Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title: Hose storing device.
The invention relates to a hose storing device
comprising a housing, in which a fuel supply connection is
disposed, a flexible hose, one end of which is connected to
said fuel supply connection and the other end of which, which
extends through a hose passage, is fitted with a fuel
nozzle which can be stored in said housing by means of a
support attached to said housing, wherein the flexible hose
is passed over one or more rollers in said housing, at least
one roller of which is accommodated in said housing in such
manner as to be movable against a return force in
substantially vertical direction.
Such a generally known hose storing device is for
example shown in Dutch patent application No. 84 03718, and
it is used for delivering fuels to motor vehicles at filling
stations. The driver who wishes to fill the fuel tank of his
motor vehicle, must thereby pull the hose with the fuel
nozzle from the housing.
In order to prevent the flexible hose from dragging on
the ground in extended condition, getting fouled, with motor
vehicles running over the hose and damaging it, after the
fuel tank has been filled and the fuel nozzle has been stored
in the support intended for that purpose, the hose storing
device disclosed in NL-A-84 03718 is so designed that the
hose is stored in the housing after use. To this end, the
hose is passed in loops over one or more rollers which is
(are) accommodated in the housing in such manner as to be
movable against a return force in substantially vertical
direction.
One drawback of such a hose storing device is the fact
that the current construction of the rollers) which is (are)
movably accommodated in said housing and the flexible hose
passed over said rollers) in loops require a considerably
35..:amount of space. Not only does this make the hose storing
device expensive, but it furthermore has a negative influence
on the infrastructure of filling stations yet to be
constructed.
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The object of the invention is to obviate the above
drawbacks and to provide a hose storing device of the type -
referred to in the introduction which is of more compact
construction, which is less expensive and which furthermore
constitutes an improvement as regards the infrastructure of
existing and new filling stations.
According to the invention, the hose storing device is
characterized in that during use, when the flexible hose is
being pulled from the housing, the movable roller can be
moved to a position near the hose passage. This makes it
possible to construct a hose storing device having a smaller
height whilst retaining the same functionality thereof. Not
only is a more compact hose storing device of this kind less
expensive, but it furthermore constitutes an improvement as
regards the lay-out or the infrastructure of existing or new
filling stations.
In addition to that, the flexible hose can be pulled out
of the housing over a greater length. On the one hand this
makes it possible to obtain a hose storing device having an
improved radius of action and functionality, on the other
hand the hose storing device can be fitted with a shorter
hose whilst retaining the original functionality, which means
a further saving.
According to the invention, in order to be able to pull
the hose out of the housing over an even greater length, the
fuel supply connection may be positioned near the side where
the hose exits the housing.
According to one aspect of the invention, the path of
movement of the movable roller exhibits a curve. This ensures
a smooth movement of the movable roller in the housing,
without any risk of being blocked or getting jammed.
Furthermore the amount of wear is minimized.
According to one embodiment of the hose storing device
according to the invention, the movable roller is present at
..~the top or at the bottom of the fuel pump in the position of
rest.
Another embodiment of the hose storing device according
to the invention is characterized in that said flexible hose
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is passed over a further roller which is movably accommodated
in said housing, which further roller exerts a force in the
direction of the interior of the housing via a return force
on the hose. Since the flexible hose of the current hose
storing devices is stored in the housing in one or more
freely suspended loops, such a further roller enables a more
optimum utilization of the interior space of the housing.
This makes it possible to provide an even more compact and
thus less expensive construction of the hose storing device,
yr to fit the hose storing device with a longer flexible
hose, which means a considerable improvement as regards the
radius of action and the functionality thereof.
In this embodiment of the hose storing device according
to the invention, said further roller is preferably movable
in the direction of the hose passage during use, or said
further roller is pivotally connected to the housing, with
the pivoting point possibly being located near said hose
passage.
In order to obtain an effectively and reliably
functioning, low-maintenance hose storing device according to
the invention, said return forces are the force of gravity or
spring forces.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with
reference to the drawing, which successively shows in:
Figures la and ib an embodiment of a hose storing device
according to the invention in the starting position;
Figures 2a and 2b the hose storing device of Figures la
and lb in the operating position;
Figures 3a and 3b the hose storing device of Figures la
and ib in the extreme operating position.
Figures la and ib show a hose storing device according
to the invention in the starting position, which is formed of
..~a housing 1. Accommodated in said housing is a flexible hose
3, which is connected with one end to a fuel supply
connection 2, which is likewise present inside housing 1.
Hose 3 is passed over a roller 7 in a number of loops 3a and
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3b. Roller 7 is rotatable about its axis 8, and, in the case
of prior art hose storing devices, it-is accommodated in said
housing 1 in such manner as to be movable against a return
force 8 in substantially vertical direction. The other end of
hose 3 extends through a passage 5 formed in housing 1, and
it is provided with a fuel nozzle 4, which can be stored in a ~-
support in housing 1 (not shown). Fuel supply connection 2 is
preferably disposed near the side where hose 3 exits the
housing.
In practice, the fuel supply connection 2 is connected,
via a further fuel line (not shown), to a fuel storage tank
(likewise not shown), which is disposed some distance away,
under the ground. In addition to that, the prior art hose
storing device includes a pump device comprising valves,
volumeters and the driving, measuring and control equipment
cooperating therewith, as well as a display panel for
displaying the amount of fuel being delivered (in volume
units) and the amount of money thus being due. Hose storing
devices of this kind are usually grouped in fuel pump islands
of a filling station.
A driver or other user who wishes to fill the fuel tank
of his motor vehicle must remove the fuel nozzle 4 from the
support and insert it into the filling opening of said fuel
tank. Hose 3 can be extended by the user by pulling it out of
housing 1 so as to bridge the distance between the hose
storing device and said filling opening. Roller 7 thereby
moves in housing 1. After filling, the user returns the fuel
nozzle 4 to the support, and roller 7 moves back to its
starting position under the influence of the return force 9,
whereby hose 3 is retracted and automatically stored in
housing 1. In order to enable movement of roller 7 in housing
1, said roller 7 is mounted in guides, for example rails 6.
As is also shown in the figure, the hose storing device
according to the invention includes a second roller 11
disposed in housing 1, which is preferably mounted on the end
of a lever 13 so as to be rotatable about its axis 12. Lever
13 (and rollers il and 15) are movably accommodated in
housing 1. Furthermore, the lever may be provided at its
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other end with another roller 15, which is rotatable about
its axis 14. As is shown in Figure 1a; roller 11 is supported
against the hose 3 which is stored in housing 1 and thus
exerts a force on hose 3 in the direction of the interior of
5 housing 1. As a result, hose 3 is pressed further into
housing 1 and stored there, as a result of which an improved w
and more optimum utilization of the interior space of housing
1 is obtained. On the one hand it is possible to construct a
more compact hose storing device having smaller external
dimensions (and being cheaper, therefore), and on the other
hand the hose storing device may be fitted with a longer
flexible hose, which considerably improves the radius of
action and the functionality thereof.
Figure lb is a perspective view of the interior of hose
storing device 1, wherein corresponding parts are indicated
by the same numerals. Rollers 7 and 11 (and possibly roller
15) are provided with a groove for receiving and guiding
flexible hose 3. Lever 13 is positioned between guides 6 in
this situation.
Figures 2a and 2b show the hose storing device of
Figures la and lb occupying a position halfway the operating
position. Also in these figures corresponding parts are
indicated by the same numerals. Flexible hose 3 is being
pulled through passage 5 by a user. As is clearly shown in
Figure 2a, the roller 7 which is movably accommodated in the
housing has been moved from the starting position at the top
of housing 1 as shown in Figures la and lb, over guides 6, in
the direction of passage 5. The path of movement of roller 7
preferably exhibits a curve, which is in this case determined
by curved guides 6. A smooth movement of movable roller 7
along a curve minimizes the risk of roller 7 being blocked or
getting jammed in housing 1. In addition to that, the amount
of wear is reduced to a minimum.
Roller 11 has been moved in the direction of passage 5,
whilst roller 15 has been moved in the direction of the
support for fuel nozzle 10 (not shown). Lever 13 has tilted
from a horizontal position (Figures la and lb) to a vertical
position (Figures 3a and 3b) thereby. .
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Figures 3a and 3b show the same hose storing device in
the extreme operating position. Also in these figures
corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals.
Flexible.hose 3 has been pulled out of hose storing device 1,
through passage 5, over its entire length L. Roller 7 has
thereby been moved over guides 6 from the position as shown
in Figure 1, via the position shown in Figure 2a, to a
position near passage 5. Lever 13 has tilted about point 12
towards the interior of housing 1 and is supported, extending
between guides 6, with roller 15 against cable 9a.
As a result of the more optimum utilization of the
interior space of the hose storing device, it can be designed
to have a smaller height whilst retaining the same
functionality of the hose storing device. Not only are such
more compact hose storing device cheaper, but also the lay-
out or the infrastructure of the fuel pump islands of
existing or new filling stations is improved.
A further consequence of the movement of roller 7 over
guides 6 to a position near passage 5 (Figures 3a and 3b) is
that fact that during use the flexible hose 3 can be pulled
out of housing 1 over a greater length L. This advantage is
enhanced even further in that the fuel supply connection 2 is
disposed near the side where hose 3 exits the housing. On the
one hand this leads to an enhanced radius of action and
functionality, whilst on the other hand the hose storing
device 1 can be fitted with a shorter hose 3 whilst retaining
its original functionality, which means a further saving.
When fuel nozzle 4 is returned to its position in the
support, roller 7 will move back under the influence of
return force 9, in this case a cable 9a connected to a
spring, via guides 6, to the position as shown in Figures la
and ib, wherein hose 3 is retracted and stored in housing 1.
Lever 13 and roller 11 (and also roller 15) will likewise
return to the position as shown in Figure 1a under the
influence of a return force, in this case for example a
spring force or the force of gravity, pressing the loop 3b of
hose 3 that passes over roller 11 further into the interior
of housing 1 thereby.
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It will be apparent that the invention is not
restricted to the illustrated embodiments, and that many -
variants and combinations of variants are possible without
departing from the scope of the invention. Roller 7 may be
accommodated at the bottom of the housing and fuel supply
connection 2 may be accommodated at the top of said housing. y-
In that case, roller 7 can make a similar movement in
housing 1 during use and slide back along guides 6 to the
starting position under the influence of the force of
gravity. Lever 13 may be mounted in housing 1 in such manner
as to be pivotable about point 14, so that roller 11 will
pivot about this point during use.
