Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – With signal – indicator – recorder – inspection means or exhibitor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-24
2002-08-27
Jacyna, J. Casimer (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
With signal, indicator, recorder, inspection means or exhibitor
C141S098000, C141S231000, C191S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06439275
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention at issue relates to connection systems for the transfer of liquid fuel, gas or energy between two units of which at least one can be mobile, for example, car—utility electric supply outlet, automobile—fueling station, two railway cars, battery-driven forklift—charging station or armored tank—fueling vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
An automatic connection functions without any direct manual intervention. This is advantageous when, for instance, the driver cannot leave the vehicle, e.g. when refueling a tank, to obtain greater reliability during the connection process itself, e.g. when connecting a vehicle to a power supply or when greater convenience is desirable.
Efforts have been made to create a linkage or connection system for mobile units and have resulted in some applications. Devices for refueling aircraft in flight are an example where monitoring and positioning are required for the connection process. Another example is the automatic fueling of vehicles based on advanced robot and scanning technology. For practical utilization in common applications, e.g. connecting the utility electric supply or a fuel supply, a connection system requires: (1) low production, operation and maintenance costs which in turn requires simple constituent components; (2) no need for monitoring; (3) no need for position adjustment to achieve the exact connection position, i.e. a realistic degree of tolerance for divergent or crooked parking or placement of the vehicle; (4) minimal risk of damage to both the vehicle and the connection station upon connection; (5) ease of use; (6) relatively small dimensions in particular for that part of the system that is installed in the mobile unit or vehicle; and (7) coding the system to limit unauthorized use or to ensure that the connection is made to the correct source, e.g. correct octane rating, or for other safety reasons.
To date, no such automatic connection system has existed due to, among other factors, the inherent conflicts between the above-mentioned requirements. The difficulty has largely been the creation of a simple system that does not require exact parking and, at the same time, is of small dimensions at a low manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the presented invention is to achieve an automatic connection and transfer system for energy, gas or liquid fuel between two units of which at least one can be mobile. It shall, to the greatest possible extent, consist of simple components, where the connection can be achieved within a given range of distance variation in the placement of the mobile unit. It shall be safe and easy to use, of relatively small dimensions and where the transfer can only be undertaken after the connection between the system parts is fully accomplished.
This purpose is achieved by means of a connection system according to the presented invention that incorporates several constituent devices and demonstrates the characteristics as stated in the patent claims. The connection system is first described below and thereafter illustrated by examples including related drawings prior to presentation of the patent claims.
The presented invention is an automatic connection system or the transfer of energy, gas or liquid fuel between two units of which at least one can be mobile and encompasses:
One from the first unit extendible and at least partially rigid at least partially elastic transfer element therein or at energy lines or hose or such like and a coded input device are affixed or built-in—hereafter the “cable”, and a receiver for the cable, hereafter the “receiver”, that can be fixed on a wall, on a post mounted on a foundation or on a moveable mechanical device or in the other mobile unit, and the task of which is to accept the introduced cable and its input device and steer or guide it to an output device that can identify the input device and transfer energy, liquid fuel or gas between the receiver and the cable.
The cable characteristics named above can be achieved e.g. via one at least partially rigid and/or at least partially elastic casing that is affixed/built-in at least at one section of the cable. For example, a spiral casing of suitable plastic, metal or composite material, and/or one at least partially rigid and/or at least partially elastic core or reinforcement, e.g. a core of suitable plastic, metal or composite material is affixed or built-in to at least one section of the cable, and/or at least one section of the affixed conduits in/at the cable possesses suitable elasticity and/or rigidity characteristics, or by any other means or combination of means and material that permit the cable, upon extension towards the receiver, to bridge a given varying distance between said cable's initial position and the receiver component, and/or allow a given variation of angle between the cable's axle in its initial position and the receiver. The cable's partial rigidity also makes it possible to transfer at least part of the force applied to extend the cable to the receiver and input device to pass the cable through the receiver and into the output device in order to create a connection between the input and output devices.
The receiver is comprised of one or several funnel or trumpet-shaped devices, circular or non-circular, closed or open cross-sections- hereafter known as the “funnel” or “funnels”—for receiving and guiding the cable. This facilitates the connection between the input device and the output device or one of the output devices in/at the receiver. The receiver can be comprised of e.g. at least one tapering channel or tube and/or at least one curved tapering channel or tube, for example a spiral channel that receives the inserted cable—whereupon the input device is affixed or built-in—and is allowed to extend, be forced or crawl through its first cross-section and through the funnel's subsequent parallel cross-sections of which at least one part is—in comparison with at least one preceding parallel cross-section—successively tapering, and/or also in relation to the axis formed by the cable's free end when it enters into the first receiving section—successively displaced and/or in relation to the axis—only successively turned. The receiver in its entirety, or one or several of the funnels, can be moveable or flexible to facilitate the cable's movement towards the output device.
The cable can be retracted and extended plus accommodated by a variety of retraction and extension devices that are installed in one of the units between which the transfer can be made, hereafter the “extension device”. The cable can e.g. be retracted and extended by means of a transfer of force between an extension mechanism and a device that is affixed or built-in at the cable e.g. by means of a cog in/at the cable and a transmission cogwheel. The cable can also be retracted and extended by means of one or more suitable wheel(s) that apply pressure to the cable and are driven by a suitable power unit. A third method is comprised of a housing, a cable winder, consisting of two cylinders of different diameters of which the smaller is mounted inside the larger. The space between the cylinders accommodates the “cable”. Upon rotation of the cable winder on its rotation axle, the cable is extended or retracted respectively. The cable is fixed to the cable winder at or near one of its ends while the cable—at or near its other, free end—carries the input device, which together with the output device in the receiver constitute the system's connection device. The cable's fixed end is connected to a service outlet for the transferred energy, gas or liquid fuel via e.g. a slip ring connector or other suitable connection device. Retraction and extension of the cable can be achieved by an electric motor which causes the cable winder to rotate and forces the cable first out of the cylinder through e.g. a channel and/or opening in a foundation, whereupon the cylinder and its housing are mounted, i.e. out of
Jacyna J. Casimer
Ware, Freesola, Van der Sluys & Adolphson LLP
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