JP2001315900A - Oil filler for car, and oil filling method for car using the filler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oil filler which can fill the oil to a car more easily by a consumer, and an oil filling method using the oil filler. SOLUTION: This oil filler for the car comprises a position identifier 3 provided close to an oil filling port 11 of an oil tank 1 having an opening/closing means 2 and a moving means 6 for detecting this position identifier 3 and moving an oil filling nozzle 7 to the oil filling port 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle refueling device and a vehicle refueling method for supplying fuel to a vehicle oil tank at a gas station or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in order to reduce the cost of refueling, a refueling system in which consumers refuel themselves has been adopted. However, the conventional method has a problem that a consumer has to operate a refueling nozzle.

[0003] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to automatically move a refueling nozzle to a refueling port without operating a refueling nozzle, thereby making refueling easier.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a fuel supply device for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises a position identification member provided near an oil supply port of an oil tank provided with opening / closing means, and a position identification member provided with the position identification member. And a moving means for moving the refueling nozzle to the refueling port by detecting the refueling nozzle.

[0005] Further, according to the method for refueling a vehicle of the present invention, the refueling device of the vehicle is used to refuel a refueling port of an oil tank from a refueling nozzle.

In the above apparatus and method, for example, when an automobile enters a gas station and stops at a predetermined position, the moving means detects the position identifying means and moves the refueling nozzle to the position of the refueling port. According to this, the refueling nozzle can be moved to the refueling port without the consumer operating.
Refueling becomes easier.

[0007] A transmitter provided with a solar cell is preferably used as the discriminator. According to this, a signal is output from the transmitter without requiring a separate power supply, and the refueling nozzle can be reliably moved to the refueling port by the operation of the moving means based on the output.

The position identification body may be provided integrally with the opening / closing means. According to this, the lubricating device of the present invention can be easily applied simply by replacing the opening / closing means conventionally provided in the fuel filler, that is, the lid of the fuel filler with the opening / closing means provided with the position identification body. It is.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a vehicle refueling apparatus according to the present invention. The vehicle oil supply device shown in FIG. 1 is provided with an opening / closing means 2 that automatically opens and closes an oil supply port 11 of an oil tank 1 mounted on the vehicle. The opening / closing means 2 is a screw cylinder 2 that can be screwed into the oil supply port 11.
1 and a flange 22 which comes into contact with the periphery of the oil supply port 11 when the screw cylinder 21 is screwed. A valve 23 is provided inside the screw cylinder 21. There is provided a pressing spring 24 which abuts and urges the opening side of the refueling port 11 to be always closed.

The flange 22 has an insertion hole 22a at the center thereof into which an oil supply nozzle (described later) is inserted. From the periphery of the insertion hole 22a to the outer peripheral edge of the flange 22, the oil supply nozzle is The guide surface 22b is formed to be guided to the side. The end of the pressing spring body 24 opposite to the valve body 23 is supported by radially extending support legs 25 provided on the distal end side of the screw cylinder 21.

As shown in FIG. 2, a position discriminator 3 is integrally attached to the opening / closing means 2 around a flange 22 thereof. The position identification body 3 includes a transmitter 31 and a solar cell 32 which is a driving source of the transmitter 31.

On the other hand, a fueling nozzle 7 is provided at a gas station.
And a refueling machine (refueling robot) including a moving means 6 for moving the refueling nozzle 7. The moving means 6 includes a movement mechanism (not shown) for moving the refueling nozzle 7 three-dimensionally, a receiver 61 for receiving a transmission signal from the transmitter 31 of the position identification body 3, and a receiver 61. And a calculation unit (not shown) for calculating the position of the fuel supply port 11 based on the above signal and outputting an operation signal for moving the fuel supply nozzle 7 to the fuel supply port 11 to the movement mechanism unit.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the fuel supply port 11 is disposed in a recess 81 of the vehicle body 8, and a cover 82 is attached to the recess 81 so as to be freely opened and closed. The cover 82 is provided with a closing means (not shown) for mechanically closing the cover 82 upon detecting the end of the refueling operation. Further, an O-ring (not shown) is provided at the tip end portion 71 of the refueling nozzle 7 to prevent refueling leakage. Further, the position identification body 3 is configured differently for each kind of fuel (change of transmission frequency, etc.). The refueling nozzle 7 and the refueling port 11
Is changed for each type of fuel.

Next, a description will be given of a method of using the above-described vehicle refueling device and its operation. When the vehicle enters the designated area of the gas station and the driver opens the cover 82, the light hits the solar cell 32 of the position identification body 3 and the transmitter 31 outputs a signal. This signal is received by the receiving unit 61 of the moving means 6.
And the operation unit and the movement mechanism unit operate to move the refueling nozzle 7 to the refueling port 11. Further, while the refueling nozzle 7 is guided by the guide surface 22b of the collar body 22, the insertion hole 22 is
a, the valve body 23 is pushed down against the spring force of the pressing spring body 24, and a predetermined amount of oil is supplied from the oil supply nozzle 7 into the oil tank 1. After refueling, the moving means 6 retreats the refueling nozzle 7 from the refueling port 11 to the initial position. Thereafter, the cover 82 is closed by the closing means to complete the refueling operation.

As described above, the position discriminator 3 is provided near the fuel filler 11 and the refueling nozzle 7 is moved to the fuel filler 11 by the moving means 6 based on the signal of the position discriminator 3. The refueling can be performed without the consumer operating the refueling nozzle 11, and the refueling becomes easier accordingly.
In addition, it can be widely applied regardless of the type of vehicle. Further, in the present embodiment, the opening and closing means 2 is opened and closed by the operation of the oil supply nozzle 7, so that the opening and closing of the opening and closing means 2 can be automatically performed. Also, the cover 82
Can also be automatically closed by the operation of the closing means. Further, since the configuration of the position identification body 3 is changed depending on the type of fuel, the fuel is not mistaken. Further, since the shapes of the fuel supply port 11 and the fuel supply nozzle 7 are changed for each fuel, there is no more fuel supply error. Therefore, refueling by consumers can be performed more safely. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the position identification body 3 is provided integrally with the opening / closing means 2, it is only necessary to replace the opening / closing means 2 (lid) with a car on the market.

As the position discriminator 3, a light emitting element that emits a specific color, for example, may be used in addition to the transmitter 31 that emits various electromagnetic waves. In this case, the moving means 6 includes a light receiving element. A receiving unit 61 is provided. Further, as the position identification body, a colored body or a shaped body may be used, and in this case, the moving means may detect the colored body or the shaped body.
A receiving unit including a D camera is provided. Further, the position identification body may be formed separately from the opening / closing means, and may be provided around the fuel filler 11.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the consumer does not operate the fueling nozzle, the moving means detects the position identification body and moves the fueling nozzle to the fueling port. Is easier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a vehicle refueling device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of an opening / closing means integrally provided with the position identification body of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 oil tank 11 oil filler 2 opening / closing means 3 position identification body 31 transmitter 32 solar cell 6 ..Transportation means 7 Refueling nozzle

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle refueling system comprising: a position identification body provided near an oil supply port of an oil tank having an opening / closing means; and a moving means for detecting the position identification body and moving a refueling nozzle to the oil supply port. apparatus. 2. The vehicle refueling device according to claim 1, wherein the position identification body is a transmitter having a solar cell. 3. The vehicle refueling device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing means is provided integrally with the position identification body. 4. A method for refueling an automobile, wherein the apparatus according to claim 1 is used to supply oil from an oil supply nozzle to an oil supply port of an oil tank.