Exterior Gauge Rotary Encoder Wheel Optical Sensor Tank Level

The patent replaces the magnetic field-based Hall sensor system with an optical encoding system. An optical encoder wheel with distinct sectors rotates with the float, and optical sensors detect the rotational position by measuring light transmission or reflection patterns. This optical mechanism provides superior resolution and versatility for detecting liquid levels across different substances and tank configurations, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and adaptability.

The optical encoder wheel is segmented into multiple distinct sectors or tracks, each representing a specific rotational position or liquid level range. The optical sensor array is correspondingly segmented to read these sectors. This segmentation allows high-resolution measurement through a modular structure that, while more complex than Hall sensors, maintains manageable system architecture through standardized encoder components.

Multiple optical sensing elements are merged into a single integrated optical sensor head or array that reads multiple sectors of the encoder wheel simultaneously. This consolidation maintains high measurement precision through multi-point detection while simplifying manufacturing by reducing the number of separate components that need to be assembled and calibrated, as the optical sensor array functions as a unified reading mechanism.