GB2447292A

GB2447292A - Fuel dispensing nozzle with magnetic valve to prevent misfuelling

Info

Publication number: GB2447292A
Application number: GB0704525A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Gall Thomson
Original assignee: BP Oil International Ltd
Current assignee: BP Oil International Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-09
Filing date: 2007-03-09
Publication date: 2008-09-10
Also published as: GB2447302A; WO2008110755A2; WO2008110749A3; WO2008110750A2; WO2008110755A3; WO2008110750A3; GB0704525D0; WO2008110749A2; GB0706840D0; GB2447292A8

Abstract

A valve, for incorporation in a fuel dispensing nozzle 20, comprises a valve seat 14 which lies within a fluid conduit 16 and a (preferably ferrous) sealing member 10 that is moveable between a first inoperative position which is spaced from the valve seat 14 to allow fluid to flow through the fluid conduit 16 and a second operative position which is in sealing engagement with the valve seat 14 to prevent fluid flow through the fluid conduit 16. An actuator 28 is moveably coupled to the fluid conduit 16, and preferably has a magnetic element therein which attracts the sealing member 10. As the actuator 28 is moved between a first passive position in which it allows movement of the sealing member 10 to a second active position, the magnetic element 34 attracts the ferrous element 10 and holds it in an open position, allowing fluid flow through conduit 16, and thus fuel flow. Cars which have a fuel tank opening which is larger than that which the nozzle is intended for (e.g. diesel fuel tanks rather than petrol ones) will not cause the actuator to move and no flow will be allowed through the nozzle. Thus misfuelling is prevented.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATLN9 TO

FUEL DISPENSING NOZZLES

This invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a valve for incorporation in a fuel dispensing nozzle, and a fuel dispensing nozzle including such a valve.

Vehicles having a diesel engine have a wide filling neck to the fuel tank, and diesel fuel dispensing nozzles have a diameter of between approximately 25mm and 27mm.

In contrast, vehicles having a petrol engine include fuel tanks having a restriction in their filling necks of 22mm diameter, while petrol fuel dispensing nozzles have a diameter of approximately 20mm to 21mm.

It follows that attempting to introduce diesel fuel into a petrol tank using a diesel fuel dispensing nozzle is thwarted by the 22mm diameter filling neck since the diesel fuel dispensing nozzle is too wide to enter this aperture.

However, the aforementioned features do nothing to prevent the dispensing of petrol fuel via a petrol fuel dispensing nozzle into a diesel fuel tank. Running petrol fuel through a diesel engine is highly undesirable since it can lead to extensive damage of the engine components requiring costly repair and replacement.

To help overcome this problem there is a need for improvements in or relating to fuel dispensing nozzles.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a nozzle according to Claim 1.

Preferably the nozzle includes further features as defined in dependent claims 2 to S.

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According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a fuel dispensing nozzle according to Clain 9 which, preferably, includes a further feature as defined in dependent Claim 10.

There now follows a brief description of preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1(a) shows a fuel dispensing nozzle according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 1(b) shows an enlarged view of a portion of the fuel dispensing nozzle shown m Figure 1(a); Figure 2(a) shows a fuel dispensing nozzle according to a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2(b) shows two enlarged portions of the fuel dispensing nozzle shown in Figure 2(a).

A valve 8 includes a sealing member 10, in the form of a carbon steel ball 12, and a valve seat 14. The valve seat lies in a fluid conduit 14 which is defined by an automatic shut-off duct 18 in a fuel dispensing nozzle 20.

The carbon steel ball 12 is retained in the duct 18 by a stop member 22 in the form of a pin 24, so as to lie approximately 8 to 1 Omiri from the valve seat 14.

The automatic shut-off duct 18 typically runs along the length of the fuel dispensing nozzle 20. A shut-off mechanism (not shown) is configured to "breathe" through the shut-off duct 18. Accordingly, as long as air can pass through the shut-off duct 18, the dispensing of fuel from the nozzle 20 is regulated only by an outlet valve which is usually opened via an operating lever 26, as desired, by a user who wishes to dispense fuel into a fuel tank (not shown).

As the fuel tank becomes full, the level of fuel in the tank rises and closes the end of the shut-off duct 18. As a result the shut- off mechanism is no longer able to

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"breathe" and so activates to shut the outlet valve, thereby preventing dispensing of fuel from the fuel dispensing nozzle 20.

In the embodiments shown, any movement of air up the shut-off duct 18 causes the ball 12 to move into sealing engagement with the valve seat 14. Such movement of air occurs as soon as fuel starts to be dispensed through the dispensing nozzle 20.

The ball 12 moving into sealing engagement with the valve seat 14 has the same effect as fuel in a fuel tank reaching the tip of the dispensing nozzle 20 and closing the end of the shut-off duct 18. The result is mirnediate activation of the shut-off mechanism which prevents the dispensing of fuel through the dispensing nozzle 20.

Movement of the ball 12 into sealing engagement with the valve seat 14 remains possible while an actuator 28, in the form of a slidable sleeve 30, remains in a first passive, position towards the end of the dispensing nozzle 20, as shown in the figures.

A spring 32 between the sleeve 30 and the dispensing nozzle 20 biases the sleeve towards the first, passive position.

The sleeve 30 includes a magnetic element 34.

When the dispensing nozzle 20 is pushed into the filling neck of a petrol fuel tank (not shown) the sleeve 30 abuts the 22mm diameter restricted neck. Continued movement of the dispensing nozzle 20 moves the sleeve 30 along the dispensing nozzle, against the biasing force of the spring 32, to a second, active position.

Such movement moves the magnetic element 34 closer to the ball 12 and so allows the influence of a magnetic field generated by the magnetic element 34 to bear on the ball 12. This influence retains the ball 12 firmly against the pm 24.

As a result the ball 12 is not able to seatingly engage with the valve seat 14 to block the shut-off duct 18 when fuel is dispensed. This situation continues until the dispensing nozzle is withdrawn from the filling neck of the fuel tank Accordingly it is possible to dispense fuel, i.e. petrol, from the dispensing nozzle S 20 into a petrol fuel tank as normal.

Since the diameter of the filling neck of a diesel fuel tank is greater than the 22mm diameter of the filling neck in a petrol fuel tank, the sleeve 30 is unable to abut the filling neck of the diesel fuel tank. As a result, pushing of the dispensing nozzle 20 into the diesel tank filling neck does not cause the sleeve 30 to move into the second active position. This means that the ball 12 remains free to seatingly engage with the valve seat 14 in order to activate the shut-off mechanism and thereby prevent the dispensing of fuel through the dispensing nozzle 20. In this way petrol fuel is prevented from being dispensed into a diesel fuel tank.

IS

The dispensing nozzle 20 and valve 8 shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) share many of the same features with the dispensing nozzle 20 and valve 38 shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), and these are identified using the same reference numerals.

Once difference between the valve 8 shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) and the valve 38 shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b) is that the sleeve 30 and the magnetic element 34 are flexibly coupled to one another via a flexible cable 36. This allows the sleeve 30 to be spaced from the magnetic element 34 to allow for desirable positioning of the sleeve 30 relative to the dispensing nozzle 20. The flexible cable 36 is sufficiently rigid to allow it to provide a pushing action against the magnetic element 34.

Other embodimenta of the invention (not shown) may be suitably configured to allow the sealing member 10 to include a magnetic element and for the actuator 28 to include a suitable ferrous element, such that when the ferrous element is sufficiently close to the sealing member 10 the magnetic element in the sealing member 10 attracts the sealing member 10 towards the ferrous element, thereby

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preventing the sealing member 10 from moving into sealing engagement with the valve seat 14.

Claims

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CLAIMS: 1. A valve, for incorporation in a fuel dispensing nozzle, comprising: a valve seat lying within a fluid conduit; S a sealing member moveable between a first inoperative position spaced from the valve seat to allow fluid to flow through the fluid conduit and a second operative position in sealing engagement with the valve seat to prevent fluid flow through the fluid conduit; and an actuator moveably coupled to the fluid conduit so as to be moveable between a first passive position in which it allows movement of the sealing member between the first and second positions, and a second active position in which is prevents movement of the sealing member between the first and second positions.
2. A valve according to Claim I wherein the actuator is biased towards the first passive position.
3. A valve according to Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the actuator includes a magnetic element and the sealing element is or includes a ferrous material.
4. A valve according to Claim 3 wherein the actuator and the magnetic element are coupled to one another by a flexible coupling.
5. A valve according to any preceding claim wherein the actuator includes an actuator body shaped to abut a filling neck of a petrol fuel tank in order to move the actuator from the first passive position to the second active position.
6. A valve according to Claim 5 wherein the actuator body defines a sleeve surrounding the fluid conduit.
7. A valve according to any preceding claim further including a stop member secured to the fluid conduit to limit the spacing of the sealing member from the valve seat.

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8. A valve according to any preceding claim wherein the sealing member is spherical.
9. A fuel dispensing nozzle including a valve according to any preceding claim.
10. A fuel dispensing nozzle according to Claim 9 having an automatic shut-off duct, wherein the automatic shut-off duct defines the fluid conduit of the valve.
11. A valve generally as herein described with reference to and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12, A fuel dispensing nozzle generally as herein described with reference to and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.