ANTI-LEAK ARRANGEMENT APPLICABLE TO GAS SUPPLY NOZZLES

Abstract

The LNG fuelling nozzles are plugged to the vehicles propelled by natural gas specifically in a coupling means of the fuel tanks. During the unplugging of said nozzles once the tank has been filled cause always inevitably a gas leak and in the event of a leak during the filling there is a leak near the user which, in addition to be hazardous, pollute the environment and economically harms the user.

For this reason the invention proposes a solution consisting of channeling the gas from these leaks to a supplementary tank and, from it to the supply tank, recovering all the leaks, for which a pipe is used as main elements of the device, which is coupled to the bayonet by means of a seal connector made of Teflon or similar material and, a check valve at the inlet of the supplementary tank, said seal can be incorporated either in the bayonet or in the receptacle.

Claims

1. An anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles, forming part of a LNG dispensing apparatus, said nozzles incorporating a quarter-turn bayonet which is formed by an upper part, a central part and a base, which in working position are introduced in a female socket base assembly or receptacle forming part of the fuel tank of the vehicle or source tank, wherein said anti-leak device includes means of recovery of the gas existing between the nozzle and the receptacle in the disconnection operation of the nozzle from the receptacle of the fuel tank, wherein said means of recovery of said residual gas comprises: an orifice disposed in the upper part of the quarter turn bayonet, wherein a gas return pipe is coupled; a second orifice disposed in a central body of the nozzles; a gas return pipe that is coupled from one end in the hole and passes through the second orifice; and a seal disposed in the base of the bayonet (13c) or in the receptacle (20).

2. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to the claim 1, wherein one or more holes are arranged in the upper part of the quarter-turn bayonet.

3. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to claim 1, wherein a connector is threaded in the orifice and in its upper end, as a means to make airtight the inlet of one of the ends of the gas return pipe, in the upper part of the bayonet.

4. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to claim 2, wherein in the holes and at its upper end respective connectors are threaded, as a mean to let the entrance of one from the ends of the gas return pipe in the upper part of the bayonet.

5. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to claim 1, wherein the opposite end of the gas return pipe incorporates a check valve in the inlet to the tank.

6. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to claim 1, wherein the seal is incorporated in a groove machined in the base of the lower base of the quarter turn bayonet.

7. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to claim 1, wherein the seal fits in the receptacle of the safety coupling mechanism by means of the corresponding groove.

8. The anti-leak device applicable to gas fuelling nozzles according to claim 1, wherein the seal is made of Teflon.

9. A gas fuelling nozzle to be coupled to an LNG receptacle of a fuel tank of a vehicle, said gas fuelling nozzle comprising an Ice Breaker type nozzle having hoses, the gas fuelling nozzle comprises an external body, an inner body that is moves axially of the outer body by means of levers, being connected to a central body, and in the lower part of the Ice Breaker type nozzle providing a quarter-turn bayonet which is engageable to a fuel tank receptacle of a gas-propelled vehicle, said quarter-turn bayonet which is formed by an upper part, a central part and, a base which in the working position is inserted in the receptacle, characterized in that the nozzle further comprises an anti-leak device including means for recovering the gas existing between the nozzle and the receptacle in the disconnection operation of the nozzle from the receptacle of the fuel tank, wherein said means for recovering said residual gas comprises: an orifice disposed in the upper part of the quarter-turn bayonet, in which a gas return pipe is coupled; a second hole disposed in the central body; and the gas return pipe that is coupled from on end in the hole and passes through the second orifice.

10. The gas fuelling nozzle according to claim 9, wherein one or several orifices are arranged in the upper part of the quarter-turn bayonet.

11. The gas fuelling nozzle according to claim 9, wherein a seal forming part of said means for recovering said residual gas is arranged at the base of the bayonet.

12. The gas fuelling nozzle according to claim 9, wherein a connector is threaded in the orifice and at its upper end, as a means for sealing the entrance of one end of the gas return pipe, in the upper part of the bayonet.

13. The gas fuelling nozzle according to claim 10, wherein respective connectors are threaded in the orifices and at their upper end, as a mean for sealing the entrance of one end of the gas return pipe, in the upper part of the bayonet.

14. The gas fuelling nozzle according to claim 9, wherein the opposite end of the gas return pipe incorporates at the entrance to the tank a check valve.

15. The gas fuelling nozzle assembly which incorporates a nozzle according to claim 9 and also a receptacle mountable in a fuel tank of a vehicle, said receptacle being provided with a seal.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] A list is given below of the different parts of the invention, which, with the aid of the following numbers, are identified in the corresponding figures; (10, 10, 10) safety locking mechanism, (11) locking grips, (11a-11b) handles, (12) central outer body, (13) quarter turn bayonet, (13a) upper part of (13), (13b) central part of (13), (13c) lower base of (13), (14) optional protection element, (15) connection part, (16) counter-lever, (17) upper element, (18) central element, (19) conventional hose, (20) receptacle, (20-21) female socket base assembly, (21) wall of the vehicle tank, (22) openings, (23) elastic element, (25) seal, (26) fuelling or source tank, (27) gas return pipe, (28) connector, (29) dispenser, (30) fuel tank of the vehicle, (31) tank boil-off, (32) check valve, (33) orifice, (34) seal, (35) orifice, (36) orifice.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective of an embodiment of conventional locking mechanism (10), such as that object of European Patent no. 16.183.947.7.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the conventional locking mechanism (10) such as that object of European Patent no. 16.183.947.7.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a vehicle fuel tank (30) in the upper part whereof, and mounted on its surface, is located the female socket base assembly (20-21), commonly called receptacle, in the interior of which fits, at the appropriate time, the quarter turn bayonet (13).

[0031] FIG. 4 is (a) a plan view of the central element (18) modified by what is the object of the present application so that an orifice (36) is provided for the passage of the gas return pipe (27) from the bayonet (13), (b) is a top plan view of the bayonet (13) with the orifice (33) for the connector assembly (28).

[0032] FIG. 5 is an explanatory block diagram of the elements that configure a LNG fuelling station to vehicle fuel tanks.

[0033] FIG. 6a is a front elevational view of the bayonet (13) in which base (13c) is incorporated the seal (34) and, FIG. 6b is a front elevational view of the receptacle (20) wherein the seal (34) is incorporated.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a perspective of a second possible embodiment of the nozzle (10), with the difference with respect to the nozzle (10) shown in FIG. 1 of eliminating the optional cone (14) and adding the machining in the bayonet of a hole (33). The rest of the components of the nozzle (10) are similar to those of the nozzle represented in FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of nozzle (10), which is similar to nozzle (10) of FIG. 7 but with the provision of two holes (33a, 33b) provided in the bayonet, instead of one.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0036] In one of the preferred embodiments of the invention and as can be seen in FIG. 5, a conventional LNG fuelling station comprises one or more LNG supply or source tanks (26), which supplies one or more dispensers (29), which has gas supply means such as a LNG fuelling nozzle not represented in the figures, provided with a safety locking mechanism (10), which is coupled to the tank (30), said tank being provided with a female socket base assembly (20-21) formed by the receptacle (20) and the wall (21).

[0037] The security locking mechanism (10) as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 will remain the same except for the modifications that are part of the object of the present invention.

[0038] The safety locking mechanism (10), as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, shall continue to be the same except the modifications that form part of the object of the present invention. Through the invention claimed, and with the aforementioned purpose of avoiding gas leaks, a third tank (31), which in the present document is called boil-off, is optionally added to the supply tank, which receives the leaked gas in the safety locking mechanism (10) through a return pipe (27) which ends in the tank (31), intercalating an optional check valve (32) in the inlet of (31), which avoids a pressure change in the source (26) and prevents the entry in the tank (31) of the recovered gas.

[0039] To recover the leaked gas, the quarter turn bayonet (13) has been modified, machining its upper part (13a) making therein an orifice (33) as can be seen in FIG. 4b, which connects the receptacle (20) in its inner part with the return pipe (27). Said pipe (27) incorporates through one of its ends a connector (28), which facilitates the join of the pipe (27) with said upper part (13a) of the bayonet (13), as can be seen in FIG. 4c.

[0040] This hole (33) in the quarter-turn bayonet (13) may alternatively be one or more holes (33).

[0041] In the same device, the central body (18) is modified for the passage of the pipe (27) making an orifice (36) in its upper part.

[0042] Additionally, a seal (34) is incorporated in the lower base (13c) of said bayonet (13), which avoids that the leaked gas can be lost in the coupling (21), forcing it to move to the tank (31) through the pipe (27). A groove will be made in the lower base of the bayonet, not represented in the figures, for the assembly of said seal (34).

[0043] If the seal (34) is installed in the receptacle (20), it shall be machined so that it has a groove, not represented in the figures, as a means that the seal (34) is immobilized in said coupling (20-21). In both alternatives, both if the seal (34) is incorporated in the base (13c), or in the receptacle (20) as can be seen in FIG. 6.

[0044] Having sufficiently described the present invention, in correspondence with the attached figures, it is easy to understand that any modifications of details deemed convenient can be introduced therein, provided that it does not alter the essence of the invention which is summarized in the following claims.