Patent · US Expired

Device for the capacitive measurement of levels

US4467646A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
3References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 6, 1981
Grant dateAug 28, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01F23/263
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A device for the capacitive measurement of liquid levels, particularly in an automobile tank has a measurement sensor with measurement electrodes arranged concentric to each other forming a measurement capacitor, the space between the measurement electrodes communicating at a variable height with the liquid to be measured, and a channel within an inner of the measurement electrodes through which the liquid is drawn up. Compensation electrodes form a compensation capacitor in a suction path of the liquid with a constant level of the liquid by which the influence of different dielectric constants of the liquid on the result of a measurement is compensatable in an evaluation circuit to which the measurement capacitor and the compensation capacitor are connected. A sump vessel has a bottom disposed lower than an upper opening of the channel within the inner measurement electrode. The compensation electrodes are arranged in the sump vessel. An overflow is in liquid-conducting communication with the channel and the sump vessel, and a suction tube for the liquid extends substantially to the bottom of the sump vessel.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.