Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7610807 | Level gage A wave guide probe for use with direct-read tank level gages to provide electric signal output is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a translucent tube, a wave guide probe, and an electronics assembly. The translucent tube is for containing a fluid interface. The wa... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7596999 | Sediment monitor for a stormwater receiving system Apparatus for monitoring the amount of sediment carried into and deposited within an underground stormwater-receiving system comprises a high surface area float that moves up and down within a chamber of the system. A rod extends upwardly from the float and is slida... | 10/06/2009 |
| 7484409 | Fluid level switch A fluid level switch for a machine having a fluid reservoir adapted to contain a fluid at an acceptable level. The fluid level switch includes a mounting plate, a float housing, and a float assembly positioned within the float housing. The mounting plate retains fir... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7399985 | Optical non-contact sensor for detecting material level in a container A detection system for determining material level in a container where the container has an opening and an optical window mounted to the opening. A sensor element is mounted to the container adjacent the window. The sensor element has an optical emitter and an optic... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7398682 | Low fluid level detector system A fluid level detector system, which may measure the amount of fluid in a reservoir, and may further trigger an alarm when the fluid level in the cassette reaches a low level condition. The cassette's reservoir may contain a transient sterile solution, which is movi... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7353704 | Storage tank external gauge system Provided herein are devices useful for guiding cables, wires, cords, and the like. A device according to the present invention is particularly useful for guiding a cable that is used in providing an external liquid-level gauge on an oil tank. A cable guide means acc... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7352073 | Ocean wave energy converter having an improved generator and ballast control The ocean wave energy converter uniquely includes a generator with a rotating inner rotor surrounded by a counter-rotating outer rotor for generating electricity. A reciprocating drive rod drives the inner rotor on the downstroke of the drive rod and the outer rotor... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7343800 | Linear position indicator system and method The present invention is directed to system and method for determining a fluid level. The system comprises a sensing rod assembly comprised of releasably connectable rod segments. Each rod segment carries a processor and a plurality of inductors. Each inductor gener... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7340953 | Liquid measuring vessel The present invention relates to a liquid measuring vessel having a removable volume indicating clip. ... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7334536 | Pop-up sewer backup indicator An improved sewer backup indicator. The sewer backup indicator is installed into a sewer cleanout cap housing which comprises a pop-up device that detects and holds the detection of a back up in the sewer system, which is due to number of reasons. This invention hel... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7315250 | Electrical fluid activated switch An electrical field activated switch system includes a fluid container 14 having an aperture formed in a sidewall thereof. The floor of the primary tray 22 is positioned entirely beneath the fluid container and a secondary tray is positioned entirely w... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7284422 | Fluid level measurement device A device measures the high and low fluid levels of a fluid body. A housing has a shaft with a buoyant weight, the shaft protruding through a cap on the housing's top and capable of sliding through the cap. A first ring encompasses the shaft and is initially position... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7278311 | Liquid level and density measurement device A liquid level and density measurement device is disclosed. The device comprises an elongated magnetostrictive transducer and at least two transducer magnets embedded into floats that can freely move along a transducer. One float is relatively more sensitive to liqu... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7265677 | External device indicating that a tank is filled up System for indicating when a tank is full. The system includes a signal and control box. A container is connected to the tank. The container has a base, a float, an upper portion, and a lower portion. An orifice is arranged at the upper portion of the container. The... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7259384 | Fluid level optical detector with float having opaque and transmissive portions Systems and methods for fluid level detection are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sensor assembly includes at least one optical fiber adapted to at least one of transmit and receive an optical signal, and a moveable float member. The float member is adapted to move ... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7225672 | Liquid level sensor and method of manufacturing the same A liquid level sensor includes a housing, a rotary shaft which is rotatably provided in the housing, a magnet which is fixed to the rotary shaft, and rotating together with the rotary shaft, a pair of stators which are disposed so as to face an outer peripheral surf... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7197407 | Fuel tank level monitoring system and method A method and system for monitoring a level of liquid fuel in a tank having a known capacity, wherein the tank fluidly communicates with a fuel supply line through which the fuel is delivered in gaseous form. The method comprises measuring a flow rate of gaseous fuel... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7082827 | Leak detector An example of an apparatus for detecting the lowering of a top surface of a liquid includes a housing that has a housing hole, and an insertion member attached to the housing. A dowel is inserted into the housing hole, and a float is attached to the dowel. A detecto... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7082828 | Laser measurement of liquid level in a holder Leakage detection of cargo from the hold of a barge involves a mounting plate to the top hatch of the hold. Two pipes secured to the plate extend to locations near the bottom. Each pipe has a guide tube in it coaxial with the pipe. Each pipe has a float in it receiv... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7066024 | Float adapted to track an interface between two liquids of differing density A float adapted to track an interface between two liquids of differing density, includes a hollow buoyant body having an interior cavity adapted to retain liquid. At least one upper access opening is provided in the body, which is adapted to permit filling of the in... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7062967 | Fuel level sensor An apparatus and method are provided for determining the fuel level in a fuel tank. The apparatus includes an acoustic transducer arranged to transmit an acoustic signal and receive a reflected signal. A float remains buoyant at the surface of the fuel in the tank a... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7055386 | Fluid level indicator dial assembly with magnetic calibration feature A dial assembly with magnetic calibration feature adapted for use as part of a gauge assembly for measuring fluid levels in cryogenic applications is disclosed. The dial assembly includes a base, a pivot pin extending from the base, a pointer assembly pivotally moun... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7043984 | Automatically actuated liquid level sensor A float is arranged in a tubular frame to be unlocked to float in a liquid when the lower end of the frame contacts a bottom surface of a container containing the liquid. A float lock guide and a float lock actuator are mounted in the passage to move the float later... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7037031 | Automatic barricade for low water crossings An automatic barricade includes a trench across a road that is covered by a grate allowing vehicular traffic during normal dry weather. Inside the trench is a series of barricade elements, each of which includes a float. When rising water fills the trench to a prede... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7021139 | Non-contact type liquid level sensor A non-contact type liquid level sensor includes a sensor housing; a rotary shaft, rotatably mounted on the sensor housing; a float, vertically movable with a change of a liquid level; a float arm, having a first end mounted on the float, and a second end coupled to ... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7009125 | Electrical fluid activated switch A linear slip to slip coupling has an input portion and an output portion with a common horizontal centerline. A fluid container has a threaded aperture. An adaptor has a threaded input end releasably coupled to the threaded aperture of the container. An unthreaded ... | 03/07/2006 |
| 6998552 | Float-type liquid level switch assembly with light emitting elements A float-type liquid level switch includes a main body, a float, a magnetic reed switch, and a light emitting element; the float has a magnet joined thereto, and is displaceable along a length of the main body; the magnetic reed switch and the light emitting element ... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6988406 | System and method of liquid level detection A system of liquid level detection has a vessel, a sight glass in fluid communication with the vessel, a float positioned in the sight glass, a proximity switch affixed exterior of the sight glass for transmitting a signal relative to a sensing of the float in proxi... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6983655 | Vehicle cesspool lever sensor A vehicle cesspool level sensor includes a mounting base, a stainless steel detection tube welded to the bottom side of the mounting base to hold a detection circuit on the inside, an end cap welded to the bottom end of the stainless steel detection tube, a float ax... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6941808 | Drawing and gauging device for a motor vehicle fuel tank The invention concerns a drawing and gauging device for a motor vehicle fuel tank, characterised in that it comprises two support assemblies (100, 200) mobile relative to each other when the device is being installed on site for use in the motor vehicle and a... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6928862 | Method of monitoring dual-phase liquid and interface levels A dual-phase level monitoring (DPLM) instrument that provides continuous signals that enables determination of the location of the top surface of the lighter of two immiscible fluids (the product) and the hydrostatic pressure below the total fluid column of both imm... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6915692 | Level-sensor device for a liquid-fuel tank, particularly for a system for supplying LPG to an internal-combustion engine In a tank for liquid fuel, particularly a tank for LPG in a system for supply of LPG to the internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle, the level-sensor device comprises a floating member guided so as to move in a substantially vertical direction within the tank ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6817242 | Concrete level indicator A device indicates the level of concrete within the hopper of a concrete pump and prevent accidental overflow and spills. The concrete level indicator device includes an elongate post with an enlarge float fixed to the bottom end and a guide sleeve for allowing vert... | 11/16/2004 |
| 6813946 | Liquid sensing Liquid sensing apparatuses and liquid sensing methods are described. In some embodiments, a liquid sensing apparatus includes a magnetic element; a source magnetic field, which produces on the magnetic element a magnetic force with a component that opposes a gravita... | 11/09/2004 |
| 6766688 | Tank volatile liquid level or volume gauge A tank liquid level or volume gauge for use with volatile materials, such as propane, stored under pressure as liquid and released as gas, includes a float with a float magnet that couples with a liquid level indicator magnet across a fluid impermeable wall to provi... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6588272 | Redundant level measuring system A redundant level measuring system comprises a chamber for fluidic coupling to a process vessel whereby material level in the vessel equalizes with material level in the chamber. A float including a magnet in the chamber rises and falls with material leve... | 07/08/2003 |
| 6571627 | Slide detector In a slide detector, a contact member provided on a slider is made of gold or a gold alloy including an abrasion resistant metallic component, and a plurality of electrodes provided on an electric insulating board is made of a silver alloy including glass... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6536277 | Level-tracing water-monitoring apparatus A water-monitoring apparatus includes a frame being installed by water. A reel is mounted on the frame. A tension cable is wound on the reel and including a lower end and an upper end. A buoy is connected with the tension cable. A control device is connec... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6532813 | Method and device for determining a fill level of liquid in a container During the determination of a fill level of liquid in a container, a measuring chamber, in which there is initially the same fill level as in the container, is completely filled with liquid. The time required for completely filling the measuring chamber i... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6523404 | Apparatus for measuring a fluid level An apparatus for measuring a fluid level in a tank comprises a housing including a level indicator for displaying a measured fluid level in the tank. A rod extends from the housing and a float is adapted to travel along the rod. A first end of an elongate... | 02/25/2003 |
