Electro-Pneumatic Volumetric Meter

Abstract

This invention concerns a volumetric meter used to measure the empty volume of a reservoir/tank (RT) in automobiles, industrial reservoirs, and others, which may be irregular in shape, undeformable and hermetic, stationary or moving, flat or on an incline. This innovative electro-pneumatic volumetric meter allows the volume of the contents of a reservoir/tank to be measured precisely.

Claims

1. A volumetric meter comprising: a reservoir/tank connected by tubes or air hoses to a lung/air piston, wherein the lung/air piston is configured to be moved by an actuator; a pressure sensor connected thereto to an assembly comprising the reservoir/tank, the tubes or air hoses, the lung/air piston and the actuator, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to allow movement of air to be recorded and senses pressure in the assembly; an electronic command and control module that is connected by electric wires attached to the assembly wherein the pressure sensor senses the pressure each time the actuator is turned on, which, in conjunction with the lung/piston once started, at least one of suctions air from the reservoir/tank or returns air to the reservoir/tank; a display that is designed to display a result of a volume scan; a power source that connects the volumetric meter to a power grid, wherein in response to energy being available at 12 volts, the power source is disconnected and the electronic command and control module is connected directly to an electricity network, wherein the volumetric meter is configured to be controlled via a remote control with a liquid crystal display (LCD) that indicates the result of the volume scan using a radiofrequency signal (RF), and controls an on/off function of the electronic command and control module, wherein data obtained by the pressure sensor is stored in a memory in the command and control module, wherein the command and control module performs calculations and displays results of the calculations.

2. The volumetric meter of claim 1, further comprising a set of rules for sequencing empty volume calculations in the reservoir/tank, where: constant fixed recordsMF MF 01 mltank volume that may be measured during an installation operation; MF 02 mllung/piston volume that includes calculating a volume of a trajectory of a plunger and a piston area in a lung/piston assembly; memory of readingsreading of the lung/pistonML, ML11 Painitial pressure; ML12 Pafinal pressure; temporary memoryof calculationsMT MT21 Papressure difference=((ML12) () (ML11)); MT22 umquotient=((MF12) (/) (MT21)); MT23 mlempty volume=((MF02) (*) (MT22)); MT24tank contents=((MF01) () (MT23)); records on the LCD display MP31previous (contents of prior scan); MP32current (contents of current operation); MP33consumption/Abst=((MP31) () (MP32)).

3. The volumetric meter of claim 1, wherein the volumetric meter is an electro-pneumatic volumetric meter.

4. The volumetric meter of claim 1, wherein the volumetric meter is used to measure empty volume of the reservoir/tank in at least one of automobiles or industrial reservoirs, wherein the at least one of automobiles or industrial reservoirs are at least one of irregular in shape, undeformable and hermetic, stationary or moving, flat or on an incline.

5. The volumetric meter of claim 1, wherein the electronic command and control module is coupled to the pressure sensor, the display, the actuator, and the power source.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In addition to this description, in order to better understand the characteristics of this invention, and according to its preferred use, a set of drawings showing its operation by way of example and without limitation is appended hereto:

[0009] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the volumetric meter according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Regarding the drawings, this invention concerns an ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC VOLUMETRIC METER, particularly a volumetric meter (10) used to measure the empty volume of a reservoir/tank (11) for automobiles, industrial reservoirs, and other types of tanks, which may be irregular in shape, undeformable and hermetic, stationary or moving, flat or on an incline.

[0011] According to this invention, the volumetric meter (10) is comprised of a reservoir/tank (11) that is connected to a lung/air piston (14) using pipes or air hoses (12), in which the piston is, in turn, moved by an actuator (15). A pressure sensor (13) is connected to the aforementioned assembly, which completes and allows the movement of air to be recorded and pressure to be sensed by the aforementioned assembly.

[0012] An electronic command and control module (16) is connected by electric wires to the equipment: i) a pressure sensor (13) that senses and reads the pressure at the start of the scan in order to obtain the pressure in the system at this stage, such that each time the actuator (15) is activated in conjunction with the lung/piston (14), there is expulsion and/or return of air to the tank (11); ii) panel (18) designed to show the result of the volume scan on the LCD screen; iii) power source (17) that connects the meter (10) to the power grid (not shown), such that when there is electricity available at 12V, the power source (17) is disconnected and the module (16) is connected directly to the network.

[0013] The meter (10) also allows for remote control (19) with an LCD display which, using a radiofrequency (RF) signal, shows the result of the scan and commands the connection/disconnection of the system from the module (16). The data obtained by the module (16) is stored in the memory of the command and control module (16), which performs the calculations and shows the results.

[0014] The set of rules for sequencing the abovementioned calculations is comprised of the following:

[0015] a) Constant fixed memoryMF

[0016] MF 01 mlTank volume that may be measured during the first installation operation;

[0017] MF 02 mlLung/piston volume that includes calculating the volume over the trajectory of the plunger and the area of the piston of the lung/piston.

[0018] b) Reading memoryreadings from the pressure sensor

[0019] ML11 Painitial pressure;

[0020] ML12 Pafinal pressure.

[0021] c) Temporary memoryof calculationsMT

[0022] MT21 PaPressure difference=((ML12) () (ML11));

[0023] MT22 umQuotient=((MF12) (/) (MT21));

[0024] MT23 mlEmpty volume=((MF02) (*) (MT22));

[0025] MT24Tank contents=((MF01) () (MT23))

[0026] During installation, the (value of MT23empty volume) corresponds to the total volume of the dry tank, which value will be saved in the MF01tank volume.

[0027] d) Records from the LCD display

[0028] MP31Previous (Contents of prior scan);

[0029] MP32Current (Contents of Current Operation);

[0030] MP33Consumption/Abst=((MP31) () (MP32)).

[0031] Updates the display records prior to saving the current data to be transferred from (MP32) to (MP31). Data from prior measurement.

[0032] In order to allow the Operating Command Sequence of the equipment to be performed by the command and control module (16), the equipment must first be connected to the power grid or to the 12V power source, then the following steps must be taken:

[0033] 1.sup.st stepTurn on the module (16) using the on button of the remote control or the affixed panel (18);

[0034] 2.sup.nd stepOnly upon installation of the meter (10) or if there are changes in the volume of the lung/piston (14). Input MF02Volume of lung/piston (14) using the keyboard;

[0035] 3.sup.rd stepRead the sensor and save in ML11 Press Initial;

[0036] 4.sup.th stepTurn on the actuator (15), which will discharge an amount (ml) of air from the lung/piston (14) in the direction of the tank (11); this operation increases the normal pressure of the tank (11);

[0037] 5.sup.th stepRead the pressure sensor (13) and save in ML 12 Press Final;

[0038] 6.sup.th stepTurn on the actuator (15) (which sucks out that quantity (ml) of air to the lung/piston (14)), which operation returns the tank (11) to its normal pressure;

[0039] 7.sup.th stepCalculate ((ML12) () (ML11))save the result in MT21 press difference;

[0040] 8.sup.th stepCalculate ((ML11((/) (MT21))save the result in MT22 quotient;

[0041] 9.sup.th stepCalculate ((MF02) (*) (MT22))save the result in MT23 Void Volume;

[0042] 10.sup.th stepCalculate ((MF01) () (MT23))save the result in MT24 tank (11) contents;

[0043] 11.sup.th stepTransfersave the contents of (MP32Current, in (MP31 Prior);

[0044] 12.sup.th stepTransfersave the contents of (MT24Content in (MP32 current);

[0045] 13.sup.th stepCalculate (MP32 () MP31)save in MP33 Consumption/Supply.

[0046] When this invention is placed into service, modifications may be introduced in regard to certain details of construction and form without this changing the principal fundamentals that are clearly substantiated in the claims table, thus it is understood that the terminology used is not intended to impose limitations.