Optical probe for measuring the level of a liquid in a tank
US11326927B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 8, 2018 |
| Grant date | May 10, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F23/2927
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical probe that measures the level of a liquid in a tank includes a transparent and refracting optical waveguide for receiving an injection of a collimated light beam. The optical waveguide internally reflects the collimated light beam according to a total reflection regime in any part of the optical waveguide located in a gaseous medium and refracts the collimated light beam according to a refraction regime in any part of the optical waveguide immersed in a liquid medium. The optical waveguide switches from the total reflection regime to the refraction regime at the interface between the gaseous medium and the liquid medium, and mirrors are arranged around said optical waveguide and reverse the path of a light beam collimated and refracted by the optical waveguide, the optical path covered by the collimated light beam representing the level of the liquid in the tank.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.