Patent ID: 7487793

Claim:
A valve assembly for a fluid container comprising: a valve body having a longitudinal axis and a base end adapted to secure the valve body in an opening of the container; a capacitive liquid level gauge for detecting the liquid level in the container, said level gauge being secured to said valve body base end and extending downwardly therefrom in the direction of the longitudinal axis, said level gauge comprising two elongate, relatively thin lamellar, conductive electrodes, said electrodes having a length and normally remaining in straight parallel condition spaced apart from one another in the direction of the length thereof; and a circuit board having an electronic converter circuit for measuring the electrical capacitance between the two electrodes and producing in response to said measured capacitance an outlet signal representative of the liquid level in the container; said electronic converter circuit being adapted to modify the power consumed from a power supply in response to the liquid level detected in the fluid container, the modification of the power consumed being in response to a modulation in the electric current consumed by a load means controlled by said electronic converter circuit.