US 12,491,330 B2
Apparatus and method for detecting liquid level in a clear or partially clear container
Scott I. Biba, Waunakee, WI (US)
Assigned to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/223,909.
Application 18/223,909 is a division of application No. 18/082,174, filed on Dec. 15, 2022, granted, now 11,744,976.
Application 18/082,174 is a division of application No. 16/724,786, filed on Dec. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,554,235, issued on Jan. 17, 2023.
Application 16/724,786 is a continuation of application No. 15/460,334, filed on Mar. 16, 2017, granted, now 10,543,334, issued on Jan. 28, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/331,117, filed on May 3, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0355909 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. A61M 16/08 (2006.01); A61M 16/10 (2006.01); B01D 46/00 (2022.01); B01D 46/62 (2022.01); G01F 23/292 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/0808 (2013.01) [A61M 16/1005 (2014.02); A61M 16/107 (2014.02); B01D 46/0002 (2013.01); B01D 46/0086 (2013.01); B01D 46/62 (2022.01); G01F 23/2921 (2013.01); G01F 23/2922 (2013.01); G01F 23/2925 (2013.01); G01F 23/2927 (2013.01); A61M 2016/102 (2013.01); A61M 2205/14 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3306 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3379 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3382 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3386 (2013.01); A61M 2205/6063 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A filter trap apparatus, comprising:
a filter configured to filter water vapor and/or liquid from a gas;
a trap bowl configured to accumulate liquid droplets from the filter, as a liquid content, the trap bowl comprising a transparent circular section that extends in a vertical direction;
an offset light source, configured to emit a light beam in that is incident on an outer surface of the transparent circular section, at a point of incidence, the light beam having a vector component parallel to a reference line that is tangential to the point of incidence, and having a vector component that is normal to the reference line at the point of incidence; and
an offset light receiver located on an opposite side of the trap bowl from the offset light source,
wherein an optical index of refraction of the transparent circular section is selected such that when a gas content is against the transparent circular section, the light beam is refracted along a first path, and when the liquid content is against the transparent circular section, the light beam is refracted along a second path, wherein the first path travels through the trap bowl and is incident on the offset light receiver, and the second path travels through the trap bowl, exits the trap bowl, and misses the offset light receiver.