Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02457738 2004-02-16
FUELING NOZZLE DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates in general to fuel pump nozzles and more
particularly
to a device having structure for reducing the occurrence of fuel spills at
fuel pumping stations,
caused by nozzles that inadvertently fall from fuel inlets of vehicles, during
fueling.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Fuel spills that occur at automobile fueling stations are hazardous to
the safety of
individuals at or near the fueling station and to the environment. Fuel spills
at fuel stations used
by trucks in the trucking industry are common and in some cases, involve a
large volume of fuel
spilled. Clearly large volume fuel spills are extremely hazardous and can
result in a loss of
revenue.
[0003] Fuel spills at stations used in the trucking industry are generally the
result of a nozzle
being left unattended during pumping. Drivers commonly leave fuel nozzles
unattended during
filling due to the time required to fuel a large truck. In many cases, the
fuel pump, the fuel line
from the pump and the nozzle at the end of the fuel line are all in working
order and have no
defects. Thus, such spills are caused by other factors. For example, when
fuelling a truck, it is
common for a driver to walk away from the truck or to attend to other matters
around the truck.,
When left unattended, the spout portion of the nozzle then dislodges from the
fuel inlet of the
truck. This occurs for many reasons including, for example, due to accidental
interference by
the driver of the truck by inadvertently knocking or bumping the fuel line
leading to the nozzle,
due to wind that moves the fuel line and thereby moves the nozzle, due to
changes in pressure
that commonly.occur at multi-fuelling point stations or due to back pressure
from the tank as the
volume of fuel in the tank increases.
[0004, To reduce the occurrence of such spills at truck fuelling sites, Laws
have been
introduced requiring all persons fueling vehicles to be in attendance at the
fueling point during
fuelling. Such laws however, are difficult to enforce.
[0005] To prevent persons from walking away from the pump during filling; hold-
open clips
that were present on the handle portion on 7H style nozzles in the past, are
no longer available
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at truck fuelling stations. These hold-open clips allow the driver to engage
the clip to hold the
trigger of the nozzle in the open position, without having to maintain hand
contact with the
trigger. The removal of these hold-open clips has not prevented drivers from
leaving fuel pumps
unattended during fueling, however. Foreign objects are commonly jammed into
the handle of
the nozzle to force the trigger into the open position and therefore allow the
driver to leave the
pump unattended during fuelling.
[0006] Because, many drivers continue to walk away from the fuelling point
during fuelling ,
of their trucks, it is desirable to inhibit a nozzle from becoming dislodged
from a fuel inlet of truck
in the case that the fuelling point is left unattended.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for
use with a
fueling nozzle including a handle assembly and a spout, the device includes a
connection
component for coupling to the fueling nozzle, proximal the spout, and a
resilient member
extending from the connection component. When in use, the connection component
is coupled
to the fueling nozzle and the resilient member extends into a fuel inlet of a
vehicle, along with
the nozzle. The resilient member thereby biases the nozzle against a side of
the fuel inlet.
[0008] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fueling
nozzle for use
with a fuel pump and hose in fueling vehicles. The fueling nozzle includes a
handle assembly
including a handle portion having a fluid path in fluid communication with a
hose from the pump,
and a trigger in communication with the handle portion. The 'trigger is
actuatable for causing
fuel flow through' the fluid path when in use. A spout extends from the handle
portion. The
spout is in fluid communication with the handle portion for flow of fuel from
the hose through the
handle portion and out the spout. A resilient member is coupled to one of the
spout and the
handle assembly and extends therefrom. When the nozzle is in use, the
resilient member
extends into the fuel inlet for abutting the fuel inlet and biasing the spout
into contact with the
fuel inlet.
[0009, Several advantages are realized in aspects of embodiments of the
present invention.
For example, the pump nozzle device provides an inexpensive way to aid in
inhibiting nozzles
from inadvertently falling from a fuel inlet of a vehicle. Also, the design
permits use of the
nozzle device with many different tank styles or different nozzles: Energy due
to movement of
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the nozzle during filling is absorbed by the nozzle device. Other advantages
also include
improved grounding of the vehicle to the pump and reduced wear of the spout of
the nozzle.
Also, with the device in a non-use position, the device protects the plastic
head cap at the top of
the nozzle. If damaged, the head cap allows air in to the fuel tank and
therefore does not
provide a vacuum state in the tank. The vacuum state is desired in order for
the automatic shut
off on the fuel pump to work. Thus, protection of head cap is desirable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention will be better understood with reference to the drawings
and the
following description, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for use with a fueling nozzle,
showing a
resilient member in a first position, according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1, installed on a nozzle, with
the device
in a use position;
Figure 3 is a side view of the device installed on the nozzle of Figure 2,
with the device
in a non-use position;
Figure 4 is a side view of the device installed on the nozzle of Figure 2,
with the device
in the use position and the device and nozzle inserted into a fuel inlet, the
fuel inlet shown.in
section; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device installed on the nozzle of Figure
4, with the
nozzle device in a use position and the device and nozzle inserted into a fuel
inlet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Reference is first made to figure 1 to describe a device for use with a
fueling nozzle
(not shown in Figure 1 ), the device being indicated generally by the numeral
20. The device 20
includes a connection component 22 for coupling to the fueling nozzle,
proximal a spout thereof.
The device 20 also includes a resilient member 24 extending from the
connection component
22. When in use, the connection component 22 is coupled to the fueling nozzle
and the resilient
member 24 extends into a fuel inlet of a vehicle (not shown), along with the
nozzle. The
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resilient member 24 thereby biases the nozzle against a side of the fuel
inlet.
[0012] The device 20 will now be described in more detail. As shown in Figure
1, the device
20 includes the connection component 22 that has a collar 26 and a mounting
plate 28. The
collar 26 is generally cylindrically shaped and is sized to fit snugly around
a standard spout of a
fueling nozzle. The mounting plate 28 is welded to and extends outwardly from
a portion of one
end of the collar 26. The mounting plate 28 includes a pair of bolt holes 32
that are sized and
spaced to match a bolt pattern on a face of the nozzle that is near the
junction between the
spout and a handle assembly of the nozzle. Clearly the bolt holes 30 in the
mounting plate 28
are used for mounting the device 20 to the nozzle.
[0013] The device 20 also includes the resilient member 24 that extends from
the collar 26.
The resilient member 26 is fixed to the collar 26 via first and second chain
linkages 32, 34,
respectively. The first chain linkage 32 is welded to the collar 26 and the
second chain linkage
34 welded to the resilient member 26. Clearly the first and second chain
linkages 32, 34,
respectively are coupled to each other and hinge about an axis 36. Thus, the
resilient member
24 is fixed to the collar 26 and is movable between a first position that is
best shown in Figure 2
and a second position that is best shown in Figure 3.
[0014] Rather than extending straight from the collar 26, the resilient member
24 includes a
number of bends therein. in the present embodiment, the resilient member 24
includes first
second and third sections 38, 40, 42, respectively. As best shown in Figure 1,
the first and third
sections 38, 42, respectively are generally parallel and a separated by the
second section~40
that extends therebetween. Clearly the second section 40 extends at an obtuse
angle to both
the first and third sections 38, 42, respectively.
[0015] Each of the first and second sections 38, 40, respectively, include
ribs 44 that
protrude from the resilient member 24 and extend across the width thereof. A
rounded bump 46
protrudes from the third section 42 of the resilient member, proximal an end
thereof. The use
and function of the ribs 44 and rounded bump 46 will be more fully explained
below.
[0016] In the present embodiment, all portions of the device 20 are made of
stainless steel
that is TIG welded and the resilient member is tempered. Other suitable
materials and
manufacturing methods are possible.
(0017] Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, perspective views of the device 20
installed on a
nozzle are shown. The nozzle is indicated generally by the numeral 50. As
shown, the nozzle
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50 includes a handle assembly 52 for connection at one end to a fuel line
hose, and a spout 54
connected to a second end of the handle assembly 52. The handle assembly 52
has a handle
portion 56 for graspirig during pumping, through which a fluid path is
provided. The fluid path
connects the fuel line hose and the spout 54 in fluid communication. A trigger
58 is connected
to the handle portion 56 and operates a valve in the fluid path for
controlling fuel flow through
the fluid path. As will be appreciated, the trigger 58 is actuated during
fueling to cause fuel flow
through the fluid path and out the spout 54.
[0018] Referring still to Figures 2 and 3, the device 20 is connected to the
nozzle 50 by
sliding the spout 54 through the collar 26 and then moving the collar 26 up
the spout 54. Next,
connecting bolts (not shown) are located through the bolt holes 30 of the
mounting plate 28 and
into bolt holes on a face 60 of the nozzle 50 that is near the junction
between the spout 54 and
the handle assembly 52. As previously indicated, the bolt holes 32 through the
mounting plate
28 are sized and spaced to match the bolt pattern on the face 60, providing a
convenient
attachment for the device 20 on the nozzle 50.
[0019] As described above, the resilient member 24 is movable by hinging about
the chain
linkages 32, 34, between a first position, also referred to as a use position
(shown in Figure 2)
and a second position, referred to as a non-use position (shown in Figure 3).
When in the use
position, the resilient member 24 extends generally in the direction of the
spout 54, although
clearly the resilient member 24 does not follow the exact contour and
direction of the spout 45.
When in the non-use position, the resilient member 24 extends away from the
spout, such that
the resilient member 24 abuts the handle portion 56, as shown in Figure 3.
[0020] In use during fueling, the resilient member 24 is placed in the use
position and both
the spout 54 and the resilient member 24 are urged into a fuel inlet 70 of a
vehicle, as best
shown in Figures 4 and 5. Due to the limited size of the fuel inlet 70; the
resilient member 24
abuts a sidewall of the fuel inlet 70 and thereby acts to spring bias the
spout 54 into contact with
the sidewall of the fuel inlet 70. It will be understood that the bends that
are provided in the
resilient member 24 aid in spring biasing the spout 54 against the sidewall of
the fuel inlet.
Thus, friction between the spout 54 and the sidewall of the fuel inlet 70 and
between the
resilient member 24 and the sidewall of the fuel inlet 70 aids in inhibiting
the spout 54 from
inadvertently falling out of the fuel inlet 70 during fueling.
[0021] As previously explained, the resilient member 24 has ribs 44 that
protrude and
extend across the width thereof. These ribs 44 and the rounded bump 46 further
aid in
CA 02457738 2004-02-16
inhibiting the spout 54 from inadvertently falling out of the fuel inlet 70 as
they protrude from the
resilient member 42 and provide locations of increased resistance to removal
of the spout 54
and the resilient member 24 from the fuel inlet 70. The third section 42 of
the resilient member
24 also has a rounded bump 46 near an end thereof for screened tanks. This
rounded bump 46
sits in the screen orifice when in use. Thus, the resilient member 24 contacts
the fuel inlet and
thereby provides electrical contact for grounding.
[0022] Once the spout 54 and the resilient member 24 are placed in the fuel
inlet 70 of the
vehicle, the vehicle is then refueled. To remove the spout 54 and the
resilient member 24, the
handle portion 56 of the nozzle 50 is grasped arid pulled outwardly and away
from the fuel inlet
70.
[0023] In the event that the fuel inlet 70 is not large enough to accommodate
both the spout
54 and the resilient member 24, or the vehicle design does not permit both the
spout 54 and the
resilient member 24 to be inserted into the fuel inlet 70, the resilient
member 24 is moved to the
non-use position and fueling then begins. In the non-use position, the
resilient member 24 does
not inhibit the spout 54 from inadvertentlyfalling out of the fuel inlet 70.
In this case, however,
the resilient member provides protection for part of the handle assembly 52.
(0024] The many features and advantages of the present invention will be
apparent from
the above description. Since numerous modifications and changes may occur to
those skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction
and operation illustrated
and described herein. Accordingly, such modifications and changes are believed
to be within
the scope and sphere of the present invention.
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