Liquid level sensing device having a support tube housing a circuit board and a processor to be fillable with liquid
View Patent ↗The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for liquid level detection. The method may include providing a circuit board including a plurality of horizontally mounted emitter/receiver pairs arranged vertically along the circuit board within a liquid containment area. The method may further include determining, using one or more processors associated with the circuit board, if liquid is present between each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs based upon, at least in part, data received from one or more of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs.
1. A liquid level detection apparatus comprising:
a circuit board including a plurality of horizontally mounted emitter/receiver pairs arranged vertically along the circuit board;
a processor configured to determine if liquid is present between each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs based upon, at least in part, data received from one or more of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs; and
a support tube configured to house the circuit board and the processor and configured to be Tillable with the liquid.
2. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support tube is configured to be deployed within a liquid storage tank.
3. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining if liquid is present includes determining a collector voltage at a photo transistor receiver associated with each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs.
4. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs are each separated by an approximately equivalent distance on the circuit board.
5. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs are each separated by a variable distance on the circuit board and wherein the variable distance between each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs corresponds to an equivalent change in a liquid level.
6. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of circuit boards that are electrically connected.
7. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support tube is one of a straight support tube and a curved support tube.
8. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining if liquid is present includes determining a level of liquid in a confined space.
9. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is a single circuit board including at least one of a plurality of processors or a ladder circuit.
10. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs are included within one or more corner reflecting sensors.
11. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an accelerometer configured to detect one or more tilt angles.
12. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an accelerometer configured to detect one or more tilt angles to provide a correction to a liquid level for a non-stationary liquid.
13. A method for liquid level detection comprising:
providing a circuit board including a plurality of horizontally mounted emitter/receiver pairs arranged vertically along the circuit board within a liquid containment area, wherein the circuit board is enclosed within a support tube configured to house the circuit board and the support tube is configured to be fillable with a liquid; and
determining, using one or more processors associated with the circuit board, if the liquid is present between each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs based upon, at least in part, data received from one or more of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs.
14. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein the support tube is configured to house the one or more processors.
15. The method for liquid level detection of claim 14 , further comprising:
deploying the support tube within a liquid storage tank.
16. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein determining if liquid is present includes determining a collector voltage at a photo transistor receiver associated with each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs.
17. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs are each separated by an approximately equivalent distance on the circuit board.
18. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs are each separated by a variable distance on the circuit board and wherein the variable distance between each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs corresponds to an equivalent change in a liquid level.
19. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of circuit boards that are electrically connected.
20. The method for liquid level detection of claim 14 , wherein the support tube is one of a straight support tube and a curved support tube.
21. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein determining if liquid is present includes determining a level of liquid in a confined space.
22. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein the circuit board is a single circuit board including at least one of a plurality of processors or a ladder circuit.
23. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of emitter/receiver pairs are included within one or more corner reflecting sensors.
24. The method for liquid level detection of claim 13 , wherein the circuit board includes an accelerometer configured to detect one or more tilt angles.
25. The liquid level detection apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
an accelerometer configured to detect one or more tilt angles to provide a correction to a liquid level for a non-stationary liquid.