Title of Invention	A LEVEL SENSOR FOR DETERMINING A FUEL LEVEL IN A FUEL TANK OF A MOTOR
Abstract	The invention relates to a level sensor (7) for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (13) configured for fastening the level sensor (7) inside the fuel tank (1), a holding part (11) connected to the support (13), a mounting (26) arranged on the holding part (11), a float (9), a lever arm (8) supporting the float (9), and fastening means (19) arranged on the holding part (11) and the support (13), wherein the fastening means (19) of the holding part (11) correspond with the fastening means (20) of the support (13) in at least two different relative positions of the holding part (11) when the holding part (11) is rotated about at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis so that the holding part (11) is selectively connectable to the support (13) in each of the at least two different relative positions.

Title of Invention

A LEVEL SENSOR FOR DETERMINING A FUEL LEVEL IN A FUEL TANK OF A MOTOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a level sensor (7) for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (13) configured for fastening the level sensor (7) inside the fuel tank (1), a holding part (11) connected to the support (13), a mounting (26) arranged on the holding part (11), a float (9), a lever arm (8) supporting the float (9), and fastening means (19) arranged on the holding part (11) and the support (13), wherein the fastening means (19) of the holding part (11) correspond with the fastening means (20) of the support (13) in at least two different relative positions of the holding part (11) when the holding part (11) is rotated about at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis so that the holding part (11) is selectively connectable to the support (13) in each of the at least two different relative positions.

Full Text	LEVEL SENSOR COMPRISING A FLOAT FOR DETERMINING A FUEL LEVEL IN A FUEL TANK, AND KIT FOR SUCH A LEVEL SENSOR Description The invention relates to a level sensor for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, with a support provided for fastening in the fuel tank, with a holding part connected to the support, with a mounting, which is arranged on the holding part, for a lever arm supporting a float, and with fastening means arranged on the holding part and the support. Furthermore, the invention relates to a kit for such a level sensor In the case of fuel tank level sensors known from practice, the support is fastened to a swirl pot prestressed against the base of the fuel tank The holding part is latched to the support during installation. The problem exists in this case of keeping in stock, for differently shaped fuel tanks, different level sensors, in which, for example, the lever arm can be fitted to the left or to the right. This requires a high multiplicity of parts to be kept in stock for different level sensors The invention is based on the problem of designing a level sensor of the type mentioned at the beginning, in such a manner that it can be fitted with particularly few components in differently designed fuel tanks Furthermore, the invention is based on the problem of providing a kit for such a level sensor, which kit can be used with as few components as possible in different fuel tanks. The first-mentioned problem is solved according to the invention in that the fastening means of the holding part correspond with the fastening means of the support in positions of the holding part in which it is rotated about a horizontal axis and about a vertical axis. By means of this design, the holding part, if it serves for fastening to the support, is of symmetrical design and can be fitted in a simple manner to the support in four different positions. Therefore, the holding part and therefore the mounting of the lever arm can be fitted in the appropriate alignment to the support as a function of the particular dimensions of the fuel tanks. This results in a sharp reduction in the number of components of the level sensor according to the invention that are to be kept in stock The components of the level sensor can therefore be used in differently shaped fuel tanks without reworking. Owing to the invention, the components of the level sensor according to the invention are designed as identical parts for different fuel tanks and can therefore be manufactured particularly cost-effectively in the large batch customary for fuel tanks In the very simplest case, the fastening means of the holding part could be holes which pass through the holding part and which correspond in every position to the fastening means designed, for example, as latching hooks However, according to an advantageous development of the invention, continuous holes can be avoided in a simple manner if a front side and a rear side of the holding part each have identical fastening means. A potentiometer or magnetically active position sensor of the level sensor according to the invention is reliably protected against damage if the holding part has two housing parts which can be connected to each other, with one of the housing parts according to choice forming the front side and the other of the housing parts according to choice forming the rear side of the holding part. According to another advantageous development, the lever arm is reliably guided in the holding part if the lever arm has a clip of plastic and a lever wire which is fastened to the clip and supports the float, and if the clip is mounted in both housing parts of the holding part. According to another advantageous development, contact breakers on a potentiometer or fluctuating distances of a magnet of the magnetically active position sensor can be reliably avoided if one of the housing parts of the holding part has a receptacle for a resistance network of a magnetically active position sensor or a thick-film network of a potentiometer and the other housing part has a slideway for the lever arm A high resistance of the level sometimes indicates an empty fuel tank and sometimes a filled fuel tank The level sensor according to the invention permits a simple adaptation to the fuel tank provided if the receptacle is formed symmetrically with respect to the rotatable installation of the resistance network of the magnetically active position sensor or of the thick-film network of a potentiometer. An angled portion of the lever wire could be designed, for example, as a bearing spindle of the lever arm. However, according to another advantageous development of the invention, friction due to different swelling behavior between the metal of the lever wire and the clip manufactured from plastic and the holding part can be avoided in a simple manner if the lever wire has an angled portion which is introduced into a recess of the clip, and if the recess of the clip is arranged outside the housing parts of the holding part and at a distance from the mounting of the clip A further advantage of this design is that the lever wire can be fitted and removed together with the float from the outside. The level sensor according to the invention does not have to be dismantled for this According to another advantageous development of the invention, the installation of the holding part on the support is simplified if the support of the two housing parts of the holding part has arms at least partially engaging around it and a stop for supporting the holding part. The level sensor according to the invention can be fitted in a particularly simple manner if the fastening means of the support and of the holding part are designed as latching hooks and latching recesses. The installation of the level sensor according to the invention is further simplified if the housing parts have latching means for their connection to one another The level sensor according to the invention turns out to be particularly compact if the lever wire is guided via the holding part The second-mentioned problem, namely the provision of a kit for the abovementioned level sensor which can be used with as few components as possible in different fuel tanks is solved, according to the invention, in that two clips are provided, one of the clips having, on its side facing away from a magnet of the position sensor or a contact of the potentiometer, a bent portion for securing the lever wire, and the other clip having the bent portion on the opposite side. By means of this design, in the case of specially shaped fuel tanks the clip can be exchanged in a simple manner and the lever arm can be guided away from the holding part in the designated direction. Owing to the invention, in addition to the housing parts of identical construction and identical potentiometers or magnetically active position sensors and the two clips, only the lever wire has to be matched to the different dimensions of the fuel tank The kit therefore requires particularly few components for different fuel tanks. The invention permits numerous embodiments To further clarify its basic principle, one of these is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and is described below. In the drawing: figure 1 shows, diagrammatically, a sectional illustration through a fuel tank with a level sensor according to the invention arranged therein, figure 2 shows an enlarged sectional illustration through the level sensor from figure 1 along the line II - II, figure 3 shows the level sensor from figure 1 in a perspective illustration, figures 4-6 a perspective illustrations of the level sensor in different installation positions. Figure 1 shows a fuel tank 1 with two half-shells 2, 3 welded to each other and a swirl pot 4 prestressed against the base region of the half-shell 2 The upper half-shell 3 has an opening 6 provided for introducing a fuel pump 5 into the fuel tank 1. The fuel pump 5 is prestressed against the base of the fuel tank 1 and sucks up fuel from the swirl pot 4 Furthermore, the fuel tank 1 has a level sensor 7 with a float 9 fastened to a lever arm 8. The lever arm 8 is mounted pivotably m a clip 10, which is manufactured from plastic, on a holding part 11, which is fastened to the outside of the swirl pot 4, and supports the float 9 by means of a lever wire 12. The float 9 follows a fuel level in the fuel tank 1 and pivots the lever arm 8. The holding part 11 is latched to a support 13 fastened on the swirl pot 4 The support part 13 has lateral arms 14 engaging around the holding part 11 and a stop 15 for supporting the holding part 11 To install the level sensor 7, the holding part 11, which is pre-assembled with the lever arm 8, is pushed into the support 13 from above and is latched therein. Figure 2 shows, on an enlarged scale, the level sensor 7 from figure 1 in a sectional illustration along the line II - II The holding part 11 has two housing parts 16, 17 which are connected to each other via latching means 18. The housing parts 16, 17 of the holding part 11 have fastening means 19 which are designed as recesses and correspond to fastening means 20, designed as latching hooks, of the support 13. The fastening means 19, designed as recesses, of the holding part 11 are arranged at a total of four points on the housing parts 16, 17 The holding part 11 can therefore be rotated about its horizontal axis and about its vertical axis and can therefore be fastened to the support 13 in four different positions. The pivoting angle of the lever arm 8 is detected by a magnetically passive position sensor 21. One of the housing parts 16 has a receptacle 22 for a resistance network 23 of the position sensor 21 The clip 10 supports a magnet 24 of the position sensor 21 On its side facing away from the magnet 24, the clip 10 is at a short distance opposite a slideway 25. A mounting 26 of the clip 10 is arranged in the vicinity of an edge of the two housing parts 16, 17 and supports the clip 10 in its central region. Furthermore, figure 2 shows that, at its end protruding out of the holding part 11, the clip 10 has a recess 27 for receiving an angled portion 28 of the lever wire 12 and a bent portion 29 with a clip connection 3 0 for securing a section of the lever wire 12 which is guided parallel to the clip 10 A second embodiment of the clip 10' permitting the lever wire 12 to be fastened on the inside of the swirl pot 4 is illustrated by chain-dotted lines in figure 2 This clip 10' has a bent portion 29' for securing the lever wire 12 on the side facing the resistance network 23 of the position sensor 21. Figure 3 shows the level sensor 7 from figure 1 in a perspective illustration. Contacts 31 for connection with the position sensor 21 illustrated in figure 2 are arranged on the rear housing part 16 The holding part 11 of the level sensor 7 can be fastened rotated about its vertical axis on the support 13, so that the housing part 16 which has the contacts 31 of the position sensor 7 is at the front This position is illustrated in figure 4. Figure 5 shows the level sensor 7 from figure 3 after the holding part 11 is installed, rotated about its horizontal axis, on the support 13. The housing parts 16, 17 are thereby rotated in such a manner that contacts 31 for connecting the position sensor 21 are arranged on the rear of the housing part 16 and point upward Figure 6 shows the level sensor 7 from figure 5 after the holding part 11 has been installed, rotated about the vertical axis, on the support 13 It can be seen here that the contacts 31 for connecting the position sensor 21 are arranged on the front housing part 16 and point upward. Figures 3 to 6 therefore illustrate four different possibilities for installing the level sensor 7 as a function of the dimensions of the fuel tank 1 illustrated in figure 1. To further increase the possibilities of installing the level sensor 7, the clip 10 can be replaced by the clip 10' illustrated by chain-dotted lines in figure 2. By exchanging the clip 10, 10', the number of possible alignments of the level sensor 7 rises to a total of eight We Claim 1. A level sensor (7) for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (13) configured for fastening the level sensor (7) inside the fuel tank (1), a holding part (11) connected to the support (13), a mounting (26) arranged on the holding part (11), a float (9), a lever arm (8) supporting the float (9), and fastening means (19) arranged on the holding part (11) and the support (13), wherein the fastening means (19) of the holding part (11) correspond with the fastening means (20) of the support (13) in at least two different relative positions of the holding part (11) when the holding part (11) is rotated about at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis so that the holding part (11) is selectively connectable to the support (13) in each of said at least two different relative positions 2. The level sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front side and a rear side of the holding part (11) each have identical fastening means (19). 3. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the holding part (11) comprises two housing parts (16,17) which can be connected to each other, with one of the housing parts (16,17) forming the front side and the other of the housing parts (16,17) forming the rear side of the holding part (11) 4. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lever arm (8) comprising a clip of plastic (10,10') and a lever wire (12) which is fastened to the clip (10,10') and supports the float (9), and the clip (10,10') is mounted in both housing parts (16,17) of the holding part (11). 5. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the housing parts (16,17) of the holding part (11) comprises a receptacle (22) for a resistance network (23) of a magnetically active position sensor (21) or a thick-film network of a potentiometer and the other housing part comprises a slideway (25) for the lever arm (8). 6. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the receptacle (22) is formed symmetrically with respect to a rotatable installation of the resistance network (23) of the magnetically active position sensor (21) or of the thick-film network of a potentiometer. 7. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever wire (12) comprises an angled portion (28) which is introduced into a recess (27) of the clip (10,10'), and the recess (27) of the clip (10,10') is arranged outside the housing parts ( 16,17) of the holding part (11) and at a distance from the mounting (26) of the clip (10,10'). 8. The level sensor (2) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support (13) of the two housing parts (16,17) of the holding part (11) comprises lateral arms (14) at least partially engaging around the support (13) and a stop (15) for supporting the holding part (11). 9. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening means (19,20) of the support (13) and of the holding part (11) are designed as latching hooks and latching recesses 10. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing parts (16,17) comprise latching means (18) for connecting to each other. 11. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever wire (12) is guided via the holding part (11). 12. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (13) is disposed entirely inside the fuel tank (1) to fasten the level sensor (7) entirely inside the fuel tank (1). 13. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two relative positions correspond to rotation of the holding part (11) to 0 or 180 degrees relative to the support (13) about at least one of the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. ABSTRACT TITLE: " A level sensor for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank of a motor" The invention relates to a level sensor (7) for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (13) configured for fastening the level sensor (7) inside the fuel tank (1), a holding part (11) connected to the support (13), a mounting (26) arranged on the holding part (11), a float (9), a lever arm (8) supporting the float (9), and fastening means (19) arranged on the holding part (11) and the support (13), wherein the fastening means (19) of the holding part (11) correspond with the fastening means (20) of the support (13) in at least two different relative positions of the holding part (11) when the holding part (11) is rotated about at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis so that the holding part (11) is selectively connectable to the support (13) in each of the at least two different relative positions.

Full Text

LEVEL SENSOR COMPRISING A FLOAT FOR DETERMINING A FUEL LEVEL IN
A FUEL TANK, AND KIT FOR SUCH A LEVEL SENSOR
Description
The invention relates to a level sensor for determining a fuel
level in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, with a support
provided for fastening in the fuel tank, with a holding part
connected to the support, with a mounting, which is arranged on
the holding part, for a lever arm supporting a float, and with
fastening means arranged on the holding part and the support.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a kit for such a level
sensor
In the case of fuel tank level sensors known from practice, the
support is fastened to a swirl pot prestressed against the base
of the fuel tank The holding part is latched to the support
during installation. The problem exists in this case of keeping
in stock, for differently shaped fuel tanks, different level
sensors, in which, for example, the lever arm can be fitted to
the left or to the right. This requires a high multiplicity of
parts to be kept in stock for different level sensors
The invention is based on the problem of designing a level
sensor of the type mentioned at the beginning, in such a manner
that it can be fitted with particularly few components in
differently designed fuel tanks Furthermore,

the invention is based on the problem of providing a kit for
such a level sensor, which kit can be used with as few
components as possible in different fuel tanks.
The first-mentioned problem is solved according to the
invention in that the fastening means of the holding part
correspond with the fastening means of the support in positions
of the holding part in which it is rotated about a horizontal
axis and about a vertical axis.
By means of this design, the holding part, if it serves for
fastening to the support, is of symmetrical design and can be
fitted in a simple manner to the support in four different
positions. Therefore, the holding part and therefore the
mounting of the lever arm can be fitted in the appropriate
alignment to the support as a function of the particular
dimensions of the fuel tanks. This results in a sharp reduction
in the number of components of the level sensor according to
the invention that are to be kept in stock The components of
the level sensor can therefore be used in differently shaped
fuel tanks without reworking. Owing to the invention, the
components of the level sensor according to the invention are
designed as identical parts for different fuel tanks and can
therefore be manufactured particularly cost-effectively in the
large batch customary for fuel tanks
In the very simplest case, the fastening means of the holding
part could be holes which pass through the holding part and
which correspond in every position to the fastening means

designed, for example, as latching hooks However, according to
an advantageous development of the invention, continuous holes
can be avoided in a simple manner if a front side and a rear
side of the holding part each have identical fastening means.
A potentiometer or magnetically active position sensor of the
level sensor according to the invention is reliably protected
against damage if the holding part has two housing parts which
can be connected to each other, with one of the housing parts
according to choice forming the front side and the other of the
housing parts according to choice forming the rear side of the
holding part.
According to another advantageous development, the lever arm is
reliably guided in the holding part if the lever arm has a clip
of plastic and a lever wire which is fastened to the clip and
supports the float, and if the clip is mounted in both housing
parts of the holding part.
According to another advantageous development, contact breakers
on a potentiometer or fluctuating distances of a magnet of the
magnetically active position sensor can be reliably avoided if
one of the housing parts of the holding part has a receptacle
for a resistance network of a magnetically active position
sensor or a thick-film network of a potentiometer and the other
housing part has a slideway for the lever arm
A high resistance of the level sometimes indicates an empty
fuel tank and sometimes a filled fuel tank The level sensor
according to the invention permits

a simple adaptation to the fuel tank provided if the receptacle
is formed symmetrically with respect to the rotatable
installation of the resistance network of the magnetically
active position sensor or of the thick-film network of a
potentiometer.
An angled portion of the lever wire could be designed, for
example, as a bearing spindle of the lever arm. However,
according to another advantageous development of the invention,
friction due to different swelling behavior between the metal
of the lever wire and the clip manufactured from plastic and
the holding part can be avoided in a simple manner if the lever
wire has an angled portion which is introduced into a recess of
the clip, and if the recess of the clip is arranged outside the
housing parts of the holding part and at a distance from the
mounting of the clip A further advantage of this design is
that the lever wire can be fitted and removed together with the
float from the outside. The level sensor according to the
invention does not have to be dismantled for this
According to another advantageous development of the invention,
the installation of the holding part on the support is
simplified if the support of the two housing parts of the
holding part has arms at least partially engaging around it and
a stop for supporting the holding part.
The level sensor according to the invention can be fitted in a
particularly simple manner if the fastening means of the
support and of the holding part are designed as latching hooks
and latching recesses.

The installation of the level sensor according to the invention
is further simplified if the housing parts have latching means
for their connection to one another
The level sensor according to the invention turns out to be
particularly compact if the lever wire is guided via the
holding part
The second-mentioned problem, namely the provision of a kit for
the abovementioned level sensor which can be used with as few
components as possible in different fuel tanks is solved,
according to the invention, in that two clips are provided, one
of the clips having, on its side facing away from a magnet of
the position sensor or a contact of the potentiometer, a bent
portion for securing the lever wire, and the other clip having
the bent portion on the opposite side.
By means of this design, in the case of specially shaped fuel
tanks the clip can be exchanged in a simple manner and the
lever arm can be guided away from the holding part in the
designated direction. Owing to the invention, in addition to
the housing parts of identical construction and identical
potentiometers or magnetically active position sensors and the
two clips, only the lever wire has to be matched to the
different dimensions of the fuel tank The kit therefore
requires particularly few components for different fuel tanks.
The invention permits numerous embodiments To further clarify
its basic principle, one of these is

illustrated in the accompanying drawing and is described below. In the
drawing:

figure 1

shows, diagrammatically, a sectional
illustration through a fuel tank with a level
sensor according to the invention arranged
therein,

figure 2

shows an enlarged sectional illustration through
the level sensor from figure 1 along the line
II - II,

figure 3

shows the level sensor from figure 1 in a
perspective illustration,

figures 4-6

a perspective illustrations of the level sensor
in different installation positions.

Figure 1 shows a fuel tank 1 with two half-shells 2, 3 welded
to each other and a swirl pot 4 prestressed against the base
region of the half-shell 2 The upper half-shell 3 has an
opening 6 provided for introducing a fuel pump 5 into the fuel
tank 1. The fuel pump 5 is prestressed against the base of the
fuel tank 1 and sucks up fuel from the swirl pot 4
Furthermore, the fuel tank 1 has a level sensor 7 with a float
9 fastened to a lever arm 8. The lever arm 8 is mounted
pivotably m a clip 10, which is manufactured from plastic, on
a holding part 11, which is fastened to the outside of the
swirl pot 4, and supports the float 9 by means of a lever wire
12. The

float 9 follows a fuel level in the fuel tank 1 and pivots the
lever arm 8. The holding part 11 is latched to a support 13
fastened on the swirl pot 4 The support part 13 has lateral
arms 14 engaging around the holding part 11 and a stop 15 for
supporting the holding part 11 To install the level sensor 7,
the holding part 11, which is pre-assembled with the lever arm
8, is pushed into the support 13 from above and is latched
therein.
Figure 2 shows, on an enlarged scale, the level sensor 7 from
figure 1 in a sectional illustration along the line II - II
The holding part 11 has two housing parts 16, 17 which are
connected to each other via latching means 18. The housing
parts 16, 17 of the holding part 11 have fastening means 19
which are designed as recesses and correspond to fastening
means 20, designed as latching hooks, of the support 13. The
fastening means 19, designed as recesses, of the holding part
11 are arranged at a total of four points on the housing parts
16, 17 The holding part 11 can therefore be rotated about its
horizontal axis and about its vertical axis and can therefore
be fastened to the support 13 in four different positions.
The pivoting angle of the lever arm 8 is detected by a
magnetically passive position sensor 21. One of the housing
parts 16 has a receptacle 22 for a resistance network 23 of the
position sensor 21 The clip 10 supports a magnet 24 of the
position sensor 21 On its side facing away from the magnet 24,
the clip 10 is at a short distance opposite a slideway 25. A
mounting 26 of the clip 10 is arranged in the vicinity of an
edge of the two housing parts 16, 17 and supports

the clip 10 in its central region. Furthermore, figure 2 shows
that, at its end protruding out of the holding part 11, the
clip 10 has a recess 27 for receiving an angled portion 28 of
the lever wire 12 and a bent portion 29 with a clip connection
3 0 for securing a section of the lever wire 12 which is guided
parallel to the clip 10
A second embodiment of the clip 10' permitting the lever wire
12 to be fastened on the inside of the swirl pot 4 is
illustrated by chain-dotted lines in figure 2 This clip 10'
has a bent portion 29' for securing the lever wire 12 on the
side facing the resistance network 23 of the position sensor
21.
Figure 3 shows the level sensor 7 from figure 1 in a
perspective illustration. Contacts 31 for connection with the
position sensor 21 illustrated in figure 2 are arranged on the
rear housing part 16
The holding part 11 of the level sensor 7 can be fastened
rotated about its vertical axis on the support 13, so that the
housing part 16 which has the contacts 31 of the position
sensor 7 is at the front This position is illustrated in
figure 4.
Figure 5 shows the level sensor 7 from figure 3 after the
holding part 11 is installed, rotated about its horizontal
axis, on the support 13. The housing parts 16, 17 are thereby
rotated in such a manner that contacts 31 for connecting the
position sensor 21 are arranged on the rear of the housing part
16 and point upward

Figure 6 shows the level sensor 7 from figure 5 after the
holding part 11 has been installed, rotated about the vertical
axis, on the support 13 It can be seen here that the contacts
31 for connecting the position sensor 21 are arranged on the
front housing part 16 and point upward.
Figures 3 to 6 therefore illustrate four different
possibilities for installing the level sensor 7 as a function
of the dimensions of the fuel tank 1 illustrated in figure 1.
To further increase the possibilities of installing the level
sensor 7, the clip 10 can be replaced by the clip 10'
illustrated by chain-dotted lines in figure 2. By exchanging
the clip 10, 10', the number of possible alignments of the
level sensor 7 rises to a total of eight

We Claim
1. A level sensor (7) for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank (1) of a motor
vehicle, comprising
a support (13) configured for fastening the level sensor (7) inside the fuel tank
(1),
a holding part (11) connected to the support (13),
a mounting (26) arranged on the holding part (11),
a float (9),
a lever arm (8) supporting the float (9), and
fastening means (19) arranged on the holding part (11) and the support (13),
wherein the fastening means (19) of the holding part (11) correspond with the
fastening means (20) of the support (13) in at least two different relative
positions of the holding part (11) when the holding part (11) is rotated about at
least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis so that the holding part (11) is
selectively connectable to the support (13) in each of said at least two different
relative positions
2. The level sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front side and a rear side of
the holding part (11) each have identical fastening means (19).

3. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the holding part (11)
comprises two housing parts (16,17) which can be connected to each other, with
one of the housing parts (16,17) forming the front side and the other of the
housing parts (16,17) forming the rear side of the holding part (11)
4. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lever arm (8)
comprising a clip of plastic (10,10') and a lever wire (12) which is fastened to the
clip (10,10') and supports the float (9), and the clip (10,10') is mounted in both
housing parts (16,17) of the holding part (11).
5. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the housing parts
(16,17) of the holding part (11) comprises a receptacle (22) for a resistance
network (23) of a magnetically active position sensor (21) or a thick-film
network of a potentiometer and the other housing part comprises a slideway
(25) for the lever arm (8).
6. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the receptacle (22) is
formed symmetrically with respect to a rotatable installation of the resistance
network (23) of the magnetically active position sensor (21) or of the thick-film
network of a potentiometer.

7. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever wire (12)
comprises an angled portion (28) which is introduced into a recess (27) of the
clip (10,10'), and the recess (27) of the clip (10,10') is arranged outside the
housing parts ( 16,17) of the holding part (11) and at a distance from the
mounting (26) of the clip (10,10').
8. The level sensor (2) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support (13) of the two
housing parts (16,17) of the holding part (11) comprises lateral arms (14) at
least partially engaging around the support (13) and a stop (15) for supporting
the holding part (11).
9. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening means
(19,20) of the support (13) and of the holding part (11) are designed as latching
hooks and latching recesses
10. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing parts (16,17)
comprise latching means (18) for connecting to each other.
11. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lever wire (12) is
guided via the holding part (11).

12. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support (13) is
disposed entirely inside the fuel tank (1) to fasten the level sensor (7) entirely
inside the fuel tank (1).
13. The level sensor (7) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two relative
positions correspond to rotation of the holding part (11) to 0 or 180 degrees
relative to the support (13) about at least one of the horizontal axis and the
vertical axis.

ABSTRACT

TITLE: " A level sensor for determining a fuel level in a fuel tank of a motor"
The invention relates to a level sensor (7) for determining a fuel level in a fuel
tank (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (13) configured for fastening
the level sensor (7) inside the fuel tank (1), a holding part (11) connected to the
support (13), a mounting (26) arranged on the holding part (11), a float (9), a
lever arm (8) supporting the float (9), and fastening means (19) arranged on
the holding part (11) and the support (13), wherein the fastening means (19) of
the holding part (11) correspond with the fastening means (20) of the support
(13) in at least two different relative positions of the holding part (11) when the
holding part (11) is rotated about at least one of a horizontal axis and a vertical
axis so that the holding part (11) is selectively connectable to the support (13) in
each of the at least two different relative positions.

A LEVEL SENSOR FOR DETERMINING A FUEL LEVEL IN A FUEL TANK OF A MOTOR

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