A sample processing station includes two or more container holders on a platform that is rotatable about a central axis of rotation. Each holder is configured to rotate about a secondary axis of rotation. The station includes a capping/decapping mechanism to cap or decap a container held in one of the container holders and an elevator with a chuck guide that contact the container holder as the chuck is lowered by the elevator to position the chuck with respect to the cap of the container held in the holder and to hold jaws of the container holder in a closed position. In embodiment, the chuck guide includes a yoke with opposed arms and spindles located near distal ends of the arms that engage beveled shoulders of the container holder.

A system, as an engine with a crankcase containing oil or a fluid mixed with oil, has a reservoir containing liquid that extends up to a level of the fluid. A dipstick support structure supports a dipstick on it so that the dipstick extends into the fluid past the level of the fluid, and so that the dipstick is manually removable from the dipstick support structure by a user. An electrical system is connected with the dipstick, and the electrical system electrically senses the level of the fluid based on an electrical characteristic of the dipstick that varies with the varying level of the fluid when the dipstick extends into it. The electrical characteristic may be capacitance of the dipstick detected by sequential charging and discharging of the dipstick to produce a square wave electrical signal the frequency of which corresponds to the level of fluid.

A system, as an engine with a crankcase containing oil or a fluid mixed with oil, has a reservoir containing liquid that extends up to a level of the fluid. A dipstick support structure supports a dipstick on it so that the dipstick extends into the fluid past the level of the fluid, and so that the dipstick is manually removable from the dipstick support structure by a user. An electrical system is connected with the dipstick, and the electrical system electrically senses the level of the fluid based on an electrical characteristic of the dipstick that varies with the varying level of the fluid when the dipstick extends into it. The electrical characteristic may be capacitance of the dipstick detected by sequential charging and discharging of the dipstick to produce a square wave electrical signal the frequency of which corresponds to the level of fluid.

A method includes generating movement signals indicative of sensed movement of a powered system in one or more directions and generating fluid level signals indicative of a sensed amount of fluid in the powered system. The method also includes, with one or more processors, receiving the movement signals and the fluid level signals from one or more accelerometers and a fluid level sensor, wherein the one or more processors also configured to filter at least some of the movement signals based on a speed at which the powered system operates. The method also includes, with a first antenna of the sensor assembly, wirelessly communicating one or more of the movement signals or the amount of fluid to a remote location.

A method includes generating movement signals indicative of sensed movement of a powered system in one or more directions and generating fluid level signals indicative of a sensed amount of fluid in the powered system. The method also includes, with one or more processors, receiving the movement signals and the fluid level signals from one or more accelerometers and a fluid level sensor, wherein the one or more processors also configured to filter at least some of the movement signals based on a speed at which the powered system operates. The method also includes, with a first antenna of the sensor assembly, wirelessly communicating one or more of the movement signals or the amount of fluid to a remote location.

A liquid leak detector for a pump is described. The liquid leak detector is mountable on a pump to detect leaked fluid coming from the pump. The leak detector includes a buffer tube positioned on the pump to collect a leaked fluid from the pump and a sensor positioned on the buffer tube to detect the level of leaked fluid in the buffer tube and to generate a signal when the leaked fluid reaches a maximum fluid level. A purge line on the buffer tube removes leaked drive fluid from the buffer tube once the leaked drive fluid reaches a maximum level. Logic connected to the sensor receives the signal from the detector and generates an alarm.

A physical quantity detection device including a container that accommodates a detection object formed of a dielectric and whose depth direction is a direction of a z axis when an x axis, a y axis, and the z axis along a vertical direction are set as axes orthogonal to one another, a first electrode provided at an outer side of the container, at least one second electrode that has an elongated shape extending in a direction of the y axis, is provided at an outer side of the container, and is separated from and faces the first electrode in a direction of the x axis, a first insulation layer that covers the first electrode, a second insulation layer that covers the second electrode, and an electrostatic capacitance detector that detects an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

A physical quantity detection device including a container that accommodates a detection object formed of a dielectric and whose depth direction is a direction of a z axis when an x axis, a y axis, and the z axis along a vertical direction are set as axes orthogonal to one another, a first electrode provided at an outer side of the container, at least one second electrode that has an elongated shape extending in a direction of the y axis, is provided at an outer side of the container, and is separated from and faces the first electrode in a direction of the x axis, a first insulation layer that covers the first electrode, a second insulation layer that covers the second electrode, and an electrostatic capacitance detector that detects an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

A well bore fluid sensor is provided that includes an inner plate, a plurality of outer plates, first and second cable fixtures, and an electronics module. The inner plate defines a sensor interior cavity. The outer plates include a first outer plate and a second outer plate. The electronics module includes a resonant circuit and a power supply and is in signal communication with the inner plate and at least one of the first and second cable fixtures. The inner plate, the first and second outer plates, and the first and second cable fixtures are coupled together to form a unitary structure. The inner plate is electrically insulated from the first and second outer plates, the first and second cable fixtures. The first and second outer plates are electrically insulated from one another. The inner plate is capacitively coupled to the first and second outer plates.

A first detection electrode is provided on an insulating layer. A second detection electrode is provided away from the first detection electrode on the insulating layer, and forms a capacitance together with the first detection electrode. The protection layer covers the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode, has a thickness d satisfying 1 μm≤d≤10 μm, and is made of zirconia or alumina. The protection layer is a sintered body.