Patent ID: 7992437

Claim:
A liquid level detector for use in containers of electrically conductive liquids wherein said detector is installed vertically comprising: a) a sheath having an open lower end defined by a rim for contacting a liquid; b) at least one vertically extending notch in said rim; said notch terminating in a shoulder at an upper end; c) an electrically conductive probe positioned within said sheath and spaced apart therefrom, said probe having a tip positioned vertically between said rim and the shoulder of said notch, wherein said tip of said probe is located at an end of said probe and is tapered to a point so as to be conical in shape, wherein the point of said tip is positioned vertically between said rim and the shoulder of said notch; d) an insulating seal between said probe and said sheath hermetically sealing the sheath at a predetermined distance vertically above the tip of said probe, said seal holding and positioning said probe within said sheath, wherein said sheath from said shoulder of said notch in said rim to said insulating seal is liquid tight such that liquid is not capable of being transferred through an outer wall of said sheath at any point between said shoulder of said notch in said rim and said insulating seal, wherein said insulating seal contacts said probe at a point of contact and a bottom surface of said insulating seal extends from said probe to an inner wall of said sheath, wherein said bottom surface of said insulating seal, said inner wall of said sheath from said shoulder of said notch to said bottom surface of said insulating seal, and said probe from said bottom surface of said insulating seal to said shoulder of said notch define a cavity into which air is trapped that prevents the liquid from contacting said bottom surface of said insulating seal, wherein said probe from said point of contact with said insulating seal at said bottom surface of said insulating seal to said shoulder of said notch that defines said cavity directly faces said inner wall of said sheath from said shoulder of said notch to said point of contact with said insulating seal at said bottom surface of said insulating seal; e) a first electrical conductor connected to the upper end of said probe and a second electrical conductor for electrically establishing a conductive path with a liquid into which said probe may be inserted, each of said conductors being adapted to be connected to a module for sensing a complete circuit between the probe and liquid; f) epoxy located within said sheath that contacts said inner wall of said sheath, said probe, and an upper surface of said insulating seal, wherein said insulating seal is penetrated only by a portion of the complete circuit.