EP1669663A2

EP1669663A2 - Facilitated operation gaseous fuel dispenser pistol

Info

Publication number: EP1669663A2
Application number: EP05109668A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Frascaroli; Piero Fiumi
Original assignee: BN OPW SRL
Current assignee: Dover CR sro
Priority date: 2004-10-22
Filing date: 2005-10-18
Publication date: 2006-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-18
Also published as: EP1669663A3; PT1669663E; EP1669663B8; ATE441061T1; PL1669663T3; EP1669663B1; ES2331843T3; ITBO20040660A1; DE602005016203D1

Abstract

A gaseous fuel dispenser pistol (10) comprises a grip (11), a body (14) connected to the grip (11), a fuel dispenser head (16) which can be coupled with a fuel infeed filler (17), coupling elements (19) for holding the head (16) in position on the filler (17) when fuel is dispensed, a shutter (19a) connected to the head (16) to allow or prevent fuel dispensing, a sleeve (13), mobile in a direction "D", relative to the body (14) for operating the coupling means (19), the sleeve (13) being mobile between a first, non-operating position in which fuel dispensing is inhibited and the head (16) is clear of the filler (17), and a second, operating position in which the head (16) is coupled with the filler (17) and fuel dispensing is enabled, there being a lever (18), which can be operated by an operator, cam means (20) located between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13) for increasing variable transmission between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13) in which a predetermined movement of the lever (18) causes a corresponding smaller movement of the sleeve (13), consequently, the resisting force on the lever (18) due to the sleeve (13) reduces in proportion.

Description

The present invention relates to a gaseous fuel dispenser pistol, in particular for gaseous fuel for motor vehicles.
Pistols for dispensing gaseous fuel for motor vehicles are known, consisting of a grip, inside which there is a conduit for the passage of the fuel, and a fuel dispenser head, able to couple with a corresponding filler on the motor vehicle.
The dispenser head has a coupling mechanism designed to hold it joined, in a sealed fashion, to the filler when the fuel is dispensed.
The grip also has a control lever which activates a gaseous fuel dispenser valve and locking devices for locking and releasing the coupling mechanism when refuelling takes place.
Such known pistols have several disadvantages.
In particular, the pistol control lever may be difficult to operate and the relative locking devices may be awkward to work if used by untrained persons, for example in self-service filling stations.
It should be noticed that in the known type of gaseous fuel dispenser pistols - for example, see Figure 1 which illustrates the pistol described in patent application EP-1 006 310 by the same Applicant - the dispenser pistol is operated using a lever 1 hinged on a pin 2 of a body 4, which acts with a practically constant lever arm "L" on a sleeve 3 which slides with a linear motion, the sleeve allowing fuel dispensing and coupling to the tank filler. The sliding sleeve 3 is in turn opposed by a helical spring (not illustrated) which develops an increasing force, normally in a linear fashion, when compressed.
Therefore, when the sliding sleeve 3 moves the spring increases the opposing force. Consequently the effort on the lever gradually and noticeably increases until the pistol is coupled on the vehicle filler.
One aim of the present invention is to provide an improved pistol with comfortable, safe operation and which is easily manoeuvrable.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide a gaseous fluid dispenser pistol with simple, rapid use.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaseous fluid dispenser pistol as specified in claim 1 is proposed.
The dependent claims refer to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention without limiting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a gaseous fuel dispenser pistol according to the prior art;
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a gaseous fuel dispenser pistol according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a suitably interrupted schematic side view, with some parts cut away to better illustrate others, of the pistol illustrated in Figure 1 in an operating configuration in which it is locked on a filler for dispensing fuel; and
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are schematic side views of the sequence of movement of the fuel dispenser lever.

With reference to Figures 2 to 6, the numeral 10 denotes a gaseous fuel dispenser pistol, in particular for dispensing liquid petroleum gas (LPG) for motor vehicles.
The pistol 10 comprises a grip 11 inside which there is partly located a conduit 12 for the passage of the gaseous fuel arriving from a filling station, not illustrated.
Connected to the grip 12 is a body 14, with a main direction of extension D, having a chamber 15 for receiving the fuel into which the conduit 12 opens.
A dispenser head 16 is connected to the body 14 for example by means of threading, and is designed to couple with a filler 17 on the motor vehicle (not illustrated) which must be refuelled with the gaseous fuel.
The pistol 10 comprises a sleeve 13 inserted on the body 14 and on the head 16 and able to slide in the above-mentioned direction "D".
The sleeve 13 is mobile between a first, non-operating position, illustrated in Figure 4, in which fuel dispensing is inhibited and the head 16 is clear of the filler 17, and a second, operating position, illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 6, in which the head 16 is coupled with the filler 17 and fuel dispensing is enabled. The sleeve 13 is moved between the two positions, non-operating and operating, by a lever 18.
The head 16 comprises means 19 for coupling to the filler 17 and a shutter 19a which allows fuel dispensing when the pistol 10 is coupled with the filler 17.
The construction architecture of the pistol 10, particularly the head 16, and the relative operation are substantially known and described in more detail below as regards only the parts necessary for an understanding of the text. For a detailed technical description of the head 16 and the relative operation, reference may be made - depending on the type of head -, to patent application EP-1 006 310 and patent IT-1.292.840 by the same Applicant.
It should also be noticed that the pistol disclosed may have any type of head for dispensing gaseous fuel. The only condition is that it must be controlled by a sliding sleeve or similar element with linear movement for coupling to a filler and dispensing gaseous fuel.
In detail, and in particular with reference to Figures 2 to 6, it may be seen that the lever 18 operates the sleeve 13 using a cam mechanism 20 comprising at least one surface 21 with a cam profile on the sleeve 13 and a cam follower 22 integral with the lever 18. The cam follower 22 is preferably made with at least one roller 23.
However, the roller 23 may be substituted by suitable antifriction means: for example shoes made of antifriction material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or acetal resins.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 to 6, the sleeve 18 comprises two cam surfaces 21 and the lever 18 comprises two cam followers 22 with two relative rollers 23. In this way, the force for sleeve 13 movement is more balanced and is distributed on a greater surface.
The lever 18 rotates about a pin 24 positioned on the lower part of the body 14, whilst the rollers 23 are at a distance "R" from the axis of the pin 24 which therefore constitutes an arm 25 with which the lever 18 acts on the sleeve 13.
The arm 25 initially is at an angle A to the direction "D" of sleeve 13 movement (Figure 4) and a relative angle of 40 degrees to the surfaces 21 which, in turn, are at an angle of 72 degrees to the direction "D".
As illustrated in Figure 4, initially using the arm 25 the lever 18 acts by means of the rollers 23, with the above-mentioned angle of 40 degrees, on the surfaces 21.
Therefore, the ratio of movement of the arm 25 on the surfaces 21 is given by the cotangent of 40 degrees (1/tan 40°), that is to say, for every 1 mm of movement by the rollers 23 perpendicular to the arm 25, there is a corresponding 1.191 mm movement of the surfaces 21 in a direction parallel with the arm 25.
Since the angle of the arm 25 and therefore of the above-mentioned movement is at 32 degrees to the direction "D" of sleeve 13 movement, the above-mentioned movement must be projected in said direction.
More specifically, the movement must be reduced by the cosine of 32 degrees (cos 32°) whose value is 0.848, that is to say, 1.191 x 0.848 = 1.01 mm.
Therefore, initially the ratio of movement between the arm 25 and the sleeve 13 is around 1:1, or more precisely 1 mm of movement perpendicular to the arm 25 causes the sleeve 13 to move 1.01 mm.
Considering a subsequent situation illustrated in Figure 5, the arm 25 is at an angle A of 13 degrees to the direction "D" of sleeve 13 movement, and the rollers 23 in turn act at an angle of 59 degrees to the surfaces 21.
The ratio of movement of the arm 25 on the surfaces 21 is, therefore, given by the cotangent of 59 degrees (1/tan 59°), that is to say, for every 1 mm of movement by the rollers 23 perpendicular to the arm 25, there is a corresponding 0.6 mm movement of the surfaces 21 in a direction parallel with the arm 25.
Then the movement must be projected in direction "D", that is to say, reduced by the cosine of 13 degrees (cos13°) whose value is 0.974, therefore 0.6 x 0.974=0.585 mm.
Thus, in this situation, illustrated in Figure 5, the ratio of movement between the arm 25 and the sleeve 13 is around 1:0.585, or more precisely 1 mm of movement perpendicular to the arm 25 causes the sleeve 13 to move 0.585 mm.
Finally, as illustrated in Figure 6, at the end of its stroke the arm 25 is almost parallel with the direction "D", in particular at an angle of around 2 degrees to the direction "D" of sleeve 13 movement. The rollers 23 in turn act at an angle of 70 degrees to the surfaces 21.
The ratio of movement of the arm 25 on the surfaces 21 is, therefore, given by the cotangent of 70 degrees (1/tan 70°), that is to say, for every 1 mm of movement by the rollers 23 perpendicular to the arm 25, there is a corresponding 0.363 mm movement of the surfaces 21 in a direction almost parallel with the arm 25.
In the latter situation the movement must be projected in the direction "D", that is to say, it must be reduced by the cosine of 2 degrees (cos 2°) whose value is 0.999, therefore, 0.363 x 0.999=0.363 mm.
In the latter situation (Figure 6) the ratio of movement between the arm 25 and the sleeve 13 is around 1:0.363, or more precisely 1 mm of movement perpendicular to the arm 25 causes the sleeve 13 to move 0.363 mm.
Therefore, it can be seen that the ratio of movement between the arm 25 of the lever 18 and the sleeve 13 increases gradually from a ratio of around 1:1 to a ratio of 1:0.363.
Consequently, the resisting force due to the sleeve 13, and acting on the lever 18, is reduced from a unit value to a value just over one third.
Overall, the effort the user applies to the lever 18 is gradually reduced despite the increased elastic load due to the spring (or springs) in the mechanisms acting on the sleeve 13.
This happens because the increase in the transmission ratio between the lever 18 and the sleeve 13 is greater than the increase in the force of the spring (or springs) acting on the sleeve 13.
In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the cam and cam follower positions are swapped: the operating lever has a cam profile and the sliding sleeve has a cam follower consisting for example of one or more antifriction shoes or rollers.
The pistol 10 also has locking means 50 for stabilising the lever 18 when the sleeve 13 is in the operating position.
In more detail, the locking means 50 comprise: a retaining peg 51 inserted in the lever 18 and passing transversally through a hole made in the latter, an "L"-shaped rocker arm 52, pivoting at an intermediate point at a pin 53 and having, at one end, a coupling tooth 54 designed to engage with the peg 51. A spring 55 holds the "L"-shaped rocker arm 53 pushed against the peg 51.
It should be noticed that the tooth 54 has a chamfered or rounded profile at the peg 51 so that, when it is drawn near the latter, the rocker arm 52 automatically engages while the lever 18 is moved (Figures 5 and 6).
To disengage the rocker arm 53 coupling tooth 54 there is an axially mobile rod 56 which can be pressed against another end 57 of the rocker arm 52, allowing the tooth 54 to be lifted off the peg 51.
In practice, and as illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, the user draws the pistol 10 near the vehicle filler 17 and begins pulling the lever 18, and as described above, the user perceives a gradual reduction in the effort on the lever 18 due to the increase in the transmission ratio between the lever 18 and the sleeve 13 greater than the increase in the force of the spring (or springs) acting on the sleeve 13.
The head 16 is then coupled with the filler 17 using the coupling means 19, not described in further detail since they are not part of the present invention.
When the position illustrated in Figure 5 is reached, the lever 18 peg 51 starts to make contact with the rocker arm 52 tooth 54, lifts the rocker arm 53 thanks to the chamfered or rounded profile of the tooth 54 at the peg 51 until the operating position locked on the filler 17 for dispensing fuel is reached, illustrated in Figure 6.
It should be noticed that, thanks to the shape of the cam mechanism 20, a moderate effort is needed to hold the lever 18 in this fuel dispensing position, and backward movement of the lever 18 by the sleeve 13 is almost impossible.
Thus, the locking means 50 are only an additional safety measure for maintaining the above-mentioned operating position for dispensing fuel.
To avoid jamming on the return stroke, the sleeve 13 has a small spring 26 which promotes achievement of the first, non-operating position starting from the operating position used for dispensing fuel.
Finally, it should be noticed that the cam mechanism 20 may also be made in many other ways, not illustrated in detail herein, but without departing from the scope of the inventive concept.
In particular, different angles of the arm 25 and the surfaces 21 are possible, such that they allow the achievement of an increase in the transmission ratio in a similar way to that described in the example.
The angle of the surfaces 21 may also be different, position by position, to obtain a different effect for reduction of the transmission of motion.
The use of a cam mechanism for transmission of motion from the control lever to the pistol operating sleeve makes the dispenser pistol extremely practical and easy to use.
A suitable choice of cam profile and of the angle of the operating lever arm allows a variable transmission ratio to be achieved to compensate the increase in effort due to loading of the springs in the head for dispensing gas.
The invention described can be subject to modifications and variations without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept as defined in the claims herein.

Claims

A gaseous fuel dispenser pistol (10) comprising a grip (11), a body (14) connected to the grip (11) and having a chamber (15) for receiving the fuel,
a fuel dispenser head (16) connected to the body (14) and communicating with the chamber (15),
the head (16) being designed to couple with a filler (17) for fuel infeed into a tank,
coupling means (19) for holding the head (16) in position on the filler (17) when the fuel is dispensed,
shutter means (19a) connected to the head (16) to allow or prevent fuel dispensing,
a sleeve (13) mobile relative to the body (14) for operating the coupling means (19), the sleeve (13) being mobile in a direction "D" between a first, non-operating position in which fuel dispensing is inhibited and the head (16) is clear of the filler (17), and a second, operating position in which the head (16) is coupled with the filler (17) and fuel dispensing is enabled,
a lever (18), which can be operated by an operator, connected to the sleeve (13) to move the latter between the two positions, non-operating and operating,
the dispenser pistol being characterised in that it comprises cam means (20) located between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13) and designed to transmit movement between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13).
The pistol according to claim 1, characterised in that the cam means (20) cause a variable transmission ratio between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13).
The pistol according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the cam means (20) between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13) cause an increasing variable transmission ratio, so that a predetermined movement of the lever (18) causes a corresponding smaller movement of the sleeve (13).
The pistol according to claim 3, characterised in that the cam means (20) between the lever (18) and the sleeve (13) cause a transmission with a ratio of around 1:1 to a ratio of around 1:0.3.
The pistol according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the lever (18) is hinged on the body (14), the cam means (20) comprise at least one surface (21) with a cam profile positioned on the sleeve (13) or on the lever (18) and a cam follower (22) integral with the lever (18) or with the sleeve (13).
The pistol according to claim 5, characterised in that the cam follower (22) is made with at least one roller (23) or with antifriction means, for example shoes made of antifriction material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or acetal resins.
The pistol according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the surface (21) is at an angle of 72 degrees to the direction "D" of sleeve (13) movement.
The pistol according to any of the foregoing claim, characterised in that the lever (18) has an arm (25) operating on the sleeve (13), the arm (25) being at an angle (A) of around 40 degrees to the direction "D", when the sleeve (13) is in the first, non-operating position in which fuel dispensing is inhibited.
The pistol according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the lever (18) has an arm (25) operating on the sleeve (13), the arm (25) being at an angle (A) of around 2 degrees to the direction "D" or the arm (25) being parallel with the direction "D", when the sleeve (13) is in the second, operating position in which fuel dispensing is enabled.
The pistol according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that it comprises locking means (50) for stabilising the lever (18) when the sleeve (13) is in the operating position in which fuel dispensing is enabled.
The pistol according to claim 10, characterised in that the locking means (50) are automatically activated when the lever (18) has moved the sleeve (13) into the operating position in which fuel dispensing is enabled.
The pistol according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the locking means (50) comprise a retaining peg (51) inserted in the lever (18) and passing transversally through a hole made in the latter, a rocker arm (52) pivoting at an intermediate point at a pin (53) and having, at one end, a coupling tooth (54) designed to engage with the peg (51), the tooth (54) having a chamfered or rounded profile at the peg (51) so that, when it is drawn near the latter, the rocker arm (52) automatically engages during lever (18) movement.