EP2157045A1

EP2157045A1 - Fuel dispenser and column with display

Info

Publication number: EP2157045A1
Application number: EP09156919A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Annika Birkler; Hanna Helgesson; Bengt I Larsson
Original assignee: Dresser Wayne AB
Current assignee: Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB
Priority date: 2008-07-23
Filing date: 2009-03-31
Publication date: 2010-02-24
Also published as: SE0801727L; SE0801727A0

Abstract

A fuel dispensing unit (1) for refueling vehicles is provided, comprising a hose column (2) having a front (21) and a back (22) that are joined by two sides (23, 24). A fuel hose (6) is at least partly accommodated in the hose column (2) and is connected to a fuel hose connector at the hose column (2), the fuel hose (6) extending from the hose connector and through a hose opening (29) in the front (21) of the hose column (2). A fuel pump housing (3) is arranged adjacent any of the two sides (23, 24) of the hose column (2) and has internally a fuel pump for, via a fuel line, feeding a stream of fuel to the fuel hose connector. An electronic payment terminal (5) is arranged on top of the fuel pump housing (3) and an electronic display (4) is arranged at a top of the hose column (2).

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a fuel dispensing unit for refueling vehicles, comprising a hose column, a fuel hose at least partly accommodated in the hose column and a fuel pump housing arranged adjacent the hose column.

Background Art

Today fuel dispensing units are arranged at petrol stations for filling fuel in various vehicles. A typical fuel dispensing unit has a lower compartment which is arranged on the ground and houses a pump for drawing fuel from an underground fuel storage. The pump feeds the fuel to a fuel meter and eventually to a flexible fuel hose fitted with a fuel dispensing nozzle that is inserted, by a user, in a vehicle tank.
The amount of fuel dispensed at the fuel dispensing nozzle is measured by the fuel meter which sends a signal representative of the amount to an electronics compartment. The electronics compartment calculates the cost of the dispensed fuel and presents the information for the user via some kind of presentation interface. Often the electronics compartment also has a payment terminal for increasing the level of self-service. Typically the payment terminal includes various means for presenting information pertaining to the operation of the payment terminal.
The electronics compartment and its presentation interface are usually arranged as a single unit above the fuel handling compartment, i.e. the fuel pump housing, either directly on top of the lower fuel handling compartment or at a distance directly above the compartment by attachment of the electronics compartment to a side of a hose column that extends vertically from the ground.
Explosive fuel vapour may be present in the lower fuel handling compartment and, if the fuel dispensing unit has a hose column, in or near the hose column. The electronics compartment and its information interface commonly incorporates electronic components having voltages and electrical current levels that are above an admissible level in terms of the risk of explosion, and therefore the electronics compartment is separated from the lower fuel handling compartment, either by a specific distance or by suitable barriers.
To facilitate communication between the fuel handling compartment and the electronics compartment, various electrical cables are drawn from the lower fuel handling compartment to the upper electronics compartment.
Safety is of crucial importance when designing a fuel dispending unit but there are other features that are quite important as well, such as user-friendliness of the fuel dispensing unit. As common people of various ages often operates the fuel dispensing unit it is important that, for example, it is easy to understand operating interfaces, that the fuel hose may be easily extracted and retracted, that information may be easily viewed etc. Accordingly, all components including the total arrangement of the fuel dispensing unit are important when considering user-friendliness while still ensuring that a risk of explosion is reduced.
In the art, there are several techniques for arranging a fuel dispensing unit. US-6,328,060 , for example, discloses a dispenser were an operator interface and a payment terminal is arranged on top of a fuel pump housing. From each side of the pump housing a respective column extends above the height of the pump housing. The columns are joined by a vertical roof, from which a flexible fuel dispensing hose extends.
WO 00/61490 discloses another, similar fuel dispensing arrangement where a vertical hose column extends from a side of a pump housing. The pump housing appears to incorporate an operator interface and possibly also a payment terminal.
Further background art is reflected by WO 94/09458 and by WO 96/28791 , were fuel dispensing units having pump means and fuel hose means arranged in a common housing are disclosed.
Although the disclosed fuel dispensing units are, in various aspects, more or less user-friendly and safe in respect of a risk of explosion, investigations and interviews with users imply that improvements would prove beneficial in the art.

Summary of the Invention

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement of the above techniques and prior art. More particularly, it is an object to provide a fuel dispensing unit that in a more flexible manner fulfils various safety requirements, in particularly in terms of a risk of explosion, while still the fuel dispensing unit remains user-friendly
Other objects and advantages that will be apparent from the following description of the present invention are achieved by a fuel dispensing unit according to the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
Hence a fuel dispensing unit for refueling vehicles is provided, comprising a hose column having a front and a back that are joined by two sides. A fuel hose is at least partly accommodated in the hose column and is connected to a fuel hose connector at, or in, the hose column, the fuel hose extending from the hose connector and through a hose opening in the front of the hose column. A fuel pump housing is arranged adjacent any of the two sides of the hose column and has internally a fuel pump for, via a fuel line, feeding a stream of fuel to the fuel hose connector. An electronic display is arranged at a top of the hose column.
The inventive fuel dispensing unit is advantageous in that the electronic display is arranged at the top of the hose column, which means that it is more easy to provide any necessary remaining electronics in the pump housing while still obtaining a proper safety in terms of a risk of explosion. This is due to the fact that the electronic display must have a certain size, since the display typically shows an amount of fuel dispensed and should be visible from a distance, and that there is, accordingly, a reduced need for vapour protected space in the fuel pump housing. This also provides for an increased freedom-of-design since it is easier to fulfill safety requirements.
An additional advantage is that any information shown at the display may be viewed, for example, over the roof of a high car, since a column generally extends higher than a traditional fuel pump housing fitted with a display.
So, in brief, safety requirements are more easily met while user-friendliness is improved.
It should be noted that even if vapour may be present at the hose column, it has been observed that the risk of explosion is often smaller in the hose column environment than in the pump housing environment.
Yet another advantage lies in heat being dissipated form electronics of the display, which heat warms the fuel hose and thus makes the hose more flexible.
The fuel dispensing unit further comprises an electronic payment terminal arranged on top of the fuel pump housing.
Even if payment terminals arranged on top of fuel pump housings are known per se, arranging a payment terminal in this manner in combination with the arrangement of the electronic display further increases the above discussed advantage of having a smaller number of electronic components in the fuel pump housing. It is true that a payment terminal increases the number of electronic components but, as mentioned before, having the electronic display at the column facilitates improved arrangement of the remaining electronics, including the payment terminal. Of course, the payment terminal may have its own interface and electronic display, but these may be tailored to the terminals own requirements which often are different from those of the electronic display at the hose column.
To summarize, a reduced risk of explosion is achieved by, in combination, arranging a fuel pump housing adjacent a hose column fitted with an electronic display, arranging an electronic payment terminal on top of the fuel pump housing, and having a fuel hose at least partly accommodated in the hose column and extending through a hose opening in the front of the hose column. The reduced risk is based on e.g. the understanding how of fuel vapour may be emitted, for example in case of a fuel line or fuel hose breakage, or when fuel is spilled from a nozzle of the fuel hose which may result in fuel vapour reaching electronics of the fuel dispensing unit. Accordingly, while preventing a risk of explosion, convenient operation of the fuel dispensing unit is still ensured.
The electronic display may be arranged at the front of the hose column, for provided in improved view for an operator of the fuel dispensing unit. Moreover, arranging the display at the front provides, at least to a large extent, a vertical arrangement of the electronics in the display which reduces the formation of condense on the electronics.
The electronic display may be configured to display information obtained by measurements performed in the fuel pump housing, and the electronic display may be connected to the fuel pump housing via an electronic line. This implies the electrical as well as functional connection between the pump housing and the electronic display, which further indicates the advantage of separating the display from, for example, a vapour protected sub-space in a fuel pump housing.
The fuel dispensing unit may further comprise a vapour barrier separating the electronic display from the fuel pump housing, which further improves the safety archived by arranging the electronic display on the hose column.
The fuel dispensing unit may further comprise a nozzle holder arranged at the front of the hose column for holding a fuel nozzle connected to the fuel hose, wherein nozzle holder, or more specifically, a center of the nozzle holder, is arranged at least 35 cm below the electronic display. This ensures that safety is maintained even if fuel vapour is present at the hose column, i.e. more close to the electronic display in relation to vapour present in the fuel pump housing. Moreover, this also minimizes any spilling of fuel from the nozzle on the display when the fuel nozzle is inserted in the nozzle holder.
An interface side of the electronic payment terminal may face the same direction as the front of the hose column, which improves user-friendliness as well as facilitates, in case also the electronic display is arranged at the front of the hose column, a more efficient vapour separation and thus safety.
The fuel dispensing unit may further comprise a substantially vertical plate separating the fuel pump housing from the hose column, which provides a quite efficient way of preventing vapour from spreading from the fuel pump housing to the hose column or vice versa, even if the plate has, which often is the case, several cable and fuel pipe penetrations. By substantially vertical is meant a plate that is almost vertical. Optionally, the fuel dispensing unit comprise a vertical plate for the separation of pump housing and column.
The hose column and the fuel pump housing may be standing next to each other on a base. This feature further emphasize the principle of arranging the fuel pump housing adjacent a side of the column. By arranging the pump housing "next to" the hose column it is implied that the pump housing has no outer boundary extending, e.g. in a protruding manner, over the hose column or vice versa..
The electronic display, or more specifically, a center of the electronic display, may be arranged at least 150 cm above the base, and/or an interface, or more specifically, a center of the interface of the electronic payment terminal may be arranged above the base at a distance of at least 30 cm less than said distance of the electronic display, or the center of the electronic display, above the base. This has shown to provide a reduced risk of explosion since proper safety distances are ensured.
A top of the payment terminal may be arranged, along a vertical distance, at least 35 cm below a top of the hose column.
A top of the payment terminal may be arranged, along a vertical distance, at least 30 cm below an upper part of the electronic display.
A top of the payment terminal may be arranged, along a vertical distance, at least 18 cm below a lower part of the electronic display.
The payment terminal may be separated from the fuel pump housing such that an air gap is formed at least partially between the payment terminal and the fuel pump housing, which is advantageous in that a risk of explosion due to presence of fuel vapour is reduced.
At least a part of the air gap may be at least 4,0 cm wide in a direction form the fuel pump housing to the payment terminal, which has proven to be a distance that provides satisfying safety.
The payment terminal may comprise a lower plate that faces the fuel pump housing, and the fuel pump housing may comprise an upper plate that faces the payment terminal, which efficiently blocks fuel vapour from entering e.g. the payment terminal.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a front view of the inventive fuel dispensing unit,
Fig. 2 is a rear view of the inventive fuel dispensing unit,
Fig. 3 illustrates parts of the interior of the inventive fuel dispensing unit, and
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the a payment terminal and parts of the fuel pump housing of the fuel dispensing unit of Fig. 1.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a fuel dispensing unit 1 is arranged on a base 11 forming a part of the ground the fuel dispensing unit 1 is standing on. The base 11 may be a separate structure standing on the ground or may be a part of the ground itself. The dispensing unit 1 comprises a fuel pump housing 3 of a box like structure having a front 31, a back 32, two sides 33, 34 and a top 35. The box like structure of the fuel pump housing 3 is preferably made of sheet metal or plastic plates that form a shell of the pump housing 2, and a metallic frame of the fuel pump housing 3 is supporting the sheet metal/plates.
As seen from the front (Fig. 1) of the fuel dispensing unit 1 a hose column 2 is arranged adjacent, i.e. in close abutment to, the right side 34 of the fuel pump housing 3. The hose column 2 also comprises a box like structure having a front 21, a back 22, two sides 23, 24 and a top 25, and is preferably made of sheet metal or plastic plates that form a shell of the hose column 2, and a metallic frame of hose column 2 is supporting the sheet metal/plates. Accordingly, as seen from the front of the fuel dispensing unit 1, the fuel pump housing 3 is arranged adjacent the left side 23 of the hose column 2. The hose column 2 also accommodates a flexible fuel hose 6 which has a fuel dispensing nozzle 61 that, when not used, rests in a nozzle boot 26 in the front 21 of the hose column 2. The fuel hose 6 is partly arranged within the hose column 2 and extends through a hose opening 29 in the front 21 of the hose column 2. Suitable hose retraction means (not shown) are arranged in the hose column 2 for returning the hose 6 in case a user had to extract the hose 6 during a vehicle refueling operation. The column 2 has two further hoses for allowing dispensing of three different types of fuel.
A payment terminal 5 is arranged on the top 35 of the fuel pump housing 5 and has a front 52 facing the same direction as the front 31 of the fuel pump housing 3. At the payment terminal front 52 an interface 53 of the payment terminal 5 is arranged.
On, or at the top 25 of the hose column 2 an electronic display is 4 mounted. It should be noted that the display 4 just as well may be seen as integrated in the hose column 2, in which case it is more correct to say that the electronic display 4 is arranged at the top of the hose column 2, and that the top of the hose column 2 is then formed by the top 45 of the electronic display 4. In any case, the display 4 is well above the nozzle boot 26. Accordingly, the top 45 is also considered to be the top of the hose column 2.
The display 4 has an upper part 47 which forms an upper edge of the visible part of the display 4, and a lower part 46 which form a lower edge of the visible part of the display 4. Here "visible part" means the parts of the display that are visible when a typical user stands in front of the hose column 2 and views the display 4.
With further reference to Fig. 3, some interior parts of the fuel dispensing unit 1 are illustrated. The fuel pump housing 3 has a fuel pump 64 for drawing fuel from an underground fuel storage tank (not shown) and producing a stream of fuel in a fuel line 63 that extends from the fuel pump 64 and into the hose column 2. The fuel line 63 has a fuel hose connector 62 at its end, to which hose connector 62 the hose 6 (only illustrated in part in Fig. 3) is connected such that the stream of fuel may flow into the fuel hose 6 and out form the fuel dispending nozzle 61 when the dispensing unit 1 is operated.
During dispenser operation a fuel meter 65 measures an amount of dispensed fuel and sends, via an electronic communication line 41 to the electronic display 4, a signal representative of the amount of dispensed fuel and preferably also representative of how much the dispensed fuel costs. The signal received at the electronic display 4 is converted and displayed in a manner known within the art. Preferably, the electronic display 4 is an LCD display or OLED display.
The payment terminal 5 comprises dedicated circuits 57 that register, grant and confirm purchase of fuel, and communicates via a communication line 58 with the fuel meter 65 in order to receive information indicating how much fuel a user has dispensed, i.e. purchased. Preferably, an LCD display or OLED display is comprised in the payment terminal 5, for showing information associated with a payment process.
The fuel pump housing 3 has also a vapour barrier 36 that seals the interior of the pump housing 3 such that no or only very little vapour may escape into the payment terminal 5 or into the hose column 2. This means that vapour tight cable and pipe penetrations are provided for the communication lines 41, 58 and the fuel line 63 as well as for any other line penetrating the vapour barrier 36.
Communication between the various components of the fuel dispensing unit are facilitated in a known manner, which also includes the general operation of the fuel dispensing unit and its payment terminal.
With respect to sizes and measurements of the parts of the dispensing unit 1, the uppermost part of the column 2, which may be seen as the top 45 of the display 4, is typically at least 160 cm above the base 11, while a top 55 of the payment terminal 5 is typically arranged above the base 11 at a distance at least 30 cm below the top's 45 distance above the base 11. The nozzle holder 26 is arranged at such a height that the fuel dispensing nozzle 61 is at least 45 cm below the top 45 when the nozzle 61 rests in the nozzle holder 26. Vapour concentration measurements have shown that these distances provide a proper safety margin in respect of reducing a risk of explosion since any vapour escaped from the pump housing 3 respectively the fuel dispensing nozzle 61 are less concentrated when reaching the payment terminal 5 respectively the electronic display 4.
A vertical distance D1 from the uppermost top 45 of the hose column to the top 55 of the payment terminal 5 may be at least 35 cm. A vertical distance D2 from the upper part 47 of the electronic display 4 to the top 55 of the payment terminal 5 may be at least 30 cm. A vertical distance D3 from the lower part 46 of the electronic display 4 to the top 55 of the payment terminal 5 may be at least 18 cm. A vertical distance D4 from a lower part of the display 4 to a vertical center of the nozzle boot 26 can be at least 30 cm. The distance D4 can also be at least 30 cm from the lower part of the display 4 to a center of the fuel dispensing nozzle 61 when the nozzle 61 rests in the nozzle boot 26.
With further reference to Fig. 4, the payment terminal 5 is separated form the fuel pump housing 3 at a distance D5 of at least 4,0 cm, or more preferably at least 4,5 cm. Preferably the payment terminal 5 and the fuel pump housing 3 are arranged such that the distance D5 of 4,0 cm is vertical.
A lower plate 56 of the payment terminal 5 seals the interior of the payment terminal from below, and an upper plate 37 of the fuel pump housing 3 seals the interior of the fuel pump housing 3 from above. Between the two plates 56 and 37 an air gap 7 is formed which has an opening to the surrounding environment, e.g. via a fence like, open structure for allowing any fuel vapour in the air gap 7 to be ventilated. The air gap 7 may be seen as a void between the payment terminal 5 and the fuel pump housing 3 and extends, for example, in a planar manner parallel with the plates 56, 37.
However, the air gap 7 may be bigger or smaller at different portions between the plates 56, 37, and may have a non-planar shape as well. In any case, at least a part of the air gap (the distance between the plates 56, 57) is as mentioned at least 4,0 cm.
Separating/connecting members 71 a, 71 b are arranged between the payment terminal 5 and the fuel pump housing 3 for allowing the mounting of the payment terminal 5 on the pump housing 3. In further detail, the separating members 71 a, 71 b may be U-shaped elongated plate parts placed between and connected to the plates 56, 37, or they may be parts that are integrated in any of the payment terminal 5 and the fuel pump housing 3.
For proper ventilation effect the air gap 7 can be substantially planar and extends, apart from any connection members like the members 71 a, 71 b, fully between the payment terminal 5 and the fuel pump housing 3.
The described embodiment has a payment terminal, but it is possible to omit the payment terminal while still achieving, however slightly reduced since the construction is more simple, the similar described advantages.
It is also possible to arrange hoses and corresponding hose openings and nozzle holders at the back 22 of the column 2, while the payment terminal 5 has an additional interface at its back.
Hence, in a most equipped embodiment, the fuel dispensing unit, which comprises the hose column having the front and the back that are joined by the two sides, has a plurality, e.g. six, fuel hoses at least partly accommodated in the hose column and connected to a respective fuel hose connector at the hose column. A subset of the plurality of hoses, e.g. three fuel hoses, extend from their respective hose connector and through a respective hose opening in the front of the hose column, while remaining fuel hoses, e.g. three fuel hoses, extend from their respective hose connector and through a respective hose opening in the back of the hose column. In this case, the fuel pump, or a plurality of fuel pumps, feeds, via a plurality of fuel lines, a stream of fuel to each fuel hose connector, wherein a first electronic display is arranged at a front of the hose column and a second electronic display is arranged at a back of the hose column, for displaying information pertaining to the operation of a fuel hose at a respective front or back of the hose column. The information typically includes how much fuel is dispensed from the fuel hose operated for filling a vehicle. Preferably, the display at the front shows information pertaining to dispensing of fuel from any hose at the front of the column, while the display at the back shows information pertaining to dispensing of fuel from any hose at the back of the column. Preferably, this most equipped embodiment has a payment terminal with two interfaces; one at the front and one at he back.
In this most equipped embodiment it is particularly advantageous to arrange the displays at the top of the column, since this embodiment has even more electronics components that must be taken into account when reducing a risk of explosion.
To summarize, it has been discovered that the very location of the various components has a surprisingly advantageous effect when considering the risk of explosion. At he same time, as earlier described user-friendliness is increased.

Claims

A fuel dispensing unit for refueling vehicles, comprising
a hose column (2) having a front (21) and a back (22) that are joined by two sides (23, 24),

a fuel hose (6) at least partly accommodated in the hose column (2) and connected to a fuel hose connector (62) at the hose column (2), the fuel hose (6) extending from the hose connector (62) and through a hose opening (29) in the front (21) of the hose column (2),

a fuel pump housing (3) arranged adjacent any of the two sides (23, 24) of the hose column (2) and internally having a fuel pump (64) for, via a fuel line (63), feeding a stream of fuel to the fuel hose connector (62), and

an electronic payment terminal (5) arranged on top of the fuel pump housing (3), wherein

an electronic display (4) is arranged at a top (25) of the hose column (2).
A fuel dispensing unit according to claim 1, further comprising a vapour barrier (36) separating the electronic display (4) from the fuel pump housing (3).
A fuel dispensing unit according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a nozzle holder (26) arranged at the front (21) of the hose column (2) for holding a fuel nozzle (61) connected to the fuel hose (6), wherein the nozzle holder (26) is arranged at least 35 cm below the electronic display (4).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 3, further comprising a substantially vertical plate (27) separating the fuel pump housing (3) from the hose column (2).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 4, wherein the hose column (2) and the fuel pump housing (3) are standing next to each other on a base (11).
A fuel dispensing unit according to claim 5, wherein the electronic display (4) is arranged at least 150 cm above the base (11).
A fuel dispensing unit according to claim 6, wherein an interface (53) of the electronic payment terminal (5) is arranged above the base (11) at a distance of at least 30 cm less than the electronic display's distance above the base (11).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 7, wherein a top (55) of the payment terminal (5) is arranged, along a vertical distance (D1), at least 35 cm below a top (45) of the hose column (2).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 8, wherein a top (55) of the payment terminal (5) is arranged, along a vertical distance (D2), at least 30 cm below an upper part (47) of the electronic display (4).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 9, wherein a top (55) of the payment terminal (5) is arranged, along a vertical distance (D3), at least 18 cm below a lower part (46) of the electronic display (4).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 10, wherein the payment terminal (5) is separated from the fuel pump housing (3) such that an air gap (7) is formed at least partially between the payment terminal (5) and the fuel pump housing (3).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 11, wherein at least a part of the air gap (7) is at least 4,5 cm wide.
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 12, wherein a lower part (46) of the electronic display (4) is arranged, along a vertical distance (D4), at least 30 cm above a fuel dispensing nozzle (61) configured to rest in a nozzle boot (26) in the front (21) of the hose column (2).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 13, wherein the payment terminal (5) comprises a lower plate (56) that faces the fuel pump housing (3).
A fuel dispensing unit according to any one of claims 1 - 14, wherein the fuel pump housing (3) comprises an upper plate (37) that faces the payment terminal (5).