The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 10, 1995
Anthony Sayka, San Antonio, TX (US);
Robert J Rocks, San Antonio, TX (US);
VLSI Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A liquid level monitor uses a tube to confine a float to a vertical path with a canister containing a lower liquid and an upper liquid which meet at a liquid boundary, the level of which is to be monitored. Light from a light-emitting diode is conveyed to a vertical position of the tube by an optical fiber. A second optical fiber is arranged in a diametrically opposed position of the tube to detect light transmitted across the tube from the first optical fiber. The float is more transmissive than either liquid. When the level of the boundary falls to the level of the optical fibers, received light increases. The second optical fiber conveys this return light to a photodetector, the output of which can be used to trigger an alarm indicating that the boundary level is low.