Fluid delivery apparatus

• US 7,188,771 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gardner Denver Holdings Incorporated (Gardner Denver Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gardner Denver Holdings Incorporated (Gardner Denver Incorporated)
• Inventors: Poulter, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kimberly D.
• Application Number:
  US10/510,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/462.01, 702/12, 702/45, 141/94, 141/96, 141351-362, 222/1, 222/3, 222/4, 222/109
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence

Abstract

A fluid delivery apparatus having a mobile storage container (10) having at least two compartments, for use in transporting at least two fluids from main storage tanks to subsidiary storage tanks (17, 18, 19). The apparatus having at least two fluid flow paths, for connection to at least two different fluid flow ports (20, 21, and 22) the apparatus includes electronic means (25) to identify the fluid flow paths and the fluid flow ports, to reduce the risk that a fluid flow path will be put into communication with an incompatible fluid flow port.

Claims

1. Fluid delivery apparatus comprising a mobile storage container having at least two compartments, said mobile storage container for use in transporting at least two fluids from main storage tanks to subsidiary first and second storage tanks at other locations, at least first and second fluid flow ports, said first fluid flow port adapted to connect to a first fluid receiving opening, second fluid flow port adapted to connect to a second fluid receiving opening, said first port and second port upstream of said first and second subsidiary storage tanks, first and second electronically readable tags, each tag having readable information, said first tag'"'"'s readable information identifying said first port, second tag'"'"'s information identifying said second port, each tag'"'"'s information readable by a control unit without having to hardwire a CPU to either of said tags, said first and second tags to reduce the risk that either of said ports will be put into communication with an incompatible one of said first or second subsidiary storage tanks.

2. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the electronically readable tags comprise radio frequency tags arranged to provide a unique code when interrogated by said control unit.

3. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the mobile storage container comprises a tanker vehicle.

4. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the readable tags comprise bar codes arranged to be read by said control unit.

5. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the mobile storage container comprises a tanker vehicle.

6. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said first fluid receiving opening is a first conduit port which opens into a first fluid conduit, said second fluid receiving opening is a second port conduit which opens into a second conduit, and wherein

a third electronically readable tag has readable information identifying said first conduit port, a fourth electronically readable tag has readable information identifying said second conduit port, each third and fourth tag readable by said control unit without having to hard wire a CPU to either of said tags.

7. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the apparatus based on the electronic tags arragement relative to one another generates an authorization signal which is used to automatically commence flow of fluid through the apparatus.

8. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the mobile storage container comprises a tanker vehicle.

9. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the control unit, based on the electronically readable tags arrangement relative to one another, generates a signal.

10. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the mobile storage container comprises a tanker vehicle.

11. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the mobile storage container comprises a tanker vehicle.

12. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said first fluid receiving opening is a first subsidiary storage tank port, said second fluid receiving opening is a second subsidiary storage tank port and wherein

a third electronically readable tag has readable information identifying said first subsidiary storage tank port, a fourth electronically readable tag has readable information identifying said second subsidiary storage tank port, each third and fourth electronically readable tags readable by said control unit without having to have a CPU hardwired to either of said tags.

13. Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which the control unit, based on the electronically readable tags arrangement with one another, generates a signal.