Self-closing cap for the filling neck of a container

• US 6,209,592 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: On Track Innovations Limited (Nayax Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: On Track Innovations Limited (Nayax Ltd.)
• Inventors: Itay, Nehemya, Bashan, Oded, Gilboa, Ronnie, Aduk, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US09/306,407
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 141/94, 141/98, 141/231, 141/351, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 340/825.54, 705/413
• US Class Current: 141/94
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0406 Filler caps for fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03197 Systems for exchanging data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0429 actuated by the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0451 Sealing means in the closure cap
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A self-closing cap for the filling neck of a container, the self-closing cap having integral therewith a smart card having a container coil antenna for communicating with a supply station coil antenna fixed to a supply nozzle when the supply nozzle is inserted into the container through the self-closing cap.

Claims

1. A self-closing cap for the filling neck of a container, the self-closing cap having integral therewith a smart card having a container coil antenna mounted within the self-closing cap and constructed to surround a supply nozzle of a supply station when the supply nozzle is inserted into the container through the self-closing cap for communicating with a supply station coil antenna fixed to the supply nozzle.

2. The self-closing cap according to claim 1, wherein the container is a vehicle fuel tank and the supply station is a gas station having a complementary coil antenna mounted proximate a fuel nozzle thereof and tuned to the same frequency as the container coil antenna.

3. The self-closing cap according to claim 1, wherein the self-closing cap comprises an internal recess for accommodating therein the smart card and the container coil antenna substantially coaxial with the filling neck.

4. The self-closing cap according to claim 3, wherein the smart card and the container coil antenna are fixedly mounted within the recess by means of a cured epoxy resin.

5. The self-closing cap according to claim 1, wherein electrical power is inductively coupled to the smart card upon insertion of the supply nozzle into the container.

6. The self-closing cap according to claim 1, including a mount for mounting therein a battery for supplying electrical power to the smart card.

7. The self-closing cap according to claim 1, further including a tamper detector for producing a tamper detect signal upon attempted fraudulent use of the smart card within the self-closing cap.

8. The self-closing cap according to claim 7, wherein the tamper detector is adapted to produce the tamper detect signal if the smart card is activated whilst the self-closing cap is closed.

9. The self-closing cap according to claim 7, wherein the tamper detector is adapted to produce the tamper detect signal if the smart card is activated whilst the self-closing cap is not properly seated on the neck of the container.

10. The self-closing cap according to claim 7, wherein the smart card is responsive to the tamper detect signal for de-activating totally.

11. The self-closing cap according to claim 10, wherein the smart card is responsive to the tamper detect signal for de-activating irreversibly.

12. The self-closing cap according to claim 1, wherein the container coil antenna is tunably coupled to an antenna interface of the smart card so as allow tuning of a tuned circuit in said smart card to a predetermined working frequency.

13. The self-closing cap according to claim 12, wherein the coil antenna is connected in parallel with a variable capacitor so as to allow tuning of the smart card tuned circuit to said predetermined working frequency.

14. A self-closing cap for the filling neck of a container, the self-closing cap having integral therewith a smart card having a container coil antenna tunably coupled to an antenna interface of the smart card so as to allow tuning of a tuned circuit in said smart card to a predetermined working frequency for communicating with a supply station coil antenna fixed to a supply nozzle when the supply nozzle is inserted into the container through the self-closing cap.

15. The self-closing cap according to claim 14, wherein the coil antenna is connected in parallel with a variable capacitor so as to allow tuning of the smart card tuned circuit to said predetermined working frequency.

16. The self-closing cap according to claim 14, wherein the container is a vehicle fuel tank and the supply station is a gas station having a complementary coil antenna mounted proximate a fuel nozzle thereof and tuned to the same frequency as the container coil antenna.

17. The self-closing cap according to claim 14, wherein the self-closing cap comprises an internal recess for accommodating therein the smart card and the container coil antenna substantially coaxial with the filling neck.

18. The self-closing cap according to claim 17, wherein the smart card and the container coil antenna are fixedly mounted within the recess by means of a cured epoxy resin.

19. The self-closing cap according to claim 14, wherein electrical power is inductively coupled to the smart card upon insertion of the supply nozzle into the container.

20. The self-closing cap according to claim 14, including a mount for mounting therein a battery for supplying electrical power to the smart card.

21. The self-closing cap according to claim 14, further including a tamper detector for producing a tamper detect signal upon attempted fraudulent use of the smart card within the self-closing cap.

22. The self-closing cap according to claim 21, wherein the tamper detector is adapted to produce the tamper detect signal if the smart card is activated whilst the self-closing cap is closed.

23. The self-closing cap according to claim 21, wherein the tamper detector is adapted to produce the tamper detect signal if the smart card is activated whilst the self-closing cap is not properly seated on the neck of the container.

24. The self-closing cap according to claim 21, wherein the smart card is responsive to the tamper detect signal for de-activating totally.

25. The self-closing cap according to claim 24, wherein the smart card is responsive to the tamper detect signal for de-activating irreversibly.