Top View Liquid Sight Level Indicator with Canting Scale

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Solution Overview

Problem

Top-mounted sight level indicators for liquid vessels often require costly optical systems and are prone to contamination, making them less desirable compared to side-mounted indicators.

Innovation Solution

A top reading liquid sight level indicator with a measuring surface that cants from normal to the liquid surface, allowing scale gradations to be visible from above without optical systems, and featuring a liquid-tight design with a sight glass for clear viewing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If top-mounted sight level indicators use optical systems (prism or mirror) to make perpendicular scale gradations visible from above, then the liquid level can be read from above the vessel, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to read liquid level from aboveVSAvoidoptical system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the scale perpendicular to the liquid surface and using optics to view it from above, the invention inverts the approach by making the scale parallel to the liquid surface. This allows the scale to be viewed directly from above without any optical systems, eliminating the complexity and cost of prisms or mirrors while maintaining the ability to read liquid levels from above the vessel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If top-mounted sight level indicators use optical systems to display liquid level, then reading from above is enabled, but the risk of contamination by the liquid increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereading capability from aboveVSAvoidliquid contamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the scale orientation from perpendicular to parallel with the liquid surface. This geometric inversion allows the scale to be positioned in a plane that can be viewed from above through the sight glass without requiring optical components that would be exposed to and contaminated by the liquid, thereby reducing contamination risk while maintaining top-reading capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If top-mounted sight level indicators use optical systems to make scale visible from above, then liquid level indication from above is achieved, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetop-reading capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the scale orientation from perpendicular to parallel with the liquid surface, the invention eliminates the need for expensive optical components such as prisms or mirrors. The scale can be directly viewed from above through a simple sight glass, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining the desired top-reading functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS7597000B2Top view liquid sight level indicator

Publication Date: 2009.10.06 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

AI summary

A top reading liquid sight level indicator mounts above a liquid contained in a liquid vessel comprises a measuring surface mounted to the liquid vessel that penetrates an upper surface of the contained liquid at a cant from normal to the liquid surface so that the points along the measuring surface that penetrate the liquid surface are visible from above the liquid vessel and represent the level of the liquid in the liquid vessel.