WO2005061369A1

WO2005061369A1 - Fuel dispenser with handle for hose

Info

Publication number: WO2005061369A1
Application number: PCT/IT2004/000719
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio Sganzerla; Piergiorgio Micheletti; Giuseppe Gregorelli
Original assignee: Tqd Trequattro Design S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-12-24
Filing date: 2004-12-23
Publication date: 2005-07-07
Also published as: ITMI20032598A1

Abstract

Fuel supply unit of a fuel station comprising a flexible hose (12) and a pump nozzle (14) installed at the end of the flexible hose (12) and selectively operable by a user to regulate the fuel supply. The fuel supply unit comprises a handle (20, 120, 220, 320) associated with a section of the flexible hose (12) to manoeuvre this latter while operating the pump; nozzle (14).

Description

Fuel supply unit

DESCRIPTION

Field of Application.

The present invention refers to a fuel supply unit of a fuel station. The fuel supply unit is of the type comprising a flexible hose and a pump nozzle, installed at one end of the flexible hose and selectively operable by a user to regulate the fuel supply.

Known art.

Normal operations, which are performed when refuelling at a service station, involve grabbing and unhooking with a hand the pump nozzle from a support of the fuel station, and then moving it towards the vehicle to be fuelled for inserting it into the tank mouth.

In known fuel supply units the pump nozzle is installed at the end of a flexible hose, having such a length as to allow this movement also to the opposite side of the vehicle.

The flexible hose is generally wound, for most of its length, in a seat made inside the fuel station, and it is extracted progressively when the pump nozzle is moved to the required distance.

However, fuel supply according to the aforesaid conventional operations, implies a plurality of known drawbacks.

A first drawback is caused by the fact that the flexible hose extraction is difficult and requires considerable efforts on the part of the user, above all due to the counter action performed by re-winding elements located inside the station, to the point that it is often necessary to take and drag the flexible hose directly by hand.

It is also to be considered that the pump nozzle, so as to be correctly inserted into the fuel tank mouth, must also be suitably orientated towards the vehicle, and as a consequence it is necessary to twist the flexible hose, overcoming a high resistance on the part of this latter. Thus, a correct orientation of the pump nozzle as well as the grabbing of the flexible hose is made more difficult. ' The problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of realising a fuel supply unit that permits normal fuel supply operations to be carried out with minimum efforts and without difficulties for the user. Summary of the invention The technical problem is solved by a fuel supply unit of the above type, comprising a handle associated with a section of the flexible hose for manoeuvring this latter during the operation of the pump nozzle. Thanks to the presence of the handle, a user, when refuelling, can easily manoeuvre the flexible hose with his free hand to extract it from its seat or

^• t io place it in a better position, and thus making it easier and simpler the movement of the pump nozzle to the fuel tank mouth of the vehicle. These and other characteristics together with further advantages of the fuel supply unit according to the invention will be apparent from the following description, of an embodiment thereof given by way of indicative and non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings. Brief description of the drawings In these drawings: Figure 1 is a view of a fuel supply unit according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a handle of the fuel supply unit of figure 1; .Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a handle of the fuel supply unit of figure 1 "l ;according to a first embodiment; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a handle of the fuel supply unit of figure 1 according to a second embodiment; Figure 5 is a view of the handle of figure 4 applied to a flexible hose of the fuel supply unit of figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a view of a handle according to the invention according to a third embodiment; Figures 7A-7C show a view of the handle of figure 6 in three different Dositions associated with a flexible hose respectively; f i igure 8 shows a section along line A- A of the handle of Figure 7A without the flexible hose;

Figure 9 is a view of the handle of figure 6 in a disassembled condition; Figure 10 shows a component of the handle of figure 6.

Figure 11 is a schematic view of the handle of figure 6, equipped with a protective sheath;

I

Figures 12A-12C show a section view of the handle of figure 6 in three different positions respectively. Detailed description

I

The appended figures show a fuel supply unit 10 according to the invention of a fuel station 11 comprising a flexible hose 12 and a pump nozzle 14. This latter is installed at the end of the flexible hose 12 and it

\ is selectively operable by a user to regulate the fuel supply. The fuel station 11 comprises a petrol pump 16, equipped with a supporting element 15 for hooking up the pump nozzle 14. The flexible hose 12 is wound, for most of its length, inside the petrol pump 16.

It is clear that the petrol pump 16, the supporting element 15 and the flexible hose 12 arrangement inside the petrol pump 16 are not limiting

the present invention and can be realised in any known way. i

According to the invention, the fuel supply unit 10 comprises a handle 20

I which is attached to a section of the flexible hose 12 to permit the gripping and manoeuvring of this latter while operating the pump nozzle 14. Preferably, the handle 20 is in a prefixed close relation to the nozzle 14, for example, between an adjacent position and a position spaced apart by several tens of centimetres, e.g. 20 centimetres. The handle 20 is also object of the present invention.

The handle 20 is preferably associated with the section of flexible hose 12

1 in a removable way.

The handle 20 can be made of a rigid material, such as a plastic material, like ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), PA (polyacrylate), PP (polypropylene) or the like, or of a metallic material such as aluminium or

hile conventionally grabbing the pump nozzle 14 with one hand, to unhook it from the relative support 15, easily takes the handle 20 with the

I other hand to drag the flexible hose 12 and extract it from its seat with

I' minimum efforts.

Thanks to the handle 20, the user minimally suffers from the torsion resistance of the flexible hose 12 and can thus manoeuvre it easily also allowing a correct orientation of the pump nozzle 14. A further advantage of the present invention is the fact that, by grabbing

'the handle directly, the user does not dirty his hands.

Moreover, the handle 20 can be regularly replaced with a new handle 20, thus ensuring greater hygiene during refuelling, and with a minimum risk t.hat the fuel smell remains on the hand. Preferably, the handle 20 is coloured with the same colour which is commonly associated with the fuel to be supplied, such as green for unleaded fuel, blue for diesel fuel and the like. Some embodiments of the handle of the fuel supply unit 10 according to the invention are hereafter described. Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the handle 20, which comprises a handgrip 22 for the user's grip, and a fixing element 24, which is sized so as to be fixed to flexible hose 12.

Within the present invention, the term liandgrip' refers to any type of [element that can be gripped, such as an appendage, a knob, or other similar elements.

II

In the case of the shown solution, the handgrip 22 has a substantially "C"- |like shape, while the fixing element 24 is substantially made of a clamp, comprising two opposite half-shells 26 defining between each other a seat

27, the half-shells being reciprocally closed and clamping between each other the flexible hose 12 in the seat 27.

In particular, the two half-shells 26 are closed by means of screws 30, which can be selectively unloosed in order to remove the handle 20 and thus allow the easy substitution thereof.

[The two half- shells 26 further comprise, on their inner side, i.e. the one j facing the flexible hose 12, a knurling 28, which, under the closed condition, increases the adherence of the flexible hose 12 to the half-shells 26.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the handle comprises a hinge 34 positioned between the fixing element 24 and the hand-grip 22. Practically speaking, the fixing element 24 and the hand-grip 22 are hinged to each other by means of a hinge 34 of the known type, to allow a free flag-like movement of the hand-grip 22 with respect to the flexible hose 12. In particular, the hinge 34 is formed by shaping directly the union areas of

jhand holding on the hand-grip 22, thus untying the manoeuvre of the

[flexible hose 12 from a possible torsion condition of the flexible hose 12

I itself. i

Figures 3 and 4 show a handle 120 and 220 respectively, according to the invention and in accordance with embodiments thereof. The components of the handles 120 and 220 having the same form and function as the components of the just described handle 20 are indicated, in figures 3 and 4, with identical reference numbers.

In particular, in figure 3, the handle 120 comprises a hand-grip 122 Ihaving a ring 123, inside which a transversal element 125 is integrally

F

"formed. This latter has an undulated and anatomic profile patterned

I j according to the finger position when the hand grabs the hand-grip 122.

Also in this case, the hand-grip 122 is hinged to the fixing element 24 so that it can be angularly moved with respect to the flexible hose 12. I With reference to Figure 4, a further handle 220 according to the invention is shown. The handle 220, like handle 20 of figure 1, comprises the handgrip 22 and the fixing element 24, which, unlike the previous solution, are rigidly connected to each other in a single body. In this solution, the handle 220 is preferably fixed to the flexible hose 12 so that the hand-grip 22 is aligned, substantially on a same plane, with the pump nozzle 14. This alignment allows the hand holding on the hand-grip 22 to be jmaintained in alignment or at least parallel with the other hand that grabs ϊ

'the pump nozzle 14. This aligned position of the two hands is advantageously designed not to create discomfort or efforts in the user's movements. Figure 5 shows a particular application of the hand-grip 220 of figure 4. In particular, the two half-shells 26 are closed with limited clearance in a circular housing seat 240 formed on a supporting element 241 securely fixed and rigidly connected to the flexible hose 12.

Iln this way, the hand-grip 22, although it is rigidly connected to the fixing 'element 24, can rotate around the flexible hose 12 and allow a constant

[movement of the hand. With reference to Figures 6 to 12C a handle 320 according to the invention and to a further embodiment is shown. Unlike the previously described solutions, the handle 320 comprises a hinge 334 having the pivot 336 axis substantially perpendicular to the section of the flexible hose 12 and arranged along a rotation axis Y. , Also in this case, the components of the fuel supply unit having the same form and function as the above described components, and are indicated, in figures 6 - 12C, with the same reference numbers. In particular, the handle 320 comprises, as essential elements, a handgrip 332, a fixing element 324 comprising two half-shells 326a, 326b, and the hinge globally indicated with number 334 for the connection of the I' hand-grip 332 to the fixing element 324. In the specific case, the two half-shells 326a, 326b form two semi- cylindrical bodies, which, as a tightening clamp, define, between each other, a cylindrical seat 327, while the hand-grip 322 is in the form of a by a tubular appendage provided with a knurling 329 for helping the grip. The hinge 334 allows the hand-grip 322 to be moved with limited angular stroke and in both rotation directions, from a rest position to an operative

[position angularly moved with respect to the rest position.

II

Preferably, the hinge 334 allows an angular movement up to about 90° ith respect to the initial rest position. In the example described, the hand-grip 322 is rotated on the right (figure 7C) and on the left (figure 7B) respectively with a determined angular stroke starting from the initial rest position, shown in figure 7A, wherein the hand-grip 322 is substantially aligned with the flexible hose 12. ' In particular, in order to permit the rotation of hand-grip 322 around the [axis Y, the hinge 334 comprises the aforesaid pivot 336 which is pivoted jon one side in a corresponding through-hole 325 made in one of the two half-shells 326b, and, on the other side, is rigidly inserted in a conjugated seat 337 made on a wall 322a of the hand-grip 322. Iwhen the pivot 336 is mounted in the seat 337, a fixing pin 339a is inserted in corresponding through-holes 336b, 339b, made in the pivot 336 and in the hand-grip 322 respectively, so as to obtain the pivot block. In order to pivot the pivot 336 in the half-shell 326b, the pivot 336 is routable inserted in the aforesaid hole 325 and it is there blocked by ' means of a block ring, such as a segher ring 336d, which is arranged in a ! groove 336c on the pivot 336. The pivot 336 is also provided with an antifriction washer 336e. Kccording to one characteristic of the invention, the hinge 334 comprises a return spring 340 allows to bring the hand-grip 322 back from an operative position to the initial rest position.

operative position wherein the right end 340c of the spring 340 is angularly moved to the right of the relative pin 341 (figure 12C).

di h h i i f h i i h h dl I 'comprises an adapting element 345, preferably of a material with an intermediate hardness between the material of the half-shell 326a, 326b, and that of the flexible hose 12, which is inserted between the two half- |shells 326a, 326b to adapt the two half-shells 326a, 326b, and in particular the diameter of the cylindrical chamber 327 to the diameter of the flexible hose 12. he adapting element 345 is formed by a semi-cylindrical body 346 ,

the following claims.

Claims

1. Fuel supply unit of the type comprising a flexible hose (12) and a pump nozzle (14) installed at one end of the flexible hose (12) and operable by a user to regulate the fuel supply, characterised in that it comprises a handle (20, 120, 220, 320) associated to a section of the flexible hose (12) to manoeuvre this latter during the operation of the pump nozzle (14).

2. Fuel supply unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said handle (20, 120, 220, 320) is removable from said flexible hose (12). 3. Fuel supply unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said handle (20, 120, 220, 320) comprises a hand-grip (22, 122, 322) for the grip by the user and a fixing element (24) for the fixing to said flexible hose (12) comprising two half-shells (26, 326a, 326b), opposite and reciprocally closed, to clamp between each other said flexible hose (12). 4. Fuel supply unit according to claim 3, characterised in that said half- shells (26, 326a, 326b) are closed by means of clamping elements (30, 343, 344) that can be selectively unloosed to allow the removal of said handle (20, 120, 220, 320) from the flexible hose.

5. Fuel supply unit according to claim 4, characterised in that said half- shells (26) comprise a knurling (28) on a side facing said flexible hose (12) to increase the adherence on the latter under the closed condition.

6. Fuel supply unit according to any claim 3 to 5, characterised in that said handle (20, 320) comprises a hinge (34, 334) inserted between the hand-grip (22, 122, 322) and the fixing element (24, 324) to make the hand-grip (22, 122, 322) angularly moved with respect to the fixing element (24, 324) between a rest position and an operative position.

7. Fuel supply unit according to claim 6, characterised in that said hinge (34) has pivot (36) with an axis substantially parallel to the section of the flexible hose (12) to angularly move the hand-grip (22) as a flag with respect to the flexible hose (12).

8. Fuel supply unit according to claim 6, characterised in that said hinge (334) has rotation axis (Y) substantially perpendicular to the section of the flexible hose (12).

9. Fuel supply unit according to claim 8, characterised in that the hinge (334) comprises a pivot (336) arranged along the rotation axis (Y).

10. Fuel supply unit according to claim 6 or 8, characterised in that said handle (320) comprises a return spring (340) associated with the hinge (334) to bring the hand-grip (322) back from the operative position to the rest position.

11. Fuel supply unit according to claims 9 and 10, characterised in that the return spring (340) wind the pivot (336). 12. Fuel supply unit according to claim 11, characterised in that said return spring (340) has two respective free ends (340b, 340c), which cooperate with two corresponding spring block pins (341) rigidly connected to the hand-grip (322).

13. Fuel supply unit according to claim 12, characterised in that the free ends (340b, 340c) of the return spring (340) extend radially with respect to the rotation axis (Y) to encompass the pins (341).

14. Fuel supply unit according to claim 13, characterised in that the free ends (340b, 340c) of the return spring (340) have a sufficiently high radial extension which allows them to beat against a counter element (348) made on a fixing element (324, 326b).

15. Fuel supply unit according to claim 14, characterised in that the counter element (348) is arch-like shaped and has, at respective ends, two abutment walls (348b, 348c) to stop the free ends (40b, 40c) of the return spring (340).

16. Fuel supply unit according to claim 14, characterised in that the hinge (334) comprises a protruding element (334a) rigidly connected to the hand-grip (322), which is housed with limited clearance in a conjugated guide (334b) made in the fixing element (324, 326b) to control the angular movement of the hand-grip (322).

17. Fuel supply unit according to claim 3, characterised in that the two half-shells (326a, 326b) define, between each other, a housing seat (327) of the flexible hose (12).

18. Fuel supply unit according to claim 17, characterised in that it comprises an adapting element (345), which is inserted between the two half-shells (326a, 326b) to adapt the diameter of the seat (327) to the diameter of the flexible hose (12). 19. Fuel supply unit according to claim 3, characterised in that it comprises a protective sheath (350) put on the hand-grip (322).

20. Fuel supply unit according to claim 19, characterised in that said protective sheath (350) is made of soft rubber.

21. Fuel supply unit according to any claim 3 to 5, characterised in that said hand-grip (22) and said fixing element (24) are rigidly connected and joined in a single entity.

22. Fuel supply unit according to claim 21, characterised in that said hand-grip (22) is aligned, substantially on the same plane, with the pump nozzle (14). 23. Fuel supply unit according to claim 21, characterised in that said half- shells (26) are closed with clearance on a circular supporting element (241) rigidly connected to said flexible hose (12) in order to be able to rotate around this latter.

24. Handle for a fuel supply unit (10) having a pump nozzle (14) and a flexible hose (12), of the type comprising a hand-grip (22, 122, 322) and a fixing element (24, 324) characterised in that said fixing element (24, 324) is sized to be fixed to a section of the flexible hose of the fuel supply unit (10).

25. Handle according to claim 24, characterised in that said fixing element (24, 324) comprises two opposite half-shells (26, 326a, 326b) defining a seat (27, 327) between each other, the half-shells being reciprocally closed for clamping between each other in the seat (27, 327) the flexible hose (12).

26. Handle according to claim 25, characterised in that said half-shells (26,326a, 326b) are closed by means of clamping elements (30, 343,344) that can be selectively unloosened to remove the handle (20, 120, 220, 320) from the flexible hose. (12).

27. Handle according to claim 25, characterised in that said half-shells (26) comprise a knurling (28) on one side facing said flexible hose (12) to increase the adherence on this latter under closed condition.

28. Handle according to any claim 24 to 27, characterised in that it comprises a hinge inserted between said hand-grip (22, 122, 322) and said fixing element (24, 324) to make the hand-grip (22, 122, 322) angularly movable with respect to the fixing element (24, 324,) between an operative position and a rest position.

29. Handle according to any claim 24 to 27, characterised in that said hand-grip (22) and said fixing element (24) are rigidly connected and joined in a single entity.

30. Handle according to claim 29, characterised in that said half-shells (26) are closed with clearance on a circular supporting element (241) rigidly connected when used with said flexible hose (12) to allow rotation around this latter.

31. Handle according to any claim 24 to 30, characterised in that said hand-grip (22) has a substantially "C"-like shape.

32. Handle according to any claim 24 to 30, characterised in that said hand-grip (122) comprises a ring (123) wherein a transversal element (125) having an undulated profile is integrally made.

33. Handle according to claim 28, characterised in that the hinge (34) has an axis substantially parallel to an axis along which the housing seat (27) of the section of the flexible hose (12) extends.

34. Handle according to claim 28, characterised in that the hinge (334) has a rotation axis (Y) substantially perpendicular to an axis (X) along which the housing seat (327) of the section of the flexible hose (12) is arranged.

35. Handle according to claim 34, characterised in that the hinge (334) comprises a pivot (336) arranged along the rotation axis (Y).

36. Handle according to claim 28, characterised in that it comprises a return spring (340) to bring the hand-grip (322) back from the operative position to the rest position.

37. Handle according to claims 35 and 36, characterised in that the return spring (340) winds the pivot (336).

38. Handle according to claim 37, characterised in that the return spring (340) has two respective free ends (340b, 340c) that co-operate with two corresponding spring block pins (341) rigidly connected to the handgrip (322).

39. Handle according to claim 38, characterised in that the free ends (340b, 340c) of the return spring (340) extend radially with respect to the rotation axis (Y) to encompass the pins (341). 4-0. Handle according to claim 39, characterised in that the free ends (340b, 340c) of the return spring (340) have a sufficiently high radial extension to allow them to abut against a counter element (48) made on the fixing element (324, 326b).

41. Handle according to claim 40, characterised in that the counter element (348) is arch-like shaped and has, at the respective ends, two abut walls (348b, 348c) to stop the free ends (340b, 340c) of the return spring (340).

42. Handle according to claim 28, characterised in that the hinge (334) comprises a protruding element (334) rigidly connected to the handgrip (322), which is housed, with limited clearance, in a conjugated guide (334b) made in the fixing element (324, 326b) to control the angular movement of the hand-grip (322).

43. Handle according to claim 25, characterised in that it comprises an adapting element (345), which is inserted between the two half-shells (326a, 326b) to adapt the diameter of the seat (327) to the diameter of the flexible hose (12). 44. Handle according to claim 24, characterised in that it comprises a protective sheath (350) put on the hand-grip (322). 45. Handle according to claim 44, characterised in that the protection sheath (350) is of soft rubber.