Patent ID: 7315165

Claim:
A contactlessly operating level indicator for a fuel tank in a motor vehicle, comprising: (a) a rotatably supported lever connected with a float and a magnet; and (b) a sensor element for measuring a magnetic field generated by a movable magnet, comprising i. a base element made from an electrically insulating material; ii. a detector element connected with the base element; iii. a metal cover element connected with the base element at a distance to the detector element; and iv. electric conductors connected with the detector element and routed through the cover element, or the base element, or the cover element and the base element, for connection with a voltage source, or an evaluation unit, or the voltage source and the evaluation unit, wherein the magnet connected with the lever is arranged between the sensor element and a rotary axis of the lever such that, as a function of the position of the float, the magnetic field measured by the sensor element is changed, and wherein the fuel tank comprises a receiving opening for receiving the sensor element or an intermediate piece, the sensor element being guided through the receiving opening such that the detector element is arranged inside the fuel tank and conductor ends of the electric conductors are arranged outside the fuel tank.