Liquid Flow Indicator with Bouncing Balls for Tanker Trucks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sight glasses used in tanker trucks for monitoring fuel flow are ineffective due to additives that can cloud the acrylic material, making it difficult for drivers to visually confirm the flow of liquids, especially in poor lighting conditions, and lack any auditory feedback, leading to potential overfills and cross-contamination.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a cage made of aluminum or stainless steel positioned within the sight glass, containing indicator balls that bounce and make a distinct noise when liquid is flowing, providing both visual and auditory notifications to the driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a clear acrylic sight glass is used to allow visual monitoring of fuel flow, then the driver can observe liquid flow, but additives in the fuel can dissolve or cloud the acrylic material, reducing visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary indicator ball that is chemically resistant to fuel additives. Instead of relying on the sight glass material itself to provide visibility, a separate indicator element (the ball) is used that floats in the fuel stream and can be observed through the sight glass without being degraded by chemical exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator ball is designed with high-contrast coloring (such as white or brightly colored balls) that maintains visibility against the dark background of the sight glass and fuel stream. This color contrast ensures the indicator remains visible even when the sight glass material becomes slightly clouded or discolored over time.
2Strength
If a thick acrylic sight glass is used to increase durability, then the material is more resistant to breakage, but the driver cannot clearly see the liquid flowing through it
Solution Approach 1:
The thick sight glass is paired with a high-contrast indicator ball that serves as a visual mediator. The ball's bright color and spherical shape create a distinct visual signal that can be seen through even thick, opaque acrylic material, allowing the sight glass to be made thicker for durability without sacrificing visibility.
3Device complexity
If no additional indicators are provided in the sight glass, then the device remains simple, but the driver lacks auditory feedback to confirm liquid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator ball provides mechanical vibration and movement that creates audible feedback. As the ball moves with the flowing liquid, it generates sounds that confirm flow to the driver. This mechanical approach adds auditory information without requiring complex electronic systems, maintaining relative simplicity while improving information feedback.
4Illumination intensity
If the sight glass is made thin for better visibility, then the driver can see liquid flow more clearly, but the material becomes more susceptible to damage from chemical additives
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator ball acts as a chemical-resistant intermediary that protects the thin sight glass from direct chemical exposure. The ball is made of materials resistant to fuel additives and serves as the primary element that interacts with the chemical environment, allowing the sight glass to remain thin for visibility while the indicator ball absorbs the chemical degradation burden.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the driver's ability to accurately determine when liquid is flowing and has stopped, preventing overfills and cross-contamination by offering clear visual and audible cues, even in challenging conditions like night or inclement weather.
Implementation Method 1
A liquid flow indicator device comprising: a sight glass (10) having first end and a second end; one or more cages (20) positioned around said sight glass for containing one or more indicator objects (30), so a user can see with his eyes said indicator objects (30), which are visible by said user looking through said sight glass, thereby providing visual notification to said user; wherein when said liquid is flowing through said cages (20) and said sight glass (10), said indicator objects (30) will float around inside said cage (20)
Implementation Method 2
a sight glass (10) having first end and a second end; said sight glass has an aperture configured for a fluid to flow through an interior of said sight glass
Data Source
AI summary
A Liquid Flow Indicator Device comprising: a sight glass having one or more cages positioned around the sight glass for containing one or more indicator objects, so a user can see the indicator objects, which are visible to the user looking through the sight glass, thereby providing visual notification to the user. When the liquid is flowing through the cages and also the sight glass, the indicator objects will float around inside the cage, thereby providing visual notification to the user that the liquid is flowing through the cage and the sight glass. The indicator objects can also make a sound when the liquid flows through the sight glass and through the cage by banging around inside the cage, thereby providing audio notification to the user that the liquid is flowing through the sight glass. As such, this invention provides Audio notifications and/or Visual notifications regarding the flow of liquid. A fluid transport system and a method of using the device.