Automatic fueling system and components therefor

• US 6,003,568 A
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R Strnad Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: R Strnad Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Strnad, Rudolph A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US08/974,702
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 141/94, 141/98, 141/301, 141/302, 220/86.2, 123/519
• US Class Current: 141/98
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0417 Manipulator arms
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0419 Fuelling nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0436 according to a spatial coordinate system
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0453 recognising the fuel to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0463 optically
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0473 optically
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0474 of the filling nozzle relative to the fuel tank opening, e.g. engagement between nozzle and tank opening
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/106 operated by push-buttons
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/3218 relating to emergency shut-off means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/344 by checking a correct coupling or coded information

Abstract

An automatic fueling system includes a pump having a telescoping arm capable of placement in three-dimensional space, a flexibly mounted nozzle on the end of the arm and a docking cone to mate with the fuel port on a vehicle. A camera provides a view of the side of the vehicle on a monitor with guides visible to the operator of the vehicle to assist in locating the vehicle within range of the pump. A light and a camera located adjacent to the nozzle are used to recognize retro-reflective light from an annular target about the intake port. Multiple approximations of the distance and location of the intake port are made with the nozzle moving closer to mating with the intake port. A data link is provided through the mated nozzle with a keypad accessible by the vehicle operator. The vehicle includes a control actuator which selectively couples actuator cables associated with the fuel door and the fuel inlet valve with the emergency brake cable to engage the emergency brake, open the fuel door and open the inlet valve. A vacuum system on an evaporation canister insures that vapor is drawn from the fuel tank as it is being displaced by incoming fuel.

Claims

1. An fueling system comprising

a fuel tank;

an evaporation canister having a flowpath therethrough and vapor collecting media in the flowpath;

a first vent from the fuel tank to the evaporation canister in communication with one end of the flowpath;

a second vent from the evaporation canister to atmosphere in communication with the other end of the flowpath;

a vacuum blower on the second vent to selectively extract fuel from the canister;

a switch to actuate the vacuum blower when the fuel tank is in the fill mode.

2. The fueling system of claim 1 further comprising

a heating element about the evaporation canister.

3. The fueling system of claim 1 further comprising

a fill pipe in communication with the interior of the tank;

a fuel inlet valve adjacent the wall of the tank and receiving the fill pipe.

4. A fueling system for a vehicle having a frame and a body, comprising

a fuel tank held and positioned within the frame;

a fill pipe in communication with the tank and extending outwardly of the frame to the body;

a fuel inlet valve adjacent the wall of the tank inwardly of the frame and receiving the fill pipe, the fuel inlet valve including a valve body fixed relative to the fuel tank and a fuel fill valve in the valve body controlling the communication between the tank and the fill pipe;

a signal tube in communication with the tank and extending to the fill pipe, the fuel inlet valve including a signal tube valve controlling the communication between the tank and the fuel signal tube.

5. The fueling system of claim 4, the fuel fill valve and the signal tube valve being slide valves.

6. The fueling system of claim 4, the fill pipe having an interior surface nonwetting to fuel.

7. A fueling system for a vehicle having a body and a fuel tank fixed relative to the body, comprising

a fill pipe extending from the tank;

a fuel inlet port through the body and coupled with the fill pipe;

a fueling station including a fuel arm receivable by the fuel inlet port and a display screen;

a vehicle input circuit including a first communication element at the fuel inlet port;

a fueling station logic circuit including a second communication element at the fuel arm selectively in communication with the first communication element with the fuel arm engaged with the fuel inlet port and an interface with the display screen, responses to prompting from the display screen being transmitted by the input circuit and the station logic circuit.

8. The fueling system of claim 7, the fueling station further including a sensor on the fuel arm to recognize the filler pipe extending from the tank and an object recognition and locating system receiving input from the sensor and directing the arm, the fuel arm including a nozzle and a resilient mounting for the nozzle to allow reorientation of the nozzle upon engagement with the fuel inlet port.

9. The fueling system of claims 8, the filler pipe including a tapered entrance and the fuel nozzle having a tapered exterior surface portion selectively seating in the tapered entrance.

10. The fueling system of claim 7, the first communication element being a tone pulse transmitter, the second communication element being a tone pulse receiver.

11. The fueling system of claim 7, the first and second communication elements being tone pulse transceivers.

12. The fueling system of claim 7, the vehicle input circuit further including an input pad in the vehicle, the pad including keys to input credit information and pump selections.

13. A fueling system for a vehicle including a frame, a fuel tank fixed relative to the frame, a fuel inlet to the fuel tank, a fuel door to the fuel inlet and a parking brake system mounted to the frame and having a parking brake actuator and a control cable, comprising

a closure valve on the fuel inlet;

a junction actuator fixed relative to the frame at the control cable and including a drive element fixed to the control cable and a driven element movable in the junction actuator with the control cable;

a fuel door cable coupled with the fuel door and the driven block to open the fuel door with movement of the driven block;

a closure valve cable coupled with the closure valve and the driven block to open the closure valve with movement of the driven block;

an engagement operatively extending between the drive element and the driven element to selectively engage the drive element and the driven element to move together with application of the parking brake actuator.

14. The fueling system of claim 13, the engagement including a control in the vehicle to select engagement of the drive element and the driven element, the engagement being normally biased toward disengagement.

15. The fueling system of claim 14, the control including a control circuit having a solenoid and a switch, the engagement having a pin coupled to the solenoid.

16. A fueling system for a vehicle including a frame and a body, comprising

a fuel tank held and positioned within the frame;

a fill pipe in communication with the tank and extending outwardly of the frame to the body;

a fuel inlet valve adjacent at the tank, inwardly of the frame and receiving the fill pipe;

a fuel door at the body to selectively cover the end of the fill pipe;

an emergency brake system mounted to the frame and having an emergency brake actuator and a brake cable;

a cable assembly including a valve cable coupled to the fuel inlet valve, a fuel door cable coupled to the fuel door and a control actuator selectively coupling the cable assembly with the emergency brake system for control of the fuel inlet valve and the fuel door by the emergency brake actuator.

17. The fueling system of claim 16, the control actuator having a pin selectively engageable with the emergency brake actuator.

18. The fueling system of claim 16, the control actuator having a pin selectively engageable with the emergency brake cable.

19. The fueling system of claim 16, the fuel inlet valve including a valve body fixed relative to the fuel tank and a fuel fill valve in the valve body controlling the communication between the tank and the fill pipe.

20. The fueling system of claim 19 further comprising

a signal tube in communication with the tank and extending to the fill pipe, the fuel inlet valve including a signal tube valve controlling the communication between the tank and the fuel signal tube.

21. The fueling system of claim 20, the fuel fill valve and the signal tube valve being slide valves.

22. The fueling system of claim 20, the fill pipe having an interior surface nonwetting to fuel.