JPH0363003B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is used in a refueling device that includes a pump, a flow meter, a refueling hose, and a refueling amount display meter, and is connected to the refueling hose and has a liquid level near the tip. The present invention relates to a refueling nozzle having a sensor.

[Prior art and its problems] First, an example of an oil supply device to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. In Figure 1, 1
is a refueling device, 2 is a pump, 3 is a drive motor for pump 2, 4 is a flow meter, 5 is a main valve, 6 is a refueling nozzle,
7 indicates a hose, and when the motor 3 is driven, oil is pumped up from an underground tank (not shown) through a pipe 8.
Then, oil is sent to a hose 7 via a flow meter 4 and a main valve 5, and the oil is sent from a fuel nozzle 6 to, for example, a fuel filler port O of a fuel tank T of an automobile.

The refueling nozzle 6 is normally hung on the nozzle hook 9, and when the refueling nozzle 6 is removed from the nozzle hook 9, the nozzle detection switch SW ₁ closes to drive the motor 3, and the main valve 5 opens to complete the preparation for refueling. I'm starting to do that.

The refueling nozzle 6 is provided with a liquid level sensor S consisting of a transmitter and a receiver at the tip of the nozzle portion 6a. Therefore, the nozzle portion 6 of the refueling nozzle 6
Insert a into the fuel filler port O of the car's fuel tank T,
When the lever 11 is pulled and applied to the lever locking piece 11a to open the nozzle valve 12, the oil pumped through the hose 7 passes through the nozzle valve 12, pushes open the check valve 13, and flows out from the tip of the nozzle portion 6a. do. The amount of oil is determined by the pulse transmitter 4a of the flow meter 4.
The pulse signal is then transmitted to the control circuit C, where it is integrated and displayed on the refueling amount indicator 10. As the refueling operation progresses, the liquid level in the fuel tank T rises, but oil bubbles rise before the liquid level. The liquid level sensor S detects bubbles and its signal reaches the control circuit C through the line 14 and closes the main valve 5.

Then, after the bubbles disappear, for example, 2 seconds, the main valve 5 is opened by a signal from the control circuit C, and the main valve 5 is closed again by a signal from the liquid level sensor S. When the above operation is repeated several times, the liquid reaches the liquid level sensor S of the nozzle, and the tank becomes so-called full.

Next, the lever 11 is removed from the locking piece 11a, the nozzle valve 12 is closed, and the refueling nozzle 6 is hung on the nozzle hook 9, thereby completing the refueling operation.

During refueling as described above, oil droplets may enter the sensor chamber before the liquid level (foam) rises and activate the sensor, or the foam may liquefy when refueling is automatically restarted by a signal from control circuit C. may flow into the sensor chamber and cause the sensor to malfunction.

In addition, even with a refueling system that automatically closes the valve and ends refueling when the liquid level sensor is activated, it is determined that the tank is full, and if oil droplets enter the sensor chamber, refueling will stop even if the tank is not full. I end up.

In conventional liquid level sensors, air vent holes are provided through which air flows in and out of the sensor chamber in which the sensor is installed, in order to facilitate the rise of the liquid level.As the liquid level rises, bubbles rise inside the sensor chamber. Air flows out from the air vent hole, but since there is no partition wall between the sensor chamber and the air vent hole, when the main valve 5 closes, fuel supply stops, and the bubbles disappear, they adhere to the wall of the nozzle portion 6a. On the other hand, oil flows into the sensor chamber through the air vent hole, and droplets enter the sensor chamber through the air vent hole, causing the sensor to malfunction.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58053/1983 discloses a technique for detecting the liquid level of a pump or the like using a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element using a light-transmitting object. However, in the case of a refueling nozzle, as mentioned above, oil bubbles and splashes are generated during the refueling operation, so such known techniques cannot be directly applied.

Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 47-2539 discloses a technique for detecting the level of liquid in a container using a contact member. However, in the case of a sensitive sensor that is activated by oil bubbles or splashes during refueling operations, such known technology must detect the absence of liquid immediately after the bubbles or splashes have disappeared. The contact member malfunctions when splashes or bubbles adhere to it, and cannot be used as a liquid level sensor for a refueling nozzle.

[Problems to be Solved] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to quickly remove bubbles and droplets once the refueling operation is stopped, even if bubbles and droplets are generated as the liquid level rises, thereby preventing mistakes. To provide a refueling nozzle for a refueling device that does not operate.

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, it is used in a refueling device including a pump, a flow meter, a refueling hose, and a refueling amount indicator,
A refueling nozzle connected to a refueling hose and having a liquid level sensor near the tip includes a sensor chamber having a liquid inlet at the tip and a sensor attached thereto, and a second chamber adjacent to the sensor chamber via a partition wall. 1. An air vent chamber communicating with the atmosphere through a second air vent hole, and a communication hole for both chambers provided in the partition wall, wherein the first air vent hole is provided adjacent to the partition wall, and the first air vent chamber is provided adjacent to the partition wall; The second air vent holes are provided at upper positions near the side ends of the nozzle portion on both side walls of the air vent chamber, and openings are provided on both sides of the nozzle portion, respectively, and
The air vent hole and the opening are communicated with each other.

Note that in carrying out the present invention, it is preferable to use light, sound, electromagnetic waves, etc. as a liquid level sensor.

[Operation] Therefore, as the liquid level rises, bubbles and droplets generated during the refueling operation also rise and flow into the sensor chamber. At that time, since there is an air vent hole, the rise of the liquid level is not hindered. Then, the liquid level sensor is activated, and as is well known, the main valve is closed, and the refueling operation is once stopped. If the liquid level rises rapidly, the air vent hole is blocked and air is trapped in the sensor chamber, resulting in air filling the sensor chamber and preventing the sensor from reaching the sensor. may not be detected. However, in the present invention, the second air vent hole is provided closer to the nozzle body and above than the first air vent hole, so even if the lower first air vent hole is blocked, the second air vent hole can be opened from the second air vent hole. Since the air escapes, the sensor will not malfunction.
Furthermore, liquid (bubbles and droplets) that has bounced back into the air vent chamber or the like is discharged from the first air vent hole without flowing back into the sensor chamber due to the partition wall.

In general, the shape of a car tank and its mounting position are:
Even within the same manufacturer, it varies depending on the vehicle model. As a result, the shape of the flow path from the fuel filler port to the tank body is also complicated. Therefore, the positional relationship between the hole on the side of the refueling nozzle and the liquid level varies, and if the opening is only on one side of the nozzle, the opening may be blocked by the liquid level and air may not escape. However, in the present invention, since the second air vent holes are provided on both sides, even if one side is blocked, the opening at the opposite position is not blocked, so air can escape. Therefore, bubbles and droplets are quickly removed.

Furthermore, even if bubbles or droplets generated outside or inside the nozzle flow into the air vent chamber through the first and second air vent holes, they are still prevented from flowing into the sensor chamber by the partition wall.

Therefore, the effects of bubbles and droplets generated during refueling work can be minimized, and since bubbles and droplets do not accumulate in the sensor chamber for a long time, the main valve can be opened again after 2 seconds for refueling. This will improve refueling efficiency.

If a partition wall is not provided, as mentioned above, if bubbles or droplets generated outside the refueling nozzle enter the sensor chamber again, the sensor will malfunction, and the control device will determine that there are still bubbles and will not fill the fuel nozzle. Although it is determined that the tank is full even though the tank is not full, this problem does not occur in the present invention.

[Example] Hereinafter, a case where the present invention is implemented in the oil supply device shown in FIG. 1 will be described. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, a case will be described in which a light beam type liquid level sensor using a light emitting body and a light receiving body is used as a transmitting part and a receiving part of the liquid level sensor.

In FIGS. 2 to 4, a sensor mounting body, generally designated 20, is attached to the inside of the tip of the nozzle portion 6a of the refueling nozzle 6 with a spring 21. , its plate-like part 2
A light emitting body 2 extending perpendicularly from 0a and serving as a sensor
2 and a photoreceptor 23 have sensor mounting legs 24 and 25 mounted opposite to each other. Mounting body 2
0, a projection 26 is provided near the rear end of the mounting body 20, which projection 26 is adapted to engage with a hole 27 in the nozzle portion 6a. A sensor chamber 28 between the legs 24 and 25 serves as an inflow passage for oil to be detected. An air vent chamber 35 is provided adjacent to the sensor chamber 28 , the chamber 35 is separated from the sensor chamber 28 by a partition wall 32 , and communicates with the sensor chamber 28 through a communication hole 33 . Further, the air vent chamber 35 communicates with openings or holes 40 (FIG. 1) formed on both sides of the nozzle portion 6a by a second air vent hole 36, and the air vent chamber 35 communicates with openings or holes 40 (FIG.
It also communicates with a first communication hole 31 formed in the lower surface of a. The wiring portion of the signal line 29 on the opposite side of the sensor chamber 28 is filled with a fixing and sealing adhesive such as an epoxy resin 30. The mounting body 20 is therefore positioned in the nozzle part 6a by the projections 26 and the holes 27, and by the springs 21 and the epoxy resin 3.
0 and is fixed to the nozzle portion 6a.

Details of this mounting body 20 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In order to attach the light emitter 22 and the light receiver 23 to the mounting legs 24, 25, the legs 24, 25 are attached.
Attachment holes 22a and 23a are formed in the legs, respectively, and the rear ends of the legs 24 and 25 are connected to the partition wall 32. Therefore, the sensor chamber 28 is closed by this partition wall 32. A communication hole 33 is provided on the side of the plate-shaped portion 20a of this partition wall 32. This communication hole 33 is an air vent hole to prevent air from being trapped in the sensor chamber 28. This partition wall 32 is connected to the first communication hole 3 as shown in FIG. 4 when the mounting body 20 is attached to the nozzle portion 6a.
This is the position adjacent to the distal end side of 1. Behind this partition wall 32, an air vent chamber 35 is defined by a U-shaped wall 34 that also extends at right angles from the plate-shaped portion 20a. opening or hole 4
A second air vent hole 36 facing 0 (FIG. 1) is formed. Therefore, the air vent chamber 35 communicates with the sensor chamber 28 via the communication hole 33, and communicates with the outside of the nozzle portion 6a via the first and second air vent holes 31, 36.

The liquid level sensor embodying the present invention is constructed as described above, and its operation is mainly shown in FIG.
This will be explained below with reference to FIG.

During the refueling operation, oil passes through the inside of the nozzle portion 6a, passes through the space 6b between the plate-shaped portion 20a of the mounting body 20 and the inside of the nozzle portion 6a, and flows out from the tip 6c of the nozzle portion 6a. room 2
No liquid flows into 8. However, the oil level L
As the bubbles rise to the level sensor S, the air in the sensor chamber 28 flows out from the first and second air vent holes 31 and 36, and the bubbles enter the sensor chamber 28 and the sensor operates. The main valve 5 closes and refueling stops, but the inertial discharge causes the bubbles to reach above the sensor S, and after a while, the liquefied bubbles enter the air vent chamber 35 through the second air vent hole 36. This liquid is transferred to the sensor chamber 2 by the partition wall 32.
8 and flows out from the first air vent hole 31, so that the sensor will not malfunction. Also, during refueling, droplets may be released into the first and second air vent holes 31,
36, it will not enter the sensor chamber 28 due to the partition wall 32, and the sensor will not malfunction.

Although the illustrated embodiment has been described as a light sensor using a light emitter and a light receiver, it is clear that the same effects can be obtained using sound or electromagnetic waves.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when liquid flows into the sensor chamber due to a rise in the liquid level, no matter how the liquid flows into the sensor chamber, the air vent chamber in the sensor chamber and the first and second air vents are Since it is discharged through the hole, there is no possibility that the liquid will not be detected by the sensor due to the dumping effect of air.

In addition, the liquid (foam and droplets) that entered the sensor chamber was quickly discharged, and the liquid (foam and droplets) that entered the air vent chamber was prevented from flowing back into the sensor chamber due to the partition wall, so the bubbles and droplets disappeared. There will be no malfunction of the sensor afterwards, and the liquid in the air vent chamber will be discharged from the first air vent hole, so there will be no problem.

Furthermore, due to the shape of the flow path of the fuel filler port of the tank, even if one of the openings or holes provided on both sides of the nozzle part is blocked with liquid, the other opening is open to the atmosphere, preventing bubbles and Droplets are discharged smoothly.

As described above, in the present invention, when refueling with a refueling nozzle, the liquid level sensor is quickly activated by bubbles and droplets, but once the bubbles and droplets disappear, the liquid in the sensor chamber is quickly discharged. Therefore, correct detection work can always be performed in any refueling state.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory diagram of a refueling device for explaining the case where the present invention is applied to a refueling nozzle;
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a central sectional view, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a mounting body implementing the present invention. 6 is a bottom view of the mounting body shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 5. 6... Refueling nozzle, 6a... Nozzle part, 20
... Mounting body, 20a ... Plate-shaped part, 22 ... Light emitter, 23 ... Photoreceptor, 24, 25 ... Sensor mounting leg, 28 ... Sensor chamber, 35 ... Air vent chamber, 3
1... First air vent hole, 32... Partition wall, 33
...Communication hole, 36...Second air vent hole, 40...
…Aperture.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A refueling nozzle that is used in a refueling device that includes a pump, a flow meter, a refueling hose, and a refueling amount indicator, and that is connected to the refueling hose and has a liquid level sensor near the tip, having a liquid inlet at the tip, and a sensor chamber in which the sensor is attached, an air vent chamber adjacent to the sensor chamber via a partition wall and communicating with the atmosphere through first and second air vent holes, and a communication hole for both chambers provided in the partition wall. The first air vent hole is provided adjacent to a partition wall, and the second air vent hole is provided at an upper position near a side end of a nozzle portion on both side walls of the air vent chamber. and a refueling nozzle for a refueling device, characterized in that openings are provided on both side surfaces of the nozzle portion, and each of the second air vent holes and the openings are communicated with each other.