Compressed natural gas fueling system with integrated fill receptacle

• US 10,118,483 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Worthington Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Worthington Industries Incorporated (Kellogg Company)
• Inventors: Milton, Trevor, Mackelprang, Morgan, Hilton, Ralph, Sloan, Isaac
• Primary Examiner(s): Knutson, Jacob D
• Application Number:
  US15/256,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20160368372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 280834
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03006 Gas tanks B60K15/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/063 Arrangement of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/07 of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03019 Filling of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0638 the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/06 at vehicle front or rear rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/148 Semi-trailers, articulated vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/005 Storage of gas or gaseous mixture at high pressure and at high density condition, e.g. in the single state phase
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/084 for small-sized storage vessels, e.g. compressed gas cylinders or bottles, disposable gas vessels, vessels adapted for automotive use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0107 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0111 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0146 with details of the manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 : Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0171 : Trucks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 : for filling with compressed gases

Abstract

A compressed natural gas fueling system includes a frame arrangement with at least one tank disposed therein and an inlet that can receive a compressed natural gas fueling nozzle to fill the at least one tank. The fueling system can be attached with and supported by frame rails behind a cabin of a vehicle such that the inlet is positioned above the frame rails.

Claims

1. A fuel system, comprising:

a frame that is configured to be attached to a frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of the vehicle;

a cylindrical tank that includes a first end and an opposing second end, wherein each end includes a mount that is attached to a portion of the frame;

a manifold assembly in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank;

the cylindrical tank is housed within the frame that such that axis of the cylindrical tank is oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle;

the frame further comprising;

a first driver side tank support;

a first passenger side tank support;

a driver side pair of corner brackets; and

a passenger side pair of corner brackets.

2. The fuel system of claim 1, the manifold assembly is configured to be attached to a portion of the frame.

3. The fuel system of claim 1, the manifold assembly includes at least one of a fill receptacle, a high pressure gauge, a low pressure gauge, or an outlet port.

4. The fuel system of claim 3, wherein the fill receptacle is in fluid communication with a valve assembly in which the valve assembly is in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank.

5. The fuel system of claim 3, wherein the outlet port is in fluid communication with an engine of the vehicle.

6. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a filter that filters a content of the cylindrical tank prior to delivery to an engine of the vehicle.

7. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a regulator that controls a portion of flow of the content delivered to an engine of the vehicle.

8. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first driver side tank support is attached to the driver side pair of corner brackets; and

the first passenger side tank support is attached to the passenger side pair of corner brackets.

9. The fuel system of claim 8, further comprising:

the first end of the cylindrical tank is attached to the driver side tank support; and

the second end of the cylindrical tank is attached to the passenger side tank support.

10. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising one or more panels to cover the frame.

11. The fuel system of claim 10, further comprising an access panel that provides access to the manifold assembly and the manifold assembly located inside the one or more panels.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a frame rail;

an engine;

a fuel system, comprising;

a frame that is configured to be attached to the frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of the vehicle;

the frame further comprising;

a first driver side tank support;

a first passenger side tank support;

a driver side pair of corner brackets;

a passenger side pair of corner brackets;

a cylindrical tank that includes a first end and an opposing second end, wherein each end includes a mount that is attached to a portion of the frame;

a manifold assembly in fluid communication with the cylindrical tank; and

the cylindrical tank is housed within the frame that such that axis of the cylindrical tank is oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising:

the first driver side tank support is attached to the driver side pair of corner brackets; and

the first passenger side tank support is attached to the passenger side pair of corner brackets.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising:

the first end of the cylindrical tank is attached to the driver side tank support; and

the second end of the cylindrical tank is attached to the passenger side tank support.

15. A fuel system, comprising:

a frame that is configured to be attached to a frame rail of a vehicle such that the frame is positioned above the frame rail of the vehicle and behind a cabin of the vehicle;

two or more cylindrical tanks, wherein the two or more cylindrical tanks each include a first end and an opposing second end;

a manifold assembly in fluid communication with at least one of the two or more cylindrical tanks;

the two or more cylindrical tanks are housed within the frame that such that axis of the two or more cylindrical tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rail of the vehicle;

the frame further comprising;

a driver side tank support for each of the two or more cylindrical tanks;

a passenger side tank support for each of the two or more cylindrical tanks;

a driver side pair of corner brackets; and

a passenger side pair of corner brackets.

16. The fuel system of claim 15, further comprising:

each driver side tank support is attached to the driver side pair of corner brackets; and

each passenger side tank support is attached to the passenger side pair of corner brackets.

17. The fuel system of claim 16, further comprising:

the first end of each cylindrical tank is attached to the respective driver side tank support; and

the second end of each cylindrical tank is attached to the respective passenger side tank support.

18. A fuel system, comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed behind a cabin of a vehicle;

a plurality of tanks disposed within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of tanks includes front and rear mounts at opposing ends, the front and rear mounts are attached to tank supports, and the tank supports are attached between corner brackets to provide mounting structures for the plurality of tanks;

a filter and a regulator are each mounted on or within the housing, wherein the filter is configured to filter gas from the plurality of tanks, the regulator is configured to be in fluid communication with the filter; and

an inlet configured to receive a fueling nozzle and be in fluid communication with the plurality of tanks, wherein the housing is further configured to be attached with and supported by frame rails of the vehicle such that the plurality of tanks and the inlet are positioned above the frame rails, and the plurality of tanks are stacked on each other such that axes of the plurality of tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rails.