Patent Application
20200326222
The present invention relates generally to fluid level detecting devices for sensing a liquid level in a container with optional container liquid filling capabilities that can be in combination with the fluid level detecting device. More particularly, the present invention relates to the container being a Christmas tree watering stand with progressive water level indication along with the ability to replenish tree watering stand with water.
Fluid sensors are well known in the prior art for typical applications of monitoring a liquid level in a fixed tank via using a float or some electrical discontinuity based on conductivity of the liquid, wherein usually the fluid sensor is affixed to the fixed tank. The present invention employs a portable liquid level sensor that is not affixed to the tank and can be freely moved to different tanks if needed and giving an indication of progressive liquid level within the tank if desired. In Christmas tree watering it is important that the tree watering container does not go dry that will cause the tree trunk end to dry out and tend to close and restrict tree trunk water absorption, thus it is important to keep the container from going dry through water level monitoring without the inconvenience of looking under the tree to check the water level in the container. In addition the optional feature of remotely filling the tree water container at say waist level for instance without having to fill the water container at a tree trunk level further makes maintaining the water in the tree trunk container easier.
Looking at the prior art starting with U.S. Pat. No. 10,188,234 to Sullivan, discloses a Christmas tree moisture sensor providing visual and audio alerts, wherein the sensor mounts to the Christmas tree trunk resulting in the visual and audio adjacent to the Christmas tree water bowl being inconveniently low and next to the floor. In Sullivan, the water level is sensed by a conductive probe that just senses a single water level threshold to indicate from.
Continuing in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 10,028,455 to Ference, disclosed is a Christmas tree ornament with a water pump having a control system that utilizes a remote sensor. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,483 to Solak, disclosed is a Christmas tree water bowl water level sensor solely detecting only full and empty based on a float switch, sending an electrical signal only, there is no provision for filling the bowl.
Next in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,435 to Boskofsky, disclosed is a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, wherein the bottom of the ornament has a shut off valve to stop flow when the ornament is changed (from empty to full), however, no water level sensing is taught. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,434 to Naclerio, disclosed is a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, similar to Boskofsky above, however, with the addition of a float valve that meters the water allowed into the lower bowl from the water supply.
Continuing in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,998 to Montijo, discloses again a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, however, having tubing to a multitude of trunk injectors that are pierced into the trunk bark. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,651 to Luddy, again disclosed is a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply to the tree stump bowl, wherein there is no teaching of water level sensing. Also in U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,043 to Andrews, disclosed is a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, also having an electronic single level output indicator to signal to refill the ornament with water.
Next in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,390 to Baudier, discloses again a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, further including a float and a mechanical bell to signal that the tree bowl is full. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,929 to Jung, disclosed is a Christmas tree ornament (snowman) that acts as a funnel and water supply, further having an float alarm for water level in the tree bowl. Also in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,516 to Brown, discloses again a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, further including a ornament filling port for convenience.
Continuing in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,838 to Denbigh, discloses again a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, further including tree attachment particulars, however, there is no water level indication. In addition in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,236 to Sands, discloses again a Christmas tree ornament that acts as a funnel and water supply, further including a float ball valve to regulate water to a single level in the tree bowl. Also in U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,017 to Merenda, discloses a single low level Christmas tree stand water alarm using an electronic water level sensor in a Christmas tree ornament enclosure. Plus in U.S. Pat. No. 7,765,736 to Lloyd, disclosed is a Christmas tree stand with built in reservoir for water that has a float valve at its distal end for single level water feed.
Moving onward in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,014 to Chien, discloses again a Christmas tree stand and water feed combination with a single level sensor. Further in United States Patent Application Publication Number US 2018/0125022 to Moran, discloses again a Christmas tree watering system with a separate reservoir and pump that has high/low water level fluid contact sensors. Plus in United States Patent Application Publication Number US 2018/0105409 to Bernaski, discloses a Christmas tree watering funnel with tube having a manual valve.
This gives an idea of the current state of the art in the Christmas tree watering arts, wherein Sullivan and Moran have fluid level sensing, as Sullivan just has the water level probe designed for Christmas tree bowls and Moran has the floor mounted reservoir with a high/low water level sensor, the remaining references are various funnel tube or small reservoirs (ornament) with tube feeding the tree bowl with some having float valves or manual valves.
What is needed is a progressive fluid level indication (as none of the cited references has this), with the progressive fluid level indication being in combination with the fill funnel & tube, and plus the progressive fluid level structural specifics as being attached to tube to accommodate fluid level sensing in a bowl shape, meaning that with the unique tube based level sensing, with the level sensor not being affixed to the fluid vessel.
Broadly, the present invention is for a fluid level detection apparatus for sensing a varying fluid level of a liquid in within a container interior volume, the fluid level detection apparatus including a first member having a first proximal end portion and an opposing first distal end portion with a first longitudinal axis spanning therebetween, wherein the first member is constructed of an electrically conductive material that is in an initial circuit state. Further included in the fluid level detection apparatus is a second member having a second proximal end portion and an opposing second distal end portion with a second longitudinal axis spanning therebetween, wherein the second member is constructed of an electrically conductive material that is in an initial circuit state.
Continuing, also included in the fluid level detection apparatus is control circuitry that is operative to monitor the first and second proximal end portions to produce a primary perceptible output in response to the first and second distal end portions forming an auxiliary circuit state from the initial circuit state, wherein operationally the first and second distal end portions are disposed within the container interior volume moving from the initial circuit state to the auxiliary circuit state with a presence of the liquid in the container with the liquid in contact with the first and second distal end portions to ultimately indicate a primary liquid level.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which;
With initial reference to
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Continuing,
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Broadly, the present invention is for a fluid level detection apparatus 50 for sensing a varying fluid level 70 of a liquid 65 within a container 55 interior volume 60, the fluid level detection apparatus 50 including a first member 75 having a first proximal end portion 80 and an opposing first distal end portion 85 with a first longitudinal axis 90 spanning therebetween, wherein the first member 75 is constructed of an electrically conductive material that is in an initial circuit state 155, see
Continuing, also included in the fluid level detection apparatus 50 is control circuitry 160 that is operative to monitor and being in electrical communication 205 the first 80 and second 100 proximal end portions to produce a primary perceptible output 180 in response to the first 85 and second distal end 105 portions forming an auxiliary circuit state 165 from the initial circuit state 155, wherein operationally the first 85 and second 105 distal end portions are disposed 170 within the container 55 interior volume 60 moving from the initial circuit state 155 to the auxiliary circuit state 165 with a presence of the liquid 65 in the container 55 with the liquid 65 in contact 175 with the first 85 and second 105 distal end portions to ultimately indicate a primary liquid level 185, see
Optionally for the fluid level detection apparatus 50, it can further comprise a third member 115 having a third proximal end portion 120 and an opposing third distal end portion 125 with a third longitudinal axis 130 spanning therebetween, wherein the third member 115 is constructed of an electrically conductive material that is in an initial circuit state 155, see
Noting that with the first 75, second 95, and third 115 members, a plurality of progressive liquid 65 levels 70 are achieved via the primary perceptible output 180 and the secondary perceptible output 225 to indicate a proportional consumption of the liquid 65 in the container 55 interior volume 60 with varying liquid 65 levels 70 of the primary 185 and the secondary 230 liquid 65 levels 70, with the first 75, second 95, and third 115 members being preferably flexible and not affixed to the container 55 itself, wherein typical prior art fluid level sensors are affixed in some manner to the container to function properly, see in particular
Another option for the fluid level detection apparatus 50, wherein it can further comprise a fourth member 135 having a fourth proximal end portion 140 and an opposing fourth distal end portion 145 with a fourth longitudinal axis 150 spanning therebetween, wherein the fourth member 135 is constructed of an electrically conductive material that is in an initial circuit state 155, see
Noting that with the first 75, second 95, third 115, and fourth 135 members, a plurality of progressive liquid 65 levels 70 are achieved via the primary 180, secondary 225, and tertiary 250 perceptible outputs to indicate a proportional consumption of the liquid 65 in the container 55 interior volume 60 with varying liquid 65 levels 70 of the primary 185, the secondary 230, and the tertiary 255, liquid 65 levels 70, with the first 75, second 95, third 115, and fourth 135 members being preferably flexible and not affixed to the container 55 itself, wherein typical prior art fluid level sensors are affixed in some manner to the container to function properly, see in particular
Another option for the fluid level detection apparatus 50, is that it can further comprise a fifth member 151 having a fifth proximal end portion 152 and an opposing fifth distal end portion 153 with a fifth longitudinal axis 154 spanning therebetween, wherein the fifth member 151 is constructed of an electrically conductive material that is in an initial circuit state 155, see
Noting that with the first 75, second 95, third 115, fourth 135, and fifth 151 members, a plurality of progressive liquid 65 levels 70 are achieved via the primary 180, secondary 225, tertiary 250, and fourth 251 perceptible outputs to indicate a proportional consumption of the liquid 65 in the container 55 interior volume 60 with varying liquid 65 levels 70 of the primary 185, the secondary 230, the tertiary 255, and the fourth 256 liquid 65 levels 70, with the first 75, second 95, third 115, fourth 135, and fifth 151 members being preferably flexible and not affixed to the container 55 itself, wherein typical prior art fluid level sensors are affixed in some manner to the container to function properly, see in particular
As a further option for the fluid level detection apparatus 50, wherein the primary 180 and secondary 225 perceptible outputs can be a visual display 260, see all
Continuing on options for the fluid level detection apparatus 50, wherein the plurality of lights 265 are each being a different color wherein the plurality of different colored lights 280 are in electrical communication 285 with the control circuitry 160 and each of the lights being in electrical communication 285 with each of the second 100 and third 120 proximal end portions of the second 95 and third 115 members to operationally have a single light color 375 correspond with the primary liquid level 185 and the secondary liquid level 230, see
The initial circuit state 155 can be either a closed circuit state or an open circuit state as the auxiliary circuit state 165 can be either a closed circuit state or an open circuit state, however, when used together the initial circuit state 155 and the auxiliary circuit state 165 are opposite to one another such that if the initial circuit state 155 is the open circuit state then the auxiliary circuit 165 is the closed circuit state or if the initial circuit state 155 is the closed circuit state then the auxiliary circuit 165 is the open circuit state.
Yet another option for the fluid level detection apparatus 50, in looking at
Accordingly, the present invention of the fluid level detection apparatus has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so modifications the changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained therein.
