JPH039039B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a refueling device used at gasoline refueling stations for automobiles.

[Conventional technology]

Such gas stations may have multiple underground tanks for the same type of oil installed from the beginning, or underground tanks for high-octane gas, which are rarely used, may be switched to regular gasoline and multiple underground tanks for the same type of oil may be installed. In the case of separate underground tanks, the amount pumped out from each underground tank will vary.

The reason for this is the difference in the location of the refueling machines installed on the ground corresponding to each underground tank at a refueling station.As refueling machines closer to the road are easier for cars to stop, these refueling machines are used more frequently. This is because the oil in the connected underground tanks decreases quickly.

In this way, if the oil level in a specific underground tank decreases quickly, the number of oil delivery operations by lorry will increase.
Inventory management must also be carried out frequently.

Furthermore, underground tanks that are used infrequently can store oil for long periods of time, which can lead to a decline in quality.

Therefore, it is conceivable to communicate each tank with a siphon pipe to balance the liquid level in each tank.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, with systems like this that connect each tank with siphon pipes and try to keep the liquid level constantly balanced,
When refilling a tank with oil, the oil moves from the refilled tank to another tank via the siphon pipe.

As a result, it becomes impossible to manage the remaining amount of oil in each tank.

Also, it is possible to manage this remaining amount for the entire tank instead of for each tank, but if oil is replenished based on the overall remaining amount, the amount to be replenished However, the amount of oil transferred by the siphon effect will inevitably be smaller than the amount of oil transferred, and there is a risk that the oil will overflow from the supply hole.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned inconvenience, and to ensure that the oil stored in each underground tank is used as evenly as possible in a plurality of underground tanks, using a pump in a fuel supply machine, reliably and automatically. to be able to do
As a result, it is an object of the present invention to provide a refueling device that can appropriately manage the remaining amount.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention sequentially connects a flow meter, a refueling hose, and a nozzle valve to a pump communicating with a tank, and connects a display meter to the refueling flow meter.
In a refueling machine in which the pump is driven when the nozzle valve is removed from the nozzle hook, and the pump is stopped when the nozzle valve is hooked, the suction side of the pump is communicated with two tanks, and a first valve is provided in the suction pipe communicating with the first tank. ,
A second valve is provided in the suction pipe that communicates with the second tank, and the pipe branches on the pump discharge side and communicates with the first tank via a third valve, and the pipe is connected to the first tank and the second tank. A liquid level gauge is provided for each, and when the nozzle valve is hung on the nozzle hook, it is determined whether the remaining amount in the first tank is below a predetermined value, and whether the remaining amount in the second tank is above a predetermined value, and both conditions are determined. A control means is provided for controlling the first valve to close, the second and third valves to open, and the pump to be driven to transfer the oil in the second tank to the first tank when the above is satisfied. This is a summary.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, when the nozzle valve is hung on the nozzle hook, it is determined whether the remaining amount in the first tank is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and it is determined whether the remaining amount in the second tank is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, and both conditions are satisfied. When satisfied, the pump is automatically driven to transfer the oil in the second tank to the first tank, so both the first tank and the second tank satisfy the predetermined remaining amount.
It is possible to prevent only the oil in the first tank from running out quickly and having to replenish it frequently.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention,
In the figure, 1 indicates a frequently used refueling machine, 1' indicates a less frequently used refueling machine, and 2 and 2' indicate underground tanks.

The refueling machine 1', which is used infrequently, has a motor 2 installed in the middle of the refueling pipe 27 that communicates with the second underground tank 2'.
Pump 22 driven by 8 and oil supply amount indicator 2
3, and a hose 26 having a nozzle valve 25 at the tip of the discharge side of the flowmeter 24.
This is a refueling machine that has been commonly used in the past.

On the other hand, in the frequently used refueling machine 1, a refueling pump 5 and a flow meter 6 are sequentially installed in a pipe communicating with the first underground tank 2, a motor 7 is connected to the refueling pump 5, and the end of this pipe is connected to the exterior. 8, a nozzle valve 10 is attached to the tip of the oil supply hose 9, and a nozzle switch 12 is arranged near a nozzle hook 11 on the side of the exterior 8, which operates when the nozzle valve 10 is engaged or removed. , the connection of the refueling amount indicator 13 to the flow meter 6 is the same as in the refueling machine 1'.

In this piping, a first valve 4 is provided on the suction pipe 3 on the suction side of the fuel pump 5 that communicates with the first tank 2, and the first valve 4 and the fuel pump 5 are connected to each other.
The branched suction pipe 3' is communicated with the second tank 2' via the second valve 4'.

A pipe 3'' on the discharge side of the fuel pump 5 branches between the fuel pump 5 and the flow meter 6, and this branch pipe 14
is communicated with the first tank 2 via the third valve 15.

Note that electromagnetic valves are used for these valves 4, 4', and 15.

On the other hand, the first underground tank 2 and the second underground tank 2' are provided with liquid level gauges 16, 16' as means for measuring the liquid level in the tank, and the output from the liquid level gauges 16, 16' is A signal is introduced into the control device 17, and the control device 1
7 output signal to motor 7 and valves 4, 4', 15
to be introduced.

This control device 17 may also use a sales data input/output device (POS) installed at a gas station, and receives signals from the liquid level gauges 16, 16' and other signals to determine whether or not to move oil. It has the means to make judgments.

Furthermore, in the figure, 18, 18' are underground tanks 2,
A supply pipe to 2', 19 indicates a supply port.

Next, usage and operation will be explained.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation, and the explanation will be as follows: When the nozzle valve 10 is removed from the nozzle hook 11, a nozzle removal signal is output from the nozzle switch 12, the refueling amount indicator 13 is reset, and the motor 7 And the oil supply pump 5 rotates. In this case, valve 4 is open and valves 4', 15 are closed.

When the nozzle valve 10 is inserted into the fuel filler port of a car and opened, the oil in the first underground tank 2 is sucked up from the suction pipe 3, and the oil is supplied from the nozzle valve 10 via the valve 4, pump 5, and flow meter 6. The oil supply amount measured by the flow meter 6 is displayed on the oil supply amount display meter 1.
3.

When refueling is completed and the nozzle valve 10 is hooked to the nozzle hook 11, a nozzle hook signal is issued from the nozzle switch 12, the motor 7 and the pump 5 are stopped, and the refueling operation is completed.

On the other hand, liquid level detection signals are introduced from the liquid level gauges 16 and 16' to the control device 17, and when the nozzle valve 10 is hung on the nozzle hook 11, the first underground tank 2 and the second underground tank 2'
The control device 17 calculates the liquid amount and compares it with a pre-stored value.

That is, either the main first underground tank 2 has a set amount of oil that requires refilling (e.g. 3Kl) or less, or the secondary underground tank 2' has a minimum oil storage amount (e.g. 1Kl).
The control device 17 determines whether the above conditions are met, and if both conditions are met, the control device 17 issues an output signal and the valve 4
is closed, valves 4', 15 are opened and motor 7 and pump 5 rotate.

In this case, since the valve 4' is open, oil is sucked up through the suction pipe 3' branched from the second underground tank 2', while the nozzle valve 10 is closed, so the oil passing through the pump 5 has a flow rate. It enters the branch pipe 14 without passing through the total 6, and is transferred from the suction pipe 3 to the first underground tank 2 via the valve 15.

In this way, oil is transferred from the second underground tank 2' to the first underground tank 2, and the signal from the level gauge 16 indicates that the set amount (for example, 8 Kl) that does not require oil replenishment in the underground tank 2 is If the control device 17 determines that the oil in the tank 2 has reached the set amount (8
If the control device 17 determines that the oil in the underground tank 2' has run out at 1 Kl or more, although the signal from the liquid level gauge 16' is below 1 Kl, the control device 17 issues an output signal to control the motor 7. Then, the pump 5 is stopped, the valve 4 is opened, and the valves 4' and 15 are closed.

On the other hand, if a customer comes and needs to refuel while oil is being transferred from the underground tank 2' to the underground tank 2', the nozzle valve 10 can be removed from the nozzle hook 11 and the nozzle switch 12 can be turned off. The signal enters the control device 17 and the signal from the control device 17 causes
Valve 4 is open, valves 4' and 15 are closed, and indicator 1
3 is reset. Then, the nozzle valve 10 may be opened to supply oil.

In this way, when the refueling machine 1 is not refueling, oil is automatically replenished from the second underground tank 2' to the first underground tank 2, so the oil in the tanks 2 and 2' decreases evenly. Only the oil in number 2 will not run out quickly.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the oil supply device of the present invention easily replenishes oil from an underground tank with a large amount of residual oil to an underground tank with a low storage amount when not refueling, and makes sure that the oil stored in each underground tank is as evenly distributed as possible. It is something that can be considered for use.

In addition, since this oil transfer is carried out by an oil supply pump provided as an oil supply device, the equipment is inexpensive, and it can be carried out reliably and automatically by the action of the pump, and there is no risk of hindering the remaining amount control.

According to the present invention, only a specific underground tank does not run out of oil quickly, the number of delivery operations by lorry is increased, and inventory management does not have to be performed frequently.

Furthermore, there is no fear that oil may accumulate in other specific underground tanks over a long period of time and degrade quality.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the oil supply device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation. 1... Refueling machine, 2, 2'... Underground tank, 3... Suction pipe, 3'... Branched suction pipe, 3''... Piping, 4, 4',
15, 20, 20', 21...Valve, 5...Oil supply pump,
6...Flow meter, 7...Motor, 8...Exterior, 9...Refueling hose, 10...Nozzle valve, 11...Nozzle hook, 12...Nozzle switch, 13...Oil supply amount indicator, 14...Branch pipe, 16, 16'... Liquid level gauge, 17
...control device, 18, 18'...supply pipe, 19...supply port.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Connect a flow meter, a refueling hose, and a nozzle valve to a pump connected to a tank in sequence, connect a display meter to the refueling flowmeter, and remove the nozzle valve from the nozzle hook to drive the pump, and when it is hooked, the pump stops. In the machine, the suction side of the pump is connected to two tanks, and the suction pipe connected to the first tank is connected to the first tank.
A second valve is provided in the suction pipe communicating with the second tank, and the pipe branches on the pump discharge side and communicates with the first tank via a third valve,
A liquid level gauge is installed in each of the first and second tanks, and when the nozzle valve is hung on the nozzle hook, it is determined whether the remaining amount in the first tank is below a predetermined value, and the remaining amount in the second tank is above a predetermined value. If both conditions are satisfied, the first valve is closed, the second and third valves are opened, and the pump is driven to transfer the oil from the second tank to the first tank. A refueling device characterized by being provided with a control means.