AU715955B2 - Automotive LPG fuel line - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

a Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: MARTIN McCARTHY Martin McCarthy DAVIES COLLISON

CAVE,

Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Automotive LPG Fuel Line Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): PN5853/95 filed 9 October, 1995 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1- P:\OPER\RSH\PN5853.CAP 1/12/99 -2- AUTOMOTIVE LPG FUEL LINE The present invention relates to a fuel line for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for automotive use.

When converting an automotive vehicle for LPG operation it is necessary to install an LPG tank, for example in the boot of a vehicle, and a fuel line running from the tank to the engine. Typically the fuel line consists of copper tube within a protective plastics sleeve. The copper tube can be shaped by bending during installation and cut to the required length, with appropriate end fittings being mounted at each end of the tube. It is now common practice to incorporate a solenoid-operated safety cut-out valve at the outlet from the LPG tank. When this is required, wires leading from the valve may conveniently be installed by removing the sleeve from the tube prior to installation, feeding insulated wires through the sleeve and then reinserting the copper tube into the sleeve so that the wires lie between the outer surface of the tube and inner surface of the sleeve. Accordingly, when the fuel line is installed into the vehicle, the wiring for the cut-off valve is also installed. Although the supply of sleeved copper fuel line with built-in wiring is of advantage to installers of LPG conversion equipment, nevertheless it is relatively time consuming and expensive to produce.

20 According to the present invention there is provided a fuel line for LPG fuel for 9999 transferring LPG from an LPG fuel tank to an automotive engine powered thereby, said fuel line having a protective sheath formed by an extrusion process, and one or more electrical conductors for connection to a valve associated with the fuel tank, the or each said conductor being incorporated into the material of the sheath during the extrusion process whereby the 25 or each conductor runs along the length of the fuel line.

In a preferred embodiment the sheath is extruded over pre-formed tubing, such as copper tubing.

The or each conductor may be incorporated into a lateral extension of the sheath.

The sheath may consist of a flexible plastics, such as PVC, and the or each conductor is preferably a conductor provided with insulation prior to extrusion of the sheath.

P:\OPER\RSH\PN5853.CAP 1112/99 -3- Further according to the invention there is provided a fuel line for LPG fuel for transferring LPG from an LPG fuel tank to an automotive engine powered thereby, said fuel line comprising an internal passage, an annular protective body formed by an extrusion process, and one or more electrical conductors incorporated within the material of the body during the extrusion process whereby the or each conductor extends along the fuel line for connection to a valve associated with the fuel tank.

In this form, the pipeline may be constituted by a reinforced flexible hose with the or each electrical conductor being incorporated within the body of the hose during its extrusion.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows schematically one form of LPG fuel line in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, copper tubing for use as an LPG fuel line is sheathed by extrusion of a plastics sheath directly onto the tubing by passage of the tubing through an appropriately shaped die of a plastics extruder.

The die also incorporates provision for passage of insulated electric conductors whereby the ~20 conductors are encased within the plastics material. In this manner, both the sheath and wiring are incorporated simultaneously. The extrusion can readily be undertaken by a conventional extruder using an appropriately designed die. The design of the die is readily •within the capabilities of those skilled in the art.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows one possible configuration in which the two insulated S•conductors 2 are incorporated in a fin-like lateral extension 4a of the basic cylindrical sheath 4. However it is to be noted that the invention is not restricted to this particular configuration and other configurations are possible. For example the individual conductors could be positioned totally within the thickness of a cylindrical sheath, either in side-by-side relationship or at diametrically-opposed positions.

P:\OPERMRSH\PN5853.CAP 7/10/96 -4- It will be noted that although a primary advantage for the invention resides in the ease of manufacture of LPG fuel line with built-in wiring, the incorporation of the insulated wiring within the plastics material of the extruded sheath also provides a double-insulated arrangement.

Any suitable plastics material may be used for the sheath, but a flexible PVC is preferred and this may involve the use of recycled plastics. The copper tubing is of an appropriate diameter and wall thickness and is capable of being bent so as to facilitate installation within the vehicle. The tubing may alternatively be fabricated from a material other than copper.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the fuel line may consist of a reinforced hose, with the insulated conductors being incorporated within the cylindrical body of the hose during production of the body by an extrusion process. The body of the hose may consist of 15 a flexible plastics or a synthetic rubber with appropriate internal reinforcement to provide the required strength.

*o *The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

*o .o

Claims (7)

1. A fuel line for LPG fuel for transferring LPG from an LPG fuel tank to an automotive engine powered thereby, said fuel line having a protective sheath formed by an extrusion process, and one or more electrical conductors for connection to a valve associated with the fuel tank, the or each said conductor being incorporated into the material of the sheath during the extrusion process whereby the or each conductor runs along the length of the fuel line.

2. A fuel line according to claim 1, wherein the sheath is extruded over pre-formed tubing.

3. A fuel line according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each conductor is incorporated into a lateral fin-like extension of the sheath.

4. A fuel line according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sheath consists of a flexible plastics material, and the or each conductor is provided with insulation prior to extrusion of the sheath wherein the combination of the plastics sheath and insulation provides a double-insulated arrangement for the or each conductor. 20

5. A fuel line for LPG fuel for transferring LPG from an LPG fuel tank to an automotive engine powered thereby, said fuel line comprising an internal passage, an annular protective body formed by an extrusion process, and one or more electrical conductors incorporated :within the material of the body during the extrusion process whereby the or each conductor S° extends along the fuel line for connection to a valve associated with the fuel tank. o°° o

6. A fuel line according to claim 5 constituted by a reinforced flexible hose with the or each electrical conductor being incorporated within the body of the hose during its extrusion. P: \OPER\RSH\pN5853. CAP 1/12/99 -6-

7. A fuel line for LPG fuel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 1st day of December, 1999. MARTIN McCARTHY By his Patent Attorneys: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE does 0 0 000 000 0 000 .6 0