FR2835038A1 - Motor vehicle LPG tank filler assembly has base with feed pipe connection, fixing for support, non-return valve and detachable connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The tank filler assembly, connected to the tank by a feed pipe and designed to receive a pump nozzle, comprises a base (1) with a tank feed pipe connection (10), a fixing (4) for a support (5) and a nonreturn valve (12), and a detachable connector (2) that can be changed to receive other pump nozzles used in different countries. The base consists of a hollow body with a stepped through channel containing the non-return valve components - a guide (13), a shut-off element (14) with a return spring (15), and a threaded bush (16).

Description

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 Filling connection for a liquefied gas tank on a motor vehicle.

 The present invention relates to a filling connection for a tank of liquefied gas on a motor vehicle.

 The filling connection of a liquefied gas tank, which can be a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank or a natural gas tank for a vehicle (NGV), is presently in the form of a part also called nozzle or filling valve, which comprises at one end means for connection to the supply pipe of the tank, at its other end connection means for receiving a gas gun and between these two ends of the fixing means a support, and which contains a non-return valve.

 However, depending on the country, the gas pistols have different shapes at the connection to the filling fittings.

 This is the reason why there are currently country-specific filling fittings.

 In Europe, for example, there are specific LPG filling connections for - France / Italy, - the Netherlands, - Belgium / Great Britain.

 These fittings are also not interchangeable insofar as the diameter of the threaded part of connection to the supply pipe of the tank is generally different depending on the fitting, and that the means of fixing the fitting on the support are often different in number and location.

 There are adapters allowing a user to fill the tank of his vehicle even when he goes to a country where the filling connections are different from that of his vehicle. These adapters are directly mounted on the fitting already in place and cause an additional pressure drop. In addition, the adapter being fixed on the connection supply port, connection side of the

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 gas pistol, the diameter of the orifice at this level is thus reduced, which tends to cause an acceleration of the flow of gas during filling, which could possibly lead to overfilling of the tank.

 Finally, it is likely that a single fitting for Europe will soon be imposed by standard, this fitting being different from the already existing fittings.

 These different filling connections therefore pose problems, on the one hand to motor vehicle manufacturers, insofar as it is necessary to install on the assembly line not only a specific filling connection according to the country of destination of the vehicle, but also a suitable support for fixing this specific connector, and also for the user of the vehicle, for the reasons mentioned concerning the adapters.

 The present invention relates to a filling connection which overcomes these problems.

 The filling connector according to the invention for a liquefied gas tank on a motor vehicle, comprising means for connection to the supply pipe of the tank, means for fixing to a support, connection means shaped to receive a gas gun , as well as a non-return valve, is composed of a base comprising the means of connection to the supply duct, the means of attachment to the support and the non-return valve, and of a connector detachably connected to the base to receive a gas pistol.

 Thanks to this division, the filling connector can include a single base, involving attachment to a single support, and one of several specific connectors having shapes adapted to the various existing gas guns.

 Preferably, the base can comprise a hollow body crossed by a stepped hole having a portion of larger diameter on the connector side, connecting by a shoulder to a portion of smaller diameter on the connection side to the supply conduit, the check valve return being mounted in the larger diameter portion of the stepped hole and comprising a shutter, a guide for this shutter, a spring interposed between the shutter and the guide and a threaded sleeve serving

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 seat to the shutter and screwed into the larger diameter portion of the through hole to block the shutter guide on said shoulder.

- la figure 2b représente la même embase avec un connecteur type Belgique/Grande-Bretagne ; - la figure 2c représente la même embase avec un connecteur type Pays-Bas ; - la figure 2d représente la même embase avec un connecteur type Europe. Referring to the accompanying drawings, there will be described below in more detail a filling connection according to the invention; in the drawings: - Figures la to Id schematically represent the profile of the connection part of the LPG filling fittings type France / Italy, Belgium / Great Britain, Netherlands and European type; - Figure 2a is a section of the filling connector according to the invention with its base and a connector type France / Italy;

- Figure 2b shows the same base with a connector type Belgium / Great Britain; - Figure 2c shows the same base with a connector type Netherlands; - Figure 2d shows the same base with a Europe type connector.

 Figures la to Id illustrate the diversity of connection profiles of the current filling fittings of the France / Italy type (figure la), of the Belgium / Great Britain type (figure lb), of the Netherlands type (figure le) and of the future fitting. European type (Figure Id).

 Whereas, according to the state of the art, these different connection profiles are provided on filling fittings having one-piece bodies which, depending on the country, are specific and are different as regards not only the connection parts, but also the attachment to their support and the connection to the supply pipe of the tank, the filling connection according to the present invention, as illustrated by FIGS. 2a to 2d, comprises a body subdivided into a single base 1 and into a connector 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d specific detachably connected to the base 1.

 According to Figure 2a, the base 1 comprises a hollow body 3, externally comprising a flange 4 for fixing, for example using four screws not shown, to a support 5. The body 3 is crossed by a stepped hole comprising a portion 6 of larger diameter, and a portion 7 of smaller diameter, connecting to the portion 6 by a shoulder 8. The body 3 has an internal thread 9 in the area of the portion 6 and an external thread 10 in the portion 7 area.

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 The portion 6 contains a non-return valve 12 which includes a guide 13, a shutter 14, a return spring 15 interposed between the guide 13 and the shutter 14, as well as a socket 16 screwed into the threaded portion 6 to block the guide 13 on the shoulder 8, the sleeve 16 comprising a conical seat for the conical head of the shutter 14.

 The thread 10 is used for connection to the supply line, not shown, of the reservoir.

 The connector 2a comprises a connection cup 17 of the France / Italy type with a threaded endpiece 18a which is screwed into the thread 9 of the portion 6 of the passage hole of the body 3, a gasket 19 interposed ensuring the seal between the two parts .

 The connector according to FIG. 2b comprises the same base 1 fixed by flange 4 to the support 5, and a connector 2b comprising a cup 20 of the Belgium / Great Britain type with a threaded end 18b for its connection by screwing to the body of the base. 1, a seal 22 ensuring the seal between the two parts.

 The connector according to FIG. 2c also comprises the base 1 fixed by flange 4 to the support 5, and a connector 2c comprising a cup 23 of the Netherlands type with a threaded end piece 18c for the screw connection to the body 3 of the base. 1, a seal 25 ensuring the seal between the two parts.

Finally, the connector according to FIG. 2d takes up the same base 1 fixed by flange 4 to the support 5, and a connector 2d of the Euroconnector type comprising a body 26 screwed into an adapter 27, the body 26 containing a non-return valve with guide 28 , shutter 29 and return spring 30, the adapter 27 comprising a threaded end piece 18d for the screw connection to the body 3 of the base 1, a seal
32 between the adapter 27 and the body 3 of the base 1 ensuring the seal between these two parts.

diffère selon les pays, le montage sur chaîne du raccord de remplissage se trouve simplifié puisqu'une même partie, l'embase 1, est montée sur tous Thanks to the division of the filling connector into two parts, namely a part 1 forming a base, common to all vehicles for all countries, and a specific removable part 2, forming the filling connector proper, suitable for receiving the pistol gas which

differs according to the country, mounting on the filling connection chain is simplified since the same part, the base 1, is mounted on all

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 vehicles, therefore on a standard support 5. The removable part 2 which changes according to the country can thus be delivered to the sale of the vehicle, according to the country of destination of the vehicle.

 This division into two parts also allows the user of a vehicle who wishes to go to a country where the gas pistols are different from those of his country, to simply change the removable part 2, therefore the connector, rather than d '' use an adapter causing additional pressure drop.

 If a new filling connection is adopted, such as a Euro-connector type fitting, all users of vehicles fitted with the fitting according to the invention can comply with this new fitting by simply replacing the removable part 2, therefore the connector of their fitting, by a corresponding connector corresponding to this new fitting.

Claims (3)

1. Filling connection for a liquefied gas tank on a motor vehicle, comprising means for connection to the supply pipe of the tank, means for fixing to a support, connection means shaped to receive a gas gun, and a non-return valve, characterized in that it is subdivided into a base (1) comprising the means (10) for connection to the supply duct, the means (4) for fixing to the support (5) and the non-return valve (12), and in a connector (2) detachably connected to the base.  2. Connection according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a single base (1) and specific connectors (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) adapted to the various gas pistols.  3. Connection according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base (1) has a hollow body (3) crossed by a stepped passage hole comprising two portions of holes (6,7) of different diameters connecting to each other by a shoulder (8) and that the non-return valve (12) comprises a valve guide (13), a shutter (14), a return spring (15) interposed between the guide ( 13) and the shutter (14), and a threaded sleeve (16) forming a seat for the shutter (14) and screwed into the portion (6) of larger diameter, with internal thread (9), of the through hole body (3) of the base (1) so as to block the guide (13) on the shoulder (8) of the body through hole (3).