US 4,978,029 AGranted

Multi-fuel dispenser with one nozzle per fueling position

AssigneeGilbarco Inc.

InventorsRoger W. Furrow, Harold R. Young

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Abstract

A dispenser for delivering different grades of gasoline through a single nozzle at each fueling position, includes a pair of hoses connected to the nozzle, one of which hoses is used for selectively delivering high octane gasoline, and the other of which hoses is for selectively delivering either low octane or mid octane gasoline through the nozzle, whereby a control system is programmed for monitoring the dispensing of low octane gasoline relative to the dispensing of mid octane gasoline, for injecting a sufficient quantity of high octane gasoline through the nozzle at the initiator of a mid octane dispensing cycle for compensating for low octane fuel remaining in the other hose from an immediately prior low octane dispensing cycle relative to a mid octane dispensing cycle.

Claims23

Dependent claims

In a multi-fuel dispenser with a single nozzle per fueling position, including a nozzle having an inlet port;

first and second hoses each having one end for discharging fuel into said inlet port;
low and mid octane flow-control valves each having an outlet port connected to the other end of said first hose, and an inlet port connected to low and mid octane fuel supplies, respectively;
and a high octane flow-control valve having an outlet port connected to the other end of said second hose, and an inlet port connected to a high octane fuel supply;
a method for compensating for residual low octane fuel filling said first hose at the initiation of a mid octane fuel dispensing cycle, comprising the steps of:
monitoring the dispensing of low octane fuel relative to mid octane fuel;
turning on for a relatively short pulse-like period of time said high octane flow-control valve during a mid octane fuel dispensing cycle that immediately follows a low octane fuel dispensing cycle, for partially compensating for the residual low octane fuel dispensed during the mid octane fuel dispensing cycle;
turning off said high octane flow-control valve;
turning on for a relatively short pulse-like period of time said mid octane flow control valve;
turning off said mid octane flow control valve;
repeating the previous four steps in an iterative manner until the residual low octane fuel is fully compensated;
and
turning on said mid octane flow control valve for a period of time necessary to complete the dispensing of a desired quantity of mid octane fuel.

9 more elements

In a multi-fuel dispenser including a nozzle having an inlet port;

first and second hoses each having one end for discharging fuel into said inlet port;
first and second flow control valves each having an outlet port connected to the other end of said first hose, and an inlet port connected to low and mid octane fuel supplies, respectively;
and a third flow control valve having an outlet port connected to the other end of said second hose, and an inlet port connected to a high octane fuel supply;
a method for selectively dispensing from said nozzle one of said low, mid and high octane fuels without detrimental mixing of said fuels as a result of an immediately prior dispensing from said nozzle of a different one of said fuels, said method comprising the steps of:
operating only said third flow control valve for dispensing high octane fuel;
operating only said first flow control valve for dispensing low octane fuel;
monitoring the dispensing of low octane fuel relative to mid octane fuel;
and
turning on said third flow control valve during a mid octane fuel dispensing cycle following a low octane fuel dispensing cycle, and leaving said third flow control valve turned on for a sufficient period of time for delivering enough high octane fuel through said nozzle to compensate for the low octane fuel remaining in said first hose at the initiation of the mid octane fuel dispensing cycle.

6 more elements

In a multi-fuel dispenser having a single nozzle per fueling position, including a nozzle having an inlet port;

first and second hoses each having one end for discharging fuel into said inlet port;
first and second flow-control valves each having an outlet port connected to the other end of said first hose, and an inlet port connected to low and mid octane fuel supplies, respectively;
and a third flow-control valve having an outlet port connected to the other end of said second hose, and an inlet port connected to a high octane fuel supply;
a method for compensating for residual low octane fuel filling said first hose at the initiation of a mid octane fuel dispensing cycle, comprising the steps of:
monitoring the dispensing of low octane fuel relative to mid octane fuel;
and
turning on said third flow control valve during a mid octane fuel dispensing cycle that immediately follows a low octane fuel dispensing cycle for a period of time to deliver sufficient high octane fuel to compensate for the residual low octane fuel dispensed during the mid octane fuel dispensing cycle.

4 more elements

A multi-fuel dispenser with a single nozzle per fueling position, comprising:

low octane, mid octane, and high octane individual pressurized sources of gasoline;
a nozzle having an inlet port;
first and second hoses each having one end for discharging gasoline into said inlet port of said nozzle;
a first flow control valve connected between said low octane source of gasoline and the other end of said first hose;
a second flow control valve connected between said mid octane source of gasoline and the other end of said first hose;
a third flow control valve connected between said high octane source of gasoline and the other end of said second hose;
and
controller means programmed for (1) turning on only said third flow-control valve whenever high octane fuel is to be delivered from said nozzle, (2) turning on only said first flow control valve whenever low octane fuel is to be delivered from said nozzle, and (3) whenever mid octane fuel is to be delivered from said nozzle, in a first mode of operation only turning on said second flow control valve whenever the last delivery of fuel through said first hose was mid octane fuel, and in a second mode of operation subsequent to delivery of low octane fuel through said first hose, turning on said second flow-control valve, and turning on said third flow-control valve only for a period of time sufficient to mix in enough high octane gasoline for compensating for said first hose full of low octane gasoline.

5 more elements

A multi-fuel dispenser with a single nozzle per fueling position, comprising:

a nozzle for selectively dispensing fuels, said nozzle having an inlet port for connection to at least one hose;
a first hose having one end for discharging fuel into said inlet port, and another end for receiving at different times either a mid octane fuel or a low octane fuel under pressure, for dispensing from said nozzle;
a second hose having one end for discharging fuel into said inlet port, and another end for receiving high octane fuel under pressure for injection substantially at said nozzle;
and
supply means connected to said another ends of said first and second hoses, for selectively supplying to said nozzle at least low octane fuel during a low octane dispensing cycle, high octane fuel during a high octane dispensing cycle, and mid octane fuel during a mid octane dispensing cycle, plus an initial amount of any fuel remaining in said first hose from a last low or mid dispensing cycle through that hose, said supply means further including compensating means for injecting via said second hose, a sufficient quantity of high octane fuel into said nozzle at the initiation of a mid octane fuel dispensing cycle subsequent to a low octane fuel dispensing cycle, for mixing with the latter to insure that the total quantity of fuel dispensed has at least a mid octane fuel rating, thereby compensating for the residual quantity of low octane fuel remaining in said first hose.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.