VEHICLE FUELING APPARATUS

• US 3,814,148 A
• Filed: 07/19/1972
• Issued: 06/04/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wolfgang J. Wostl
• Original Assignee: Wolfgang J. Wostl
• Inventors: Wostl, Wolfgang J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Jr., Houston S.
• Application Number:
  US05/273,217
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1,98,231,232,233,248,266,279,284,392 222/192 137/234.6 235/151,151.2,151.34
• US Class Current: 141/98
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2255 Ventilating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0478 constructional features or components vapour recovery nozzles B67D7/54
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/228 using digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3802 With vehicle guide or support, e.g., service station

Abstract

A system for providing maintenance service to vehicles. A vehicle servicing unit is provided with a plurality of fuel sources, means for supplying fuel from the sources to vehicles, and means for automatically registering billing data. A vehicle to be serviced is equipped with an electrical connector including pins that are wired to give a coded identification number, pins that are wired to give a coded fuel-type indication, and pins to activate the system, and a mating connection is provided on the servicing unit. The system has all electrical components enclosed in a pressurized cabinet to ensure that fuel vapors cannot get into the area adjacent those components. The system permits supplying of other items such as lubricating oil, and the billing circuitry ensures that the correct charge is made for such items so that a customer is not billed for items delivered to a previous customer. Means are also provided for withdrawing fuel vapors and overflow liquid fuel from the area adjacent the delivery nozzle to a disposal, rather than allowing them to escape to the atmosphere.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supplying fuel to a vehicle having a fuel storage tank with an inlet and recording sales data pertaining to the fuel supplied, said apparatus comprising:

a. Identification means adapted for attachment to a vehicle and including;

1. vehicle identity means for identifying a particular vehicle to which the identification means is attached; and

2. fuel-type identity means for identifying the type of fuel to be supplied to the particular vehicle; and

b. Vehicle servicing means including;

1. identification sensing means adapted for connection to said identification means and having;

i. vehicle identity sensing means for sensing the identification of the particular vehicle identified by said identification means;

ii. fuel-type identity sensing means for sensing the type of fuel identified by said identification means;

2. fuel supply means for supplying fuel to a vehicle fuel storage tank in response to simultaneous sensing by said fueltype identity sensing means of the type of fuel identified by a fuel-type identity means identifying the type of fuel within the fuel supply means and sensing by said vehicle identity sensing means of the identity of a vehicle identified by a vehicle identity means; and

3. recording means associated with the fuel supply means and connected to the identification sensing means for recording the identity of a vehicle sensed by the vehicle identity sensing means, the type of fuel sensed by the fuel-type identity sensing means, and the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel supply means.

2. fuel supply means for supplying fuel to a vehicle fuel storage tank in response to simultaneous sensing by said fuel-type identity sensing means of the type of fuel identified by a fuel-type identity means identifying the type of fuel within the fuel supply means and sensing by said vehicle identity sensing means of the identity of a vehicle identified by a vehicle identity means;

and

3. recording means associated with the fuel supply means and connected to the second connector portion for recording the identity of a vehicle sensed by the second connector portion and the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel supply means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said identification sensing means further includes an air supply responsive to actuation of said microswitch for supplying air under pressure to the interior of a conneCtor formed by the mating of said second connector portion and a first connector portion.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said excitation means includes means for delaying the supplying of excitation through said second connector portion to said first connector portion excitation pin until sufficient air has been supplied to the interior of the connector to flush the connector interior.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said identification sensing means includes means for deactivating said excitation means following the sensing by said identification sensing means of a vehicle identity to terminate excitation through said second connector portion to said first connector portion excitation pin.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said recording means includes printing means for printing a bill for fuel supplied to a vehicle.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said recording means includes additional charge indication means for indicating a charge for additional items supplied to a vehicle.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said recording means includes means for printing a bill for fuel supplied to a vehicle.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said printing means includes means for inhibiting the printing of a bill until receipt of an input from said additional charge indication means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cabinet substantially enclosing at least a portion of the apparatus, and pressurization means for supplying air under pressure to the interior of said cabinet to prevent entry of vapor thereinto.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further comprising means for sensing pressure within said cabinet and means for deactivating said fuel supply means upon sensing of pressure within said cabinet below a preset pressure.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said fuel supply means includes:

a nozzle including a nozzle inlet, a nozzle outlet, a nozzle housing coupling said nozzle inlet and said nozzle outlet, and control means for controlling fuel flow from said nozzle inlet through said nozzle housing to said nozzle outlet;

closure means adjacent said nozzle outlet for substantially closing a vehicle fuel tank filler pipe inlet, with the nozzle outlet within the filler pipe inlet for delivery of fuel thereinto; and

means defining a fluid path communicating through said closure means and adapted for connection to a fuel disposal for providing fluid communication from an area adjacent said nozzle outlet to the fuel disposal.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said closure means comprises resilient plug means and biasing means for biasing said resilient plug means toward said nozzle outlet.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which said defining means includes a first shell member and said resilient plug means includes a second shell member cooperating with said first shell member to provide a rotational interface between said defining means and said closure means.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which said defining means comprises a bellows encircling a portion of said nozzle, first fluid passage means for providing fluid communication from the area adjacent said nozzle outlet to the interior of said bellows, and second fluid passage means connected to said bellows and adapted for connection to a fuel disposal for providing a fluid path from the interior of said bellows to the fuel disposal.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 in which said closure means comprises a resilient plug means connected to said bellows to be biased by said bellows toward said nozzle outlet.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which said plug means includes a first shell member and said resilient plug means includes a second shell member cooperating with said first shell member to provide a rotational interface between said bellows and said resilient plug means.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a Hook connected to said nozzle and adapted to engage a vehicle fuel tank filler pipe for retaining said nozzle outlet within the filler pipe.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a fuel disposal connected to said defining means for receipt of fuel therefrom.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and transporting said apparatus, and in which said internal combustion engine comprises said fuel disposal.

22. Apparatus for supplying fuel to a vehicle having a fuel storage tank with an inlet and recording sales data pertaining to the fuel supplied, said apparatus comprising:

a. a first connector portion adapted for attachment to a vehicle and including binary coded connector pins, an excitation connector pin and circuit means connecting said excitation pin to selected ones of said binary coded connector pins to provide a binary coded representation of a vehicle identification number for identifying a particular vehicle to which the first connector portion is attached; and

b. vehicle servicing means including;

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 in which said first connector portion includes an additional connector pin and in which said second connector portion includes a microswitch adapted to be actuated by said additional connector pin when said second connector portion is mated with said first connector portion and in which said vehicle servicing means includes excitation means responsive to actuation of said microswitch for supplying excitation through said second connector portion to said first connector portion excitation pin.

24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in which said vehicle servicing means further includes air supply means responsive to actuation of said microswitch for supplying air under pressure to the interior of a connector formed by the mating of said second connector portion and a first connector portion.

25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24 in which said excitation means includes means for delaying the supplying of excitation through said second connector portion to said first connector portion excitation pin until sufficient air has been supplied to the interior of the connector to flush the connector interior.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in which said vehicle servicing means includes means for deactivating said excitation means following the sensing by said second connector portion of a vehicle identity to terminate excitation through said second connector portion to said first connector portion excitation pin.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 further comprising a cabinet substantially enclosing at least a portion of the apparatus, and pressurization means for supplying air under pressure to the interior of said cabinet to prevent entry of vapor thereinto.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27 further comprising means for sensing pressure within said cabinet and means for deactivating said fuel supply means upon sensing of pressure within said cabinet below a preset pressure.