Fleet data monitoring system

• US 4,934,419 A
• Filed: 11/30/1988
• Issued: 06/19/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meggitt PLC
• Original Assignee: Analytical Instruments Limited
• Inventors: Lamont, Iain A. J., Finch, Stuart D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Donovan, Edward C.
• Application Number:
  US07/277,805
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 141/940, 141/95, 141/83, 141/311, 141/360, 141/351, 141/346, 141/98, 350/96.23, 222/2
• US Class Current: 141/94
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/34 Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/425 including components powered by electricity or light
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A fuel management system for use in the operation of a fleet of commercial vehicles, comprising a fuel supply means comprising a fuel pump connected to a fuel dispensing nozzle by way of a flexible fuel delivery hose. A fuel management system is coupled to the fuel pump for controlling the amount of fuel dispensed via the nozzle. One end of a fibre optic is carried by the pump nozzle for receiving information from a radiation transmitter on any of said commercial vehicles when the pump nozzle is inserted into the fuel entry port of that vehicle, the other end of the fibre optic being positioned to supply the information to the fuel management system. The fibre optic is run from the top of the nozzle, through a special fitting into the interior of the hose, the fibre optic then running the length of the delivery hose, surrounded by the fuel product, until it reaches the region of the fuel pump, where it emerges from the hose via a gland and runs on to the fuel management system.

Claims

1. A data monitoring system for use in the operation of a fleet of commercial vehicles, each vehicle of said fleet having a fuel entry port, said system comprising:

(a) a radiation transmitter adapted to be disposed on each said vehicle at a position external to said fuel entry port;

(b) a fuel supply comprising a fuel pump, a flexible fuel delivery conduit in communication with said fuel pump, a fuel dispensing nozzle in communication with said flexible fuel delivery conduit and an adaptor extending between and connecting the flexible fuel delivery conduit and the fuel dispensing nozzle, said adaptor comprising a metal tube having a first end fitted to the fuel dispensing nozzle and a second end coupled to the flexible fuel delivery conduit by way of a swivel device, said metal tube being disposed such that fuel flowing between the flexible fuel delivery conduit and the fuel dispensing nozzle passes through the metal tube of the adaptor, said metal tube of said adaptor having an aperture extending therethrough;

(c) a fuel management system coupled to said fuel pump for controlling the amount of fuel dispensed via the fuel dispensing nozzle; and

(d) a fibre optic member surrounded by a protective metal member and having first and second opposed end portions and an intermediate portion extending through the fuel delivery conduit substantially from the pump to the fuel dispensing nozzle and being generally surrounded by the fuel in the fuel delivery conduit, said first end portion of said fibre optic member emerging from the fuel delivery conduit in proximity to the pump via gland means disposed in the flexible fuel delivery conduit for preventing leakage of the fuel and said first end portion being in communication with the fuel management system for supplying information received from said radiation transmitter to said fuel management system, the second end portion of said fibre optic member energing from the metal tube of the adaptor in proximity to said fuel dispensing nozzle, said second end portion of said fibre optic member extending through the aperture in the metal tube of the adaptor and being carried by the fuel dispensing nozzle at a location thereon for receiving information from the radiation transmitter upon insertion of the nozzle into the fuel entry port of the vehicle.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal member surrounding the fibre optic member is in the form of a rigid metal sleeve which is welded to the metal tube of the adaptor where it passes through the aperture therein.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a region around the weld of the metal sleeve to the metal tube of the adaptor is covered by a second protective member held in place around the metal tube by means of a locking ring.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least portions of the metal protective member around the fibre optic member which pass through said aperture of said metal tube is made of stainless steel.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the radiation transmitter is disposed above the fuel entry port and wherein the second end of said fibre optic member is mounted to a top portion of the nozzle.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein the protective metal member surrounding the fibre optic member is a protective sheath.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein the protective metal member surrounding the fibre optic member is a protective sleeve.