Abstract
A system of multiple non-manifolded fuel tanks on a portable platform and preferred embodiments which allow for improved access to the contents of each fuel tank, ability to transport multiple fuel types in a single system on a vehicle without towing apparatus, and the ability to maneuver the system via a forklift.
Claims
1. A multiple non-manifolded fuel tanks on a portable platform system for the transportation, storage, and dispensing of liquid fuel, comprising: a plurality of non-manifolded fuel tanks; a fuel dispensing system consisting of a fuel pump, a fuel hose, and a nozzle; a portable platform consisting of a frame sufficient to support the weight of the entire system while the fuel tanks are full of fuel; a valve system to allow the fuel pump to select which of the plurality of fuel tanks it is connected to in order to dispense the liquid fuel from at least one particular fuel tank.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising of a fuel purge system.
3. The system of claim 2, said fuel purge system comprising of at least one valve which reverses the flow of liquid fuel from within the fuel hose back into at least one of the plurality of fuel tanks as selected by an end user.
4. The system of claim 2, said fuel purge system utilizes the pump to invert the flow of the fuel.
5. The system of claim 3, said valve of the fuel purge system is an electronically activated valve.
6. The system of claim 5, said electronic activation is automatic once mechanically initiated by an end user.
7. The system of claim 5, said electronic activation is automatic once dispensing liquid fuel is completed.
8. The system of claim 5, said electronic activation is automatically controlled by a computer system.
9. The system of claim 3, said valve of the fuel purge system is a mechanically activated valve.
10. The system of claim 1, said valve system is a non-spill quick release valve system.
11. The system of claim 1, said fuel tanks each with an individual capacity of up to one hundred and nineteen gallons of liquid fuel.
12. The system of claim 1, further comprising of a custody-transfer flow meter.
13. The system of claim 1, said frame has the ability to be transported by a fork-lift.
14. The system of claim 1, said frame design is sufficient to allow the platform to fit in the bed or on the deck of a motor vehicle.
15. A multiple non-manifolded fuel tanks on a portable platform system for the transportation, storage, and dispensing of liquid fuel, comprising: a plurality of non-manifolded fuel tanks; a fuel dispensing system consisting of a fuel pump, a fuel hose, and a nozzle; a portable platform consisting of a frame sufficient to support the weight of the entire system while the fuel tanks are full of fuel; a valve system to allow the fuel pump to select which of the plurality of fuel tanks it is connected to in order to dispense the liquid fuel from at least one particular fuel tank; a custody-transfer flow meter.
16. The system of claim 15, further comprising of a fuel purge system.
17. The system of claim 16, said fuel purge system comprising of at least one valve which reverses the flow of liquid fuel from within the fuel hose back into at least one of the plurality of fuel tanks as selected by an end user.
18. The system of claim 16, said fuel purge system utilizes the pump to invert the flow of the fuel.
19. The system of claim 17, said valve of the fuel purge system is an electronically activated valve.
20. The system of claim 19, said electronic activation is automatic once mechanically initiated by an end user.
21. The system of claim 19, said electronic activation is automatic once dispensing liquid fuel is completed.
22. The system of claim 19, said electronic activation is automatically controlled by a computer system.
23. The system of claim 17, said valve of the fuel purge system is a mechanically activated valve.
24. The system of claim 15, said frame has the ability to be transported by a fork-lift.
25. The system of claim 15, said frame design is sufficient to allow the platform to fit in the bed or on the deck of a motor vehicle.
26. The system of claim 15, said valve system is a non-spill quick release valve system.
27. The system of claim 15, said fuel tanks each with an individual capacity of up to one hundred and nineteen gallons of liquid fuel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the present invention in the bed of a transport vehicle; and
[0024] FIG. 2 is a top down view which depicts an embodiment of the present invention with four tanks in a parallel orientation; and
[0025] FIG. 3 is a top down view which depicts another embodiment of the present invention with three tanks in a linear orientation; and
[0026] FIG. 4 is a top down view which depicts another embodiment of the present invention with six tanks in a parallel orientation; and
[0027] FIG. 5 is a top down view which depicts an embodiment of the present invention with four tanks in a linear orientation; and
[0028] FIG. 6 is a rear view showing an embodiment of the present invention with a dual door access configuration; and
[0029] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the internal components of the rear enclosure for a three tank linear orientation; and
[0030] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the air eliminator component;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a rear view showing an embodiment of the present invention with electronic and semi-automated controls.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in an assembled state. The embodiment of the present invention has multiple non-manifolded fuel tanks 3, 4, and 5. Each tank 3, 4, and 5 has an independent fuel level gauge 2, pressure vent and rollover valve—not visible from the perspective of FIG. 1—and a lockable fill cap 1. In a preferred embodiment the rear enclosure 6 includes enclosure swing doors 7 connected to the rear enclosure with hinges 8 and inclusive of handles with door locks 9. The fuel station base platform 10 includes forklift pockets 11 and is the foundation for the tanks 3, 4, 5 and rear enclosure 6. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention is placed in and secured to a transport vehicle 12 for mobility.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a top down view which depicts an embodiment of the present invention with four non-manifolded tanks 3, 4, 5, 13 in a parallel orientation also described as two by two, a potential configuration of the tanks. Each tank 3, 4, 5, 13 has a fuel level gauge 2, a pressure vent and rollover valve 14, and lockable fill cap 1. In a preferred embodiment the lockable fill cap 1 of the non-manifolded fuel tanks 3, 4, 5, 13 would be placed towards the outer most edge of the tank and towards any shared edges with other fuel tanks to allow for ease of access while filling the tanks. It is understood that while the present depiction shows four non-manifolded fuel tanks, the present invention allows for the expansion or contraction of the portable platform size to incorporate additional or fewer non-manifolded fuel tanks as desired. The rear enclosure 6 encompasses and allows access to components not visible in FIG. 2 from the rear of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a top down view which depicts another embodiment of the present invention with three non-manifolded tanks 3, 4, 5 in a linear orientation and another potential configuration of the tanks. Each tank 3, 4, 5 has a fuel level gauge 2, pressure vent and roll over valve 14, and lockable fill cap 1. In a preferred embodiment the lockable fill cap 1 of the non-manifolded fuel tanks 3, 4, 5 would be placed towards the outer most edge of the tank to allow for ease of access while filling the tanks. It is understood that while the present depiction shows three non-manifolded fuel tanks, the present invention allows for the expansion or contraction of the skid size to incorporate additional or fewer non-manifolded fuel tanks as desired.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a top down view which depicts another embodiment of the present invention with six non-manifolded tanks 3, 4, 5, 13, 15, 16 in a parallel orientation also described as two by three, another potential configuration of the tanks. Each tank 3, 4, 5, 13, 15, 16 has a fuel level gauge 2, pressure vent and roll over valve 14, and lockable fill cap 1. In a preferred embodiment the lockable fill cap 1 of the non-manifolded fuel tanks 3, 4, 5, 13, 15, 16 would be placed towards the outer most edge of the tank to allow for ease of access while filling the tanks. It is understood that while the present depiction shows six non-manifolded fuel tanks, the present invention allows for the expansion or contraction of the skid size to incorporate additional or fewer non-manifolded fuel tanks as desired.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a top down view which depicts another embodiment of the present invention with four non-manifolded tanks 3, 4, 5, 13 in a linear orientation and another potential configuration of the tanks. Each tank 3, 4, 5, 13 has a fuel level gauge 2, pressure vent and roll over valve 14, and lockable fill cap 1. In a preferred embodiment the lockable fill cap 1 of the non-manifolded fuel tanks 3, 4, 5, 13 would be placed towards the outer most edge of the tank to allow for ease of access while filling the tanks. It is understood that while the present depiction shows four non-manifolded fuel tanks, the present invention allows for the expansion or contraction of the skid size to incorporate additional or fewer non-manifolded fuel tanks as desired.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a rear view showing an embodiment of the present invention with a dual enclosure swing door 17 access configuration to the rear enclosure 6. Each door includes handles and door locks 18. From this perspective of the present invention, the non-manifolded tanks are not visible, but the lockable fill cap 1, pressure vent and roll over valve 14, and fuel level gauge 2 connected to the top of each tank are visible. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the components inside the rear enclosure 6 start with the tank selector coupling 36 connecting to the tank selector adapter 37. The tank selector shutoff valve 38 is opened to allow fuel up the fuel hose 39 to the fuel pump 27. The fuel pump 27 sits atop a mounting bracket 28 and is powered by the battery box enclosure 21. Electricity to the fuel pump 27 is controlled by a power switch 29. The fuel pump 27 then pushes fuel through fuel hose 30 to the filter 31 and into another fuel hose 32 to meter 33. Meter data and information is input and read through a meter register 34. After the meter 33, the flow continues through fuel hose 40 to hose reel 26 and out through a nozzle 22. The hose reel 26 may consist of a hose reel guide 25 and hose ball stop 24 to direct and control fuel hose 23. A grounding reel 35 connects to fuel recipient and maintains static ground between the two parties. The present invention is held together by the portable platform 19 and in a preferred embodiment may be loaded into the transport vehicle 41 by forklift through forklift pockets 20.
[0038] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the internal components of the rear enclosure for a three tank linear orientation. The power switch 29 controls system electricity supplied from the battery in the battery box enclosure 21. Electricity travels to the meter 33 and meter register 34 via the electrical line cable 43. The grounding cable reel 35 maintains electrical balance with the fuel recipient vehicle when connected during fueling. A preferred embodiment of the tank selector shutoff valve 38 includes a shutoff handle 42. The tank selector adapter 37 is mounted above its corresponding tank selector shutoff valve 38. The tank selector coupling 36 is held inside of the mounting bracket holder 61 as this figure shows the system while in storage/transport mode. While fuel is being discharged from the pump, fuel is cleaned of particulates or contaminants in the filter 31 and travels to the meter 33 via a fuel hose 32. The air eliminator that is attached to the meter intake directs air from the fuel through the air eliminator transfer line 45 to the air eliminator exhaust catch tank 44 where the air is dispelled. Fuel from the meter 33 then travels out the fuel hose 40 to the hose reel 26. The dispensing fuel hose 23 is directed outward by the hose reel guide 25 and the hose ball stop 24. The forklift pockets 20 of the fuel station base platform 19 can be seen at the bottom of the figure.
[0039] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the air eliminator component. The air eliminator exhaust catch tank 44 is connected to the meter 33 via the air eliminator transfer line 45. Fuel enters the meter 33 from the fuel hose 32 and fuel volume data is read on the meter register 34. The fuel hose 40 connects the meter 33 to the hose reel by means of a quick connect hose detachment 46. In front of the hose reel is the tank selector coupling 36 attached to the tank selector coupling bracket holder mount 48. The tank selector coupling is also connected to a swivel fitting 47 and fuel hose 39.
[0040] FIG. 9 is a rear view showing another embodiment of the present invention with electronic and semi-automated controls. In this preferred embodiment, there is a digital electronic register computer 59 with a keypad 58 and touch screen display 60, though non-touch screen displays are also known in the art, that has an Ethernet, Wi-Fi, cellular data, USB, Bluetooth, Serial, or other wired or wireless data connection port adapter or signal antenna 49, light-emitting diode (LED) push button interface 50, and electronic transaction reporting computer system with global positioning system capabilities, tank level sensor reading, pump controller ability, meter reading, differential pressure sensing, display output, printing, wired and wireless network and internet connection abilities to connect itself or other devices to itself or the internet, and security monitoring 51. In this preferred embodiment, there is an electronic control housing 54 that includes an emergency power disconnect switch 53, an on/off pump and purge controller switch 52, and a series of indicator lights 55 which can provide information on such functionality as valve position, pump status, and fueling controller state. Notice that in this preferred embodiment the location of the fuel hose 23 the fuel hose reel 26, are different than in earlier described embodiments. It is understood that there are many variations on exactly how the disclosed and described components could be assembled or located in the present invention. In the present preferred embodiment, the purge system valve actuator 56 is an electronically activated version instead of mechanically activated, which allows fuel to be pushed or drawn through the fuel hose lines and back to the tanks prior to transportation or at any time needed for operations and maintenance.
[0041] While the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
