Non tank pressurizing fast fill receiver and system for vehicles

• US 6,837,262 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adel Wiggins Group (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Adel Wiggins Group (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cortez, Jose, Wicke, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US10/052,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 137/2, 137/15.16, 137/842, 137/389, 137/390, 137/393, 137/587, 137/614.05, 137/614.19, 137/386, 251/149.6, 141/198, 141/346, 141/348, 141/349, 141/350, 141/351
• US Class Current: 137/393
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/035 characterised by venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/04 Tank inlets B60K15/077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 21/18 closed when a rising liquid reaches a predetermined level float-actuated valves F16K31/18
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/32 at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/048 With content loading or unloading [e.g., dispensing, discharge assistant, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2273 Device including linearly-aligned power stream emitter and power stream collector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7287 Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/731 With control fluid connection at desired liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87965 Valve- or closure-operated by coupling motion

Abstract

A refueling system for vehicles including a dual valve receiver connected in fluid communication with the fuel tank, and a jet sensor inside of the fuel tank and in fluid communication with the receiver. The refueling system further includes a relief valve vent in fluid communication with the fuel tank to vent the fuel tank and to relieve pressure that may otherwise build up inside the fuel tank during refueling. When refueling with an automatic shutoff nozzle, the sensor detects when a desired fuel level has been reached, and then informs the receiver to prevent fuel flow into the tank. When this occurs, the pressure inside the receiver and automatic shutoff nozzle increases, causing the nozzle to shut off automatically.

Claims

1. A refueling system, comprising:

a fuel tank;

a dual valve receiver connected in fluid communication with the fuel tank, the dual valve receiver having a receiver body with an inlet and an outlet, a first valve and a second valve, and a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber being connected in fluid communication with the inlet, the first valve disposed in said first chamber and biased to close the inlet, the inlet being connectable to a fuel supply, and the first valve operating to open the inlet when a fuel is received in the inlet from the fuel supply, the second valve connected to the second chamber, the second valve being biased to close the outlet and operating to open the outlet when the second chamber is pressurized;

an automatic shutoff nozzle in fluid communication with a fuel source, wherein the automatic shutoff nozzle is removably connected to the dual valve receiver; and

a jet sensor operatively connected to the fuel tank for sensing a predetermined level of fuel within the fuel tank, the jet sensor having a jet sensor passageway located at the predetermined level of fuel within the fuel tank, the jet sensor being connected in fluid communication between the receiver'"'"'s first and second chambers, the jet sensor being operative to provide a flow of fuel from the first chamber to the second chamber to pressurize the second chamber when fuel is below the jet sensor passageway, and operative to not pressurize the second chamber when fuel is at or above the jet sensor passageway, whereby the dual valve receiver provides a flow of fuel to the first valve for directly opening the first valve in order for the fluid to pass through the jet sensor and into the second chamber of the dual receiver and activating the second valve to the valve open position to permit the fuel to flow through the dual receiver and into the fuel tank when fuel in the fuel tank is below the jet sensor passageway, and such that when the fuel in the fuel tank is at or above the jet sensor passageway the flow of fuel through the jet sensor is interrupted, so that the fuel is not permitted to flow through the outlet of the dual valve receiver, to thereby cause pressure inside the first chamber of the dual valve receiver and the automatic shutoff nozzle to increase to a predetermined threshold at which flow of fuel through the automatic shutoff nozzle is interrupted.

2. The refueling system of claim 1, further comprising a vent in fluid communication with the fuel tank.

3. A dual valve receiver used in conjunction with a fuel jet sensor for rapidly filling a fuel tank with a flow of fuel from an automatic shutoff nozzle removably connected to an inlet of the dual valve receiver, the dual valve receiver comprising:

a receiver body having an inlet and an outlet and a main fuel path defined therebetween;

a first chamber disposed in the receiver body and connected to receive fuel from the inlet;

a first valve disposed inside the receiver body, the first valve being biased toward a closed position sealing the inlet, and movable between the closed position and an open position allowing fuel to flow from the inlet into the first chamber, the automatic shutoff nozzle directly opening the first valve;

a second chamber disposed inside the receiver body to receive the fuel from the fuel jet sensor;

a jet sensor fuel path from the inlet and the first valve through the fuel jet sensor to the second chamber, the jet sensor fuel path including a jet sensor passageway located at a predetermined fuel level in the fuel tank; and

a second valve having an open position and a closed position, a first end and a second end, the first end disposed inside the second chamber, the first end of the second valve including a seal to prevent fuel from escaping from the inside of the second chamber, the second valve being biased toward the closed position with the second end sealing the outlet of the receiver body, the second valve being moveable from the closed position to the open position when fuel passes from the first valve through the fuel jet sensor to pressurize the second chamber of the dual valve receiver to activate the second valve to the open position, allowing the fuel to enter the fuel tank through the main fuel path, and the second valve being moveable from the open position to the closed position when a fuel level in the fuel tank reaches the jet sensor passageway, to thereby cause pressure inside the first chamber of the dual valve receiver and the automatic shutoff nozzle to increase to a predetermined threshold at which the flow of fuel through the automatic shutoff nozzle is interrupted.

4. A method for preparing a refueling system, comprising:

installing a dual valve receiver having a receiver body with a first chamber with a first valve and a second chamber with a second valve, to be in fluid communication with a fuel tank;

installing a jet sensor inside the fuel tank, the jet sensor including a jet sensor passageway located at a predetermined fuel level in the fuel tank;

connecting the jet sensor to receive fuel from the first chamber and direct the fuel to the second chamber, whereby the sensor detects when the fuel tank is full, causing the fuel flow to cease to prevent overfilling; and

removably connecting an automatic shutoff nozzle to the dual valve receiver, the dual valve receiver providing a flow of fuel to the first valve for directly opening the first valve in order for the fluid to pass through the jet sensor and into the second chamber of the dual receiver and activating the second valve to the valve open position to permit the fuel to flow through the dual receiver and into the fuel tank, and causing flow of fuel from the automatic shutoff nozzle to be interrupted when a fuel level in the fuel tank reaches the jet sensor passageway, to thereby cause pressure inside the first chamber of the dual valve receiver and the automatic shutoff nozzle to increase to a predetermined threshold at which flow of fuel through the automatic shutoff nozzle is interrupted.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising installing a vent to be in fluid communication with the fuel tank, whereby the vent prevents pressure build up in the fuel tank.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the jet sensor passageway comprises a fuel channel and a cutout section exposing the fuel channel to the inside of the fuel tank.

7. A method for refueling a fuel tank, the fuel tank having a receiver having a receiver body including an inlet, an outlet, a first chamber with a first valve and a second chamber with a second valve, a jet sensor having a jet sensor passageway located at a predetermined fuel level in the fuel tank, a vent, and an automatic shutoff nozzle, comprising:

removably connecting the automatic shutoff nozzle to the inlet of the receiver, causing the first valve to open;

dispensing a fuel from the automatic shutoff nozzle into the first chamber of the receiver, the receiver providing a flow of fuel to the first valve for directly opening the first valve in order for the fuel to pass into the first chamber;

directing a portion of fuel from the first chamber to be channeled through the jet sensor, and into the second chamber to pressurize the second chamber, causing the second valve to open, and allowing the fuel from the automatic shutoff nozzle to flow through the receiver and into the fuel tank; and

interrupting the fuel flow through the jet sensor to decrease pressure in the second chamber when the fuel level in the fuel tank reaches the jet sensor passageway, causing the second valve to close, which increases pressure inside the receiver and the automatic shutoff nozzle, to cause the automatic shutoff nozzle to automatically shut off to prevent over-pressurization and over-filling of the fuel tank.