Magnetic Encoder Pulley Liquid Level Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid level sensors face issues with precision, reliability, and cost due to the use of optical encoders that are prone to failure from dirt and high costs, and lack visual inspection capabilities, especially when measuring liquid levels in wells.
Innovation Solution
A multiturn pulley liquid level sensor device using a magnetic encoder with a pulley and fastening rope, coupled with a magnetic sensor and external detection circuit, providing both electronic and visual output, and incorporating a gear speed-increasing or speed-reducing device to enhance precision and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical encoders are used in liquid level sensors, then measurement capability is provided, but reliability deteriorates due to dirt accumulation and high cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical encoders with magnetic encoders in the liquid level sensor system. The magnetic encoder uses magnetic fields instead of optical components, eliminating the problem of dirt accumulation that plagues optical systems. The magnetic sensor detects position through magnetic field interactions without requiring transparent windows or light paths that can be contaminated, thereby significantly improving reliability while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If optical encoders are used in liquid level sensors, then measurement capability is provided, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical encoder components with magnetic encoder components. Magnetic encoders generally have fewer sensitive components, no requirement for transparent protective windows, and simpler sealing requirements compared to optical encoders. This substitution reduces manufacturing complexity and material costs while maintaining the essential measurement function.
3Ease of operation
If visual inspection capability is added to liquid level sensors, then inspection ability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates visual inspection capability into the existing magnetic encoder structure. The magnetic encoder's rotating components with magnetic markers serve dual purposes: they generate electrical signals for electronic measurement while also providing visual indication of liquid level. This multi-functionality approach adds visual inspection capability without requiring separate independent visual indication mechanisms, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.
4Measurement precision
If measurement precision is improved by an order of magnitude, then measurement accuracy is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves higher measurement precision by optimizing magnetic field parameters and encoder resolution rather than adding complex mechanical subdivision mechanisms. By using high-resolution magnetic sensors and optimizing the magnetic pole distribution on the encoder disk, the system achieves an order of magnitude improvement in precision while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The magnetic field-based measurement allows for digital enhancement of precision without proportional increases in mechanical complexity.
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
The solution reduces volume and cost, improves measurement precision by an order of magnitude, and provides visual output through numbered rotating wheels and LED displays, making the sensor more reliable and adaptable to harsh environments with lower power requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic sensor one-to-one corresponding to the one or more rotating wheels
Implementation Method 2
a permanent magnet, a rotating wheel PCB and a magnetic sensor one-to-one corresponding to the one or more rotating wheels
Implementation Method 3
a float which can float up and down with a change of the liquid level
Implementation Method 4
at least one pulley, wherein the pulley is mechanically connected to the float through the fastening rope wound thereon, and the pulley rotates back and forth as the float moves up and down
Data Source
AI summary
A multiturn pulley liquid level sensor device for measuring a liquid level in a well and in a container, comprising a mechanical float which is fastened to a fastening rope and which can slide up and down. The fastening rope is installed on one or more pulleys, and as the float moves up and down, the pulley rotates back and forth. One pulley is mechanically coupled to one digital absolute magnetic rotation encoder device, and the encoder device is used for monitoring the total rotation angle of the pulley in real time. By way of using an algorithm, the total rotation angle of the pulley is converted into a distance from the bottom to calculate the height of a liquid level. A multiwheel encoder has two reading types, i.e., one is an electrical signal reading type, and the other is an optical signal reading type. The electronic output of said encoder may be used as input to an industrial control system, or be sent via communications link to a remote or the internet. The precision of the level measurement is determined by the number of encoder wheels. A mechanical gear or belt can adjust the total number of pulley turns corresponding to the full range of liquid level measurement.