Patent ID: 7760085

Claim:
A monitoring apparatus for a tank or the like, comprising detecting means ( 5 , 106 ; 206 ; 17 , 101 ) to detect the opened and closed states of opening/closing means ( 10 ; 6 ) of said tank, and gathering and processing means ( 1 ; 106 ) to gather and process the detected data, wherein said gathering and processing means ( 106 ; 1 ) are integrated with an RFID unit ( 116 ; 221 ) which communicates said data with at least one suitable remote transceiver unit ( 7 ); said detecting means for the state of said opening/closing means ( 6 ) of said tank comprise sensing means ( 206 ; 17 , 101 ) which are positioned on said opening/closing means ( 6 ; 10 ), the said processing means ( 106 ) being arranged in said opening/closing means ( 6 ; 10 ) of said tank, and provided with powering means ( 401 ; 306 ); said opening/closing means comprise a filler cap ( 6 ; 10 ) comprising two portions ( 11 , 12 ) which are coupled to each other and can be in relative motion with each other, said relative motion being associated with the opened or closed state of said filler cap; said gathering and processing means ( 1 ; 106 ) is positioned within one of said portions ( 11 , 12 ) of said filler cap ( 10 ); said portions ( 11 , 12 ) are coupled to switching means ( 101 , 17 ) which can switch on or switch off a circuit component of the powering circuit ( 401 ) of said processing means ( 1 ), said circuit component being adapted to modify the electrical features of the power supply for said processing means ( 1 ); and said switching means comprise two contacts ( 101 ) which are arranged on one of said portions ( 11 ), said contacts cooperating with a metal plate ( 17 ) which is arranged on the other portion ( 12 ).