Grounding system and detection circuit for fueling

A grounding system and detection circuit for use in grounding an object such as an aircraft, vessel, or vehicle during a transfer of a fluid to or from a reservoir associated with said object by a fuel dispensing system, and further for use in identifying a predetermined grounding configuration for said object prior to or during said transfer, said reservoir having a fuel port, said fuel dispensing system including a fuel hose having a spout which communicates with said fuel port of said reservoir, said grounding system and detection circuit comprising:

• a power supply capable of producing a current;
• a ground contact, said ground contact being electrically connected to said power supply;
• a channel means electrically connected to and disposed between said power supply and said ground contact and being capable of responsively permitting said current to flow through said channel means;
• a gate means electrically connected to and associated with said channel means for controlling the flow of said current through said channel means in response to a stimulus;
• a first grounding means, said first grounding means being electrically connected to said power supply and to said ground contact;
• a second grounding means, said second ground means being electrically connected to said power supply and to said ground contact;
• and
• a relay means, said relay means being electrically connected to said channel means and being responsively actuated by said current flowing through said channel means,
• whereby the first grounding means and the second grounding means are connected to the object in the predetermined grounding configuration such that the stimulus is provided through the first grounding means and the second grounding means and the object to the gate means when said predetermined grounding configuration is attained, one of the first grounding means or the second grounding means being electrically connected to the object through at least one of the fuel port, fuel hose, or spout, the gate means thereby permitting the current to flow through the channel means to actuate the relay means in response to the stimulus, the relay means thereby controlling activation or deactivation of an external circuit electrically connected to the relay means.

In a fuel dispensing system for transferring a fuel to a reservoir associated with an aircraft, vessel, or vehicle and grounding said aircraft, vessel, or vehicle to a ground contact, said aircraft, vessel, or vehicle having a body, fuselage, or frame member, said reservoir having a fuel port, said fuel dispensing system including a valve means and a fuel hose having a spout which communicates with said fuel port of said reservoir, the improvement comprising:

• a primary grounding means, said primary grounding means being electrically connected to the ground contact and selectively and conductively connected to the body, fuselage, or frame member of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle;
• a default grounding means, said default grounding means being electrically connected to the ground contact and to at least one of the fuel hose, the spout, the fuel port or a combination thereof such that said default grounding means is conductively connected to said primary grounding mean through the body, fuselage, or frame member of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle;
• a power supply capable of producing a current, said power supply being electrically connected to at least one of said primary grounding means or said default grounding means;
• a relay means electrically connected to said power supply and to the valve means of the fuel dispensing system;
• and
• an electronic gate means electrically connected to and between said power supply and said relay means, said electronic gate means further being electrically connected to said default grounding means or said primary grounding means or both, said electronic gate means being capable of permitting said current to flow from said power supply through said electronic gate means to said relay means in response to a stimulus conducted between the primary ground means and the default ground means through at least a portion of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle,
• wherein the primary grounding means is selectively and conductively connected to at least one of the body, fuselage, or frame member of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle and the default grounding means is selectively and conductively connected to at least one of the fuel hose, spout, fuel port, or reservoir such that said default grounding means is electrically and conductively connected to said one of the body, fuselage, or frame member to which the primary grounding means is connected, the stimulus provided through the primary grounding means and the default grounding means thereby actuating the electronic gate means when the predetermined grounding configuration is attained, the electronic gate means permitting the current to flow therethrough and activate the relay means in response to the stimulus to responsively actuate or deactuate the valve means.

In a fuel dispensing system for transferring a fuel to a reservoir associated with an aircraft, vessel, or vehicle and grounding said aircraft, vessel, or vehicle to a ground contact, said aircraft, vessel, or vehicle having a body, fuselage, or frame member, said reservoir having a fuel port, said fuel dispensing system including a fuel hose having a spout which may communicate with said fuel port of said reservoir, the improvement comprising:

• a primary grounding means, said primary grounding means being electrically connected to the ground contact and selectively and conductively connected to the body, fuselage, or frame member of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle;
• a default grounding means, said default grounding means being electrically connected to the ground contact and to at least one of the fuel hose, the spout, the fuel port or a combination thereof such that said default grounding means is conductively connected to said primary grounding means through the body, fuselage, or frame member of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle;
• a detection means electrically connected to said default grounding means or said primary grounding means or both, said detection means being capable of producing a stimulus through said default grounding means or said primary grounding means or both responsive to the predetermined grounding configuration being attained, said stimulus being conducted between the primary ground means and the default ground means through at least a portion of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle;
• a control means capable of controlling a current flow therethrough in response to the stimulus from the detection means;
• and
• an external circuit which is respectively activated or deactivated in response to said current flow,
• whereby the primary grounding means is selectively and conductively connected to at least one of the body, fuselage, or frame member of the aircraft, vessel, or vehicle and the default grounding means is conductively connected to at least one of the fuel hose, spout, fuel port, or reservoir such that said default grounding means is electrically and conductively connected to said one of the body, fuselage, or frame member to which the primary grounding means is connected such that the stimulus is provided through the primary grounding means and the default grounding means to actuate the control means when the predetermined grounding configuration is attained, the control means further activating or deactivating the external circuit.