# US 12,111,017 B2 · Filling module and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,017 B2 - Document ID: US12111017B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/191,079 - Filed: 2023-03-28 - Published: 2023-10-26 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-21 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Shota Yamamoto; Toshiyuki Tonuma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111017B2 ## CPC - F17C 5/007: {for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles (filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00)} - B67D 7/04: for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants - B67D 2007/0444: {Sensors} - F17C 2205/037: Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings - F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen - F17C 2221/033: Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG - F17C 2221/035: Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL - F17C 2265/065: for refuelling vehicle fuel tanks - F17C 2270/0178: Cars - F17C 2270/0184: Fuel cells - Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The filling module includes: a first receptacle to be coupled to a first filling nozzle on a gas station side; a second receptacle to be coupled to a second filling nozzle on the gas station side; a first transmitter to transmit infrared rays to a first receiver disposed on an end portion of the first filling nozzle, the first transmitter being provided near the first receptacle; a second transmitter to transmit infrared rays to a second receiver disposed on an end portion of the second filling nozzle, the second transmitter being provided near the second receptacle; and first and second screen portions that project toward the gas station, the first and second screen portions being provided between the first transmitter and the second transmitter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A filling module for filling a tank with fuel gas, comprising: a first receptacle configured to be coupled to a first filling nozzle disposed on a gas station side; a second receptacle configured to be coupled to a second filling nozzle disposed on the gas station side, the second receptacle being adjacent to the first receptacle; a first transmitter configured to transmit infrared rays to a first receiver disposed on an end portion of the first filling nozzle, the first transmitter being provided near the first receptacle; a second transmitter configured to transmit infrared rays to a second receiver disposed on an end portion of the second filling nozzle, the second transmitter being provided near the second receptacle; and a screen portion that projects toward the gas station, the screen portion being provided between the first transmitter and the second transmitter, wherein in the projection direction of the screen portion, an end of the screen portion projects farther than an end of at least one of the first transmitter or the second transmitter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The filling module according to claim 1, wherein in the projection direction of the screen portion, the end of the screen portion projects farther than a straight line connecting the end of the first transmitter and the second receiver of the second filling nozzle in a state of being coupled to the second receptacle or a straight line connecting the end of the second transmitter and the first receiver of the first filling nozzle in a state of being coupled to the first receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The filling module according to claim 1, wherein: the screen portion includes a first screen portion located relatively close to the first receptacle and a second screen portion located relatively close to the second receptacle, and when the first filling nozzle and the second filling nozzle are each formed in a cylindrical shape having a filling passage at the center of the first filling nozzle and the center of the second filling nozzle, a side surface of the first screen portion facing the first receptacle has an arc shape following the shape of the first filling nozzle and a side surface of the second screen portion facing the second receptacle has an arc shape following the shape of the second filling nozzle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The filling module according to claim 3, further comprising a first cap detachably attached to the first receptacle and a second cap detachably attached to the second receptacle, wherein the closest distance between the first screen portion and the second screen portion is smaller than an outside diameter of the first cap and an outside diameter of the second cap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The filling module according to claim 3, wherein the side surface having an arc shape of the first screen portion facing the first receptacle and the side surface having an arc shape of the second screen portion facing the second receptacle are each covered with resin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The filling module according to claim 1, wherein: the screen portion includes one screen portion, and when the first filling nozzle and the second filling nozzle are each formed in a cylindrical shape having a filling passage at the center of the first filling nozzle and the center of the second filling nozzle, a side surface of the screen portion facing the first receptacle has an arc shape following the shape of the first filling nozzle and a side surface of the screen portion facing the second receptacle has an arc shape following the shape of the second filling nozzle. ### Claim 7 A filling module for filling a tank with fuel gas, comprising: a first receptacle configured to be coupled to a first filling nozzle disposed on a gas station side; a second receptacle configured to be coupled to a second filling nozzle disposed on the gas station side, the second receptacle being adjacent to the first receptacle; a first receiver configured to receive infrared rays transmitted by a first transmitter disposed on an end portion of the first filling nozzle, the first receiver being provided near the first receptacle; a second receiver configured to receive infrared rays transmitted by a second transmitter disposed on an end portion of the second filling nozzle, the second receiver being provided near the second receptacle; and a screen portion that projects toward the gas station, the screen portion being provided between the first receiver and the second receiver, wherein in the projection direction of the screen portion, an end of the screen portion projects farther than an end of at least one of the first receiver or the second receiver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising the filling module according to claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A vehicle comprising the filling module according to claim 7.