Fueling vehicle and method
AssigneeTransportation IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsChristopher Joseph Homison, Gregory Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system including a first interface device couplable to a first vehicle. The first interface device may include a first fuel conduit portion. Additionally, the system includes a second interface device couplable to a second vehicle. The second interface device may include a second fuel conduit portion. The first conduit portion and the second fuel conduit portion may be fluidically coupled to define a continuous fuel conduit from the first vehicle to the second vehicle. The continuous fuel conduit can be configured to elastically deform to maintain fluid communication during operation of the first vehicle and the second vehicle while transferring fuel from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a first interface device couplable to a first vehicle, the first interface device comprising a first fuel conduit portion;
- and
- a second interface device couplable to a second vehicle, the second interface device comprising a second fuel conduit portion, the first fuel conduit portion and the second fuel conduit portion are fluidically coupled to define a continuous fuel conduit from the first vehicle to the second vehicle, the continuous fuel conduit is configured to dynamically move or deform to maintain fluid communication during operation of the first vehicle and the second vehicle while transferring fuel from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.
A system, comprising:
- a first interface plate couplable to a first vehicle, the first interface plate comprising:
- a moveable arm,
- a first connector, and
- a first alignment feature;
- a second interface plate couplable to a second vehicle, the second interface plate comprising:
- a second connector configured to matingly engage the first connector,
- a second alignment feature configured to receive the first alignment feature,
- the moveable arm is actuatable to matingly engage the first connector to the second connector;
- wherein the first interface plate is extendable toward the second interface plate to matingly engage the first interface plate to the second interface plate, the mating engagement of the first connector and the second connector defines a fuel conduit, the fuel conduit responsive to relative motion of the first vehicle and the second vehicle while transferring fuel therebetween to maintain a flow of the fuel.
A method, comprising:
- directing a first vehicle with a first interface device and a second vehicle with a second interface device to approach each other;
- determining a distance between the first interface device and the second interface device;
- and
- sealing the first interface device to the second interface device in response to the determined distance being less than a threshold distance to define a fluidic connection between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.