NZ579613A

NZ579613A - Fuel vapour recovery valve opened according to fuel flow through nozzle

Info

Publication number: NZ579613A
Application number: NZ579613A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Ulrich Meyer; Jurgen Zube
Original assignee: Elaflex Gummi Ehlers Gmbh
Priority date: 2008-09-16
Filing date: 2009-09-11
Publication date: 2010-03-26
Also published as: AU2009213108B2; AU2009213108A1; EP2163513A2; EP2163513B1; PL2163513T3; ES2375019T3; EP2163513A3; PT2163513E; CN101676196A; CN101676196B; ATE528255T1; DK2163513T3; DE102008047523B3; HK1141780A1

Abstract

A fuel bowser nozzle includes a nozzle housing (2), having a fuel dispensing pipe (4) and a pump hose connection (6), a device (12) for extracting fuel vapours, including a gas valve (16) which can be connected to a vacuum source via a gas hose and which is inserted into the nozzle housing (2) and has fuel flowing round it whenever fuel is flowing. The gas valve (16) has a gas valve body (18) co-operating with a valve seat (20), the gas valve body being connected to an operating magnet (22), which is mounted in a non-ferromagnetic operating magnet housing (24) and is displaceable so as to open and close the gas valve (16). An actuating magnet (30) which is coupled magnetically to the operating magnet (22) is mounted outside the operating magnet housing (24) and is displaceable between an initial position and a final position defined by a stop (40). A suspension unit is mounted outside the operating magnet housing (24), and is displaceable on its mounting so that when fuel flows the unit is subjected to pressure by the fuel and can in this way be moved from an initial position against the action of a restoring spring (36). The suspension unit (34) is provided with a suspension unit magnet (42) which can be coupled magnetically to the actuating magnet (30). The operating magnet (22) continuously opens and closes the gas valve depending on its displacement.

Description

<div class="application article clearfix" id="description"> 'ELAFLEX - Gunnni Ehlers GmbH, 'SchnackenburgaUee 121, 22525 Hamburg Fuel pump nozzle with device for extracting fuel vapours .The invention relates to a nozzle for filling up with fuel by means of a fuel pwnp, with a nozzle housing, which on the one hand has a fuel dispensing pipe and on the other hand a pump hose connection, with a device for extracting fuel vapours, which includes a gas valve wMch can be connected to a .vacuum source via a gas hose and which is inserted into the nozzle housing and has fuel flowing round it whenever fuel is flowing, the gas valve having a gas valve -body co-operating with a vaive seat, the gas valve body being . connected to an operating magnet, which is mounted in a non-ferromagnetic operating magnet housing and is displaceabk so as to open and close the gas valve, and with an actuating magnet mounted outside the operating magnet housing and displaceabk between its. initial position and a final position, defined by a stop, the actuating magnet being coupled magnetically to the operating magnet, this aozde being herein referred to as of the known kind. A nozzle of this kind is known from DE 44 31 547 CI and makes it possible, when Slling up with fcei. to extract the fuel vapours emerging from the tank of a motor vehicle, which may be mixed with sir. The fuel vapours extracted are, for example, returned to an underground tank at a fiiel station. In order to prevent or reduce the extraction of unnecessary amounts of air. which is ineffective as far as the elimination of fuel vapours is concerned and is dangerous with regard to the explosivensss of the mixture in the underground tank for example, the nozzle is equipped with the gas valve in order to limit the extraction process to the period of time during which fuel is actually being dispensed and fuel vapour is being displaced from the tank of the vehicle being filled. The known nozzle also makes it possible to carry out a dummy test run on the device for extracting fuel vapours, which, has to be subjected to a regular test laid, dawn by the authorities. In order to be able to test the volume flow extracted by the device for extracting foe! vapours in the dummy test run, i.e. without actually dispensing fuel, the gas valve has to be 5796T3 placed in an open position. This is possible in thy known manner by means of an appropriate inclination. of the nozzle because of the weight of the actuating magnet itself which, owing to the magnetic coupling with the operating-inagaet, moves the latter- and with it the gas valve into an open position. In the known nozzle, there is a drawback in thai the gas valve is fully opened doling the filling process, irrespective of the possible variations in the amount of fuel flowing at. any particular time. The invention is therefore based on the problem of improving a nozzle of-the known kind such that it becomes possible to achieve a gas flow corresponding to the actual fuel flow and yet at the same time still to allow a. dummy test run to be performed. This problem is solved in a nozzle of the known kind by the measure that outside the operating magnet housing a suspension unit is displaceably mounted which, when fuel flows, is subjected-to pressure by the fuel and can in this way he moved from an initial position against the action of a restoring spring, the suspension unit being provided with a suspension unit magnet and "being capable of being coupled-magnetically- to the actuating magnet, and wherein the operating magnet continuously opens and closes the gas valve depending on its displacement, especially proportional to its displacement, or, in a particularly preferred variant, proportional to the fuel throughput. In one embodiment, it can be provided that when the gas valve is in the closed position, and the suspension unit is in the initial position, the magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet and the suspension unit magnet is stronger than a weight force of the actuating magnet. In another embodiment it can be provided that when the gas valve is in the elosed position and the suspension unit is in the initial position, the magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet and the suspension unit magnet is weaker than a weight force of the actuating magnet. The invention conveniently proposes that a jerking movement of the nozzle housing in the opposite direction to the opening direction of the operating magnet allows the magnetic coup 57&T3 ling between the actuating iisagriet and the suspension unit magnet to be disconnected, so that a dummytest ran cm be performed on the device for extracting fuel vapours. It may be provided that only one of the actuating and operating xsagnets is designed as a per-maasntmagaei, arid the other part is formed from ferromagnetic material it -nay correspondingly be provided that only one of the actuating and suspension unit magnets lis designed as a permanent magnet, and the other part is formed from ferromagnetic -material. The invention preferably proposes that the gas valve, with the operating magnet, the operating magnet housing, 'he actuating magnet, the suspension unit and the restoring spring, is formed as a cartridge which can he fitted in and removed from the nozzle "housing. The restoring force of the restoring spring can be adjustable by means of an adjusting screw. Another possibility is for the actuating magnet so he provided with an additional weight. Because of the magnetic coupling to the actuating magnet in normal operation, the suspension unit magnet ensures that the suspension unit is coupled to the actuating magnet and is moved together with the latter depending on the strength cf the fuel flow, so that the gas valve is opened and closed proportionately to the amount of fuel actually flowing. In order to carry out the dummy test ran, if the magnetic coupling between the suspension unit and the actuating magnet in the initial position {no fuel flowing} is weaker than the weight of the actuating magnet itself, the nozzle housing only needs to be tilted downwards, Otherwise, it is only necessary to jerk or knock the nozzle housing downwards, In both cases, the actuating magnet, which can be provided with additional weight, is then released irom the (weak or fixed) magnetic coupling with the suspension unit and moves under the force of gravity into its final position, a5 a result of which the operating magnet moves with it and the gas valve is opened even though the suspension unit remains in. its initial position because of the ibrce of the spring. It is proposed thai the gas valve, the suspension unit and a gas extraction device are preferably matched to one another in. such a way that a throughput of extracted gas corresponds io a fuel throughput 57&T3 Is addition, it is proposed t&at ioe gas valve is preisrabiy s proportional valve. It is also proposed that the gas valve has a linear characteristic curve between the cross-section of the opening and trie displacement of the valve body. In addition, it is proposed that ii maxim-am gas throughput is preferably adjustable bv means of a throstle screw. Further advantages and features of the invention are apparent front the following detailed description of a worked embodiment reference being made to a drawing in. which Fig, 1 shows a fuel pump nozzle in a partially schematic cross-sectional view. Fig, 2 shows a portion of the nozzle of the invention In an enlarged sectional view, with the gas valve closed, alone line 11 - 11 in Fig, 5, Fig. 3 shows an illustration, corresponding to that of Fig. 2, with the gas valve open m the operating position, Fig. 4 shows a corresponding:illustration m which the gas valve is open for the dummy test run, and Fig, 5 shows a head-on view of the device for extracting fuel vapours. Fig. 1 shows a partially schematic cross-sectional view of a noxzlc (fuel pump nozzle) 1 with a nozzle housing 2, which, on the one hand has a fuel dispensing pipe 4 and on the other hand a pump hose connection 6. A manual lever 8, which is illustrated in the filling position, serves in a known manner to actuate a dispensing valve 10. According to the invention, a device 1.2 for extracting fuel vapours is arranged in the fuel pomp nozzle 1 and. during a process of tilling up with fuel, causes the extraction of fuel 57&t3 vapours via a gas extraction pipe 14 disposed coaxiaOy with the fuel dispensing pipe 4 and connected to the device 12 via-a gas How path which is not shown in detail. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional iliustatioB explaining the structure of the device 12 for extracting fuel vapours in a closet! position. The device 12 has a gas valve 16, which is connected via a -gas hose (not shown) to a vacuum source, and which is disposed in the region of the fuel entry point into the nozzle housing 1 and has b fuel flow 52 flowing round it when a vehicle is being filled -up with fuel, while the extracted foel'vapofurs can be extracted -as- a stream of gas 54 through the opened gas valve and a gas hose running eosxially inside a fuel hose. The gas valve body 18 is connected to an operating magnet 22, which is guided inside an operating magnet housing 24 in the longitudinal direction 26 and thus in the direction of opening and closing. A plug 28 seals the end of the operating magnet housing 24. which consists of a non-ferromagnetic material. A throttle screw 15 is disposed in a position where the originally annular gas-flow cross-section is gathered together into a substantially cylindrical cross-section, making it possible to adjust the tree Sow cross-section and hence to regulate the maximum gas throughput when the gas valve is fully open. Outside the operating magnet housing 24 an actuating magnet 30 is guided such as to he dis-ulaceable in the longitudinal direction.; Irs tins-embodiment, it is provided with an additional weight 32. Adjacent to the actuating magnet 30 a suspension unit 34 is guided such as to be dispiaceabie on the operating magnet housing 24 in the longitudinal direction. When fuel is flowing, the suspension unit 34 is subjected to pressure by the fuel and is moved in the direction of opening of the gas valve Id, i.e. to the left in Fig. 2. This movement occurs against the force of a restoring spring 36, which tends to urge die suspension unit back into the closed position when no fuel is flowing, as illustrated in Fig. 2, The fee; passes through spaces shaped like segments of a circle, which arc not visible in Fig. 2, between struts 46 of the operating magnet housing, arranged like spokes, and a gas valve housing 48 (Fig. 5) disposed upstream thereof on the right in fig, 2, 57lfcT3 The restoring spring 36 is supported againsf a setting screw 38, the position of which can be varied, in. the longitudinal direction in order to adjust the restoring force of die restoring spriag 36 and which at the same ome forms a stop 40 for the movement of the actuating magnet 30 or its additional weight 32, The suspension unit 34 is equipped with a suspension unit magnet 42. which can co-operate with the actuating magnet 30 and/or a piece of sheet iron or magnet 44 connected to the latter, hi one embodiment, the suspension unit magnet 42 is strong enough to hold the weight' of the actuating magnet 30 when the actuating magnet 30, or the sheet of magnetic metal 44 is in the immediate vicinity of the suspension unit magnet 42. so that when the longitudinal direction 26 is vertically aligned, the actuating magnet is held by the suspension unit magnet, provided it is in tire immediate vicinity. Conversely, the magnetic coupling between the suspension 'unit magnet and the actuating magnet in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, in which there is a gap between the actuating magnet and. the suspension unit magnet, is not present, or is only very weak, so that the actuating magnet .is not prevented, from moving in the direction of the stop 40. independently of the suspension unit 34. There is -s magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet 30 and the operating magnet 22, so that the operating magnet and thus the gas valve body 1S follows any longitudinal movement of the actuating magnet: 30. It goes without saying thai in each case one element of the pairs of magnets - the actuating magnet. 30 and operating magnet 22 on the one hand,-and the suspension unit magnet 42 and actuating magnet 30 on the other - can consist of a ferromagnetic material provided that the other element in each case is a. permanent magnet It would, tor example, be possible for only the actuating magnet 30 to be formed as a permanent magnet, while the operating magnet and the suspension unit magnet can be .formed as ferromagnetic parts. Hie gas valve body 18 is clearly not designed as a flat or spherical body, but is in die shape of an elongate spindle, the design of which is specified precisely and which, in the way it cooperates- with the valve seat 20, ensures a gradual, continuous or stcpiess opening and closing characteristic, where the free .eross-sectional area of the valve and 0ms the gas throughput allowed follows the displacement of the operating magnet 22 continuous 1 y. On the other hand, the displacement of the suspension unit 34 against the restoring spring- 36 is constantly dependent on the foci throughput. In accordance with the invention, the coupled movement between the suspension unit 34, the actuating magnet 30 and the operating snagnet 22 means that there -s a proportionality or constant dependence between the fuel throughput and the throughput of extracted gas, at least as of the point of minimum fuel throughput at which the suspension unit is resting against the actuating magnet 30, i.e. after the gap, if present, between the suspension, unit and the actuating magnet has been overcome, as can be seen in Fig. 2. Complete closure of the valve is achieved by a sealing plate' 50 located at the end of the gas valve body 18. which comes to rest against, the valve seat 20, Fig. 3 shows the position of the various elements of the device 12 for extracting fuel vapours in an operating position, in which the suspension unit 34 is pressed into an open position by the fuel flowing past it (arrow 52), in which -lie restoring spring 36 is compressed and the suspension unit 34 rests against the actuating magnet 30 and the latter rests against the atop 40, The gas valve 16 is completely open. If, proceeding from this operating position, the me] throughput should drop -during the filling process, the restoring spring 3:6 pushes the suspension unit 34 away from the stop 40, in the course of which the latter entrains the actuating magnet 30 because of the magnetic coupling between the suspension unit magnet 42 and the actuating magnet 30, so that the magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet 30 and the operating magnet 22 causes the latter also to move in the direction of the closed position and the cross-section of the opening of die gas valve !6 and thus reduces the gas throughput corresponding to the diminished fuel throughput. The characteristic curves of the gas valve (path-opening cross-section), the restoring spring and the suspension unit (path-force throughput of materia!) and of a. gas extraction device (not shown) or vacuum source (vacuum-gas volume llow) are preferably matched to one another in such a way that, in operation, there is a proportional linear relationship between the fuel and gas throughputs, so that the gas volume flow extracted corresponds to the amount of fuel flowing in. Fig. 4 illustrates the situations in the dummy test run. Since there is :io fuel throughput, the restoring spring 36 presses the suspension, unit 34 into:its starting position. Normally; the device for extracting fuel vapours adopts the position according to Fig. 2 in this situation. When, proceeding from that, the nozzle is held sloping downwards or pointing vertically downwards, the force of gravity and the lacking or weakened magnetic coupling tc the suspension unit magnet (because of the gap between the two elements) causes the actuating magnet 30 to move downwards in the direction of the stop 40, entraining the operating magnet 22 in the process, so that the situation according to .Fig. 4 comes about, in which the gas valve is completely open despite the absence of a fuel flow, and a dummy test run cars be performed. la a second embodiment, not shown, it is possible that, in the initial position corresponding to Fig, 2, the suspension unit magnet 42 and the actuating magnet 30 are directly adjacent to one another,:'without• -a gap, so thai there is a relatively linn magnetic coupling. In this ease too, the operating behaviour when fuel is flowing is as described above, with the gas valve always adjusted so that a gas throughput is established which corresponds to the fact throughput. On the other hand, the position for carrying oat the dumrtty test run in accordance with Pig, 4 can also be reached by jerking the nozzle housing against the opening direction of the operating magnet, whereupon the magnetic coupling between the suspension unit magnet and the actuating magnet is released. The latter can move in the direction, of the stop 40'despite the unchanged position of the suspension 'unit When the nozzle housing is aligned vertically, the actuating magnet 30 then moves all the way to the stop 40 and opens the gas valve completely in the process. Intermediate solutions are likewise possible, where in a closed starting position (without any fuel Sow) in accordance with Fig, 2, any gap between the suspension, unit magnet and the actuating magnet is possible, and the position for the dummy lest run according to Fig, 4 can. then be obtained either by holding the nozzle housing at a slope or pointing vertically downwards. or by jerking the nozzle housing in the opposite direction to the opening direction of the operating magnet. The force of the magnetic coupling between the suspension unit magnet and the actuating magnet merely has to be sufficiently great for the suspension unit to be able to entrain the actuating magnet during a filling process with a movement in the direction of its starting or 57§feT3 closed position (declining fuelflow), In the process, it -is possible that the weight force of the actuating magnet may be greater or smaller than the force of the magnetic coupling. In both cases, it is readily possible to adopt the open gas valve; heeded for the dummy test ran. 579613 1 0 - RECEIVED at IPONZ on 02 December 2009 </div>

Claims

<div class="application article clearfix printTableText" id="claims"> Claims

1. A nozzle for filling up with fuel by means of a fuel pump, with a nozzle housing which on the one hand has a fuel dispensing pipe and on the other hand a pump hose connection, with a device for extracting fuel vapours, which includes a gas valve connectable to a vacuum source via a gas hose and which is inserted into the nozzle housing and has fuel flowing around it whenever fuel is flowing, the gas valve having a gas valve body co-operating with a valve seat, the gas valve body being connected to an operating magnet which is mounted in a non-ferromagnetic operating magnet housing and is displaceable so as to open and close the gas valve, and with an actuating magnet mounted outside the operating magnet housing and displaceable between an initial position and a final position defined by a stop, the actuating magnet being coupled magnetically to the operating magnet, wherein, outside the operating magnet housing, a suspension unit is displaceably mounted which, when fuel flows, is subjected to pressure by the fuel and can in this way be moved from an initial position against the action of a restoring spring, the suspension unit being provided with a suspension unit magnet and being capable of being coupled magnetically to the actuating magnet, and wherein the operating magnet continnously opens and closes the gas valve depending on its displacement.

2. The nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the gas valve is in the closed position and the suspension unit is in the initial position, the magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet and the suspension unit magnet is stronger than a weight force of the actuating magnet.

3. The nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the gas valve is in the closed position and the suspension unit is in the initial position, the magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet and the suspension unit magnet is weaker than a weight force of the actuating magnet. RECEIVED at IPONZ on 02 December 2009 579aqi .

4. The nozzle as claimed in claim 2, wherein a jerking movement of the nozzle housing in the opposite direction to the opening direction of the operating magnet allows the magnetic coupling between the actuating magnet and the suspension unit magnet to be disconnected, so that a dummy test run can be performed on the device for extracting fuel vapours.

5. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein only one of the actuating and operating magnets is designed as a permanent magnet, and the other part is formed from ferromagnetic material.

6. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein only one of the actuating and suspension unit magnets is designed as a permanent magnet, and the other part is formed from ferromagnetic material.

7. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas valve, with the operating magnet, the operating magnet housing, the actuating magnet, the suspension unit and the restoring spring, is formed as a cartridge which can be fitted in and removed from the nozzle housing.

8. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the restoring spring is adjustable in its restoring force by means of a setting screw.

9. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating magnet is provided with an additional weight.

10. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas valve, the suspension unit and a gas extraction device are matched to one another in such a way that a throughput of extracted gas corresponds to a fuel throughput.

11. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas valve is a proportional valve.

12. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas valve has a linear characteristic curve between the cross-section of the opening and the displacement of the valve body. RECEIVED at IPONZ on 02 December 2009 579S1J2 -

13. The nozzle as claimed in any of the preceding claims, a maximum gas throughput is adjustable by means of a throttle screw.

14. A nozzle for filling up with fuel by means of a fuel pump substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures. </div>