Patent Application
20080283124
The present invention relates to automotive fuel systems and particularly to the installation of various devices such as an anti-siphon devices, into a fuel fill hose. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for the installation and alignment of the device, e.g., anti-siphon device, in the hose for preventing the siphoning of fuel from an automotive fuel tank.
In recent years, the ever increasing price of liquid hydrocarbon fuel has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in liquid hydrocarbon fuel related thefts. Typically, the theft of such fuel is accomplished by siphoning the fuel from any relatively large fuel tank associated with liquid-fuel-powered machinery, e.g., automobiles, trucks, generators, etc.
Siphoning of fuel from a fuel tank generally involves placing a tubular structure through the fuel filler inlet or opening and into the fuel tank. A vacuum, such as suction pressure is applied to the opposite end of the tubular structure so that fuel from the fuel tank is drawn upwardly through the tubular structure and out of the fuel tank where the fuel is recovered in a suitable container. Siphoning generally is prevented if the hose cannot inserted into the fuel tank where the fuel is being held.
Various means have been described which prevent access to the interior of the fuel tank. Many such means include locking mechanisms. Such devices are easily opened allowing unauthorized access to the fuel filler tube and are therefore, generally ineffective. Furthermore, most of such locking devices require the use of a key which is an inconvenience to the vehicle operator. Also, such lock mechanisms are subject to malfunction during cold and inclement weather.
Other methods which prevent access to the interior of the fuel tank include the use of an anti-siphon device (ASD) having a grid structure which allows fuel to flow through a grid-like structure while preventing the insertion of a siphon tube into the fuel tank. Typically, means for installing an anti-siphoning devices includes pushing the device into the fuel tube a certain distance or simply snapping the anti-siphoning device onto the nozzle end of the fill pipe. While snapping the anti-siphoning device onto the end of the fill pipe is a convenient way of installing the anti-siphoning device into the fuel fill apparatus, the close proximity of the anti-siphoning device to the nozzle generally causes the grids of the anti-siphoning device to provide undesirable turbulence in the flow of fuel often resulting in premature shut-off of the fuel being pumped into the fuel tank. Anti-siphon devices are at least partially installed inside a fuel tank. Such devices have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,360 to Watson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,748 to Keller and U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,410 to Lenda. U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,792 to Kettler describes a fuel tank neck having a circumferentially annular seat area therein and a coiled spring which is inserted into the fuel tank neck such that the coiled spring expands into the annular seat thereby locking the coiled spring in the neck to provide an anti-siphon device.
Such prior art anti-siphoning devices are not only operationally complicated, but the manufacture of such devices is labor intensive and economically unattractive because of the requirement for costly compressing and welding tools. In order to overcome the undesirable shortcomings of the prior devices, it is desirable to place the anti-siphoning device as close to the tank spud as possible with out invading the fuel tank to avoid the above undesirable issues and still prevent a siphoning tube from being inserted directly into the fuel tank. This requires that the anti-siphon device be inserted into the rubber fuel fill hose. Since, for economical purposes, the outside diameter of the anti-siphon device is typically larger that the inside diameter of the rubber fuel fill hose, there exists a major problem of inserting the anti-siphon device into the rubber hose. Furthermore, the rubber fuel fill hose typically is a curved hose having one or more various degrees of bend which hinders the placing of the anti-siphon device in a square relationship with respect to the portion the fuel fill hose in which the anti-siphon device is installed. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method for inserting an anti-siphon device having an outside diameter larger than the inside diameter of the hose into which it is being inserted, and to further simultaneously provide a method whereby the anti-siphon device is inserted through various bends in the fuel fill hose such that the anti-siphon device is aligned squarely in the hose with respect to the portion of the hose in which it is positioned.
It is object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method for installing a mechanical device in a squarely seated position in a hose.
It is another object of the invention to prevent the siphoning of fuel from an automotive fuel tank while eliminating undesirable problems typically associated with installing such anti-siphon devices.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method for installing an anti-siphon device in a rubber fuel filler hose such that the anti-siphon device is seated on an upright end of a rigid cylindrical member operatively associated with an actuator for extending the rigid cylindrical member in a linear direction. Actuation of the cylindrical member propels the cylindrical member and to a predetermined distance in the hose where the anti-siphon device is seated squarely therein.
The recent push for alternative fuels has created increasing efforts to make automobile compatible with fuels such as E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline). In making automobiles compatible with such fuels, a number of safety requirements associated with the fuel fill assembly and the fuel tank of such automobiles are necessary. One of these requirements is to provide protection against the siphoning of the E85 fuel from the tank. In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided for inserting an anti-siphon device in a rubber fuel hose, wherein the anti-siphon device has an outer diameter larger that the inner diameter of rubber hose into which the anti-siphon device is inserted. The method and apparatus for installing the anti-siphon device in the rubber fuel hose provides for the anti-siphon device to be inserted through one or more various bends in the rubber hose, and for securing the anti-siphon device in the rubber hose such that the anti-siphon device is positioned in a square relationship with that portion of the hose in which the anti-siphon device is installed. That is, the longitudinal axis of the anti-siphon device, installed in accordance with the present invention, corresponds to the longitudinal axis of that portion of the rubber hose in which the anti-siphon device is installed. The anti-siphon device installed accordingly not only prevents theft of fuel from the automotive fuel tank, but it also eliminates the undesirable shortcomings of similar anti-siphon devices installed according to previously known methods.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, a method for installing the anti-siphon device into a rubber hose is described, wherein the anti-siphon device is installed in the rubber hose at a position that not only prevents siphoning of fuel from the fuel tank, but also eliminates the previous undesirable complications of fuel flow turbulence associated with known anti-siphon devices.
According to another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is described for carrying out the method for installing the anti-siphon device in a rubber hose at a position that not only prevents siphoning of fuel from the fuel tank, but also eliminates the previous undesirable complications associated with known anti-siphon devices.
Typically, the anti-siphoning device is a relatively simple device having a cylindrical side portion and base providing a plurality of apertures such as grid members having alternating parallel and perpendicular members, or parallel ribs strategically positioned in the device and configured in such manner to allow fuel to flow unrestricted through the device while preventing any sort of siphoning tube from being inserted through the device and into the fuel tank.
The fuel filler hose in an automotive vehicle is a curved structure configured to have several bends which may be slight or acute in one or more directions. The curved configuration of the hose is necessary because of limited space available in the construction of the vehicle. While such hoses are relatively flexible, they are formed to resist appreciable deformation. Therefore, attempts to permanently insert an anti-siphon device into such hose so that the device is aligned in the hose to prevent adverse effects in filling the fuel tank has left much to be desired. The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for permanently installing an anti-siphon device into an automotive fuel filler hose such that the device is positioned in a fixed and square alignment with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hose at the point of affixation. In accordance with the invention, a method for installing the anti-siphon device employs an apparatus that effectively inserts the anti-siphon device into the hose and aligns the anti-siphon device employed in the hose. An apparatus is also described for effectively inserting and orienting the device such as an anti-siphon device, into the fuel filler hose at a predetermined distance into a fuel fill hose so that it performs at maximum efficiency without encountering the problems previously associated with installing such devices according to the prior art.
Turning to the drawings,
A first grasping means 30 is configured to grasp the hose 10 at a predetermined distance from a proximal end 32 of the hose 10, and to insert the proximal end 32 of the hose 10 onto the outer surface of the mandrel 24. The first grasping means 30 is actuated by a first actuating means 34 to induce the first grasping means 30 to grasp the hose 10 at the predetermined distance from the proximal end 32 of the hose 10, and to insert the proximal end 32 of the hose 10 onto the outer surface 28 of the mandrel 24. Since the anti-siphon device 16 typically has an outer diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the hose 10, a lead-in means, hose expansion means, or other hose end configuration such as a flared end may be necessary in order to allow the proximal end 32 of the hose 10 to be pushed over the anti-siphon device 16 and on to the mandrel 24 where the proximal end 32 of the hose 10 abuts the perpendicular shoulder 48 of mandrel 24. As illustrated in
Upon grasping the hose 10 by the second grasping means 36, the first actuating means 34 is deactivated, releasing the first grasping means 30 from the hose 10 to prevent destruction of the anti-siphon device 16 as the anti-siphon device 16 is inserted into the hose 10 An anti-siphon device insertion means 40, includes an anti-siphon device fixture 44 disposed on one end of the anti-siphon device insertion means 40, wherein the anti-siphon device fixture 44 is adapted to receive the anti-siphon device 16 thereon. The anti-siphon device insertion means 40, typically, in the form of a rod having an outer surface 42 is disposed in the mandrel 24 adjacent the inner surface 26 of the mandrel 24. The anti-siphon device 16 also includes an opening 50 in the center of the rod-like structure for supplying a lubricant to the inner surface of the hose which allows the anti-siphon device insertion means 40 to be more efficiently utilized. Typically, lubricant is stored in a cavity member positioned at a vertically higher location than that of the cylinder wherein gravity is then used to feed the lubricant up through the opening in center of the insertion member to provide lubrication to the inner surface of the tube. The amount of lubricant dispensed to the center of the insertion member is controlled by a valve. While this method has been found to be satisfactory in providing the lubricant to the apparatus, other method of supplying the lubricant to the apparatus may be equally effective. The anti-siphon device insertion means 40, including the anti-siphon device 16, is actuated in an upward direction by a third actuation means 46 to insert the anti-siphon device 16 at the proper location in the hose 10. The actuating means 40 for driving the anti-siphon device may be any of the actuating means known in the art capable of driving a rod along a cylindrical wall. Such actuating means may be motivated by electrical, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic means. In a particularly effective aspect of the invention, the third activating means comprises a cylinder housing a pneumatic driving rod for actuating the insertion means into the hose. A pair of ports are located at opposing ends of the cylinder provide appropriate passage ways for supplying air pressure to propel the pneumatic driving rod. After insertion of the anti-siphon device 16, in the hose 10, the anti-siphon device insertion means 40 retreats in a downward direction to its original position where it is ready to insert another anti-siphon device into another hose. While the anti-siphon device insertion apparatus 20 is illustrated in
In one embodiment of the invention, the anti-siphon device is inserted into the hose in a single constant motion using an anti-siphon device insertion apparatus.
In another embodiment of the invention, the anti-siphon device is inserted into the hose using a multi-step insertion, which allows for greater flexibility and possibly the insertion of the anti-siphon device through configurations that might not otherwise be feasible. The anti-siphon device could be inserted to a predetermined point with a first “gripper” means activated. A second “gripper” means could then be activated as the first “gripper” means is released. The anti-siphon device would then be inserted to a location associated with the second “gripper” means. This process could be repeated as often as needed to insure that the device is properly located with respect to location and configuration within the hose. The multi-step insertion could be accomplished by employing any of the art recognized means. For example, the anti-siphon device may be inserted into the hose using a caterpillar-type cylinder design or through the use of a servomechanism.
Typically, the grasping means is a pair of semi-circular members having an inner dimension and configuration corresponding to the outer surface of the hose. Each of the semi-circular members are actuated by an actuating means to cause the grasping members to grasp or release the hose, depending on the action required. The actuating means is activated by mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic devices, or by a combination of such devices.
The mandrel employed in the present invention can be formed from any suitable rigid material exhibiting the desired characteristics that will allow the mandrel to perform its intended task. Typically, the mandrel is formed from a metal material such as stainless steel, aluminum, or other corrosion-resistant metals or alloys, a ceramic material, or a polymeric materials, e.g., reinforced nylon, polyethylene, etc. Preferably, the mandrel is formed from stainless steel.
The first and second grasping means employed to grasp and hold the hose during the insertion of the anti-siphon device into the hose, can be of any configuration which can effectively grasp and hold the hose. Typically, each of the first and second grasping means comprise a pair of opposed semi-circular members sized corresponding to the outer surface of the hose and configured such that the inner surface of each opposed semi-circular member fit snuggly against the outer surface of the hose to provide grasping and holding force thereto. In certain aspects of the invention, it may be desirable to provide the inner surface of the semi-circular arms with a rough surface to increase the surface friction and provide enhanced holding force.
The use of a lubricant in carrying out the invention is highly preferred because of the difficulty in inserting a anti-siphon device which has an outer diameter significantly larger than the inner diameter of the hose into which the anti-siphon device is being inserted. Lubricants useful in the present invention are those that provide sufficient lubrication during the insertion step. Preferable, the lubricant is any of the environmentally safe lubricating materials useful in the rubber industry as a rubber-lubricant.
While the above invention has been described as an apparatus and method for inserting an anti-siphon device into a fuel hose, the apparatus and method of the present invention may be employed to insert other conventional devices such as flame arresters, flapper valves, orifices, etc. into flexible hoses; and the scope of the present invention is intended to employ the apparatus and method described herein to insert such other devices as well as an anti-siphon device into a hose.
