Flexible fluid level sensor with improved measurement capability
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01R-027/26
G01F-023/00
A61M-005/168
출원번호
US-0705375
(2012-12-05)
등록번호
US-9488513
(2016-11-08)
발명자
/ 주소
Kumar, Arun
Fulton, Steven John
출원인 / 주소
Molex, LLC
대리인 / 주소
O'Malley, James A.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
A capacitive fluid sensor is provided that utilizes a flexible substrate. It has a plurality of conductive members supported on it which are connected to a connecting end. The conductive members are arranged in an array and are aligned with a longitudinal axis of the substrate and the members are se
A capacitive fluid sensor is provided that utilizes a flexible substrate. It has a plurality of conductive members supported on it which are connected to a connecting end. The conductive members are arranged in an array and are aligned with a longitudinal axis of the substrate and the members are separated by intervening spaces. The intervening spaces are arranged so that they cross the longitudinal axis at an angle such that adjacent conductive members overlap each other when viewed from a side edge of the sensor. Such an arrangement provide more accurate measurement of fluid levels within containers.
대표청구항▼
1. A capacitive fluid level sensor assembly for sensing a level of a fluid within a vessel, the sensor assembly comprising: a substrate configured to be positioned alongside a wall of the vessel, such that the wall separates the substrate from the fluid, the substrate having upper and lower ends; an
1. A capacitive fluid level sensor assembly for sensing a level of a fluid within a vessel, the sensor assembly comprising: a substrate configured to be positioned alongside a wall of the vessel, such that the wall separates the substrate from the fluid, the substrate having upper and lower ends; anda plurality of conductive members supported by the substrate, the plurality of conductive members being provided between the upper and lower ends of the substrate, wherein the plurality of conductive members includes an upper end conductive member which is most proximate to the upper end of the substrate, a lower end conductive member which is most proximate to the lower end of the substrate, and at least one included conductive member which is positioned between the upper and lower end conductive members, wherein each conductive member is separated from an adjacent conductive member by an intervening space, thereby providing that each conductive member has distinct upper and lower ends and acts as an independent sensor which has a given measurement tolerance between the distinct upper and lower ends, wherein the distinct lower end of a lowermost included conductive member is positioned closer to the lower end of the substrate than the distinct upper end of the lower end conductive member. 2. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the distinct upper end of an uppermost included conductive member is positioned closer to the upper end of the substrate than the distinct lower end of the upper end conductive member. 3. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the distinct upper end of the uppermost included conductive member is at least one point. 4. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the distinct lower end of the upper end conductive member is at least one point. 5. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the uppermost included conductive member and the lowermost included conductive member are not the same. 6. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the distinct lower end of the lowermost included conductive member is at least one point. 7. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the distinct upper end of the lower end conductive member is at least one point. 8. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed from a flexible dielectric material. 9. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each conductive member has a plate-like configuration. 10. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive members are provided in an array between the upper and lower ends of the substrate. 11. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the upper end conductive member and the at least one included conductive member have sides which are planar to one another in a longitudinal direction. 12. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the lower end conductive member and the at least one included conductive member have sides which are planar to one another in a longitudinal direction. 13. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the lower end conductive member and the upper end conductive member have sides which are planar to one another in a longitudinal direction. 14. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a cover layer seals the plurality of conductive members to the substrate. 15. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to at least a portion of a mounting side of the substrate. 16. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end conductive member has a configuration which is different from a configuration of the at least one included conductive member. 17. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower end conductive member has a configuration which is different from a configuration of the at least one included conductive member. 18. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end conductive member has a configuration which is different from a configuration of the lower end conductive member. 19. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the intervening space separating adjacent conductive members intersect a longitudinal axis of the substrate at an angle. 20. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the substrate defines a longitudinal axis which extends from the upper end thereof to the lower end thereof, and wherein any imaginary line drawn normal to the longitudinal axis which intersects an included conductive member also intersects one of the upper end conductive member, the lower end conductive member, and another one of the included conductive members. 21. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one included conductive member is four-sided. 22. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 21, wherein the at least one included conductive member is in the form of a parallelogram. 23. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one included conductive member is six-sided. 24. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 23, wherein the at least one included conductive member is in the form of a chevron. 25. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the intervening space separating adjacent conductive members extends in two different directions. 26. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the substrate has an insertion portion which is configured to be inserted into a receiving slot of a receptacle connector. 27. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 26, wherein the insertion portion of the substrate contains a plurality of contact pads which are electrically connected to the plurality of conductive members. 28. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 26, wherein the insertion portion of the substrate is provided at one of the upper and lower ends of the substrate. 29. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each conductive member is electrically connected to circuitry of a readout or processor. 30. A capacitive fluid level sensor assembly for sensing a level of a fluid within a vessel, the sensor assembly comprising: a substrate configured to be positioned alongside a wall of the vessel, such that the wall separates the substrate from the fluid, the substrate having upper and lower ends; anda plurality of conductive members supported by the substrate, the plurality of conductive members being provided between the upper and lower ends of the substrate, wherein the plurality of conductive members includes an upper end conductive member which is most proximate to the upper end of the substrate, a lower end conductive member which is most proximate to the lower end of the substrate, and at least one included conductive member which is positioned between the upper and lower end conductive members, wherein each conductive member is separated from an adjacent conductive member by an intervening space, thereby providing that each conductive member has distinct upper and lower ends and acts as an independent sensor which has a given measurement tolerance between the distinct upper and lower ends, wherein the distinct upper end of an uppermost included conductive member is positioned closer to the upper end of the substrate than the distinct lower end of the upper end conductive member. 31. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 30, wherein the distinct upper end of the uppermost included conductive member is at least one point. 32. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 30, wherein the distinct lower end of the upper end conductive member is at least one point. 33. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 30, wherein the uppermost included conductive member and the lowermost included conductive member are not the same. 34. A capacitive fluid level sensor assembly for sensing a level of a fluid within a vessel, the sensor assembly comprising: a substrate configured to be positioned alongside a wall of the vessel, such that the wall separates the substrate from the fluid, the substrate having upper and lower ends; anda plurality of conductive members supported by the substrate, the plurality of conductive members being provided between the upper and lower ends of the substrate, wherein the plurality of conductive members includes an upper end conductive member which is most proximate to the upper end of the substrate, a lower end conductive member which is most proximate to the lower end of the substrate, and at least one included conductive member which is positioned between the upper and lower end conductive members, wherein each conductive member is separated from an adjacent conductive member by an intervening space, thereby providing that each conductive member has distinct upper and lower ends and acts as an independent sensor which has a given measurement tolerance between the distinct upper and lower ends, wherein at least one pair of adjacent conductive members are positioned relative to each other such that the distinct lower end of one of the adjacent conductive members is positioned lower than the distinct upper end of the other one of the adjacent conductive members. 35. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 34, wherein the at least one pair of adjacent conductive members includes the upper end conductive member and an uppermost included conductive member. 36. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 34, wherein the at least one pair of adjacent conductive members includes the lower end conductive member and a lowermost included conductive member. 37. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 34, wherein the at least one pair of adjacent conductive members includes two included conductive members. 38. The capacitive fluid level sensor assembly as defined in claim 34, wherein all adjacent conductive members are positioned relative to each other such that the distinct lower end of one of the adjacent conductive members is positioned lower than the distinct upper end of the other one of the adjacent conductive members. 39. A capacitive fluid level sensor assembly for sensing a level of a fluid within a vessel, the sensor assembly comprising: a substrate configured to be positioned alongside a wall of the vessel, such that the wall separates the substrate from the fluid, the substrate having upper and lower ends;a plurality of conductive members supported by the substrate, the plurality of conductive members being provided in an array between the upper and lower ends of the substrate, each conductive member being separated from an adjacent conductive member, each conductive member having a distinct upper end and a distinct lower end, wherein at least one pair of adjacent conductive members are positioned relative to each other such that the distinct lower end of one of the adjacent conductive members is positioned lower than the distinct upper end of the other one of the adjacent conductive members, each conductive member having a first measurement tolerance between the distinct upper and lower ends;electronics which are electrically connected to each conductive member, the electronics configured to measure a capacitance of each conductive member, which measured capacitance corresponds to the level of fluid within the vessel according to the respective conductive member within the first measurement tolerance, the electronics further configured to divide the first measurement tolerance by the total number of conductive members in order to define an overall level of fluid within the vessel within a second measurement tolerance, where the second measurement tolerance is lower than the first measurement tolerance.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Thibault, Pierre, Capacitive detector, method for manufacturing same, and device for measuring the integral.
Smith,Alan; Delcher,Harry K.; Eppstein,Jonathan A.; Farquhar,David; Hatch,Michael R.; Kumar,Krishna, System and method for fluid management in a continuous fluid collection and sensor device.
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