A sensor for use in a canister for fluid collection, the canister having a canister top and defining a fluid collection chamber. The sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the first electrode is supported by the canister top, and the second portion of the first electrode is configured to extend into the fluid collection chamber. The second electrode includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the second electrode is supported by the canister top, and the second portion of the second electrode is configured to extend into the fluid collection chamber. The sensor also includes an electric circuit configured to detect an electrical property associated with the first and second electrodes.

A refrigerator includes a pocket that is capable of accommodating multiple liquid containers. The pocket includes a first sensor provided to an inner wall that is in contact with the side face of each of the multiple liquid containers. A detector detects the remaining amount of each liquid container that is in contact with the first sensor electrode based on the state of the first sensor electrode.

A liquid product distribution network includes a keg distribution monitoring and reporting apparatus associated with a keg. The apparatus includes a radio transmitter device and sensing circuitry for sensing and communicating physical properties associating with the keg. A top or bottom chime of keg physically protects the sensing circuitry during keg distribution in the keg distribution network. The apparatus also includes a battery power supply unit fitted within and protected by the top or bottom chime. The apparatus further includes a unique identifier associated with the sensing and reporting device. The apparatus further includes a mobile communications device is configured to identify the keg based on the unique identifier associated with the sensing and reporting device embedded therein, and receive and process the radiofrequency signals from the radiofrequency signal transmission circuitry of the identified keg passively and without user interaction, for monitoring the physical properties and location of the keg.

A fuel gauge comprises two cylinders, internal and external respectively, each made of composite material based on electrically conducting fibers, and fixedly placed one inside the other without direct electrical contact between the cylinders, so that a capacity value for a capacitor formed by the cylinders is representative of a fuel level between the cylinders. The external cylinder includes an electrically insulating coating arranged on an external surface of said external cylinder, turned opposite the internal cylinder. The insulating coating of the external cylinder may be of a composite material based on glass fibers.

A sensor for detecting the level of a medium contained in a container, in particular a tank, comprises: an array of capacitive elements designed to be associated to the container (1), in particular so as to extend according to an axis of detection (X) of the level of the medium (L), the array of capacitive elements comprising a plurality of electrodes (J.sub.1-J.sub.n), in particular on a face of an electrically insulating substrate (20) having a generally elongated shape, the electrodes (J.sub.1-J.sub.n) being spaced apart from one another, in particular along the detection axis (X), and being preferably substantially coplanar with one another; at least one insulation layer (16) for insulating electrically the electrodes (J.sub.1-J.sub.n) with respect to the inside of the container (1); and a controller (24) having a plurality of inputs. Each capacitive element comprises a set of electrodes connected together in common, in particular in parallel, each set of electrodes being connected to a respective input of the plurality of inputs. The controller (24) is pre-arranged for discriminating a value of capacitance associated to each electrode (J.sub.1-J.sub.n) in order to deduce the level of the medium present container.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method for detecting a fluid level, includes providing a fluid container having a cavity and coupling a first sensor to the fluid container, the first sensor protected from a fluid in the cavity and positioned at a first vertical level of the fluid container. The method further includes causing movement of either the first sensor or the fluid container. The first sensor is used to detect the fluid level upon causing the movement of either the first sensor or the fluid container.

A liquid product dispensing container device for affixes to a liquid product dispensing container, such as a beer keg, for monitoring, controlling and/or optimizing flow of a liquid product delivered to consumers from the liquid product dispensing container. The liquid product dispensing container device includes a casing for attaching it to the liquid product dispensing container. The liquid product dispensing container device includes a power source, a radio transmitter circuit, a radio/processing module processing radio signal transmissions of information relating to the liquid product dispensing container. An antenna associates with the radio/processing module for sending and receiving the radio signal transmissions between the radio/processing module and at least one stationary reader and/or mobile device.

A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion configured to store a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The liquid storage portion includes one or more flexible walls and is configured to change at least one of the shape and the size of the liquid storage portion upon a change of the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion. The cartridge includes a sensor configured to detect data of a physical property. The data relates to at least one of a corresponding shape and a corresponding size of the liquid storage portion so that the volume of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion is determinable from the measured data.

A deformable sleeve (100) is provided configured to at least partially encase a bottle from which a liquid is dispensable upon pressing the sleeve (100), the sleeve (100) comprising a first sensor (7) configured to measure a force applied onto the sleeve (100) and a second sensor (8) configured to measure a permittivity of a content encased by the sleeve (100). In addition, a measurement unit (300) is provided configured to be mounted on the sleeve (100), the measurement unit (300) comprising a processing unit (37) configured to determine at least one parameter associated with the bottle based on at least one of a signal of the first sensor (7) and a signal of the second sensor (8). A corresponding method of retrievably storing the at least one parameter is also provided.

A capacitive level gauge for a container of a medium like compressed gas or liquid, comprising a body configured for being mounted on the container; two parallel lamellar electrodes extending from the body, for being inside the container and in contact with the medium; wherein the capacitive level gauge further comprises at least one spacer with two slots engaging with the two electrodes, respectively, maintaining a constant distance between the electrodes.