

73304R, G08B 2100

Patent

active

045918392

ABSTRACT:
A system for actuating a warning device when the level of a liquid in a receptacle is below a preselected level. This system includes a probe formed from a length of positive temperature coefficient wire whereby the resistance through the wire increases with increased temperature. This wire is mounted within the receptacle in a manner that allows the wire to be submerged in the liquid under normal conditions. A detection can be made when such wire is partially or completely out of the liquid. There is a first switching means in the system to apply a voltage across the wire and a detector means for actuating the warning device in response to an electrical characteristic of the wire as determined at a preselected control point in the circuit including the probe. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the detector means includes a capacitor and a second switching means to ground the capacitor for a preselected time and then use the charged capacitor to follow the voltage of the probe. In this manner, the capacitor is charged rapidly toward a voltage determined by the temperature of the probe wire. After a selected time, the second switch means is deactivated so that the voltage supplied by the first switch means continues to heat the probe wire and increase the level of charge on the capacitor according to the resistance of the probe wire. If the wire is not covered sufficiently with the liquid, the voltage of the capacitor continues to increase. When it reaches a given value with respect to a reference voltage, the warning device is activated.

REFERENCES:
patent: 2337608 (1943-12-01), Hulsberg
patent: 2499575 (1950-03-01), Eddison et al.
patent: 2612047 (1952-09-01), Nilsson et al.
patent: 2742634 (1956-04-01), Bergen et al.
patent: 2804517 (1957-08-01), Ferry
patent: 2901740 (1959-08-01), Cutsogeorge
patent: 2957153 (1959-08-01), Greenberg
patent: 3350710 (1967-10-01), Bridges
patent: 3376568 (1968-04-01), Stewart et al.
patent: 3547145 (1970-12-01), Holzer
patent: 3740740 (1973-06-01), Milo
patent: 3845443 (1974-10-01), Fisher
patent: 3911744 (1975-10-01), Edwards
patent: 3942167 (1976-03-01), McClintock
patent: 3943767 (1976-03-01), Efferson
patent: 4072053 (1978-02-01), Anderson
patent: 4102191 (1978-07-01), Harris
patent: 4163391 (1979-08-01), Bezard et al.
patent: 4185207 (1980-02-01), Bengtsson
patent: 4216468 (1980-08-01), Kaufmann
patent: 4283719 (1981-08-01), Williams et al.
patent: 4322713 (1982-03-01), Duck et al.
patent: 4361038 (1982-11-01), Schuler
patent: 4470301 (1984-09-01), Hutchins

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

System for detecting low liquid level and probe therefor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with System for detecting low liquid level and probe therefor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for detecting low liquid level and probe therefor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1573277

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.