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:
Aug. 06, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 09, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
David R. Nowak, Bloomingdale, IL (US);
Ryan Lindsay, Hampshire, IL (US);
Assignee:
Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B 5/14 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B 5/14 ;
Abstract
An optical device for measuring a level of a fluid in a container wherein a light conducting body having a top surface and a bottom surface is positioned within the container and into the fluid. A first end of the light conducting body and an oppositely disposed second end, preferably having stepped end surfaces, reflect and refract light in a predetermined manner based upon the fluid level in the container. A resulting brightness of the top surface is therefore inversely proportional to the level of the fluid. Such an optical device is particularly suited toward application to a vehicle fuel tank.