FR2925476A1 - GUN FOR DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid dispensing gun (1) consisting of a liquid inlet (3) connected to a supply hose, a gripping handle (4) and a spout (6). Said pouring spout (6) has a total length L of at most 155 mm and an alpha bending angle of between 22.5 and 90 degrees. The dispensing gun according to the invention can be used for the refueling of road vehicles whose tank does not have a filler neck.

Description

GUN FOR DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID

The present invention relates to a gun for dispensing liquids and more particularly fuels in a capacity that does not have an external filler neck. More specifically, the invention applies to the distribution of fuel in petrol stations and relates to a fuel dispensing device for vehicles equipped with tanks having no external filling troughs that is to say for other vehicles than cars, buses and trucks.

Subsequently the term fuel will be used to cover all families of fuels such as gasoline, unleaded gasoline, diesel, biofuels alone or in mixture necessary for the refueling of a motor vehicle. The term motorcycle will be used to cover all motor vehicles whose fuel tank does not have an external filler neck such as two-wheel type vehicles, motorcycle, moped, scooter, mini motorcycle, motorcycle for children, three-wheeled motorcycle, four-wheeled motorcycle type quad or kart. The term capacity will be used to cover all containers, cans, jerry cans, tanks capable of containing a liquid, preferably a fuel.

In the service stations, dispensing guns for motor vehicles are connected by a flexible pipe to a distribution terminal consisting mainly of a volumetric counting machine and a positive displacement pump connected to buried tanks. In a general and simplified manner, the dispensing guns consist of a gripping handle and a filling pipe subsequently called spout. The fuel distribution is obtained by opening a shutter valve actuated by manual control of a trigger located in the pistol grip. In general, the spout contains a small diameter overflow pipe which, as soon as it fills with fuel, causes the trigger to lock. 2 Currently, guns for fuel dispensing meet the standards and dimensions for the automotive industry. The guns for fuel dispensing are particularly adapted to the capacity and shape of the tanks of cars: - the capacity varies greatly depending on the model and can thus go from 8 liters for a car without a license up to more than 100 liters , with an average that can be located around 60 Liters, and - the shape is characterized by the presence of a tubing called cylindrical filling chute which extends outward the opening of the tank and in which the spout is introduced during refueling, the length of this chute being greater than that of the spout.

Thus, for automobiles, the French standard NF ISO 9159 regulates the dimensions and flow rates of pistols for the distribution of leaded petrol and diesel while the NF ISO 9158 standard regulates guns for the distribution of unleaded petrol. In the latter case, the flow rate of the gun must be less than 50 Liters per minute, the length of the spout must be 165 mm minimum and the angle of bending of the nozzle 21 degrees 1.5 degrees.

When using these guns for the refueling of vehicles with a heat engine whose tank does not have a filler neck, there are difficulties in filling them completely. Indeed, by the absence of filler neck, the spout dives directly into the tank and very quickly the charged fuel comes into contact with the end of the overflow detection pipe contained in the spout. This has the effect of automatically stopping the distribution of fuel even though the tank is far from being completely filled. The rest of the load can then be done by raising the gun so that the nozzle no longer touches the fuel. This partial withdrawal of the spout also allows the user to view the level of loading of the tank and perform, therefore, a distribution of fuel dropper. 3 This rough evaluation of the level of loading coupled with a too high flow rate of the gun (approximately 40 liters / min) has the effect of increasing the risks of projection and overflow by foaming the fuel on the vehicle, the user and / or the floor. These filling problems are all the more present as the capacity of the tank is low, as is the case for motorcycle type vehicles, especially when it is less than 25 liters. Motorcycles have other peculiarities that add to the complexity of the refueling operation with, on the one hand, top loading of the tank and, on the other hand, a tank located above the engine, many of which are not protected by body parts. In this configuration, the spreading of fuel on the hot engine of the vehicle can cause fires. In addition, spilling fuel on the ground has the effect of polluting the environment and making the tracks slippery. The removal of the gun also has the effect of rendering ineffective the fuel vapor recovery devices usually incorporated. This therefore promotes the spread of vapors in the atmosphere and to the user. Finally, the too large length of the spout does not facilitate the maintenance of the gun in the tank. It also damages the tank by scratches and bumps. The hydrocarbons can then infiltrate under the paint of the tank and scale it significantly.

In conclusion, it appears that the guns for the distribution of fuel for cars are not perfectly adapted, or even present problems, to vehicles whose tank is not equipped with external filler neck, in particular the motorcycle tanks.

The present invention aims to solve the problems encountered and discussed above. The present invention therefore proposes a device for the distribution of liquid, capable of safely filling capacities directly open to the atmosphere, that is to say the opening of which is not extended by an external filler neck . The invention therefore relates to a gun for dispensing liquid, preferably a fuel, comprising a liquid inlet connected to a supply hose, a gripping handle and a spout, said spout having a length of plus 155 mm, preferably between 120 and 150 mm, more preferably between 130 and 140 mm and a bending angle a between 22.5 and 90 degrees, preferably equal to 25 degrees.

For the purposes of the present invention, the range of X to Y, unless otherwise indicated, is an interval in which the X and Y terminals are included, and in particular an interval in which the X and Y terminals are excluded.

The bending angle of said spout may be arranged at distances L 2 from the handle and L 1 from the free end of said spout such that the ratio L 2 / L 1 varies from 0.5 to 2, preferably from 1 to 2, more preferably from 1.5 to 2.

The spout may also be equipped with: at least one stopping abutment, preferably a stopping abutment, extending from the handle of the pistol to the initiation of the re-entrant angle of curvature of the spout, a device for recovering vapors emitted by the liquid, a protective cap at its free end, and / or an anti-drip device.

The distribution of the liquid is obtained by manual control of a trigger located in the handle of the pistol for the dispensing of liquid. The invention further relates to the use of said pistol for the dispensing of liquid for the filling of capacity which does not have any external filler chute. Preferably, the invention relates to the use of said gun for refueling a vehicle whose tank does not have an external filler neck.

Finally, said gun can be used for dispensing liquid whose pump flow rate is between 30 and 35 liters per minute, preferably between 30 and 33 liters per minute.

The figure below has no limiting character. It presents an embodiment of spout according to the invention from a ZVA gun from the company ELAFLEX -HIBY Tanktechnik GmbH. The figure is a profile representation of the dispensing gun assembly 1. This consists of a body 2 having a 1 o liquid inlet 3, a gripping handle 4 with trigger 5 and a spout 6. The spout 6 parameters are as follows:

- L: Total length of the spout, - A: Portion of the spout having a free end, 15 - L1: Length of the portion A, - Dl: Diameter at the free end of the portion A, - D the: Diameter of the portion A at the junction with the portion B, - B: Portion of the nose connected to the body 2 of the pistol, - L2: Length of the portion B, 20 - D2: Diameter of the portion B connected to the body 2 of the pistol and - a: Angle of bending formed between parts A and B.

According to the invention, the gun for dispensing liquid 1 consists essentially of a liquid inlet 3, a gripping handle 4 and a spout 6 made of any type of conductive material (x). (s) resistant to hydrocarbons such as metals.

In order to facilitate the introduction of the pouring spout 6 into the reservoir as well as its attachment to the reservoir while improving overfill detection, the invention proposes to reduce the length of the spout and to accentuate its angle of curvature. . The total length L of the spout must thus be 155 mm at most and the bending angle has comprised between 22.5 and 90 degrees. Preferably, the length of the beak L 35 is between 120 and 150 mm. More preferably, the length of the spout L is between 130 and 140 mm. The bending angle a is preferably 25 degrees. In order to facilitate attachment of the spout to the reservoir and to stabilize it, the pouring spout may be equipped with at least one projection forming a stop called spigot or stopper 7. Preferably the spout 6 is equipped with A single stop abutment 7. Said abutment (s) 7 is (are) positioned (s) on the portion B of the spout extending from the handle to the priming of the angle returning bending of the spout.

In order to limit the propagation of the vapors emitted during the refueling operation by the liquid, in particular by the fuel, the spout 6 may be equipped with a device for recovering these vapors. Indeed, it appears that the reduction of the dimensions of the spout and the stabilization thereof on the edge of the tank via a stopper improves the efficiency of devices usually used to suck the vapors.

In order to avoid damaging the tank by shocks and / or scratches, the free end of the spout 6 may be equipped with a protective cap. The protective cap may be a protective ring that encloses a portion of the free end of the portion A of the spout 6. Said protective cap is made of any type of electrically conductive synthetic material capable of resist corrosive chemicals and especially fuels. The positioning of said protective tip on the spout can be performed by a snap fit, gluing, screwing or any other suitable method. Preferably, the positioning of the protective tip is made by clipping on the free end of the grooved spout for this purpose.

In order to limit the risks of overflow and spreading of the liquid fluid, the flow of liquid fluid upstream of the spout 6 can be decreased. Prototype tests show that the length of the spout influences the flow setting. This is because reducing the length of the nozzle has the effect of limiting fuel turbulence in the tank. Thus, for a length of at most 155 mm from the spout, preferably from 120 to 150 mm, more preferably from 130 to 140, corresponds to an optimum pump flow of 30 to 35 liters per minute, preferably 30 to 35 mm. at 33 liters per minute.

Finally, the reduction of the dimensions of the spout 6 combined with the optimization of the flow has a positive effect on the storage of fuel in the spout after interruption of the flow rate by limiting it strongly. As a result, the spout no longer drops unexpectedly. The constitution of the dispensing guns is simplified because it is not necessarily necessary to equip the guns anti-drip device. This improvement, however, does not prevent equipping the spout with an anti-drip device. Said device may be made in accordance with the devices described in the patent FR2731690 TOTAL RAFFINAGE DISTRIBUTION or in the patent FR2714900 ELF ANTAR France and EQUIPMENT INDUSTRIAL NORMAND.

The dispensing gun according to the invention is particularly suitable for tanks of road vehicles having no filler neck and preferably having a low capacity, in particular less than 25 liters. However, it can be used to fill capacities equipped with filler neck and any capacity. Similarly, the dispensing gun according to the invention is particularly suitable for dispensing fuel but can equally well distribute other types of liquids alone or in a mixture such as oils or alcohols.

EXAMPLE The following example illustrates the advantages of the invention. Table 1 shows the general and preferred dimensions of the spout 6 of the dispensing gun 1.35 TABLE 1: Dimensions of the spout Dimensions Preferred general dimensions L 120 to 150 mm 130 mm to 140 mm A L1 40 to 60 mm 45 to 55 mm Dl 21.3 mm max. Dl 16 mm B L2 70 to 90 75 to 90 mm D2 25 to 30 mm to 22.5 to 90 degrees 25 degrees Tank refueling tests were carried out. The equipment used for these tests consists of a fuel pump connected to a dispensing gun as well as a small capacity tank not equipped with a filler neck (motorcycle tank DUCATI 9 Liters). This device has two main characteristics: the pump-gun connection makes it possible to change the type of pistol and thus easily switch from a standard auto pistol to a pistol equipped with a spout according to the invention, and - the fuel spilled in the tank can be returned directly to the fuel system of the pump, allowing the tank to be emptied quickly and refilled in another test.

The tests consisted in measuring, for each type of pistol and at variable flow rates, the time Ti elapsed between the beginning of refueling of the empty reservoir and the first stop imposed by the discharge detection as well as the elapsed time T2 to fill completely. The reservoir. Table 2 presents the results of these tests.

TABLE 2: Tests carried out on a tank DUCATI 9 Liter Motorcycle Pistol according to the standard Auto Pistol the invention Flow rate at T1 T2 T2 T1 Ti T1 T2 pump T1 (sec.) (Sec.) (Sec.) (Sec.) (sec.) (sec.) (L / min.) 20 28 58 30 35 46 11 30 19 32 13 20 28 8 40 16 31 15 21 31 10 From these results it can be seen that a standard auto pistol was used under the usual pump flow conditions of 40 liters / minute (ie a spray rate of about 20 liters / minute) is not suitable for refueling a small capacity tank not equipped with a filler neck such as a 9-liter DUCATI motorcycle tank.

When a standard auto pistol is used with a pump flow of 40 liters / minute, backflow detection is achieved after only 16 seconds of loading (Ti). Indeed, by the absence of filler neck, the spout plunges directly into the tank. Very quickly the charged fuel comes into contact with the end of the overflow detection pipe contained in the spout too large. This has the effect of automatically stopping the distribution of fuel even though the tank is far from being completely filled. To obtain the full tank full, it is then necessary to carry out the partial withdrawal of the spout in order to estimate approximately the loading level and then to distribute the remaining fuel to the dropper (T2 = 31 seconds). These end-of-tank operations do not prevent overflows. Decreasing the flow rate to 30 L / min or 20 L / min does not fully optimize these operating times. The use of a gun designed according to the dimensions of Table 1 regardless of the flow rate at the pump, highlights the following evolutions: The detection of the first discharge (Tl) is delayed since the dimensions of the gun according to the invention are less and therefore the amount of fuel loaded to the first stop is greater. - The duration until the full full is shortened (T2) and in addition the formation of foam as the risks of overflow are reduced. The gap (T2-T1) is greatly diminished proof that at the time of the first stop (at Ti) the tank is almost completely filled and that the final adjustment until the full full is simplified. The reduction of (T2-T1) also has the advantage of limiting the emission of vapors during this interval, even if the gun is not equipped with a vapor recovery device.

The use of a gun according to the invention combined with a pump flow rate of 30 L / min reveals particularly optimized operating times compared to those obtained under normal conditions of use in the service station (flow at the pump 40 L / min and use a standard auto pistol). In particular, there is a decrease of nearly 10% of T2 obtained thanks to the particular conditions of the invention compared to the T2 obtained under the usual conditions of use.

Claims (17)

1. Pistol for dispensing (1) liquid comprising a liquid inlet (3) connected to a supply hose, a handle (4) and a pouring spout (6), characterized in that said spout has a length (L) of at most 155 mm and a bending angle of between 22.5 and 90 degrees. 2. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to claim 1, characterized in that said spout has a length (L) of between 120 and 150 mm. 3. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said spout has a length (L) of between 130 and 140 mm. 4. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said spout has a bending angle equal to 25 degrees. 5. Gun for liquid distribution according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the angle is disposed at a distance L2 of the handle and a distance L1 of the free end of said spout such as the ratio L2 / L1 varies from 0.5 to 2. 6. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to claim 5, characterized in that the ratio L2 / L1 ranges from 1 to 2. 7. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to claim 6 characterized in that the ratio L2 / L1 ranges from 1.5 to 2. 8. gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the spout is equipped with at least one stopper (7). 12 9. gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the stopper (7) is located on the portion B of the spout between the body (2) of the gun and the priming of the re-entrant angle of beak curvature. 10. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the spout is equipped with a device for recovering vapors emitted by the liquid. 11. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the spout is equipped with a protective cap at its free end. 15 12. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the spout is equipped with an anti-drip device. 13. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the liquid distribution is obtained by manual control of a trigger (5) located in the handle (4). 14. Spray gun for dispensing liquid according to any of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the liquid is a fuel. 15. Use of a liquid dispensing gun according to any one of claims 1 to 14 for filling a capacity having no external filler neck. 16. Use of a gun for dispensing liquid according to claim 15 for dispensing liquid whose flow rate is between 30 and 35 liters per minute. 10 3513 17. Use of a gun according to claim 16 for the distribution of liquid whose flow is between 30 and 33 liters per minute.