Systems and methods for filling a vehicle component with fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469263-B2
Application number	US-201414453098-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2014
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A fluid fill system includes a fill nozzle having a head configured to be received in a reservoir of a vehicle component for filling the reservoir with a fluid and a fluid fill sensor system having an air hose coupled to the head. The fluid fill sensor system has a pressure sensor pneumatically sensing when the fill nozzle is properly seated with the vehicle component by sensing an increase in a pressure of the fluid fill sensor system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid fill system comprising:
a fill nozzle having a head and a collar movably coupled to the head, the head including an aperture and configured to be received in a reservoir of a vehicle component for filling the reservoir with a fluid, wherein the collar is selectively positionable in alignment with the aperture; and
a fluid fill sensor system having an air hose coupled to the head and in fluid communication with the aperture, the fluid fill sensor system having a pressure sensor pneumatically sensing when the fill nozzle is properly seated with the vehicle component by sensing an increase in a pressure of the fluid fill sensor system when the collar is aligned with the aperture.

2. The fluid fill system of claim 1 , wherein the collar at least partially blocks airflow from the fluid fill sensor system when the fill nozzle is properly seated with the vehicle component.

3. The fluid fill system of claim 2 , wherein the collar is slidably coupled to the head and slides relative to the head between a blocking position and an unblocking position, the collar blocking the airflow in the blocking position, the collar not blocking the airflow in the unblocking position.

4. The fluid fill system of claim 2 , wherein the collar is automatically moved to the blocking position by the vehicle component as the fill nozzle is seated with the vehicle component.

5. The fluid fill system of claim 2 , wherein the collar at least partially blocks the aperture to increase the pressure in the fluid fill sensor system when the fill nozzle is properly seated with the vehicle component.

6. The fluid fill system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure in the fluid fill sensor system increases when the aperture is blocked and the fill nozzle is properly seated with the vehicle component.

7. The fluid fill system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid fill sensor system causes a fluid filling operation from the fill nozzle to cease when the pressure sensor senses a pressure drop.

8. A fluid fill system comprising:
a fill nozzle having a head configured to be received in a reservoir of a vehicle component, the head being positionable in a seated position in the vehicle component in which fluid is capable of being dispensed into the reservoir, the head being positionable in an unseated position relative to the vehicle component in which fluid is unable to be dispensed into the reservoir, the head having an aperture positioned exterior of the vehicle component;
a fluid fill sensor system configured to sense when the head is in the seated position and when the head is in the unseated position, the fluid fill sensor system having an air hose coupled to the head and in fluid communication with the aperture; and
a collar movably coupled to the fill nozzle, the collar being movable between a blocking position and an unblocking position, in the blocking position, the collar is aligned with the aperture and blocks airflow through the aperture, in the unblocking position, the collar is not aligned with the aperture and air is able to flow through the aperture, the collar being moved to the blocking position when the fill nozzle is in the seated position, the collar being moved to the unblocking position when the fill nozzle is in the unseated position.

9. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the collar slides along the head between the blocking position and the unblocking position.

10. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the collar circumferentially surrounds the head.

11. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the collar includes an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower edge being configured to engage the vehicle component as the head is received in the reservoir of the vehicle component.

12. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the collar is pushed upward relative to the head as the head is lowered into the reservoir.

13. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein, in the blocking position, a pressure of the air in the fluid fill sensor system increases.

14. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid fill sensor system senses a pressure of the air in the fluid fill sensor system, the air having a baseline pressure when the air is able to freely flow out of the aperture, the pressure of the air in the fluid fill sensor system increasing when the airflow through the aperture is blocked.

15. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid fill sensor system senses a pressure of the air in the fluid fill sensor system, the fluid fill sensor system causing a fluid filling operation from the fill nozzle to cease when a pressure drop is sensed.

16. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid fill sensor system includes a pneumatic sensor sensing a pressure of the airflow in the fluid fill sensor system, the pneumatic sensor sensing an increase in pressure of the airflow in the fluid fill sensor system when the collar is moved to the blocking position.

17. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , further comprising a control panel operably coupled to the fill nozzle to control dispensing of the fluid from the fill nozzle, the fluid fill sensing system being operably coupled to the control panel, wherein the control panel allows fluid flow from the fill nozzle when the collar is in the blocking position and the control panel restricts fluid flow from the fill nozzle when the collar is in the unblocking position.

18. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the head includes an airflow passage between the air hose and the aperture.

19. The fluid fill system of claim 8 , wherein the head includes a seal proximate to a tip of the head, the tip of the head being received in the reservoir of the vehicle component, the seal being configured to seal against the vehicle component when the head is positioned in the seated position.

20. A method of filling fluid in a vehicle component, the method comprising:
providing a fill nozzle including a head and a collar movably coupled to the head, the head having an aperture, the collar selectively positionable in alignment with the aperture;
coupling an air hose of a fluid fill sensor system to the head such that the air hose is in fluid communication with the aperture, wherein the collar is movable between a blocking position and an unblocking position, in the blocking position, the collar is aligned with the aperture and blocks airflow through the aperture, in the unblocking position, the collar is not aligned with the aperture and air is able to flow through the aperture, the collar being moved to the blocking position when the fill nozzle is in a seated position, the collar being moved to the unblocking position when the fill nozzle is in an unseated position;
determining a baseline pressure of the fluid fill sensor system;
determining an operational pressure of the fluid fill sensor system; and
beginning a filling operation after the operational pressure increases from the baseline pressure.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising determining an operational pressure of the fluid fill sensor system during the fluid filling operation and ceasing the filling operation after the operational pressure decreases.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
moving the collar to the blocking position relative to the aperture, wherein the operational pressure of the air in the fluid fill sensor system increases when the collar is in the blocking position.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Macarthur Benjamin
• Winning David Robert

Classifications

• B67D7/42

  Filling nozzles · CPC title

• B60R17/00 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of lubricating systems or devices (lubricating in general F16N) · CPC title