U.S. patent application number 12/156486 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-13 for tank-refilling pump arrangements.
Invention is credited to Lee Bishop, Steve Cox, Chas Millard, David Trimby, Ian Worswick.
Application Number | 20080277018 12/156486 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35735854 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080277018 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Worswick; Ian ; et
al. |
November 13, 2008 |
Tank-refilling pump arrangements
Abstract
A refilling pump arrangement comprises a refilling hose (1), and
a pump (2) mounted at the free end of the hose which takes in
fluid. This hose and pump arrangement can be stored anywhere,
either on or off a vehicle or other machine that receives fluid,
and when stored on the machine the hose and pump can be stored in
an area that does not need to be adjacent the liquid tank. This
enables space savings for the parts of the vehicle which have the
most critical space demands.
Inventors: |
Worswick; Ian; (Potton,
GB) ; Trimby; David; (Royston, GB) ; Millard;
Chas; (Wrestlingsworth, GB) ; Cox; Steve;
(Coventry, GB) ; Bishop; Lee; (Hoddesdon,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEON D. ROSEN;FREILICH, HORNBAKER & ROSEN
Suite 1220, 10960 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles
CA
90024
US
|
Family ID: |
35735854 |
Appl. No.: |
12/156486 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/GB2006/004535 |
Dec 5, 2006 |
|
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12156486 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
141/1 ; 141/231;
141/34; 417/410.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 13/086 20130101;
B67D 7/68 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/1 ; 141/231;
141/34; 417/410.1 |
International
Class: |
B65B 1/14 20060101
B65B001/14; F04B 35/04 20060101 F04B035/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 9, 2005 |
GB |
GB 0525134.3 |
Apr 20, 2006 |
GB |
GB 0607849.7 |
Claims
1. A method for supplying fluid to a first machine that has a fluid
storage tank, comprising: transporting fluid by storing fluid in a
mobile container while transporting said mobile container by
movement of a vehicle to a mobile fluid location adjacent to said
first machine; moving a second end of a hose on which a pump is
mounted, to and through an access opening in said mobile container
and into said fluid therein so said pump is immersed in said fluid
therein; with a first end of said hose connected to said first
machine storage tank, energizing an electric motor of said pump to
energize a pump element of said pump, to pump said fluid from said
mobile container through said hose to said fluid storage tank.
2. The method described in claim 1 wherein: supplying current at a
constant voltage to said electric motor, sensing the amount of
current flowing to said electric motor, and when the level of
current falls below a predetermined level ceasing to supply further
current to said motor.
3. A method of refilling a storage tank of a vehicle, comprising:
connecting a hose first end to a vehicle storage tank of the
vehicle and mounting a pump on a second end of the hose; immersing
the pump in a mobile reservoir of liquid; and controlling the pump
to pump liquid from the mobile reservoir to the vehicle storage
tank.
4. Apparatus for pumping liquid from a container to a vehicle
storage tank of a first vehicle, comprising: a hose having a hose
first end connected to said vehicle storage tank and having a hose
second end; a pump mounted on said hose second end, with the
combination of said hose second end and said pump thereon being
insertable into said container with said pump immersed in liquid in
said container to pump fluid from said container into said vehicle
storage tank.
5. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said hose has a
second end that is disconnectable and reconnectable to said vehicle
storage tank; said first vehicle has a storage area where said hose
and pump are stored when not in use; said container is a mobile
container and including a second vehicle for transporting said
mobile container to a location adjacent to said first vehicle.
6. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said container has
an upper end with an opening that is capable of passing a round 65
mm hose and pump into the container, and said pump is of
cylindrical shape and has a diameter that fits through a 65 mm
round opening.
7. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said pump comprises
a cylindrical housing, a cylindrical electric motor lying in said
housing and occupying a majority of the cross-section of the
housing, and a centrifugal pump element lying at an end of said
motor.
8. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said pump includes
an electric motor and a pump element that is driven by said
electric motor; and including a shut off switch connected to said
motor which shuts off power to the motor when the current drawn by
the motor is below a threshold level.
9. A pump arrangement for pumping liquid from a mobile reservoir to
a vehicle storage tank, comprising a hose having first and second
ends with said first end releasably coupled to the vehicle storage
tank; and a pump mounted on said second end of the hose, and
constructed to be temporarily immersed in the liquid of said mobile
reservoir.
10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said pump
comprises an electric motor and a centrifugal pump element
connected to the motor.
11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said pump
includes a cylindrical housing at an end of the hose and a pump
element contained within said housing; said housing having an outer
diameter of less than 65 mm.
12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: a
strainer and flow straightener positioned at the pump inlet.
13. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein: the pump
comprises a pump element and an electric motor, and electrical
wires extending through the inside of the hose.
14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said pump
includes a pump element, an electric motor connected to said pump
element, and a shut off device that shuts off power to the motor
when the current drawn by the motor is below a threshold level.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of PCT/GB2006/004535 filed 5
Dec., 2006, which claims priority from British patent applications
GB 0525134.3 filed 9 Dec., 2005 and GB 0607849.7 filed 20 Apr.,
2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to pump arrangements. Particularly,
but not exclusively, the invention relates to pump arrangements
used for the refueling of hydrocarbon fueled machinery that have
movement cost implications. Such machinery is typically refueled on
site from mobile storage vessels such as barrels or bowsers that
are carried by truck or other vehicle.
[0003] Examples of such machinery may include construction,
agricultural or industrial machinery. Off road vehicles such as
diggers, cranes, and other excavation vehicles are generally
refueled on site. These are typically, but not exclusively diesel
vehicles. Boats and other marine equipment also have refueling
mobility issues.
[0004] The need to take these vehicles to a filling station is an
inefficient use of the machinery resource. Instead, such vehicles
are typically refueled on site from a barrel, bowser or some other
such mobile or localized static containers.
[0005] To enable this refueling operation, the machinery is
typically provided with a pump which is mounted on the machinery,
usually in a toolbox. A flexible hose is stored in a tool
compartment, and this is coupled at one end to the pump inlet,
whereas the hose free end is placed in the mobile container. The
outlet to the pump may be permanently connected to the machinery's
fuel tank. The free end of the hose has a strainer, which is
immersed in the diesel fuel within the container.
[0006] For some machinery, space saving and weight is of vital
importance. For example, excavators that are designed for working
in confined spaces (in cities) are referred to as short radius or
zero swing machines. Boats designed for speed are weight
dependant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to the invention, there is provided a pump
arrangement for pumping liquid from a reservoir of liquid to a
vehicle storage tank, the pump arrangement comprising a hose having
a first end adapted to be releasably coupled to the vehicle storage
tank, and a pump mounted at the second end of the hose, the pump
being adapted to be temporarily immersed in the reservoir of
liquid.
[0008] This arrangement provides the pump for refueling or
refilling of another tank as part of the refueling/refilling hose.
This hose and pump assembly can be stored anywhere, either on or
off a vehicle, and when stored on the vehicle, it can be stored in
an area that does not need to be adjacent the fuel/water tank. This
enables space savings for the parts of the vehicle which have the
most critical space demands.
[0009] The pump may comprise a centrifugal pump, which is a well
known reliable pump which can be made with no elastomeric moving
parts, and is particularly suitable for the transfer of hydrocarbon
fuels due to its safe dry running capability.
[0010] The pump is powered by a fully submersible electric motor
which may be cooled directly from the fluid being pumped.
[0011] The pump is preferably fitted within a primarily cylindrical
housing at the end of the hose, and this is sized to fit into the
opening in a standard fuel barrel. For example, the housing can
have an outer diameter preferably less than 60 mm, and particularly
less than a 2 inch (50 mm) BSP (British Standard Pipe) female
thread.
[0012] A strainer can be provided at the pump inlet. A flow
straightener can also be provided at the pump inlet and these two
may be combined. The pump preferably comprises an electric motor,
and electrical supply wires are provided through the inside of the
hose which protects them from rough handling and abuse. A non
return valve can be provided at the pump outlet. To aid priming, a
valve can be incorporated into the pump to allow air to be expelled
from inside the pump before use, but to restrict fluid loss during
pump operation.
[0013] The pump and hose may be de-coupled (including electrical
connections) to aid serviceability.
[0014] A shut off device can be provided for shutting off power to
the pump based on the pump drive conditions. For example, the pump
can comprise an electric motor, and the shut off device shuts off
power to the pump when the current drawn by the pump motor is below
a threshold level. This can be used to detect when the pump is
running dry, or if there is a blockage in the hose.
[0015] The invention also provides a vehicle having a pump
arrangement of the invention. The vehicle may comprise a fuel tank
with the pump separate or attached to it.
[0016] The invention also provides a method of refilling a storage
tank of a vehicle, comprising: [0017] coupling a pump arrangement
to the tank, the pump arrangement comprising a hose having one end
adapted to be coupled to the vehicle storage tank, and a pump
mounted at the other, free end of the hose, immersing the pump in a
reservoir of liquid; and controlling the pump to provide
refilling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] An example of the invention will now be described in detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a pump arrangement of the invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a vehicle and a mobile tank to which the
invention can be applied;
[0021] FIG. 3 shows how the cable arrangement is installed into the
hose; and
[0022] FIG. 4 shows a modification to the pump arrangement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] A first example of the invention relates to machinery such
as vehicles, which are refuelled remotely from a fixed refuelling
centre, typically using fuel stored in barrels, bowsers (pumps for
dispensing fuel) or other containers driven to the site of the
machinery. The machinery may have a tank that holds 1000 liters
(250 gallons) of diesel fuel.
[0024] Conventionally, a pump is mounted near the fuel tank of the
machinery which is to be filled and connected via a hose. A hose is
connected to the pump and leads to the external fuel container for
refueling purposes.
[0025] A first example of the invention provides a refueling pump
arrangement 30 (FIG. 2) comprising a refueling hose 1 connected to
or inserted into the machinery fuel storage tank 13, and a pump 2
mounted at the free end of the hose. The refueling pump 2 may be
stored in the machinery cab C and the hose is typically stored in a
tool kit, either on or off the vehicle, when not in use. When
stored on the vehicle, the hose can be stored in an area 34 that
does not need to be adjacent to the fuel tank.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a pump arrangement 30 that includes a hose 1
for submersion into a mobile container such as a fuel barrel 12. In
most cases the mobile container 12 is transported to a mobile fluid
location adjacent to the machine M by a vehicle indicated at V. The
pump arrangement also includes a pump 2 at the end of the hose. The
pump 2 lies in a primarily cylindrical housing 6 which houses an
electric motor 3, a pump element 4 such as centrifugal vanes and a
non-return valve 5.
[0027] A filter can also be incorporated into the pump. A flow
straightener can also be added to the pump inlet 7, and these two
items can be combined. An air check valve can also be incorporated
into the pump above the pump element or set 4.
[0028] The pump element 4 comprises a centrifugal element for a
centrifugal pump, which is a well known pump suitable for fuel
pumping.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows one example of the type of machinery which may
use the pump arrangement of the invention, and shows excavation
machinery M.
[0030] The pump housing 6 is designed to fit into the opening 36 in
a standard fuel barrel 12. For example, the housing can have an
outer diameter of 60 mm.
[0031] A control panel 10 is used to control the refueling
operation, once the refueling pump arrangement has been connected
to the inlet 22 of the fuel tank 13. This connection provides both
fluid and electrical connection of the refueling pump arrangement
to the fuel tank and control panel 10. The pump housing 2 is
submerged in fuel 11 in the barrel 12.
[0032] The control panel 10 can provide automated control of the
pump to provide the required delivery flow rates and to cease
operation of the pump when the tank 13 is full or when the
container 12 is empty.
[0033] The refueling pump arrangement, including the hose and pump
can be stored as part of the tool kit of the vehicle, and this can
be stored anywhere on or off the vehicle.
[0034] FIG. 3 shows how the electricity supply cables 14 can be
provided to the pump through the hose 1, although it may instead
run attached to an outer wall of the hose.
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a system with an additional safety shut off
device 20 that is added to the automated control mentioned above,
and which controls the power supply to the pump 2. This device can
be used to prevent the pump running when the pump is not immersed
in fluid, for example because all fluid has been pumped or the pump
has not been inserted deeply enough into the tank 12. This prevents
overheating and can also save energy.
[0036] In the case of a centrifugal pump, the load on the pump is
directly related to the material being pumped. As a result, the
current drawn by the pump motor can be measured and used as an
indicator of whether the pump is immersed in liquid or if it is in
a gas (e.g. air).
[0037] By way of example, the motor may draw 8 to 9 Amps when
pumping liquid, but draw 4 Amps when in air.
[0038] In this example, a current flow of 5 Amps or less provides
an indication that the pump is running dry, there are air bubbles
in the pump, or there is no flow because the hose is blocked. By
switching off the pump in these circumstances, there is an energy
saving, overheating is prevented and the lifetime of the pump may
be prolonged.
[0039] A further switch 22 can be installed in the tank 13 to be
filled, to provide an indication that the tank 13 is full to switch
off the pump. This can be in the form of a normally closed float
switch.
[0040] The user control panel (10 of FIG. 2) forms part of the
safety device 20 of FIG. 4, and can simply comprise an on and an
off button 24, 26, as shown schematically in FIG. 4. The pump can
only be turned on when there is sufficient current, and current
overload can be protected by a fuse.
[0041] The safety device will switch off whenever the tank being
filled is full or the tank being emptied is empty. The manual off
switch provides an extra user controlled shut off capability.
[0042] Only one type of machinery has been shown, but as outlined
above, the invention can be applied to many different types of
machinery, especially vehicles, where space or weight saving is an
issue, so that the freedom to detach the pump arrangement and
choose where storage should be will provide advantage.
[0043] In the example above, the pump arrangement is for refueling,
but the same arrangement may be used for pumping other liquids. For
example, the pump arrangement can be used to pump water from a
stream/creek to a water storage tank. This may be of interest for
many different types of agricultural machinery such as
vehicles.
[0044] The arrangement of the invention provides the pump at the
free end of the hose, namely as a portable fitting which is
immersed in the liquid to be pumped on site.
[0045] There are various possible pump designs that can be used,
for example the centrifugal pump mentioned above, sliding vane
pumps or others.
[0046] Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in
the art.
[0047] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that
modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in
the art, and consequently, it is intended that the claims be
interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.
* * * * *