Patent ID: 6668645
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G01F,Y10S

Abstract:
An optical fluid level sensor for use with a fluid vessel, comprising:a waveguide capable of conducting light and having an outer periphery that includes a plurality of tiered facets, each of said tiered facets being capable of both reflecting light internally within said waveguide and refracting light out of said waveguide according to the absence or presence of fluid against said tiered facet, said waveguide also including a calibration feature having at least one tiered facet located at a predetermined position and capable of refracting light out of the waveguide in the presence of the fluid against said tiered facet and reflecting light internally within said waveguide in the absence of the fluid against said tiered facet, said at least one tiered facet of the calibration feature having at least one of a different size and a longitudinal waveguide segment of a different length than the other tiered facets, a photo source capable of emitting light into said waveguide, and a photo receiver capable of receiving light from said waveguide, wherein said sensor is capable of utilizing the light received by said photo receiver to provide an electronic fluid level signal representative of a fluid level within the vessel and wherein said sensor is further capable of utilizing the light received from said tiered facet of the calibration feature to provide calibration information in an electronic signal that identifies when the fluid level reaches said predetermined position.