Abstract: A filling level sensor having a lever arm which has a float at one end and is held at its other end by a clip. A resistance network is arranged on a substrate and to which a contact structure is assigned, the resistance network producing an electrical signal for the filling level as a function of the pivoted position of a lever arm. The clip is composed of an electrically conductive plastic and has an electrical contact connected to the clip in an electrically conductive way, such that as the lever arm pivots said contact describes a circular path on the substrate. The area on the substrate over which the electrical contact passes is an electrically conductive contact face and is electrically conductively connected to a connecting line of the filling level sensor.

Abstract: A vibrator for generating a signal for measuring a physical quantity using a vibrator is provided, including at least one bending vibration arm vibrating in bending mode along a specified plane and having a first end, an opposed second end, and first and second main faces that are substantially parallel with each other. A base portion is provided at the first provided at the first end of the bending vibration arm, a weight portion is provided at the second end of the bending vibration arm, and grooves are formed on the first and second main faces. The vibrator further includes driving means for exciting a driving vibration in the vibrator, and detecting means provided on one of the bending vibration arms for detecting an output signal based on detection vibrations induced in the vibrator responsive to the physical quantity to be measured.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a fluid level in a tank comprises a housing including a level indicator for displaying a measured fluid level in the tank. A rod extends from the housing and a float is adapted to travel along the rod. A first end of an elongated flexible member is attached to the float and an opposite end of the elongated flexible member is attached to a spool. The spool stores at least a portion of the elongated flexible member. The apparatus further includes a spring adapted to urge the spool to automatically uptake portions of the elongated flexible member as the float travels towards the housing and to allow the elongated flexible member to unwind from the spool as the float travels away from the housing.

Abstract: A micromachined integrated opto-thermal sensor having a rapidly intensity varying or pulsing light source, an interference filter, shadow masking or reflective blocking of light from thermal sensors, or differential operation, a gas cavity into which the detected gas can flow into via a channel or filter, and a thermal detector elements to sense the heating of the gas caused by the absorption of light at a particular wavelength by the specific gas to be detected. Another version of the sensor is one with a dual cavity. One cavity contains the gas to be detected and the other cavity is sealed from the ambient environment and contains no gas. Signals from the detectors from the cavities are subtracted from each other resulting in the elimination of a fixed signal due to radiation impinging the detectors.

Abstract: A fuel tank attachment which records the cumulative amount of fuel involved in successive fillings of the tank and also the fuel consumed between fillings, using two digital counters for this purpose, each being of the type that adds in one direction and subtracts in the other. The one counter that records fuel consumption requires this two-directional operational mode wherein it adds from "0" or other selected starting point as fuel is consumed, and subtracts back to "0" when the tank is filled. The other or cumulative counter, however, must be prevented from subtracting, or otherwise the record which it provides will be inaccurate. In accordance with the present invention, the cumulative counter is operated in its adding mode in a positive fashion by a first pawl and ratchet arrangement, and is prevented from operating in its subtracting mode, again in a positive fashion, by a second pawl and ratchet arrangement.

Abstract: A dual gauge device for simultaneously indicating the quantity of liquid in a container and the amount of liquid that has been added to the container during a selected period of time irrespective of the amount of liquid withdrawn from the container during the same period of time.