Assembly for automatic vehicle fueling

Details Assembly for automatic vehicle fueling Assembly for automatic vehicle fueling

2002-09-19

2004-07-13

Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)

Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea

Combined

C141S094000, C220S086200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06761192

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for transferring a liquid from fuel storage to a vehicle fuel tank and, more particularly, to automatic fueling of vehicles at retail fueling stations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Retail selling of gasoline and other vehicle fuels is a major industry throughout the world. By one recent estimate, there are on the order of 200,000 retail fuel service stations in the United States alone.
Such stations are referred to as either “full service” stations or “self service” stations, depending on whether a station employee or the customer himself is responsible for manipulating the pump, fuel hose, and valve structure into position for fueling the vehicle. In either case, however, substantial human activity is required by a person outside the vehicle to accomplish the fueling of the vehicle fuel tank.
In view of the extremely high volume of retail fuel sales, the high costs of providing full service, and the inconvenience for a customer of all the manipulative steps necessary for vehicle fueling, a need exists for improved fueling station methods and apparatus. In particular, a need exists for practical automatic fueling apparatus and methods.
A number of attempts have been made in the prior art to improve retail fueling procedures. Some examples include the disclosures of the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,020 (Darwin)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,940 (Ginsburgh et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,320 (Ginsburgh et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,117 (Nebelsiek et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,268 (Ginsburgh)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,906 (Ginsburgh et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,109 (Ginsburgh et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,036 (Ginsburgh et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,144 (Horvath et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,709 (Horvath et al.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,581 (Hollerback)
These patents describe various methods and types of apparatus for facilitating fueling and for automatic fueling using overhead, on-ground or below-ground equipment. However, the automatic fueling systems and methods disclosed in the prior art have substantial inherent practical problems.
A need has existed for an improved practical approach to automatic engagement of a filling nozzle with fuel tank intake devices on vehicles. In particular, there is a need for an improved fuel-intake device which can mounted lateral to the tank and can readily be engaged automatically by a fuel nozzle for filling the tank through the a fuel conduit connected to the tank.
In addition, there is a need for automatic fueling assemblies which do not require costly retrofitting of vehicle fuel tanks. Furthermore, there is a need for automatic fueling assemblies which provide for connection of the pump to the vehicle using advanced positioning systems which do not require powered devices on the vehicle.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention, in the field of automatic vehicle fueling, to provide an improved fueling assembly for fueling conventional vehicle tanks without requiring costly retrofitting of the tanks.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle fuel tank inlet assembly which utilizes the existing fuel port on a vehicle's fuel tank and avoids the need for drilling or replacement of fuel tanks.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle fuel tank inlet assembly which prevent fuel leaks from the fuel tank.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fueling assembly for fueling vehicle tanks which utilizes an advanced positioning system to locate the vehicle fuel inlet and move the pump nozzle toward the inlet without need of a powered signal or response from the vehicle.
Another object is to provide a vehicle fuel tank inlet assembly which can be mounted to a vehicle at a position lateral to the fuel tank and is connected to the fuel tank using a flexible conduit, such that impacts to the inlet assembly are not transferred to the tank.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a pump assembly for automatic vehicle fueling which includes a positioned system using inductive triangulation to locate the fuel inlet.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fueling assembly for automatic fueling which provides for easy installation and uses less space in the vehicle.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following descriptions and from the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is an improved automatic vehicle fueling assembly for use with a vehicle fuel tank and fuel line. The invention represents a significant advance over the state of the art by providing novel elements, including a fuel tank inlet assembly and a pump assembly for delivering fuel to a fuel tank.
Before operation of the automatic vehicle fueling assembly, a vehicle must be driven into position over the pump assembly. While such vehicle positioning is occurring, the pump assembly is positioned below the surface of the ground and is covered by a door or doors, preferably a pair of sliding doors which are generally flush with the ground. The doors are subsequently opened to expose the pump assembly. Lines or other guidance means on or beside the path of the vehicle enable the driver to move the vehicle into an approximate position at which the pump assembly can extend into contact with the fuel tank inlet assembly as described below.
The automatic vehicle fueling assembly includes a fuel tank inlet assembly having a fuel conduit with a fuel entrance and exit for operative connection with a fuel tank and a pump assembly with a fuel nozzle defining a passageway for fuel and providing for operative connection to the fuel entrance. The fuel conduit preferably includes a flexible fuel hose having a first end for operative connection to the fuel nozzle during fueling and a second end operatively connected to the fuel tank.
A certain preferred fuel tank inlet assembly includes a fitting with at least a first, second and third opening. The first opening is provided for operative connection to the fuel nozzle during fueling, the second opening is provided for operative connection to the fuel line, and the third opening is provided for operative connection to the fuel tank. In a most preferred embodiment, the fitting is a “Y”-shaped fitting, though it could also be a “T”-shaped fitting or of any other shape. The inlet assembly also preferably includes a first valve for controlling fuel flow through the first opening and a second valve for controlling fuel flow through the second opening. The first and second valves are preferably spring loaded and allow unidirectional fuel flow toward the tank and prevent fuel from “back flowing” from the tank to either the fuel exit or the manual fueling position.
In a certain preferred embodiment the fuel tank inlet assembly further includes a fuel inlet adapter connected with respect to the first end of the fuel hose. The fuel inlet adapter is preferably mounted to the vehicle (preferably to the underside of the trunk) and has an inlet cavity for receiving the fuel nozzle. In a most preferred embodiment, flexible sealing doors extend into the inlet cavity to provide sealing between the nozzle and inlet adapter and a slide cover covers the inlet cavity and prevents debris from entering the cavity. The slide cover is preferably formed so as to open upon contact with the fuel nozzle.
The preferred pump assembly includes a frame which supports the nozzle and is positioned underground, below the vehicle, before fueling and is upwardly moveable to provide operative connection between the nozzle and the fuel entrance. The preferred pump assembly also includes a nozzle sheath having a sheath cavity in which the nozzle is positioned before fueling, and a collar connected with respect to the nozzle sheath and formed for mating engagement with the fuel entrance. The preferred nozzle sheath is compressible such that when upward movement of the frame causes the collar to contact the fuel entrance, the sheath stops moving upward and the nozzle continues to move upward out of the sheath cavity and into the inlet cav

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