Patent Application
20150059895
This disclosure relates to manifold assemblies used to fuel multiple on-board vehicle fuel tanks.
Natural gas may be used as a fuel for certain vehicles. Unlike gasoline, natural gas is typically stored in several on-board tanks (as opposed to a single on-board tank). Each of these tanks needs to be filled when refueling.
A fuel delivery system includes a manifold assembly. The manifold assembly includes a manifold block having a female inlet configured to receive a male fueling nozzle and at least one outlet, and defining a gas passageway between the female inlet and the at least one outlet. The manifold assembly further includes a check valve configured to be sealable against the female inlet and arranged at least partially within the gas passageway between the female inlet and the at least one outlet such that in the absence of pressurized gas within the female inlet, the check valve is sealed against the female inlet, and in response to the introduction of pressurized gas within the female inlet, the check valve recedes from the female inlet to fluidly connect the female inlet and the at least one outlet.
A manifold assembly includes a manifold block defining an inlet port, at least one outlet port, and a gas passageway between the inlet port and the at least one outlet port. The manifold assembly further includes an inlet having opposing ends and a check valve sealed against the one of the ends and configured to open from the inlet, in response to an increase in pressure within the inlet caused by pressurized gas entering the inlet, to fluidly connect the inlet and at least one outlet port. The one of the ends is disposed within the inlet port and the other of the ends is disposed outside of the manifold block and configured to receive a fueling nozzle.
A manifold assembly includes a manifold block defining an inlet port, at least one outlet port, and a gas passageway between the inlet port and the at least one outlet port. The manifold assembly further includes a check valve arranged at least partially within the gas passageway and configured such that the check valve opens to fluidly connect the inlet port and at least one outlet port in response to pressurized gas entering from the inlet port, closes once the pressurized gas stops entering from the inlet port, and remains closed in response to pressurized gas entering the manifold block from the at least one outlet port.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
As mentioned earlier, natural gas may be stored in several tanks on-board a vehicle. Such tanks are typically filled sequentially. That is, a first tank is filled followed by a second tank, then a third tank, etc. The process of refueling generates heat as temperature can increase with pressure: as the rate of change of pressure increases, the rate of change of temperature increases. The rate at which a tank is filled via conventional refueling procedures is therefore limited by the ability of the tank to dissipate the heat generated during the refueling procedures. Such limits can extend refueling times—frustrating drivers and increasing operation costs.
Filling several tanks simultaneously can reduce refueling times relative to conventional techniques. Distributing gas among several tanks slows the rate of change of pressure increase (and therefore the rate of change of temperature increase) in any one tank. Filling station flow velocities can therefore be increased. Conventional on-board natural gas inlets, however, can restrict filling station flow velocities because valving, such as check valves, is located within the inlets.
Referring to
As the names suggest, pressure gauge port 66 may be outfitted with a gauge to monitor pressure within the manifold block 12 and pressure sensor port 68 may be outfitted with a sensor to monitor pressure within the manifold block 12.
The inlet valve assemblies 14, 16, 18 are associated with the inlet ports 32, 34, 36 respectively. The outlet valve assemblies 20, 22, 24 are associated with the outlet ports 38, 40, 42 respectively. The check valve assembly 30 is associated with the port 53. Handle assemblies 26, 28 are associated with the handle passageways 54, 60.
With further reference to
Referring again to
The inlet valve assembly 16 includes an inlet 94 with an O-ring 96 and a hat portion 98, an O-ring 100, a check valve assembly 102, and a spacer 104. The check valve assembly 102 includes a head 106 with a crown 108 and nipple 110, a disk 112, an O-ring 114, a stem 116 with a flattened portion 118 and platform 120, and a spring 122.
The inlet valve assembly 18 includes an O-ring 126 and a hat portion 128, an O-ring 130, a check valve assembly 132, and a spacer 134. The check valve assembly 132 includes a head 136 with a crown 138 and nipple 140, a disk 142, an O-ring 144, a stem 146 with a flattened portion 148 and platform 150, and a spring 152. In other examples, the check valve assembly 132 (or any other check valve assembly described herein) may comprise a spring loaded ball or plate. Still other check valve assemblies are also contemplated.
The outlet valve assembly 20 includes an outlet 154 with a hat portion 156, an O-ring 158, and a ball valve assembly 160 (shown in the open position). The ball valve assembly 160 includes a ball valve 162 with a keyway 164, valve retainers 166, 168, and O-rings 170, 172.
The outlet valve assembly 22 includes an outlet 174 with a hat portion 176, an O-ring 180, a check valve assembly 182, and a base 184 with a raised eyelet 186. The check valve assembly 182 includes a head 188 with a crown 190 and nipple 192, a disk 194, an O-ring 196, a stem 198 with a platform 200, and a spring 202.
The outlet valve assembly 24 includes an outlet 206 with a hat portion 208, an O-ring 210, and a ball valve assembly 212 (shown in the closed position). The ball valve assembly 212 includes a ball valve 214, valve retainers 216, 218, and O-rings 220, 222.
The handle assembly 26 includes a handle 224, a guide 226, a stem spacer 228, a washer 230, an O-ring 232, a washer 234, an O-ring 236, and a stem 238 with a key 240. Posts 242, 244, which are received by post holes 56, 58 respectively, limit movement of the handle 224 between its open and closed position.
The handle assembly 28 includes a handle 246, a guide 248, a stem spacer 250, a washer 252, an O-ring 254, a washer 256, an O-ring 258, and a stem 260 with a key 262. Posts 264, 266, which are received by post holes 62, 64 respectively, limit movement of the handle 246 between its open and closed position.
The check valve assembly 30 includes a plug 268 with a hat portion 269, an O-ring 270, a check valve assembly 272, a base 274, and an O-ring 276. The check valve assembly 272 includes a head 278 with a crown 280 and nipple 282, a disk 284, an O-ring 286, a stem 288 with a flattened portion 290 and platform 292, and a spring 294. In other examples, check valve assemblies associated with inlets may be arranged similar to that described with reference to check valve assembly 30. That is, they may be mounted from a side of the manifold block 12 opposite that of the corresponding inlet with a plug similar to the plug 268 or the like. Other arrangements are also contemplated.
With reference to
The base 76 is seated within the manifold block 12 with the eyelet 77 oriented toward the inlet port 32. The stem 88 is positioned within the eyelet 77 so as to permit travel of the stem 88 therein as the check valve assembly 74 moves between open and closed positions. The platform 90 includes receiving portions for the nipple 82 and the O-ring 86. The nipple 82 and disk 84 are mounted with the platform 90. The O-ring 86 seals the connection between the disk 84 and platform 90. The spring 92 is threaded over the stem 88 and positioned between the base 76 and the platform 90. The spring 92 holds the check valve assembly 74 against the hat portion 71 to close the inlet 70. Sufficient pressure within the inlet 70 (caused, for example, by gas from a male refueling nozzle) will cause the head 78 to move away from the hat portion 71 (compressing the spring 92) to open the inlet 70. When the pressure subsides, the spring 92 (acting against the base 76 and platform 90) will return the check valve assembly 74 to its closed position.
The outlet 154 is situated within the outlet port 38 with the hat portion 156 oriented away from the outlet port 38. The outlet 154 is circumferentially sealed with the manifold block 12 via the O-ring 158.
The valve retainers 166, 168 include hemispherical retainer portions 167, 169 respectively. The valve retainer 168 is seated within the manifold block 12 with the hemispherical retainer portion 169 oriented toward the outlet port 38. The valve retainer 166 is seated against the hat portion 156 with the hemispherical retainer portion 167 oriented away from the outlet port 38. The valve retainers 166, 168 are circumferentially sealed with the manifold block 12 via O-rings 170, 172 respectively. The ball valve 162 (shown in the open position) is disposed between the hemispherical retainer portions 167, 169 and therefore able to rotate in place by action of the handle assembly 26 as discussed in more detail below. If the ball valve 162 were rotated 90 degrees clockwise, it would be in the closed position.
With reference to
The base 274 includes a cup portion 275 and is seated within the manifold block 12 with the cup portion 275 oriented toward the port 53. The base 274 is sealed with the manifold block 12 via the O-ring 276.
The stem 288 is positioned within the recessed portion 271 so as to permit travel of the stem 288 therein as the check valve assembly 272 moves between open and closed positions. The platform 292 includes receiving portions for the nipple 282 and the O-ring 286. The nipple 282 and disk 284 are mounted with the platform 292. The O-ring 286 seals the connection between the disk 284 and platform 292. The spring 294 is threaded over the stem 288 and positioned between the hat portion 269 and the platform 292. The spring 294 holds the check valve assembly 272 against the cup portion 275 to close the base 274. Sufficient pressure within the base 274 (caused, for example, by gas from one of the inlet ports 32, 36, 36) will cause the head 278 to move away from the cup portion 275 (compressing the spring 294 and pushing the stem 288 further into the recessed portion 271) to open the base 274. The flattened portion 290 (see
With reference to
The valve retainers 216, 218 include hemispherical retainer portions 217, 219 respectively. The valve retainer 216 is seated within the manifold block 12 with the hemispherical retainer portion 217 oriented toward the outlet port 42. The valve retainer 216 is seated against the hat portion 208 with the hemispherical retainer portion 219 oriented away from the outlet port 42. The valve retainers 216, 218 are circumferentially sealed with the manifold block 12 via O-rings 220, 222 respectively. The ball valve 214 (shown in the closed position) is disposed between the hemispherical retainer portions 217, 219 and therefore able to rotate in place by action of the handle assembly 28 as discussed in more detail below. If the ball valve 214 were rotated 90 degrees for example, it would be in the open position.
With reference to
The manifold block 12 defines a recessed portion 101 in axial registration with the passageway 97 and configured to receive the stem 116. The spacer 104 is seated within the recessed portion 101 to guide travel of the stem 116 therein as the check valve assembly 102 (see
The platform 120 includes receiving portions for the nipple 110 and the O-ring 114. The nipple 110 and disk 112 are mounted with the platform 120. The O-ring 114 seals the connection between the disk 112 and platform 120. The spring 122 is threaded over the stem 116 and positioned between the spacer 104 and the platform 120. The spring 122 holds the check valve assembly 102 against the hat portion 98 to close the inlet 94. Sufficient pressure within the passageway 97 (caused, for example, by gas from a male fueling nozzle inserted therein) will cause the head 106 to move away (or recede) from the hat portion 98 (compressing the spring 122 and pushing the stem 116 further into the recessed portion 101) to open the inlet 94. The flattened portion 118 (see
With reference to
The manifold block 12 defines a recessed portion 125 in axial registration with the passageway 127 and configured to receive the stem 146. The spacer 134 is seated within the recessed portion 125 to guide travel of the stem 146 therein as the check valve assembly 132 moves between open (as shown) and closed positions.
The platform 150 includes receiving portions for the nipple 140 and the O-ring 144. The nipple 140 and disk 142 are mounted with the platform 150. The O-ring 144 seals the connection between the disk 142 and platform 150. The spring 152 is threaded over the stem 146 and positioned between the spacer 134 and the platform 150. The spring 152 holds the check valve assembly 132 against the hat portion 128 to close the inlet 124. Sufficient pressure within the passageway 127 (caused, for example, by gas from a male fueling nozzle inserted therein) will cause the head 136 to move away from the hat portion 128 (compressing the spring 152 and pushing the stem 146 further into the recessed portion 125) to open the inlet 124. The flattened portion 148 (see
With reference to
The guide 248, stem spacer 250, washer 252, O-ring 254, washer 256, and O-ring 258 are threaded over the stem 260. This assembly is positioned within the handle passageway 60 such that the key 262 interfaces with the key way 215. The O-rings 254, 258 seal the stem 260 within the handle passageway 60. The handle 246 is fitted to the guide 248. Rotations of the handle 246 will thus be transmitted to the ball valve 214 via the stem 260.
With reference to
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes may include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
