Filling station for gas bottles and filling method

Abstract

The filling station according to the invention enables an automated refilling of a gas bottle by an end-user. This comprises an insertion device, which enables an end-user to insert an emptied gas bottle into the filling station. The filling station comprises a closing device for closing the filling station after the insertion of the gas bottle such that a removal of the gas bottle subsequent to the closing is not possible. The end-user may not remove the gas bottle in a closed state. Furthermore, the filling station comprises a filling device for an automated filling of an into the filling station inserted emptied gas bottle subsequent to the closing. A filling may thus only take place, if the filling station is closed and in consequence the gas bottle cannot be removed. There is a gas testing device for an automated gas leakage test after a refilling of an inserted gas bottle. With it, the tightness of a once again filled gas bottle is tested. There is a release device that releases an afore filled or full gas bottle only after a successful gas leakage test and thus enables a removal of a once again filled gas bottle. A removal of a gas bottled filled with gas respectively liquid gas is thus only possible, if the gas leakage test revealed that no gas escapes from the filled bottle. The invention further concerns a method for refilling.

Claims

1. A filling station for an automated refilling of a gas bottle by an end-user comprising an insertion device for inserting of an emptied gas bottle into the filling station, a closing device for closing the filling station after the insertion of the gas bottle such that a removal of the gas bottle is not possible while the filling station is closed, a filling device for an automated filling, after said closing, of a gas bottle that has been inserted into the filling station, a gas testing device for an automated gas leakage test subsequent to a refilling of an inserted gas bottle, a release device that releases a refilled gas bottle upon a successful gas leakage test and thereby enables a removal of a refilled gas bottle, and a suction head by which a valve of the inserted gas bottle can be opened by connecting with a fitting of the inserted gas bottle and through which the content of the inserted gas bottle can be sucked off.

2. The filling station of claim 1, comprising an identification device, by which a gas bottle can be identified.

3. The filling station of claim 2, wherein the filling station is configured such that an insertion of a gas bottle into the filling station is only possible, when the filling station has previously determined by means of identification that the gas bottle is suitable for a refilling.

4. The filling station of claim 1, wherein there is a weighing machine, by which the weight of an inserted gas bottle can be determined before the refilling and/or after the refilling.

5. The filling station of claim 1, wherein the suction head has a protruding nozzle or a protruding pin, by which the valve can be opened by means of the connecting.

6. The filling station of claim 1, wherein there is a filling head by which an inserted gas bottle can be filled with gas.

7. The filling station of claim 1, wherein a filling head, the suction head and/or a leakage test head are mounted together on a movable slide.

8. The filling station of claim 1, wherein there is a centering device, by which the position of an inserted gas bottle can be centered.

9. The filling station of claim 8, wherein the centering device comprises a turntable and/or one or more centering grip arms.

10. The filling station of claim 9, wherein the one or more grip arms are provided with one or more rolls, which allow lying against an inserted gas bottle.

11. The filling station of claim 1, wherein the filling station is configured such that refilling of an inserted gas bottle is carried out from above via a centric filling point of the gas bottle.

12. The filling station of claim 1, wherein the filling station comprises a payment device.

13. The filling station of claim 1, wherein the filling station is set up at a camping ground or a service station.

14. The filling station of claim 1, wherein a filling head and/or the suction head are elastically movably mounted.

15. The filling station of claim 1 with a gas tank, which is arranged, seen from top, behind an operating and/or payment device.

16. The filling station of claim 1 with a gas tank, wherein an interior room that is provided for putting down a gas bottle is arranged, seen from top, at least partial next to a face side of a gas tank.

17. The filling station of claim 1 with one or more containers filled with nitrogen, and the suction device is drivable by the nitrogen for sucking off gas from an inserted gas bottle.

18. The filling station of claim 1 with a control unit, which controls a refilling in such a way that firstly a first quantity of gas is filled into an inserted gas bottle, thereafter a gas leakage test is carried out, and the bottle is fully refilled after it was determined by means of the gas leakage test that the gas bottle is gas tight.

19. The filling station of claim 1 with an exchange device, which provides a new gas bottle, after the filling station has determined a defect of an inserted gas bottle.

20. A method for refilling a gas bottle in a filling station with the features of claim 1 comprising the steps: inserting an emptied gas bottle having a centric filling point into the filling station, centering the gas bottle by means of a centering device, using the filling device to fill, in an automated manner, the centered gas bottle with gas, after the filling, testing for leaking of gas from the gas bottle by means of the gas testing device in an automated manner, if the test reveals that no gas escapes from the gas bottle, allowing removal of the refilled gas bottle from the filling station, and if the test reveals that gas escapes from the gas bottle, using the suction head to open a valve of the gas bottle and suck off the content of the gas bottle for allowing removal of the emptied gas bottle from the filling station.

21. A filling station for an automated refilling of a gas bottle by an end-user comprising an insertion device for inserting of an emptied gas bottle into the filling station, a closing device for closing the filling station after the insertion of the gas bottle such that a removal of the gas bottle is not possible while the filling station is closed, a filling device for an automated filling, after said closing, of a gas bottle that has been inserted into the filling station, a gas testing device for an automated gas leakage test subsequent to a refilling of an inserted gas bottle, a release device that releases a refilled gas bottle upon a successful gas leakage test and thereby enables a removal of a refilled gas bottle, and an emptying device, by which the content of an inserted gas bottle can be sucked off, wherein the emptying device is configured to empty an inserted gas bottle if a gas leakage test reveals that the filled gas bottle is not tight.

Description

(1) In the following, the invention is described in detail based on figures:

(2) It shows:

(3) FIG. 1: Filling station with payment machine;

(4) FIG. 2: Interior room of a filling station;

(5) FIG. 3: filling station with tank;

(6) FIG. 4: filling head with centric filling point of a gas bottle;

(7) FIG. 5: suction head with centric filling point of a gas bottle;

(8) FIG. 6: drawing of an arrangement of a filling station with tank seen from top;

(9) FIG. 7: elastically mounted suction head or filling head.

(10) The FIG. 1 shows a filling station 1 with an interior room 2, in which a gas bottle 3 is inserted. It is shown a gas bottle 3 with a maximal permissible filling quality of 35 kg. The interior room 2 can be completely closed, specifically preferably gas tight, by a not shown door, for example a sliding door. The filling station comprises a payment device 4 to allow immediate payment for a refilling. Alternatively or additionally, the device 4 serves operating the filling station. In the interior room 2, there is a turntable 5, on which the gas bottle 3 is put down. There is a centering device with grip arms 6, by which the gas bottle 3 can be centered. In the interior room 2, there is a movable filling head 7, though which the gas bottle 3 can be filled with gas. By means of a moving device (traversing unit) comprising two vertical running rails 8, the filling head 7 can be moved vertically, in order to connect the filling head 7 to the gas bottle 3 for a filling by vertical movement. Next to the filling head 7, there is a movable suction head 9, though which the gas bottle 3 can be emptied. There is a horizontally running rail 10 for a horizontal movement (traveling) of the filling head 7 and the suction head 9. Furthermore, there is a movable leakage test head 11 of a gas testing device in the interior room 2 which allows to test if the gas bottle is gas tight. The leakage test head 11 may also be moved along the mentioned rail 8 and 10 both horizontally as well as also vertically.

(11) In the case of FIG. 1, the filling head 7 is connected to the gas bottle 3 for filling. The gas bottle 3 comprises a fitting with a centric filling point 12 to allow filling and emptying the gas bottle 3 from above.

(12) The option of movement (travel) serves to enable, if needed, suitably connecting the filling head 7, the suction head 9 as well as the leakage test head 11 to the fitting of the gas bottle 3. The movement of filling head 7, the suction head 9 as well as the leakage test head 11 is carried out in an automated manner by a not shown motorized drive as well as a not shown control apparatus.

(13) The turntable 5 is arranged on a weighing machine 13 to allow determining the weight of an inserted gas bottle 3.

(14) In the leakage test head, there is a gas sensor. When the test head 11 is put according to specified normal operation on the gas bottle 3 from above, then an interior room is provided by the test head, in which the fitting of the gas bottle with the centric filling point 12 is placed. Thereby, it can be particularly fast and reliably determined by the gas sensor if the fitting or the connection between the fitting and the gas bottle 3 is untight.

(15) The FIG. 2 shows the interior room 2 in an enlarged view. Here, in contrast to FIG. 1, a gas bottle 3 with concentric filling point 12 is shown, whose maximal permissible filling quality is 5 kg. Again, the filling head 7 is connected with the centric filling point 12 to the gas bottle 3 for a filling. Compared to FIG. 1, the horizontal running rail 10 has been moved downwards for that purpose to thereby connect the filling head 7 to the centric filling point 12 for a filling. It is also shown that the filling station 1 is suitable for differently sized gas bottles, specifically in particular for gas bottles whose maximal permissible filling quantity lies between 5 kg and 35 kg.

(16) The FIG. 2 shows that the arm 6 of the centering gripper of the centering device is provided with rolls 14, which facilitate a positioning and holding of the bottle by embracing. A rotation of the turntable 5 also contributes to a positioning of the gas bottle 3.

(17) The FIG. 2 illustrates that the filling head 7, suction head 9 and test head 11 are mounted together on a slide 15, which allows to be moved along the rail 10 horizontally.

(18) The FIG. 3 illustrates that the filling station may be provided with an integrated gas tank 16. The gas tank 16 may be arranged together with the filling station inside of a frame and/or housing 17 to thereby provide a transportable unit. The transportable unit is particularly dimensioned such that it may be transported by common trucks. The unit may be part of a truck such as for example part of a semi-trailer truck of a truck.

(19) The FIG. 4 shows a section of a filling head 7, which is connected to a centric filling point 12 of a gas bottle. The centric filling point 12 has an upwards protruding nozzle 18, which comprises projections 19 at the outer face. The upwards oriented end of the nozzle 18 is formed as funnel 20.

(20) The filling head 7 has two movable grip elements 21 with inside circumferential grooves 22. The grip elements 21 can be closed by folding such that a positive connection (form-fit) is created between the circumferential projections 19 and the circumferential grooves 22. A conical end 23 of the filling head 7 is then arranged in funnel 20 and is pressed against a sealing ring 24 being located in the funnel 20, which may be hold by a notch. Though a tubular line 26, the under pressure liquefied gas may then be pumped into the gas bottle. The pumping pressure effects that a corresponding valve body 27 at the centric filling point 12 is moved against a spring force and the valve is thus opened.

(21) The suction head 9 shown in the FIG. 5 differs from the filling head shown in the FIG. 4 by an extended tubular end 28. When the suction head 9 is connected to the centric filling point 12 as shown in the FIG. 5, the tubular end 27 reaches such far into the nozzle 18 that the valve body 27 is hereby pressed downwards against a spring force and thus the valve is opened, in order to enable sucking off and thus an emptying of the gas bottle. Due to the tubular shape, sucking of the gas may be carried out though the extended end so that this nozzle-shaped end 27 may advantageously fulfill a double function.

(22) The FIG. 6 draws a top view on a particular suitable arrangement of the components of a filling station 1. Inside of the frame and/or housing 17, there is the gas tank 16 behind the operating and/or payment device 4. The interior room 2 or a portion thereof, respectively, is arranged at the side next to a face side of the gas tank 16 and the operating and/or payment device 4. In one preferred embodiment for the purpose of increasing the operational safety, a from top seen stair-shaped separation wall 29 separates the area with the gas tank 16 from the area, in which the operating and/or payment device 4 as well as the interior room 2 are arranged. Next to the gas tank 16, there remains a free room (space), in which further equipment being suitable for operating the filling station 1 as well as components 30 like control installations, lines etc. are arranged. The arrangement shown in the FIG. 6 avoids an elongated base area and is thus particular suitable for setting up in retail shops, on camping grounds as well as service stations. The filling station thus has in particular a size of a 10-foot container.

(23) In the free room, there are for example provided one or more containers for nitrogen in order to, in the case of gas untightness, thereby provide nitrogen for a pneumatic drive, by which the gas may be pumped out of the untight gas bottles. The installations and components 30 may be an exchange device, a spare container for pumped off gas and/or one or more pumps. A control installation (unit/apparatus/device) as well as an emergency power supply may be provided as installation 30. The area with the installations and components 30 may in particular be accessed though a fire door in order to for example exchange nitrogen container if needed or remove defect gas bottles stored here.

(24) The FIG. 7 draws an elastic mounting of a filling head 7 or of a suction head 9, respectively. The filling respectively suction head 7, 9 is connected to an outer support 31 through elastic material like rubber 32 and thus allows to be elastically moved relatively to the outer support.