UN DISPOSITIVO INDICADOR DE BAJO NIVEL DE COMBUSTIBLE, PARTICULARMENTE PARA UN VEHICULO AUTOMOVIL.

摘要

A low fuel indicator system 10 for a motor vehicle comprises a light-emitting indicator 12 which is energized or de-energized by an output signal derived from a voltage comparator 14 which receives a reference voltage from a reference voltage source 20 and a variable voltage signal from a time delay circuit 22, which variable voltage signal is derived from a voltage signal generated by a fuel level sensor in a fuel tank of the vehicle. The light-emitting indicator 12 is energized when the fuel level in the fuel tank falls below a predetermined low level, and time delay circuit 22 operates to isolate the voltage comparator 14 and light-emitting indicator 12 from temporary variations in fuel level produced by "fuel-slosh" in the fuel tank caused by variations in the motion or orientation of the motor vehicle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a time delay override circuit 24 is included which is operable upon switching on the ignition circuit of the vehicle to energize the light-emitting indicator 12 if the level of fuel in the fuel tank is above said predetermined low level but below a second predetermined level corresponding approximately to the fuel tank being a quarter full.