公开(公告)号：US10533887B2

公开(公告)日：2020-01-14

申请号：US15511401

申请日：2015-09-14

Applicant: ELTEK S.p.A.

Inventor： Matteo Rondano ,  Enrico Chiesa ,  Mauro Zorzetto ,  Domenico Cantarelli

IPC: G01F23/26

Abstract: A sensor for detecting the level of a medium contained in a container, in particular a tank, comprises: an array of capacitive elements designed to be associated to the container (1), in particular so as to extend according to an axis of detection (X) of the level of the medium (L), the array of capacitive elements comprising a plurality of electrodes (Ji-Jn), in particular on a face of an electrically insulating substrate (20) having a generally elongated shape, the electrodes (Ji-Jn) being spaced apart from one another, in particular along the detection axis (X), and being preferably substantially coplanar with one another; at least one insulation layer (16) for insulating electrically the electrodes (Ji-Jn) with respect to the inside of the container (1); and a controller (24) having a plurality of inputs. Each capacitive element comprises at least one of a single electrode and a set of electrodes connected together in common, in particular in parallel, the single electrode or the set of electrodes being connected to a respective input of the plurality of inputs. The controller (24) is pre-arranged for discriminating a value of capacitance associated to each electrode (Ji-Jn) in order to deduce the level of the medium present container.

公开(公告)号：US11982561B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-14

申请号：US17282222

申请日：2019-10-03

Applicant: ELTEK S.p.A.

Inventor： Fulvio Cerutti ,  Stefano Allera ,  Massimo Zanin ,  Matteo Rondano ,  Giorgio Fagnola ,  Mauro Zorzetto ,  Marco Pizzi

IPC: G01F23/263 ,  G01F23/24 ,  G01F25/20

CPC classification number: G01F23/268 ,  G01F23/24 ,  G01F23/266 ,  G01F25/20

Abstract: A level sensor comprises an electrical-connection structure and a level-detection structure. The level-detection structure comprises a plurality of elongated electrodes, which include at least three measuring electrodes. The elongated electrodes extend at least partially in side-by-sidey positions in a length direction of the level-detection structure and each have a proximal end and a distal end relative to the electrical-connection structure. The level-detection structure is divided, in the length direction, into a succession of detection sections, each of which includes two effective portions of two respective measuring electrodes, the two effective portions extending to a prevalent extent substantially parallel and equidistant, at a first predetermined distance from each other, in the length direction. In the detection sections there also extends, in the length direction, a non-effective portion of one further elongated electrode other than the two measuring electrodes that define the two effective portions of the corresponding detection section, the at least one further elongated electrode being one measuring electrode or else a reference electrode. The elongated electrodes are shaped in such a way that, at one or more of the detection sections, the non-effective portion of the at least one further elongated electrode extends to a prevalent extent at respective second predetermined distances from the corresponding two effective portions, the second predetermined distances being greater than the first predetermined distance.

公开(公告)号：US11002586B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-11

申请号：US16065571

申请日：2016-12-23

Applicant: ELTEK S.P.A.

Inventor： Matteo Rondano ,  Mauro Zorzetto ,  Enrico Chiesa

IPC: G01F23/26 ,  G01F25/00 ,  G01F23/00

Abstract: A capacitive level-sensor device, for detecting the level of at least one medium contained in a container comprises: a detection part that includes an array of capacitive elements, the array of capacitive elements comprising at least one set of electrodes on a substrate, the electrodes being set at a distance from one another according to a level-detection axis, the detection part including at least one insulating layer for electrically insulating the electrodes with respect to the medium; and a control circuit having a plurality of first inputs, electrically connected to which are the electrodes. The control circuit is prearranged for carrying out a sequential sampling of the inputs of the plurality of first inputs and for comparing a value representing the capacitance associated to each electrode with at least one corresponding reference threshold.
The detection part further comprises at least one temperature sensor, connected to at least one respective second input of the control circuit.
The control circuit is moreover prearranged for carrying out a compensation of at least one of the following: the value representing electrical capacitance associated to each electrode; a value indicating the medium facing each electrode and the at least one reference threshold, according to information representing at least one temperature value acquired on the at least one second input.

公开(公告)号：US10422681B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-24

申请号：US15315225

申请日：2015-05-28

Applicant: ELTEK S.p.A.

Inventor： Matteo Rondano ,  Enrico Chiesa ,  Mauro Zorzetto ,  Domenico Cantarelli

IPC: G01F23/26

Abstract: A level sensor for detecting the level of a medium contained in a vessel comprises: an array of capacitive elements designed to be associated with the vessel (1), comprising a plurality of electrodes (J1-Jn), spaced apart from each other along an axis of detection (X), an insulation layer (16) for electrically insulating the electrodes (J1-Jn) with respect to the inside of the vessel (1), a controller (24) having a plurality of inputs. Each capacitive element comprises at least one of a single electrode and a group of electrodes connected in common to each other, the single electrode or the group of electrodes being connected to a respective input of the plurality of inputs.The controller (24) is prearranged for discriminating a value of electrical capacitance associated with each electrode (J1-Jn) to deduce the level of the medium present in the vessel.

公开(公告)号：US11835376B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-05

申请号：US17282173

申请日：2019-10-03

Applicant: ELTEK S.p.A.

Inventor： Mauro Zorzetto ,  Marco Pizzi ,  Matteo Rondano ,  Giorgio Fagnola

IPC: G01F23/26 ,  G01F23/263

CPC classification number: G01F23/266 ,  G01F23/268

Abstract: A capacitive level sensor comprises a control circuit, a supporting structure and a detection structure on the supporting structure. The detection structure comprises a plurality of electrodes, each including a connection part and a plurality of detection parts which extend in a transverse direction relative to a length direction of the sensor, the detection parts of a first electrode being interdigitated with respect to the detection parts of a second electrode. The detection structure includes a plurality of detection sections, which extend in succession in the length direction and include an upper section and one or more underlying lower sections. Each detection section includes respective first and second electrodes, which are electrically insulated from one another and with respect to the first and second electrodes of the other detection sections. The control circuit is prearranged for selectively applying an electrical potential difference between the first and second electrodes of a corresponding detection section, for detecting a value of electrical capacitance therebetween, and deriving therefrom the level of a medium.

公开(公告)号：US10578477B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-03

申请号：US15511482

申请日：2015-09-14

Applicant: ELTEK S.p.A.

Inventor： Matteo Rondano ,  Enrico Chiesa ,  Mauro Zorzetto ,  Domenico Cantarelli

IPC: G01F23/26

Abstract: A sensor for detecting the level of a medium contained in a container, in particular a tank, comprises: an array of capacitive elements designed to be associated to the container (1), in particular so as to extend according to an axis of detection (X) of the level of the medium (L), the array of capacitive elements comprising a plurality of electrodes (J1-Jn), in particular on a face of an electrically insulating substrate (20) having a generally elongated shape, the electrodes (J1-Jn) being spaced apart from one another, in particular along the detection axis (X), and being preferably substantially coplanar with one another; at least one insulation layer (16) for insulating electrically the electrodes (J1-Jn) with respect to the inside of the container (1); and a controller (24) having a plurality of inputs. Each capacitive element comprises a set of electrodes connected together in common, in particular in parallel, each set of electrodes being connected to a respective input of the plurality of inputs. The controller (24) is pre-arranged for discriminating a value of capacitance associated to each electrode (J1-Jn) in order to deduce the level of the medium present container.