Automated System for Fueling Vehicles

• US 20140305545A1
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Roland Jr. Butler
• Original Assignee: Charles Roland Jr. Butler
• Inventors: Butler, Charles Roland Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,169,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/94
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0419 Fuelling nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0442 interface for orders and payments
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0459 by interrogating a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0461 by calculating from a reference position, e.g. the car's silhouette, reference marks
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0469 by interrogating a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

An automated fueling system in which an operator remains in their vehicle. The fueling system is configured to obtain transaction information from the operator, align the vehicle relative to a fuel pump, and to deliver the fuel to the vehicle. Once the process is complete, the operator can drive their vehicle away from the station.

Claims

1. An automated system to fuel a vehicle such that a user remains within the vehicle during fueling, the system comprising:

a drive system including a support member configured to be positioned under the vehicle and sized to receive at least one tire of the vehicle, the drive system configured to move the support member and the vehicle along a lane;

an alignment system configured to be positioned at a stationary point along the lane and configured to align the vehicle at a predetermined position along the lane as the vehicle is being moved by the drive system, the alignment system including a first target mounted to the vehicle at a first distance from a fuel inlet of the vehicle and a first sensor to detect the first target when the vehicle is at the predetermined position; and

a fueling system configured to be positioned along the lane and including a hose, a second sensor mounted to the hose, and a second target mounted to the vehicle at a second predetermined distance from the fuel inlet, the second target being spaced apart from the first target, the sensor configured to detect the second target to vertically align the hose with the fuel inlet, the fueling system further configured to extend the hose outward towards the vehicle to insert the hose into the fuel inlet when the second target is detected and the hose is aligned with the fuel inlet;

the alignment system configured to horizontally align the hose with the fuel inlet.

2. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the fueling system comprises a pump housing that is stationary relative to the drive system with the hose being movable relative to the pump housing.

3. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the first and second targets are different.

4. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the drive system includes an elongated chain that is powered by a motor with the support member being connected to the chain.

5. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the support member is a flat plate and the drive system further includes an actuator operatively connected to the plate to move the plate along the lane.

6. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the fueling system is configured to detect the second target after the vehicle has been horizontally aligned along the lane by the alignment system.

7. The automated system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator system to open a fuel door that extends across the fuel inlet.

8. An automated system to fuel a vehicle such that a user remains within the vehicle during fueling, the system comprising:

a first target configured to be positioned on the vehicle at a first location;

a second target configured to be positioned on the vehicle at a second location, the second target being separate from the first target;

a fueling system configured to deliver the fuel to the vehicle, the fueling system comprising a body and a hose with the hose configured to move relative to the body between extended and retracted positions;

a first sensor configured to horizontally align the vehicle with the fueling system as the vehicle moves through the system, the first sensor configured to detect the first target when a fuel inlet of the vehicle is horizontally aligned with the fueling system;

a second sensor configured to vertically align the hose with the fuel inlet of the vehicle, the second sensor configured to detect the second target when the hose is vertically aligned with the fuel inlet;

the fueling system configured to move the hose from the retracted position to the extended position when the first and second targets are detected by the first and second alignment systems.

9. The automated system of claim 8, wherein the second sensor is positioned on the hose of the fueling system.

10. The automated system of claim 8, further comprising a payment system that includes a module configured to be positioned on the vehicle and a sensor to detect the module.

11. The automated system of claim 8, wherein the first and second targets include different sizes.

12. The automated system of claim 8, further comprising a drive system configured to move the vehicle from a first point to the fueling system while the vehicle is off.

13. The automated system of claim 12, wherein the drive system includes a chain drive with a dolly configured to receive a tire of the vehicle.

14. The automated system of claim 12, wherein the drive system includes a plate sized to receive at least a portion of the vehicle and an actuator configured to move the plate from the first point to the fueling system.

15. The automated system of claim 8, further comprising an actuator system to open a fuel door that extends across the fuel inlet, the actuator system configured to open the fuel door after the first sensor detects the first target.

16. An automated system to fuel a vehicle such that a user remains within the vehicle during fueling, the system comprising:

a controller configured to;

determine that the vehicle is moving along a lane;

receive a first signal from a first sensor that detects a first target on the vehicle indicating that a fuel inlet of the vehicle is horizontally aligned with a fuel hose;

stop the vehicle when the fuel inlet is horizontally aligned with the fuel hose;

vertically move the fuel hose relative to the fuel inlet;

receive a second signal from a second sensor when the second sensor detects a second target indicating that the fuel hose is vertically aligned with the fuel inlet of the vehicle;

extend the fuel hose outward towards the vehicle;

receive a third signal from a third sensor when the fuel hose is inserted into the fuel inlet of the vehicle; and

deliver fuel through the fuel hose to the vehicle after receiving the third signal.

17. The automated system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to start vertically moving the fuel hose after receiving the first signal from the first sensor.

18. The automated system of claim 16, wherein the second sensor is connected to the fuel hose.

19. The automated system of claim 16, wherein the first sensor is configured to detect the first target that is positioned on a leading side of the fuel inlet and the second sensor is configured to detect the second target that is positioned on an opposing trailing side of the fuel inlet.

20. The automated system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to receive payment prior to delivering the fuel to the vehicle.