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Automated vehicle fueling apparatus and method

  • US 8,393,362 B1
  • Filed: 01/31/2011
  • Issued: 03/12/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An automated vehicle fueling apparatus comprising:

  • a fuel transfer housing mounted adjacent to a vehicle lane;

    a fuel storage tank connected to the fuel transfer housing by a fixed fuel discharge pipe;

    a plenum tube supported for movement in a fuel transfer opening through a front wall of the fuel transfer housing, and a tube motor connected to the plenum tube and operable to move the plenum tube between a tube fueling position extending out of the fuel transfer housing and into the vehicle lane and a tube retracted position extending inside the fuel transfer housing and out of the vehicle lane;

    a robot mounted inside the fuel transfer housing and having a tool end assembly and operable to extend the tool end assembly through the plenum tube and into the vehicle lane;

    a programmable controller connected to the robot and operable to control movement of the tool end assembly;

    a control console positioned adjacent to the vehicle lane, connected to the programmable controller, and having at least one information receiving member that is reachable from a vehicle operator'"'"'s station when a vehicle is in the vehicle lane and in a vehicle fueling position;

    at least two cameras connected to the programmable controller and positioned to view a fuel cap, on a fuel receiving tank of the vehicle, and guide the tool end assembly to a position for removing the fuel cap, and wherein the programmable controller activates the robot to remove the fuel cap, moves the fuel cap to a fuel cap storage location, moves a fuel discharge tube, connected to a fuel discharge valve and the fuel discharge pipe, into a fuel entry port in the fuel receiving tank, and opens the fuel discharge valve to dispense fuel into the fuel receiving tank;

    an air and fuel vapor separator mounted in said fuel transfer housing and including an air flow fan that draws air and fuel vapors from the fuel receiving tank, through the plenum tube, into said fuel transfer housing and into the air and fuel vapor separator where fuel and fuel vapors are collected and cleaned air is discharged from said fuel transfer housing through a clean air discharge passage from the fuel transfer housing through a clean air discharge pipe;

    wherein the programmable controller activates the robot to remove the fuel discharge tube from the fuel entry port in the fuel receiving tank after the fuel discharge valve is closed, moves the fuel discharge tube to a fuel discharge pipe storage location, retrieves the fuel cap from the fuel cap storage location, returns the fuel cap to the fuel entry port, close the fuel entry port and retracts the robot to a robot rest position; and

    wherein the plenum tube is moved to the tube retracted position by the tube motor.

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