Claims
- 1. In a hose assembly for dispensing fuel to a nozzle which is adapted to be inserted into the fill pipe of a vehicle fuel tank, said hose assembly comprising an inner tube means having opposed outer ends and defining a fuel conduit and a tubular outer sleeve means having opposed outer ends which defines with said inner tube means an annular passage for recovering fuel vapors from said fuel tank, the improvement wherein said inner tube means comprises two inner tube sections having flexible portions and having adjacent ends, said inner tube sections respectively leading from said adjacent ends thereof toward said opposed outer ends of said inner tube means, said inner tube means also comprising a venturi means disposed in serial connection with said inner tube sections within said outer sleeve means and including connecting means at each end thereof respectively connected to said adjacent ends of said inner tube sections, said venturi means having inlet means which communicates with said annular vapor passage so that liquid fuel collected in said annular passage is adapted to be drawn through said inlet means due to suction adapted to be produced in said venturi means upon the flow of fuel therethrough.
- 2. A hose assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hose assembly is adapted to form a looped low portion when said hose assembly is interconnected to a dispenser pump and is dispensing fuel into a fuel tank and wherein said venturi means is located in said inner tube means so as to be disposed in said looped low portion when said hose assembly is dispensing said fuel.
- 3. In a liquid dispensing hose assembly for distributing liquid fuel from a pump to a valved nozzle which is adapted to be inserted into the fill pipe of a vehicle fuel tank, said hose assembly comprising an inner tube means having opposed outer ends and defining a fuel conduit and a tubular outer sleeve means having opposed outer ends which defines with said inner tube means an annular passage for recovering fuel vapors from said fuel tank, the improvement wherein said inner tube means comprises two inner tube sections having flexible portions and having adjacent ends, said inner tube sections respectively leading from said adjacent ends thereof toward said opposed outer ends of said inner tube means, said inner tube means also comprising a venturi section disposed in serial connection with said inner tube sections within said outer sleeve means and comprising an elongated block having connecting means at each end thereof respectively connected to said adjacent ends of said inner tube sections and defining a venturi forming part of said fuel conduit, said venturi section having a plurality of inlet means which communicate between said venturi forming part and said annular vapor passage and which are so arranged that at least one inlet means is always located below the centerline of said venturi section when the centerline of said venturi section is disposed substantially horizontally in said liquid dispensing hose assembly, regardless of the rotational position of said hose assembly so that liquid fuel collected in said annular passage is adapted to be drawn through said inlet means due to suction adapted to be produced in said venturi forming part upon the flow of fuel therethrough.
- 4. A hose assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said hose assembly is adapted to form a looped low portion when said hose assembly is interconnected to a dispenser pump and is dispensing fuel into a fuel tank and wherein said venturi section is located in said inner tube means so as to be disposed in said looped low portion when said hose assembly is dispensing said fuel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a division of Ser. No. 330,149, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,809, issued Nov. 6, 1990, filed Sept. 18, 1987, which is a division of Ser. No. 098,453 U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,027, issued June 27, 1989, which is a division of Ser. No. 113, 372 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,009, issued June 7, 1988, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 803,152, filed Dec. 2, 1985, now abandoned.
This invention relates to liquid fuel dispensing equipment for automotive service stations or the like where liquid fuel such a gasoline is dispensed from fuel storage tanks to automotive vehicles or, in some instances, to small fuel containers; and it especially relates to vapor recovery systems for such equipment, which prevent the escape of hydrocarbon vapors to the atmosphere during the refueling process by drawing the vapors through a vapor return line associated with a flexible fuel hose.
More particularly, the invention relates to a device for removing liquid fuel resulting from condensation or splashback, for example, that may block the vapor return line.
Most liquid fuel dispensing equipment includes a pump connected to a fuel reservoir, a valved nozzle adapted to be inserted in the fill pipe of a vehicle fuel tank, and a flexible fuel hose connected between the pump outlet pipe and the valve nozzle. The apparatus also includes, in most cases, a vapor recovery system for preventing the escape of hydrocarbon vapors to the atmosphere.
Previous vapor recovery systems have included passages in the valved nozzle for collecting vapors from the vehicle fuel tank, and a vapor return line integral with the flexible fuel hose for delivering the vapors back to the fuel reservoir. Some systems use a vacuum pump for drawing vapors through the return line and others rely on vapor pressure in the fuel tank. Often, the return line is defined by the inner wall of an outer hose or sleeve and the outer surface of a smaller diameter flexible inner hose which constitutes the liquid fuel conduit.
The vapor return line, however, frequently becomes blocked with liquid fuel due to condensation of fuel vapors and/or splashback that occurs during the refueling operation. As a result, the vapor recovery system fails and hydrocarbon vapors escape to the atmosphere. Usually, the liquid fuel collects in the lowest portion of the flexible fuel hose, such as in a loop that forms between the ends.
One solution to this problem is a system wherein a suction tube is positioned in the vapor return passage (i.e., the passage defined by the inner wall of the flexible outer sleeve and the outer wall of the fuel tube), with one end that extends to the approximate low point in the conduit where liquid fuel collects. The other end of the suction tube extends to a suction-producing device integral with the nozzle.
The suction-producing device may include, for example, a venturi block connected in series with the liquid fuel conduit through which the fuel passes into the valved nozzle. The block defines a venturi throat and the other end of the suction tube is connected to a radial passage extending through the wall of the block to the venturi throat so that the pressure drop in the throat produces a suction in the tube. Accordingly, the collected liquid fuel is drawn through the suction tube into the venturi throat and dispensed through the nozzle with the normal fuel flow.
One disadvantage of this device, however, is that the suction tube is vulnerable to blockage by small particles within the fuel hose. Also, backflow may occur when the flow of liquid fuel through the venturi is shut off.
The device of the present invention resolves many of the difficulties and disadvantages described above and affords other features and advantages heretofore not obtainable.
It is among the objects of the present invention to minimize the escape of hydrocarbon vapors to the atmosphere during vehicle fueling operations.
Another object is to remove liquid fuel that pools in a vapor return line of a flexible fuel hose as a result of condensation or splashback.
Still another object is to provide an improved device for removing blockage from the vapor return line of a liquid fuel dispensing hose.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the unique device of the present invention, which is adapted to be inserted in a liquid fuel dispensing hose of the coaxial type that includes an inner tube defining a fuel conduit and a tubular outer sleeve that defines, with the outer surface of the inner tube, a generally annular passage for removing fuel vapors from the vehicle fuel tank. The device includes a venturi section adapted for insertion in series with the inner tube within the outer sleeve. The venturi section comprises a rigid, cylindrical block defining axial connecting means at each end for connection to end portions of the inner tube. The block also defines a venturi throat communicating at opposite ends with the connected ends of the inner tube.
At least three radially extending aspirator elements are mounted on the block and extend radially through the venturi section at uniformly spaced radial locations in a transverse plane that intersects the block a approximately the throat of the venturi. Each aspirator block defines a radial port communicating between the venturi throat and the annular vapor passage. A check valve is associated with each aspirator element to block backflow of fuel from the fuel conduit whenever fuel flow is stopped. Accordingly, liquid fuel that condenses or collects in the annular vapor passage adjacent the venturi block will be sucked through at least one f the aspirator blocks due to the suction produced in the venturi throat.
US Referenced Citations (34)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 0155186 |
Sep 1985 |
EPX |
| 915131 |
Oct 1946 |
FRX |
| 2016417 |
Sep 1979 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
| Entry |
| Gilbarco Installation Instruction Manual-MDE1838A. |
Divisions (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
330149 |
Mar 1989 |
|
| Parent |
98453 |
Sep 1987 |
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| Parent |
113372 |
Oct 1987 |
|
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
803152 |
Dec 1985 |
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Patent Grant
5040576
