This invention relates to a fluid level indicator for a small watercraft, and more particularly to a fluid level indicator which can provide a useful indication of a particular fluid level in a small watercraft even when the watercraft is experiencing severe rocking and up and down movements during operation and which is able to detect the fluid level at a number of positions.
One type of particularly popular small watercraft is of the jet propelled type and is designed to be operated by a single rider who is seated on the seat in straddle-like fashion. This type of small watercraft is highly maneuverable and is very sporting in nature. A control bridge is normally located forwardly of the seat and carries handlebars which are positioned where the rider may conveniently grasp them to steer the watercraft. An instrument panel may also be positioned on the control bridge in view of the rider and may include an indicator for a fluid such as fuel or oil.
One type of known device for detecting the fluid level in a fuel or oil tank of a boat includes a pivotal arm having a float at one end thereof. Fluctuation of the fluid level causes vertical displacement of the float so that the fluid level may be detected in reference to the angular orientation of the pivotal arm. While this type of device is generally satisfactory for large watercraft, it is not well suited for smaller watercraft which are more strongly influenced by wind and water forces. When this type of device is applied to a small watercraft, the float tends to vibrate or move when the fluid is agitated as a result of these wind and/or water forces which cause the small watercraft to rock or move up and down.
Another type of device used for detecting the fluid level in a fuel or oil tank of a boat includes a vertical guide member disposed in the tank, a single float vertically movable and slidably supported on the guide, and reed switches positioned within the guide for detecting the position of the float along the guide. FIG. 1 illustrates such a device. In this figure, the vertical guide member is designated by the numeral 61 within which three vertically spaced apart reed switches 62a through 62c are disposed. An annular float 63 having a permanent magnet 64 is slidably received by the guide 61. The switches 62a through 62c are turned on and off on based on the position of the float 63 in the sections A through E as follows:
______________________________________ POSITION OF SWITCH THE FLOAT 62a 62b 62c ______________________________________ Section E off off on Section D off off off Section C off on off Section B off off off Section A on off off ______________________________________
As can be seen from the above, this type of arrangement does not distinguish between the float being in section B and in section D. This problem still occurs even if the number of switches are increased to four or more. Decreasing the number of switches to one or two with this type of arrangement will decrease the number of sections so that the fluid level can be detected at only a limited number of positions.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a fluid level indicator which can be used to effectively detect and indicate a fluid level in a small watercraft even when the watercraft is experiencing severe rocking or up and down movements during operation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid level indicator for a small watercraft which is able to detect and distinguish the fluid level at a number of different positions.