The present invention is directed to a fluid dispensing nozzle, and more particularly, to a nozzle configured to reduce dripping after dispensing fluid.
Fluid and fuel dispensers are widely utilized to dispense fluid and/or fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, biofuels, blended fuels, ethanol or the like, into the fuel tank of a vehicle or other fuel receptacles. Such dispensers typically include a nozzle that is insertable into the fuel tank of the vehicle or other receptacle in a dispensing position. When refueling operations are completed, the nozzle is removed from the fuel tank/receptacle and is typically holstered or stored in a generally vertical configuration. It may be desired to reduce or minimize dripping when dispensing operations are stopped. In particular, any drips from the nozzle can land on the operator, vehicle/receptacle or ground surface, resulting in wasted fuel and potentially adverse environmental effects.
In one embodiment the present invention is a nozzle with one or more features to reduce dripping. More particularly, in one embodiment the present invention is a fluid dispensing nozzle including a nozzle body having a fluid path and a suction path therein. The nozzle includes a suction generator configured to generate a suction force in the suction path when fluid to be dispensed flows through the fluid path. The nozzle further includes a shut-off device having a suction chamber fluidly coupled to the suction path. The shut-off device is configured such that when the suction path is blocked during fluid dispensing the shut-off device prevents the nozzle from dispensing fluid through the fluid path. The suction chamber includes a lip extending around a perimeter thereof. An opening is formed in or extends through the lip, the opening providing fluid communication between the suction chamber and the suction path to enable liquid to flow from the suction chamber to the suction path.
The dispenser 12 is in fluid communication with a fuel/fluid storage tank 20 via a fluid conduit 22 that defines at least partially a fluid path/flow path 21 therein, and extends from the dispenser 12 to the storage tank 20. The storage tank 20 can include or be fluidly coupled to a pump 24 which is configured to draw fluid/fuel out of the storage tank 20 and supply the fluid to the dispenser 12/nozzle 18. The nozzle 18 can be inserted into a fill pipe 26 of a vehicle 28 and operated to fill/refuel a fuel tank 30 of the vehicle 28, or to fill some other fuel/fluid containment vessel.
The nozzle 18/dispenser 12 can also be configured to capture and route vapors being expelled from the storage tank 20 during refueling via a vapor recovery system (not shown). In this case the nozzle 18 and hose 16 can each include a vapor recovery path (not shown) that is fluidly isolated from the fluid path 21. The system 10 and nozzle 18 can be utilized to store/dispense any of a wide variety of fluids, liquids or fuels, including but not limited to petroleum-based fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, biofuels, blended fuels, ethanol, compressed natural gas (“CNG”), liquefied petroleum gas (“LPG”) and the like.
With reference to
When the nozzle 18/nozzle body 32 is oriented generally horizontally or in a dispensing position, the portions of the fluid path 21 immediately adjacent to the inlet 34 and/or the axis of the inlet 34 may be oriented generally horizontally, as shown in
The nozzle 18 can include a fluid valve 42 positioned in the fluid path 21 to control the flow of fluid to be dispensed therethrough and through the nozzle 18. The fluid valve 42 is carried on, or operatively coupled to, a valve stem 44. The bottom of the valve stem 44 is positioned on or operatively coupled to the handle/lever 38 which can be manually raised or actuated by the user. In order to operate the nozzle 18 and dispense fluid, the user can manually raise the lever 38, and when refilling conditions are appropriate, the lever 38 engages and raises the valve stem 44, thereby raising/opening the fluid valve 42, as shown in
A venturi poppet, poppet valve or suction generator 46 is positioned in the fluid path 21. A venturi poppet spring 48 engages the venturi poppet 46 and urges the venturi poppet 46 to a closed position (
When the venturi poppet 46 is open and liquid flows between the venturi poppet 46 and the seating ring 50, a venturi effect is created in a plurality of passages 52 extending through the seating ring 50. The passages 52 are, in one case, radially extending, and in fluid communication with a sensing path or suction path 54 formed in the nozzle body 32. The suction path 54 is in turn in fluid communication with a suction chamber 56, of a shut-off valve/device 58. The suction path 54 is in fluid communication with the passages 52 at location 126. Thus the venturi poppet 46 positioned in the fluid path 21 is configured such that when fluid of a sufficient pressure flows through the fluid path 21 the venturi poppet 46 is opened and creates a negative pressure in the suction path 54 by a venturi effect. Suction forces can also be generated in the suction path 54 by any of a variety of other arrangements that can, in some cases, utilize pressure/forces applied by fluid flowing though the nozzle 18, and the suction generator 46 includes such other arrangements.
The suction path 54 includes and/or is in fluid communication with a suction tube 60 positioned within the spout 36. The suction tube 60 terminates at, and is in fluid communication with, an opening or suction tube opening 62 positioned on the underside of the spout 36 at or near the distal end 64 thereof. The suction tube 60, and other portions of the nozzle 18 exposed to the suction/venturi pressure, form or define the suction path 54 which is fluidly isolated or generally fluidly isolated from the fluid path 21.
The shut-off device 58 includes a cap 66 and a diaphragm 68 generally defining the suction chamber 56 therebetween. The shut-off device 58 further includes a latch pin 70 coupled to the diaphragm 68 (See
When the lever 38 is manually raised and the nozzle 18 is dispensing fluid (e.g. in the configuration shown in
The decrease in pressure in the suction chamber 56 of the shut-off device 58 causes the diaphragm 68 to move upwardly. Since the latch pin 70 is coupled to the diaphragm 68, movement of the diaphragm 68 upwardly caused the latch pin 70 to move upwardly relative the latch body 72. The upward movement of the latch pin 70 releases the rigid connection between the latch pin 70 and the latch body 72, enabling the latch body 72 to move along its axis. Such movement of the latch body 72 along its axis causes the lever 38 to lose its leverage/pivot point, and the lever 38 is lowered, causing the fluid valve 42 to close and stopping dispensing operations. In this manner when the suction path 54 is blocked during fluid dispensing the shut-off device 58 moves to its closed configuration to block or prevent the nozzle 18 from dispensing fluid through the fluid path 21.
Thus the shut-off device 58 utilizes the negative pressure generated by the venturi poppet 46 to provide a shut-off feature which terminates refueling/fluid dispensing when liquid is detected at the tip of the spout 36. Further details relating to these features can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,195 to Duerr, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,578 to Wilder, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,600 to Briede, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.
The upstream segment 74 can have two portions: a fixed portion 88 and a transition portion 90. In the illustrated embodiment the fixed portion 88 has a generally uniform, generally circular (inner and/or outer) cross-section along all or a majority of its length, and the fixed portion 88 can constitute a majority of a length of the upstream segment 74. Similarly, the downstream segment 76 can have a generally uniform, generally circular (inner and/or outer) cross-section along a majority or an entirety of its length thereof. However in some cases rather than being strictly circular, the cross-sections can have a slightly flattened bottom surface.
The downstream segment 76 can have a smaller cross-section area than the cross-section area of the fixed portion 88 of the upstream segment 74. In particular, as will be described in greater detail below, the fixed portion 88 of the upstream segment 74 typically is required to have a larger cross-section area in order to accommodate a spout adapter 91 (
The transition portion 90 can be positioned between the fixed portion 88 and the downstream segment 76 along a length of the spout 36 and can have a non-uniform cross-sectional area along its length/axis. In addition, a downstream axial end of the fixed portion 88 can be generally axially aligned with an upstream axial end of the transition portion 90, and an upstream axial end of the downstream segment 76 can be generally axially aligned with a downstream axial end of the transition portion 90. Thus the fixed portion 88 of upstream segment 74 can have a center 98, as shown in
The transition portion 90 presents a progressively reduced cross-sectional area moving in the downstream direction along the spout 36 to provide an eccentric shape. In one case, the transition portion 90 can have successive cross-sections that define a variety of substantially circular cross-sectional shapes with successively smaller diameters, moving in the downstream direction with respect to the flow of fluid, where a bottom point of each of the circles are aligned in one case. In this manner the transition portion 90 generally transitions the internal cross-sectional area of the spout 36 from that of the fixed portion 88 of the upstream segment 74 to the downstream segment 76. Furthermore, it should be understood that rather than forming a gradual or angled transition in some cases, the transition portion 90 can include or consist of a step wise change.
As outlined above, the inner cavity 71 and/or outer surface of the upstream segment 74 (or at least portions thereof) and the downstream segment 76 (or at least portions thereof) can have a constant cross-section along a length thereof. However, the inner cavity 71 of the transition portion 90 can have a varying cross-section along its length. In particular, with reference to
As will be described in greater detail below, a fluid tube or fuel tube 96 (
It is noted that the bottom surfaces of the upstream segment 74 and downstream segment 76 may not be exactly aligned at their point of connection, and the spout 36 may instead present slight lip or step 102 defined by the thickness of the threaded inner male end 80 of the downstream segment 76. However, as shown in
The upstream segment 74 (including the fixed portion 88 and the transition portion 90, in the illustrated embodiment) and the downstream segment 76 can have any of a variety of lengths along their axes thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the fixed portion 88 of upstream segment 74 is shorter than the downstream segment 76, and the transition portion 90 is shorter than both the downstream segment 76 and the fixed portion 88 of the upstream segment 74. Thus the fixed portion 88 can have a length at least equal to the length of the transition portion 90, and the downstream segment 76 can have a length at least equal to the length of the transition portion 90.
Some nozzles 18 may utilize a spout 36 made of a single, unitary seamless piece of material. In contrast, the spout 36 disclosed as shown herein is made of two discrete pieces of material: the upstream segment 74 and the downstream segment 76. Breaking the spout 36 into two pieces in this particular manner provides several distinct advantages. First, by using two discrete pieces, ease of machining/manufacturing the spout 36 is significantly increased. For example, the downstream segment 76 can include a constant diameter inner/cross-section along its length, and therefore be relatively easily formed. In addition, the transition portion 90, in the two-piece spout 36, is positioned immediately adjacent an axial end of the upstream segment 74. The transition portion 90 could in other cases be located at a mid-axial position and thus be relatively difficult to manufacture/machine due to its eccentric and/or varying cross-section. However by positioning the transition portion 90 adjacent to an axial end of the segment 74, as in the two-piece spout 36 disclosed herein, greater and immediate access is provided to the transition portion 90 and/or the inner surfaces 92, 94 thereof, providing ease of manufacturing.
In addition, forming the spout 36 of two pieces 74, 76 can enable the spout 36 to be made of two different types of material if desired. For example, one segment 74, 76 can be made of stainless steel, and the other segment 74, 76 made of aluminum. However, in one embodiment both of the segments 74, 76 are made of aluminum.
Spout Seal
With reference to
A distal end of the inner sub-assembly 106/spout 36/nozzle 18 includes a tube spacer 112 and a spout tip 114 which forms the distal-most component of the nozzle 18/spout 36. The tube spacer 112 receives a distal end of the suction tube 60 therein, and provides/forms at least part of the opening 62 on the underside of the spout 36, as shown in
With reference to
As best shown in
Expansion Chamber
With reference to
The expansion chamber 124 provides an area of increased cross sectional area so that fluid flowing into the expansion chamber 124 experiences a decrease in velocity. In this manner the expansion chamber 124 enables any liquid, such a fuel, that is entrained in the flow of fluid in the suction path 54 to collect in the expansion chamber 124 and not be transported any further upstream. Once dispensing operations are ceased and/or fluid flow through the suction path 54 is stopped, any liquid in the expansion chamber 124 can quickly drain back down the suction tube 60 into the vessel being refueled where it originated from.
With reference to
In one case the suction tube 60/opening 107 and/or the portion 128 of the suction path 54 located immediately downstream of the expansion chamber 124 each have a fixed, circular cross section along a majority of their lengths, or at least for those portions adjacent to the expansion chamber 124. The suction tube 60 can have a length greater than the expansion chamber 124, and the opening 107 can have a length less than the expansion chamber 124. The expansion chamber 124 can also have a fixed, circular cross section along a majority of its length. In addition as outlined above the expansion chamber 124 can have a greater cross sectional area than a portion of the suction path 54 positioned immediately upstream of the expansion chamber so that the fluid experiences a decrease in speed when entering the expansion chamber 124. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment the expansion chamber 124 is defined by an upstream wall 130 positioned generally perpendicular to the flow of fluid through the suction path 54 (i.e. generally oriented in a radial plane) so that a cross sectional area of the suction path 54 increases in a stepwise manner when entering the chamber 124.
The amount of increase in cross sectional area between the expansion chamber 124 and the opening 107 and/or suction tube 60 located immediately upstream of the expansion chamber 124 can vary as desired. In one case however the expansion chamber 124 has a cross sectional area of at least about double than a portion of the suction path 54 positioned immediately upstream of the expansion chamber 124, and in another case at least about ten times greater in order to provide the sufficient desired velocity drop to enable entrained liquid to collect in the expansion chamber 124. In another case the expansion chamber 124 has a cross sectional area of at least about 0.050 square inches, and in another case at least about 0.075 square inches.
As can be seen, at a downstream end of the expansion chamber 124, the suction path 54 decreases in cross sectional area at portion 128. Thus in the illustrated embodiment the expansion chamber 124 has a greater cross sectional area than portions of the suction path 54 positioned both immediately upstream of the expansion chamber 124 and positioned immediately downstream of the expansion chamber 124.
The expansion chamber 124 and the portions of the suction path 54 located immediately upstream of the expansion chamber can be arranged such that their bottom surfaces (when the nozzle 18 is in its dispensing position) are generally aligned in a straight line to promote free draining of liquid in the same or similar manner as described above in the “Two-Part Eccentric Spout” section. In this manner, any flowing liquid exiting the expansion chamber 124 and flowing through the suction path 54 does not need to move upward against the force of gravity when the nozzle 18 is in its dispensing position in order to flow through the suction path 54. In one case then, the expansion chamber 124 and a portion of the suction path 54 positioned immediately upstream of the expansion chamber each have a center, and the centers are offset and not aligned, while the bottom surfaces are aligned. The other various features described above in the context of the “Two-Part Eccentric Spout” are equally applicable to the expansion chamber 124 and adjacent areas, and are not repeated here, but provide the same or similar benefits.
As shown in
Self-Venting Suction Path
With reference to
One potential concern with liquid positioned in the terminal portion 132 is that the downstream end of the terminal portion 132 is in fluid communication with the suction chamber 56 of the shut-off device 58, which is sealed/closed. Thus the terminal portion 132 is deadheaded, and liquid present in the terminal portion 132 which entirely fills/spans a cross section of the terminal portion 132 (i.e. due to capillary forces or the like) can remain in the terminal portion 132 at least in the short term, and then drain later at an undesirable time.
Accordingly the terminal portion 132 in the current nozzle 18 can be sized and configured to prevent any liquid positioned in the terminal portion 132 from spanning a cross sectional area of the terminal portion 132, which thereby promotes venting and free draining of the liquid from the terminal portion 132. Such drained liquid can then escape via the radially extending passages 52 and/or the opening 62.
In one case then terminal portion 132 is sized to allow gasoline (such as unleaded gasoline having an octane rating of between about 87 and about 95 commonly available from refilling stations) or other liquid to be dispensed, to freely drain out of the terminal portion 132 when the terminal portion 132 is positioned vertically at an ambient pressure of about 1 atmosphere and an ambient temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, when the terminal portion communicates with a sealed chamber (e.g. the suction chamber 56) at its upstream end. In one case the walls of the terminal portion are made of stainless steel. In this case then the terminal portion 132 is sized to be sufficiently large to prevent capillary forces of liquid gasoline (or other liquid to be dispensed) from enabling the gasoline to completely span a cross sectional area of the terminal portion 132, to thereby enable the terminal portion 132 to be self-venting.
In one case the terminal portion 132 has a cross sectional area of at least about 0.015 square inches in one case, or at least about 0.02 square inches in another case, or at least about 0.03 square inches in yet another case, and has a volume of at least about 0.015 cubic inches in one case, or at least about 0.025 cubic inches in another case. In one case the terminal portion 132 of the suction path 54 has a cross sectional area at least about double, or in another case at least about 5 times greater, than a cross sectional area of the suction path 54 positioned immediately upstream (with respect to a fluid of fluid in the suction path) of the terminal portion 132. The cross sectional area of the suction path 54, from a position immediately upstream of the terminal portion 132, can increase at the terminal portion 132 in a step-wise manner as described above in the context of the expansion chamber 124, or increase gradually. The terminal portion 132 can have a fixed or variable cross section along its length, but in one embodiment has a cross section at least as large as the dimension(s) above, and/or sufficiently large to satisfy the qualitative description above, at all portions along its length. Alternatively, or in addition, the terminal portion 132 can be made of materials and/or have a coating applied thereto which has a low surface tension and/or reduces capillary forces of liquid so that liquids more easily drain and the suction path 54/terminal portion 132 remains self-venting.
Self-Draining Vacuum Shut-Off Cap
As outlined above, and with reference to
The cap 66, which forms the upper portion of the suction chamber 56, is shown in
With reference to
The cap 66 can include a lip 138 extending thereabout, and the lip 138 is configured to sealingly engage the diaphragm 68 to form the generally sealed suction chamber 56 therebetween. In some cases the lip 138 may be raised, although the lip 138 can simply be a radially inner edge of the cap 66 and/or a radially outer edge of the suction chamber 56. As shown in
As shown in
The opening 142 thus provides fluid communication between the suction chamber 56 and the suction path 54 to enable liquid to freely flow from the suction chamber 56 to the suction path 54.
As outlined above, the suction chamber 56 needs to remain generally/sufficiently sealed so that the diaphragm 68 can move when a low pressure is present in the suction chamber 56 so that the shut-off device 58 remains functional. Thus the opening 142 should be sized to allow sufficient draining of liquid from the suction chamber 56, while ensuring the suction chamber 56 remains sufficiently sealed and the shut-off device 58 retains the desired sensitivity. In one case the opening 142 has a uniform cross-sectional area and has a cross-sectional area, or average cross-sectional area, of less than about 25% of a cross-sectional area or average cross-sectional area of the cap opening 136 and/or the terminal portion 132 of the suction path 54. In an alternative embodiment the opening 142 has a length (extending in the circumferential direction), intersecting the suction chamber and/or the lip 138, of at least about 0.020 inches in one case, or at least about 0.030 inches in one case, and less than about 0.05 inches in one case, or less than about 1% of a circumference/perimeter of the chamber 56. In one case the opening 142 has a cross sectional area of less than about 0.0001 inches and/or less than 1% of an effective surface area of one side of the diaphragm 68. It has been found that a cap 66 with a slit/opening of these dimensions can provide a sufficiently sealed suction chamber 56 to provide an operative shut-off device 58 while still providing sufficient draining of any liquid from the suction chamber 56.
It should also be noted that
Thus, as can be seen the two-part eccentric spout 36, spout seal 122, expansion chamber 124, self-venting suction path 132 and self-draining vacuum shut-off cap 66 all help to reduce the retention of liquid in the nozzle 18, promote free draining of liquid, and ultimately reduce dripping. Thus these features help to reduce wasted fuel/fluid and provide a more environmentally-friendly nozzle 18. However, while these features work well together, it should be understood that a nozzle 18 need not necessarily include all the features described herein, and instead the features can be used alone or in various combinations together, providing the various benefits described herein.
Having described the invention in detail and by reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.