FR2919854A1 - Fuel supply nozzle for motor vehicle, has flexible pipe introduced in filling orifice, and support crossed through passage opening of tube and fuel passage openings, where external surface of pipe is smooth - Google Patents

Abstract

Pistol for supplying fuel to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, in particular of a vehicle being tested on a test bench, this pistol comprising a gripping body (1) to which a pipe (2) is connected flexible material intended to be introduced into the filling orifice (3) of said reservoir, this hose (2) surrounding a flexible fuel supply pipe (4) adapted to be connected to an external source, characterized in that end of the pipe (2) opposite the gripping body (1) carries inside a support (7) bearing on its inner face a sensor (8) for detecting the level of the fuel, this support (7) being traversed by a passage opening (9) of said tubing (4) and at least through a fuel passage opening.

Description

Pistol for fueling the tank of a vehicle

automobile.

  The present invention relates to a gun for supplying fuel to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, in particular a vehicle being tested on a test bed with driven rollers. In the case of tests, on this type of test bench roller, must be able to continuously supply the vehicle tank, that is to say without interrupting the operation of the vehicle. For this purpose, a gun is used to feed the vehicle tank, comprising a gripping body which is connected to a hose made of flexible material intended to be introduced into the filling orifice of said tank, this pipe surrounding a flexible intake pipe. fuel connected to an external source. This gun is further equipped, in a known manner means for interrupting the fuel supply when the tank is full and restore this supply, when the fuel level in the tank has reached a predetermined minimum threshold. Fuel guns of this type are unsatisfactory. The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of these fuel supply guns.

  This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a gun for supplying fuel to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, in particular of a vehicle being tested on a test bench, this pistol comprising a body gripper which is connected to a hose of flexible material intended to be introduced into the filling orifice of said tank, this pipe surrounding a flexible fuel supply pipe adapted to be connected to an external source, characterized in that the end the pipe opposite the gripping body carries inside a support bearing on its inner face at least one fuel level detection sensor, this support being traversed by a passage opening of said tubing and at least by a passage opening of the fuel.

  The support above thus makes it possible to support the fuel level detection sensor (s) and to maintain, thanks to an opening made in this support, the flexible fuel supply pipe. Moreover, thanks to the opening (or openings) of fuel passage (s) in the support, the fuel can easily go up inside the pipe and down into it. Preferably, the support further comprises openings for the passage of electrical conductors connected to said at least one sensor. Thus, these openings guide and maintain the electrical conductors connected to the fuel level detection sensor (s). This or these sensors may be thermistors whose resistance varies in the presence of fuel so as to trigger or interrupt the fuel supply. Preferably, said support is a cylindrical piece fitted and fixed inside the pipe. This support can thus be easily mounted inside the hose of the gun. Preferably, the gripping body comprises a nozzle intended to engage in the filling orifice of the reservoir and carrying means for locking it to said orifice. Preferably, said locking means comprise radial lugs adapted to cooperate by rotating a quarter of a turn with complementary means provided on said orifice or on an adapter fixed on said orifice.

  Thanks to these provisions, the gun according to the invention can adapt to the filling orifice of all vehicles. Also preferably, the surface of the gun pipe is substantially smooth, which allows to easily engage in the filling port and remove without risk of snagging.

  Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent throughout the description below. In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example: FIG. 1 is a side view of the fuel pistol according to the invention, with longitudinal section of its pipe and of the fuel filling orifice of a FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view along the plane II-II of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a pistol for supplying fuel to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle while being tested on a test bench. This gun comprises a gripping body 1 for example metal, which is connected to a hose 2 of flexible material which is introduced into the filling port 3 of the vehicle tank. The pipe 2 surrounds a flexible fuel supply pipe 4 connected to an external source. The end of the pipe 2 adjacent the body 1 is surrounded by a sleeve 5 of heat-shrinkable plastic material for sealing between the pipe 2 and the body 1. The interior of the body 1 comprises a sleeve 6 which surrounds the sleeve 5 and the pipe 2. This socket 6 reduces the outer diameter of the pipe 2 relative to the pipe equipping the guns used so far.

  For example, the pipe 2 has an outer diameter of 15.6 mm which allows its introduction into the filling ports of all types of vehicle. Furthermore, the outer surface of the pipe 2 is smooth, that is to say free of asperities.

  The flexible inner tubing 4 has an outside diameter of 6 mm. According to the invention, the end of the pipe 2 opposite the gripping body 1 carries inside a support 7 bearing on its inner face, that is to say on its face directed towards the inside of the pipe 2, fuel level sensors 8. This support 7 is crossed (see Figure 2) by a passage opening 9 in the form of notch of the pipe 4 and by several openings 10, 11, 12 of the fuel passage.

  Furthermore, the support 7 further comprises four openings 13 for the passage of the electrical conductors 14 connected to the sensors 8. These may be thermistors. In the example shown, the support 7 is a cylindrical piece for example of plastic adjusted and fixed inside the pipe 2, by means of a screw passing through the latter. The gripping body 1 comprises a nozzle 15 intended to engage in the filling orifice 3 of the reservoir and carries means for locking it to this orifice 3.

  In the example shown, these locking means comprise radial lugs 16, 17 adapted to cooperate by rotating a quarter of a turn with complementary means provided on the orifice 3 or on an adapter attached to this orifice 3. Thus, the fuel gun according to the invention can be adapted to all the filling orifices, that is to say both on the old orifices on which quarter-turn locking plugs normally fit and on the current orifices. without a plug which, for the purposes of the present invention, must be provided with an adapter. The fuel gun according to the invention operates as follows: - when filling the tank, the fuel flows into the flexible pipe 4, until the thermistors 8 are embedded in fuel, that is to say say that the fuel has risen in the pipe 2 through the openings 10, 11, 12 of the support 7 to reach the thermistors 8; - Due to the variation of the resistance of the thermistors 8 an electrical signal is sent to a not shown circuit of a motor bench which then triggers the interruption of the fuel supply; when the engine of the vehicle under test has been running for a time sufficient to lower the fuel level, a new filling request is made by the test stand, the fuel flows into the flexible tubing 4 and the tank is filled again until the thermistors 8 are again embedded in fuel, which causes a new variation of the resistance of the thermistors 8 and the stopping of the fuel supply of the tank.

Claims (7)

  1. A gun for supplying fuel to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, in particular of a vehicle being tested on a test bench, this pistol comprising a gripping body (1) to which a pipe is connected ( 2) of flexible material intended to be introduced into the filling orifice (3) of said tank, this pipe (2) surrounding a flexible fuel supply pipe (4) adapted to be connected to an external source, characterized in that that the end of the pipe (2) opposite the gripping body (1) carries inside a support (7) bearing on its inner face at least one sensor (8) for detecting the fuel level, this support (7) being traversed by a passage opening (9) of said pipe (4) and at least by a passage opening (10, 11, 12) of the fuel.   2. Pistol according to claim 1, characterized in that the support (7) further comprises passage openings (13) of the electrical conductors (14) connected to said at least one sensor.   3. Pistol according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said at least one sensor (8) is a thermistor.   4. Gun according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said support (7) is a cylindrical piece fitted and fixed inside the pipe (2).   5. Gun according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the gripping body (1) comprises a nozzle (15) for engaging in the filling port (3) of the reservoir and carrying means to lock it to said orifice (3).   6. Gun according to claim 5, characterized in that said locking means comprise radial lugs (16, 17) adapted to cooperate by rotating a quarter of a turn with complementary means provided on said orifice (3) or on a adapter attached to said port (3).   7. Pistol according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer surface of said pipe (2) is substantially smooth.