Fuel level sensor with buried conductor

Claim 1

A level sensor for detecting the level of a liquid in a tank, wherein a moveable float disposed about an insulated vertical member rises and falls with the level of said liquid, said float having disposed thereon a plurality of interconnected metal contacts and said vertical member having disposed thereon a resistive track and an isolated conductive track, said resistive and conductive tracks being adapted to be connected to external electric circuitry, said float electrically interconnecting said resistive track and said conductive track at the level of said float corresponding with the level of said liquid, facilitating an electric current path through said resistive track across said float and through said conductive track, wherein the improvement comprises: said vertical member comprising a conductive metal substrate having a top and bottom and having a substantial portion thereof encased in an insulating layer; said resistive track having a top and a bottom and being deposited longitudinally on said insulating layer; and an electrical connection between the bottom of said resistive track to the bottom of said metal substrate such that said metal substrate establishes a buried conductive path to the bottom of said resistive track, thereby facilitating a direct proportionality between magnitude of resistance and level of liquid.