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:
Dec. 30, 2014
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2012
Terence J. Knowles, Lake Barrington, IL (US);
Terence J. Knowles, Lake Barrington, IL (US);
Street Smart Sensors LLC, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
An ultrasonic sensor detects the presence or absence of a fluid in contact with the sensor and a level of fluid along the sensor. The sensor includes a first probe having a. transducer element operably connected thereto. The transducer element is configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal through the first probe, A second probe has an other than straight shape. The second probe has a transducer element operably connected thereto that is configured to receive the ultrasonic signal transmitted by the first probe to determine the presence or absence of a fluid and when present, the location of fluid along the second probe. The other than straight shape of the second probe increases the path length of the received signal to increase the resolution and accuracy of sensing the presence or absence of the fluid, and when present, the resolution and accuracy of a location along the second probe at which the fluid is present.