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US 6,418,985 B2Granted
System and methods for delivering fuel and for aligning elements of a fuel delivery system
OwnerFreddie S. Aguilarinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for delivering fuel comprising a receiver coupled in liquid communication with a fuel tank of a vehicle, a nozzle coupled in liquid communication with a fuel source and interactive alignment structure for mating the nozzle with receiver in response to movement of the receiver and the nozzle.
Claims18
An alignment system, comprising:
- a receiver coupled in liquid communication with a receptacle, the receiver defining X, Y and Z axes;
- a nozzle coupled in liquid communication with a fuel source, the nozzle defining X′, Y′ and Z′ axes;
- and
- interactive alignment structure for guiding alignment of the Z and Z′ axes in response to movement of the receiver along the X axis and the nozzle along the Y′ axis, the interactive alignment structure comprising:
- an emitter carried by one of the receiver the nozzle for emitting a stimulus, and
- sensor apparatus carried adjacent the other one of the receiver and the nozzle for receiving the stimulus, the sensor apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Y and Y′ axes and the Z and Z′ axes in a common two-dimensional plane in response to movement of the receiver along the X axis, and
- a second sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Z and Z′ axes in response to movement of the nozzle along the Y′ axis.
5 more elements
A system for delivering fuel, comprising:
- a receiver coupled in liquid communication with a fuel tank of a vehicle, the receiver defining X, Y and Z axes;
- a nozzle coupled in liquid communication with a fuel source, the nozzle defining X′, Y′ and Z′ axes;
- and
- interactive alignment structure for aligning the Z and Z′ axes and mating the nozzle with the receiver for fuel delivery in response to movement of the receiver along the X-axis and the nozzle along the Y′ and Z′ axes, the interactive alignment structure comprising:
- an emitter carried by one of the receiver and the nozzle for emitting a stimulus, and
- sensor apparatus carried adjacent the other one of the receiver and the nozzle for receiving the stimulus, the sensor apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Y and Y′ axes and the Z and Z′ axes in a common two-dimensional plane in response to movement of the receiver along the X axis, and
- a second sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Z and Z′ axes in response to movement of the nozzle along the Y′ axis.
5 more elements
A method of aligning elements of a fuel delivery system comprising the steps of:
- providing a receiver coupled in liquid communication with a receptacle, the receiver defining X, Y and Z axes;
- providing a nozzle coupled in liquid communication with a fuel source, the nozzle defining X′, Y′ and Z′ axes;
- providing interactive alignment structure responsive to movement of the receiver along the X axis for aligning the Y and Y′ axes and the Z and Z′ axes in a common two-dimensional plane, the interactive alignment structure comprising:
- an emitter carried by one of the receiver and the nozzle for emitting a stimulus, and
- sensor apparatus carried adjacent the other one of the receiver and the nozzle for receiving the stimulus, the sensor apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Y and Y′ axes and the Z and Z′ axes in a common two-dimensional plane in response to movement of the receiver along the X axis, and
- a second sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Z and Z′ axes in response to movement of the nozzle along the Y′ axis;
- and
- moving the receiver along the X axis.
6 more elements
A method of engaging a fuel source with a fuel tank in liquid communication comprising the step of:
- providing a receiver coupled in liquid communication with a fuel tank of a vehicle, the receiver defining X, Y and Z axes;
- providing a nozzle coupled in liquid communication with a fuel source, the nozzle defining X′, Y′ and Z′ axes;
- providing interactive alignment structure responsive to movement of the receiver along the X axis and the nozzle along the Y′ and Z′ for aligning the Z and Z′ axes and mating the nozzle with the receiver for fuel delivery, the interactive alignment structure comprising:
- an emitter carried by one of the receiver and the nozzle for emitting a stimulus, and
- sensor apparatus carried adjacent the other one of the receiver and the nozzle for receiving the stimulus, the sensor apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Y and Y′ axes and the Z and Z′ axes in a common two-dimensional plane in response to movement of the receiver along the X axis, and
- a second sensor for receiving the stimulus for indicating alignment of the Z and Z′ axes in response to movement of the nozzle along the Y′ axis;
- moving the receiver along the X axis;
- and
- moving the nozzle along the Y′ and Z′ axes.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.