An electronic smart refueling gun

Abstract

This invention provides an electronic intelligent fuel dispenser, comprising: a status detection module for real-time detection of the fuel dispenser's attitude to generate an attitude sensing result and perform anti-drip control according to attitude control commands; a fuel dispensing control module for detecting the liquid level in the injected container during the fuel dispensing process to generate a liquid level detection result and perform fuel dispensing control according to fuel dispensing control commands; and a control module for generating attitude control commands based on the attitude sensing result and fuel dispensing control commands based on the liquid level detection result. The electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention uses a liquid level sensor to detect the liquid level in the injected container. Compared to traditional mechanical fuel dispensers, this invention provides more accurate liquid level detection results, effectively reducing false liquid level alarms and start-up errors, and increasing fuel dispensing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refueling equipment technology, and more specifically, to an electronic intelligent refueling nozzle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the economy and society, the level of intelligence is increasing. As a window for sales enterprises to the public, gas stations need to strengthen their intelligent construction and improve their risk management capabilities. In recent years, with the implementation of online monitoring systems at gas stations, significant results have been achieved in environmental management, and fault alarms have been implemented in areas such as refueling status monitoring, thus increasing the level of safety.

[0003] The refueling system mainly includes fuel dispensers, fuel lines, and fuel nozzles. The data obtained by the gas station's online monitoring system comes from feedback from the fuel dispensers and cannot directly obtain real-time operating data of the fuel nozzles. Traditional fuel nozzles are mechanical, utilizing the Venturi effect to control the nozzle's activation. After prolonged operation, wear and tear on the mechanical components of traditional fuel nozzles can cause abnormal fuel vapor flow, potentially leading to serious safety accidents. Therefore, gas stations typically replace traditional mechanical fuel nozzles periodically, but abnormal operating conditions are still unavoidable.

[0004] For the status detection of fuel nozzles, the existing technology adds a monitoring module to the traditional fuel nozzle. However, the mechanical structure of the fuel nozzle is complex and compact. After adding the monitoring module, the fuel nozzle becomes bulky, which is not conducive to the operation of the fuel station staff. On the other hand, the increased size makes it difficult to adapt to the fuel dispenser.

[0005] To address the problems of existing technologies, this invention provides an electronic intelligent fuel dispenser. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention provides an electronic intelligent fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser comprising:

[0007] The status detection module is used to detect the attitude of the refueling nozzle in real time, generate attitude sensing results, and perform anti-drip control according to attitude control commands.

[0008] The refueling control module is used to detect the liquid level in the container being injected during the refueling process, generate a liquid level detection result, and perform refueling control according to the refueling control command.

[0009] The control module generates the attitude control command based on the attitude sensing result and the refueling control command based on the liquid level detection result.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the state detection module includes: an attitude sensing unit disposed on the refueling nozzle body, used to sense in real time the angle between the extension direction of the refueling nozzle nozzle and the horizontal plane, so as to generate the attitude sensing result.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the state detection module includes an anti-drip unit disposed in the refueling pipeline, which is used to open or close according to the attitude control command, wherein when the anti-drip unit is open, the refueling nozzle has anti-drip capability, and when the anti-drip unit is closed, the refueling nozzle does not have anti-drip capability.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the anti-drip unit includes: a self-clogging head and an annular anti-drip electromagnetic structure, wherein the self-clogging head is a T-shaped structure and is disposed on the refueling pipeline, and the anti-drip unit is in an open or closed state when the annular anti-drip electromagnetic structure is attracted to or moves away from the self-clogging head.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the refueling control module includes: a liquid level detection unit disposed at the nozzle of the refueling gun, used to detect whether the liquid level of the injected container is in contact with the liquid level detection unit during the refueling process, so as to generate the liquid level detection result.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid level detection unit includes one or two liquid level sensors disposed on the outer wall of the fuel nozzle, wherein the liquid level sensors are photoelectric liquid level sensors or radar sensors.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the refueling control module includes: a refueling controller disposed in the refueling pipeline, used to open or close according to the refueling control command, wherein when the refueling controller is opened, the refueling pipeline is opened, and when the refueling controller is closed, the refueling pipeline is closed.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the refueling controller includes: a refueling electromagnetic structure and a sealing plug, wherein the refueling electromagnetic structure is disposed outside the refueling pipeline, and the refueling controller is in an on or off state when the sealing plug is attracted to or away from the refueling electromagnetic structure.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control module includes:

[0018] The status judgment unit determines whether to take anti-drip measures based on a preset angle and the angle between the extension direction of the refueling nozzle and the horizontal plane, so as to generate the attitude control command.

[0019] The refueling determination unit determines whether to end the refueling process based on the liquid level detection result, the status of the refueling machine, and the refueling flow rate, and generates the refueling control command accordingly.

[0020] The communication unit communicates with the fuel dispenser, the status detection module, and the fuel control module.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the refueling nozzle comprises:

[0022] A positioning module is installed on the fuel nozzle body and is used to position the fuel nozzle.

[0023] The battery, which is located in the fuel nozzle body, meets the waterproof and explosion-proof standards and is used to receive wireless charging energy when the fuel nozzle is idle.

[0024] The flow control module is installed inside the refueling pipeline and is used to statistically analyze the refueling status and flow rate.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refueling status detection method based on an electronic intelligent refueling nozzle is also provided, which is executed by a refueling nozzle as described in any of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following steps:

[0026] The state detection module detects the attitude of the refueling nozzle in real time to generate the attitude sensing result, and performs anti-drip control according to the attitude control command.

[0027] During the refueling process, the refueling control module detects the liquid level in the injected container to generate the liquid level detection result, and performs refueling control according to the refueling control command.

[0028] The control module generates the attitude control command based on the attitude sensing result and the refueling control command based on the liquid level detection result.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, anti-drip control is performed through the following steps:

[0030] Using the horizontal plane as the reference plane, with -90° vertically upward and +90° vertically downward, determine the anti-dripping coordinate system;

[0031] When the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle and the horizontal plane is [-90°, α1], an attitude control command is generated to turn off the anti-drip unit in the state detection module, where α1 represents the preset angle;

[0032] When the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle and the horizontal plane is (α1, +90°), an attitude control command is generated to activate the anti-drip unit in the state detection module.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the present invention, refueling control is performed through the following steps:

[0034] Step a: After receiving the refueling command, determine whether the liquid level in the injected container has exceeded the liquid level sensor in the refueling control module;

[0035] Step b: If the result of step a is yes, then generate a fuel dispenser stop command; if the result of step a is no, then generate a fuel dispenser start command.

[0036] Step c: Determine whether the fuel dispenser has started normally. If the result of step c is no, generate a fuel dispenser alarm command. If the result of step c is yes, generate a fuel control command to start the fuel controller in the fuel control module.

[0037] Step d: Determine if the refueling flow rate is normal. If the result of step d is no, generate a command to stop the refueling machine and issue an alarm. If the result of step d is yes, return to step a and determine if the liquid level in the injected container exceeds the liquid level sensor in the refueling control module.

[0038] According to another aspect of the invention, a storage medium is also provided, which includes a series of instructions for performing the steps of the method described in any of the preceding claims.

[0039] This invention provides an electronic intelligent fuel dispenser, which has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0040] (1) The electronic intelligent fuel nozzle provided by the present invention uses a liquid level sensor to detect the liquid level of the injected container. Compared with the traditional mechanical fuel nozzle, the present invention has a more accurate liquid level detection result for the injected container (such as a car fuel tank), effectively reducing false alarms of the fuel nozzle liquid level and incorrect start-up, and can increase refueling efficiency.

[0041] (2) The electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by the present invention can monitor the operating status of the fuel dispenser in real time through the status detection module, which can effectively avoid safety accidents caused by fuel dispenser damage.

[0042] (3) The electronic intelligent fuel gun provided by the present invention can effectively realize the intelligent interconnection between the fuel gun and the fuel dispenser through the control module, thereby increasing the level of intelligence of the fueling system.

[0043] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims, and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0044] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with the embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an electronic smart refueling nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0046] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a liquid level detection unit structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0047] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an anti-drip unit structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0048] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the steps of a refueling status detection method based on an electronic intelligent refueling gun according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0049] Figure 5 A flowchart of the refueling control method steps according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0050] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the tilt angle of a refueling nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0051] In the accompanying drawings, the same parts use the same reference numerals. Also, the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0052] The meanings of the reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows: 1- Refueling nozzle inlet; 2- Liquid level detection unit; 3- First liquid level sensor; 4- Second liquid level sensor; 5- Anti-drip unit; 6- Self-sealing plug; 7- Annular anti-drip electromagnetic structure; 9- Attitude sensing unit; 10- Positioning module; 11- Control module; 12- Battery; 13- Refueling electromagnetic structure; 14- Sealing plug; 15- Refueling nozzle stock; 16- Refueling pipeline inlet; 17- Flow control module. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Existing technology (CN113307218A) provides an intelligent fuel dispenser, which is used in conjunction with a fuel dispenser and includes: a drive unit, a sensing unit, a timing unit, a communication unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls the working status of the drive unit, sensing unit, timing unit, and communication unit. Based on the control of the control unit, the drive unit controls the fuel dispensing speed and / or fuel dispensing volume. The sensing unit detects the environment in which the fuel dispenser is used and transmits the sensing results to the control unit. The timing unit times the fuel dispensing process and / or completion and transmits the timing results to the control unit. Based on the control of the control unit, the communication unit communicates with an external terminal via a server. This invention provides an intelligent fuel dispenser with a simple structure, which can effectively provide early warning of safety hazards, facilitate hazard elimination and countermeasures, and also enables remote management, facilitating widespread adoption.

[0055] However, the aforementioned existing technologies do not clearly define the specific structure of the gun body, how to achieve it, or address practical issues such as the implementation of the refueling gun's jump-off structure.

[0056] The existing technology (CN102020229B) provides a wireless electronic fuel tank lock, a wireless electronic fuel nozzle, and a supporting refueling system. It utilizes ZigBee technology, WSN technology, and embedded system technology to design the wireless electronic fuel tank lock and wireless electronic fuel nozzle. The wireless electronic fuel tank lock is installed on the fuel tank cap of a vehicle, and the wireless electronic fuel nozzle is used on the fuel dispenser at an existing gas station. A certain number of RFD / FFD nodes are formed for each vehicle and each wireless electronic fuel nozzle. A guidance node is installed at the entrance of the gas station where the electronic fuel nozzle is installed, and a navigation node is installed in the parking lot where vehicles are equipped with wireless electronic fuel tank locks. A wireless sensor network is formed using the RFD / FFD nodes, navigation nodes, guidance nodes, and a main controller. The main controller receives data from the RFD / FFD nodes and, according to instructions issued by the host computer monitoring platform, realizes real-time monitoring and control of the system's FFD / RFD nodes, achieving remote control of vehicle electronic identification and fuel refueling.

[0057] However, the aforementioned existing technologies do not mention the intelligence of the refueling nozzle, that is, the nozzle switching method and related logic, nor do they mention the self-sealing structure of the refueling nozzle elevation angle and the logic of its implementation.

[0058] Existing technology (CN218261970U) provides a fuel nozzle with transmittable status information, comprising: a fuel nozzle body, which is a fuel vapor recovery fuel nozzle structure compatible with an on-board vapor recovery system; a position sensing unit, used to measure the working status information of the sensing valve inside the fuel nozzle body; and a status transmission unit, which has wireless transmission capability, used to transmit the working status information of the sensing valve to the online monitoring system for fuel vapor recovery in the gas station to determine whether the current refueling vehicle has an on-board vapor recovery system. This invention can measure the status of the vapor collection hood and the identification status of the on-board vapor recovery system during the refueling process. Furthermore, it can transmit this information to the online monitoring system for fuel vapor recovery in the gas station in a timely manner, thereby enabling diagnostic analysis of the working status of the fuel nozzle compatible with the on-board vapor recovery system, and giving the online monitoring system intelligent diagnostic functions for fuel nozzles compatible with the on-board vapor recovery system.

[0059] However, the aforementioned existing technologies have only improved upon the original mechanical refueling nozzles and have not proposed an electronically intelligent refueling nozzle.

[0060] Traditional mechanical fuel nozzles are commonly used equipment at gas stations. They only have the function of refueling and do not have the function of refueling status detection. Moreover, due to their size and mechanical structure, it is difficult to install status monitoring and transmission systems.

[0061] In summary, to address the problems of existing technologies, this invention provides an electronic intelligent refueling nozzle that can effectively monitor and transmit refueling status and uses an electronic structure to effectively control the refueling process, thereby increasing safety during refueling.

[0062] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an electronic smart refueling nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0063] An electronic intelligent fuel dispenser includes a status detection module, a fuel dispensing control module, and a control module 11. The status detection module detects the fuel dispenser's attitude in real time, generates an attitude sensing result, and performs anti-drip control based on attitude control commands. The fuel dispensing control module detects the liquid level in the container during the fuel dispensing process, generates a liquid level detection result, and performs fuel dispensing control based on fuel dispensing control commands. The control module 11 generates attitude control commands based on the attitude sensing result and fuel dispensing control commands based on the liquid level detection result.

[0064] It should be noted that, in order to adapt to existing fuel dispensers and vehicles, the overall shape of the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention is similar to that of existing traditional mechanical fuel dispensers (e.g., it has a fuel dispenser stock 15, etc.), but this invention makes intelligent improvements based on the traditional mechanical fuel dispenser. Furthermore, the fuel dispenser body mentioned in this invention is the fuel dispenser body of the traditional mechanical fuel dispenser after removing the mechanical structures related to the start-up nozzle.

[0065] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the state detection module includes: an attitude sensing unit 9, which is installed on the refueling nozzle body and is used to sense the angle between the extension direction of the refueling nozzle nozzle 1 and the horizontal plane in real time to generate attitude sensing results.

[0066] Compared to traditional mechanical refueling nozzles, this invention adds a posture sensing unit 9 to determine parameters such as the tilt angle of the refueling nozzle and to trigger an alarm, effectively reducing the occurrence of safety accidents.

[0067] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the status detection module includes an anti-drip unit 5, which is installed in the refueling pipeline and is used to open or close according to the attitude control command. When the anti-drip unit 5 is open, the refueling nozzle has anti-drip capability; when the anti-drip unit 5 is closed, the refueling nozzle does not have anti-drip capability.

[0068] Specifically Figure 3 The anti-drip unit 5 is a cross-sectional view. The anti-drip unit 5 includes: a self-clogging head 6 and an annular anti-drip electromagnetic structure 7. The self-clogging head 6 is a T-shaped structure and is installed on the refueling pipeline. When the annular anti-drip electromagnetic structure 7 is attracted to or moves away from the self-clogging head 6, the anti-drip unit 5 is in the open or closed state.

[0069] Furthermore, the anti-drip unit 5 adopts a solenoid valve design. It determines whether the anti-drip unit 5 is activated based on data fed back from the attitude sensing unit 9. Specifically, the attitude sensing unit 9 first determines whether the fuel nozzle is in an upright position; otherwise, the communication fuel dispenser alarms and displays "Fuel nozzle status abnormal." Then, it determines the angle between the fuel nozzle's extension direction and the horizontal plane. If the angle is greater than a preset angle (e.g., 30°), the anti-drip unit 5 is activated; otherwise, it is deactivated, effectively preventing dripping. The attitude sensing unit 9 ensures more accurate drip prevention and effectively determines whether the fuel nozzle is in operation, guaranteeing the safety of the refueling system.

[0070] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refueling control module includes: a liquid level detection unit 2, which is installed at the refueling nozzle 1, and is used to detect whether the liquid level of the container being injected (e.g., vehicle fuel tank, container to be refueled) is in contact with the liquid level detection unit 2 during the refueling process, so as to generate a liquid level detection result.

[0071] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, the liquid level detection unit 2 includes one or two liquid level sensors disposed on the outer wall of the refueling nozzle, wherein the liquid level sensors are photoelectric liquid level sensors or radar sensors.

[0072] Traditional fuel dispensers in the prior art utilize the Venturi effect to detect the fuel level, but this often results in premature shut-off. To solve this problem, the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided in this invention employs a level sensor for detection. When the level detection unit 2 uses a photoelectric level sensor, the sensor displays a certain value in air (e.g., a) and a different value in gasoline (or diesel) (e.g., b). When the fuel level exceeds the photoelectric level sensor, the transmitted signal will change abruptly (e.g., from a to b), thus achieving fuel level monitoring. Furthermore, the level detection unit 2 can also employ a radar level sensor.

[0073] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the liquid level detection unit 2 includes a liquid level sensor disposed on the outer wall of the fuel nozzle, for example, it may only include a first liquid level sensor 3 or a second liquid level sensor 4. Specifically, the liquid level detection unit 2 uses a single photoelectric liquid level sensor to measure the signal value 'a' of the sensor in air, and then measures the signal value 'b' of the sensor in 92 gasoline. The value 'b' differs significantly from the value 'a', so when the signal value changes abruptly, it is considered that a liquid level has been detected.

[0074] Furthermore, to prevent a single liquid level sensor from malfunctioning and causing a safety accident, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the liquid level detection unit 2 includes two liquid level sensors installed on the outer wall of the fuel nozzle, such as a first liquid level sensor 3 and a second liquid level sensor 4. The control logic incorporates a dual-sensor determination: the container is considered full of gasoline (or diesel) only when both liquid level sensors detect a liquid level. If only one liquid level sensor detects a signal transition while the other does not, the fuel nozzle is considered malfunctioning.

[0075] In one embodiment, the liquid level detection unit 2 employs a photoelectric liquid level sensor and a radar sensor. The photoelectric sensor measures the signal value 'a' in air and then measures the signal value 'b' in 92-octane gasoline. Since the value 'b' differs significantly from 'a', a sudden change in signal value is considered a detection of liquid level. To prevent liquid level sensor malfunction, a radar sensor is used for auxiliary measurement. The radar sensor measures the distance to the liquid level as 'm', and the sensor parameters are corrected so that 'm' is zero when the photoelectric liquid level sensor responds. This invention adds dual sensor determination: the fuel tank is considered full only when both sensors detect the liquid level. If one sensor detects a signal transition while the other does not, the fuel nozzle is considered malfunctioning.

[0076] In one embodiment, the refueling control module includes a refueling controller disposed on the refueling pipeline for opening or closing according to a refueling control command, wherein when the refueling controller is opened, the refueling pipeline is opened, and when the refueling controller is closed, the refueling pipeline is closed.

[0077] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refueling controller includes a refueling electromagnetic structure 13 and a sealing plug 14. The refueling electromagnetic structure 13 is located outside the refueling pipeline. When the sealing plug 14 is attracted to or away from the refueling electromagnetic structure 13, the refueling controller is in the open or closed state.

[0078] Unlike the complex start-up structure of traditional fuel nozzles in existing technologies, this invention employs electromagnetic start-up control. When the sealing plug 14 is attached to the fueling electromagnetic structure 13, the fueling controller is in the open state, allowing fuel to flow along the fueling pipeline from the fueling pipeline inlet 16 to the anti-drip unit 5. If the anti-drip unit 5 is in the closed state, the fuel can continue to flow to the fuel nozzle inlet 1, at which point the fuel nozzle can refuel the container. When the sealing plug 14 moves away from the fueling electromagnetic mechanism 13, the fueling controller is in the closed state, preventing fuel from flowing along the fueling pipeline from the fueling pipeline inlet 16 to the anti-drip unit 5, and at this point, the fuel nozzle cannot refuel the container.

[0079] In one embodiment, the control module 11 includes a status judgment unit, a refueling judgment unit, and a communication unit. The status judgment unit determines whether to take anti-drip measures based on a preset angle and the angle between the refueling nozzle extension direction and the horizontal plane, generating an attitude control command. The refueling judgment unit determines whether to end the refueling process based on the liquid level detection result, the refueling machine status, and the refueling flow rate, generating a refueling control command. The communication unit communicates with the refueling machine, the status detection module, and the refueling control module.

[0080] Specifically, the state judgment unit executes the following logic: Using the horizontal plane as the reference plane, with -90° vertically upward and +90° vertically downward, a drip-proof coordinate system is determined. When the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle and the horizontal plane is [-90°, α1], an attitude control command is generated for the drip-proof unit 5 in the closed state detection module, where α1 represents a preset angle. When the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle and the horizontal plane is (α1, +90°), an attitude control command is generated for the drip-proof unit 5 in the open state detection module.

[0081] Specifically, the refueling judgment unit executes the following logic: When the refueling button on the refueling nozzle is pressed, it first determines whether the liquid level in the container being injected has exceeded the liquid level detection unit 2. If it has not exceeded the liquid level, it proves that the container is full of oil, and a stop command is sent to the refueling machine. If the liquid level has not exceeded the liquid level, the refueling machine starts. Then it determines whether the refueling machine starts normally. If the refueling machine does not start normally, the refueling machine page alarms and displays "Refueling machine oil pump failure". If the refueling machine starts normally, the refueling controller of the refueling nozzle is turned on. Then it determines whether the refueling flow rate is normal. If the refueling flow rate is abnormal, the refueling machine stops and alarms, and the refueling machine page displays "Oil nozzle failure". If the refueling flow rate is normal, refueling begins, and then it returns to the liquid level detection unit 2. If the container is full, the refueling machine stops, and the refueling process is completed.

[0082] Specifically, after the communication unit collects information, it transmits and receives it effectively using the low-power IoT technology ZigBee for refueling nozzle status control. Further, after collecting information, the communication unit transmits and receives it effectively using the low-power IoT technology LoRa for refueling nozzle status control. In one embodiment, after collecting information, the communication unit transmits and receives it effectively using the low-power IoT technology FSK for refueling nozzle status control.

[0083] In this invention, the control module 11 is the brain of the fuel nozzle, which collects and processes the status of the fuel nozzle, such as flow rate, fuel nozzle posture, receiving and sending fuel dispenser information, etc., to achieve intelligent operation.

[0084] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by the present invention includes: a positioning module 10, which is disposed on the fuel dispenser body and is used to position the fuel dispenser.

[0085] Specifically, this invention relates to an electronic fuel dispenser that can be equipped with a positioning module 10 to locate the fuel dispenser and enhance the supervision of safe operation at gas stations. Furthermore, the positioning module 10 uses a Beidou positioning chip with an error accuracy of less than 1 meter, which is beneficial for gas station management and the effective management of refueling vehicles.

[0086] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the electronic smart fuel dispenser provided by the present invention includes a battery 12, which is installed in the fuel dispenser body and meets the waterproof and explosion-proof standards, and is used to receive wireless charging energy when the fuel dispenser is idle.

[0087] Specifically, the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention is equipped with a rechargeable battery, and the battery compartment has a waterproof rating greater than IP68 and a battery explosion-proof rating greater than ExdⅡBT4. The fuel dispenser nozzle is equipped with a wireless charging module to ensure that the fuel dispenser can be charged when idle, thereby ensuring the effective operation of the fuel dispenser around the clock.

[0088] Furthermore, battery 12 uses a lithium battery and is equipped with a wireless charging module. A wireless charger is installed on the fuel dispenser so that the fuel nozzle can be wirelessly charged when it is not in use, ensuring real-time monitoring of the fuel nozzle.

[0089] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by the present invention includes: a flow control module 17, which is installed in the fueling pipeline and is used to count the fueling status and fueling flow of the fueling pipeline.

[0090] Specifically, the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention is equipped with a flow detection module 17, which performs detailed detection of the refueling status and serves as one of the valid bases for opening or closing the fuel dispenser.

[0091] Furthermore, the flow control module 17 monitors the refueling flow status and uploads it to the refueling system, comparing it with the monitoring data of the fuel dispenser flow meter to monitor the real-time operating status of the fuel nozzle.

[0092] In one embodiment, the flow control module 17 is not provided in the fuel nozzle, and the fuel nozzle detection data is provided by the fuel dispenser as the fuel nozzle start-up determination condition.

[0093] The electronic intelligent fuel nozzle provided by this invention uses a liquid level sensor to detect the liquid level in the injected container. Compared with traditional mechanical fuel nozzles, this invention provides more accurate liquid level detection results for the injected container (such as a car fuel tank), effectively reducing false alarms and incorrect start-up of the fuel nozzle, and increasing refueling efficiency.

[0094] The electronic intelligent refueling nozzle provided by this invention can monitor the operating status of the refueling nozzle in real time through a status detection module, effectively avoiding safety accidents caused by refueling nozzle damage.

[0095] The electronic intelligent fuel nozzle provided by this invention can effectively realize the intelligent interconnection between the fuel nozzle and the fuel dispenser through the control module 11, thereby increasing the level of intelligence of the refueling system.

[0096] This invention is mainly applied to the use of fuel dispensers in gas stations. It realizes the intelligentization of the refueling process and the level of risk control at the refueling terminal, monitors the refueling flow and the real-time status of the fuel nozzle, and improves the overall informatization level of the refueling process.

[0097] The novel electronic intelligent fuel nozzle provided by this invention improves the level of intelligence in gas stations, lays the foundation for the intelligentization of the entire refueling process, and has good development prospects.

[0098] Figure 4 The flowchart illustrates a refueling status detection method based on an electronic intelligent refueling nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] like Figure 4 As shown, in step S401, the attitude of the refueling nozzle is detected in real time by the status detection module to generate attitude sensing results, and anti-drip control is performed according to the attitude control command.

[0100] Specifically, the attitude sensing unit 9 in the status detection module senses the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle 1 and the horizontal plane in real time to generate attitude sensing results. The anti-drip unit 5 in the status detection module is turned on or off according to the attitude control command. When the anti-drip unit 5 is turned on, the fuel nozzle has anti-drip capability; when the anti-drip unit 5 is turned off, the fuel nozzle does not have anti-drip capability.

[0101] like Figure 4 As shown, in step S402, during the refueling process, the liquid level in the injected container is detected by the refueling control module to generate a liquid level detection result, and refueling control is performed according to the refueling control command.

[0102] Specifically, during refueling, the liquid level detection unit 2 in the refueling control module detects whether the liquid level in the injected container is in contact with the liquid level detection unit 2, and generates a liquid level detection result. The refueling controller in the refueling control module is turned on or off according to the refueling control command. When the refueling controller is turned on, the refueling pipeline is opened; when the refueling controller is turned off, the refueling pipeline is closed.

[0103] like Figure 4 As shown, in step S403, the control module generates attitude control commands based on attitude sensing results and refueling control commands based on liquid level detection results.

[0104] Specifically, the status judgment unit in the control module determines whether to take anti-drip measures based on a preset angle and the angle between the extension direction of the refueling nozzle and the horizontal plane, thereby generating an attitude control command. The refueling judgment unit in the control module determines whether to end the refueling process based on the liquid level detection result, the status of the refueling machine, and the refueling flow rate, thereby generating a refueling control command. The communication unit in the control module communicates with the refueling machine, the status detection module, and the refueling control module.

[0105] Figure 5 A flowchart of the refueling control method steps according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0106] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, refueling is controlled through steps S501-S509.

[0107] like Figure 5 As shown, in step S501, a refueling command is issued. Specifically, when the refueling button on the refueling nozzle is pressed, it indicates that the refueling nozzle has received a refueling command.

[0108] like Figure 5 As shown, in step S502, it is determined whether the liquid level in the injected container exceeds the liquid level sensor. Specifically, after receiving the refueling command, it is determined whether the liquid level in the injected container exceeds the liquid level sensor in the refueling control module. In one embodiment, the liquid level sensor is a photoelectric liquid level sensor. The signal value 'a' of the sensor in air is measured, and then the signal value 'b' of the sensor in 92 gasoline is measured. The value 'b' differs significantly from the value 'a', so it is considered that a liquid level has been detected when the signal value changes abruptly.

[0109] like Figure 5 As shown, if the judgment result of step S502 is yes, it proves that the oil in the filling container is full, then proceed to step S503 to generate a stop command for the fuel dispenser. If the judgment result of step S502 is no, then proceed to step S504 to generate a start command for the fuel dispenser.

[0110] like Figure 5 As shown, in step S505, it is determined whether the fuel dispenser has started normally. If the result of step S505 is negative, then proceed to step S506, generating a fuel dispenser alarm command, i.e., the fuel dispenser has not started normally, the fuel dispenser page alarms, displaying "Fuel dispenser pump failure". If the result of step S505 is positive, then proceed to step S507, generating a fuel control command to activate the fuel controller in the fuel control module, i.e., if the fuel dispenser starts normally, the fuel controller of the fuel nozzle is activated.

[0111] like Figure 5As shown, in step S508, it is determined whether the refueling flow rate is normal. If the result of step S508 is negative, then in step S509, a stop and alarm command for the fuel dispenser is generated. That is, if the refueling flow rate is abnormal, the fuel dispenser stops and alarms, and the fuel dispenser page displays "Fuel nozzle malfunction". If the result of step S508 is positive, then the process returns to step S502 to determine whether the liquid level in the injected container exceeds the liquid level sensor in the refueling control module.

[0112] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the tilt angle of a refueling nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0113] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, anti-drip control is performed through the following steps: Using the horizontal plane as the reference plane, with -90° vertically upward and +90° vertically downward, an anti-drip coordinate system is determined. When the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle and the horizontal plane is [-90°, α1], an attitude control command is generated for the anti-drip unit in the closed state detection module, where α1 represents a preset angle, such as 30°. When the angle between the extension direction of the fuel nozzle and the horizontal plane is (α1, +90°), an attitude control command is generated for the anti-drip unit in the open state detection module.

[0114] Specifically, the decision to implement anti-dripping measures is based on the gun's tilt angle. With the muzzle horizontal as zero, the downward tilt angle is α, and the upward tilt angle is -α. Figure 6 As shown, specific location information is used to calibrate the attitude sensing unit 9. When α > 30°, the anti-drip unit 5 is turned on, and when α ≤ 30°, the anti-drip unit 5 is turned off.

[0115] Furthermore, for special operating conditions, the refueling nozzle is equipped with a physical solenoid valve switch lock. Under normal operating conditions, it is open by default, and the physical solenoid valve is automatically controlled by the attitude sensing unit 9. Under special operating conditions, the physical solenoid valve switch lock is closed, and the physical solenoid valve is always in the open state, suitable for refueling at any angle. The attitude sensing unit 9 is calibrated using the nozzle's horizontal zero point; if an abnormal state occurs, it is considered that the refueling nozzle has slipped.

[0116] The electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention can also be used with a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. Executing the computer program will run a refueling status detection method based on the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser.

[0117] Computer programs can execute computer instructions, which include computer program code. Computer program code can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or some intermediate form.

[0118] Computer-readable storage media can include: any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution media, etc.

[0119] It should be noted that the contents of computer-readable storage media may be appropriately added to or subtracted from the contents according to the requirements of legislation and patent practice in a jurisdiction. For example, in some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable storage media may not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0120] In one embodiment, a conventional mechanical fuel dispenser was used as a reference, and the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention was compared during refueling. The test environment temperature was 28°C. When the refueling flow rate exceeded 40L / min, the mechanical fuel dispenser issued a false alarm indicating that the dispenser was not actually full. The electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention, due to its liquid level detection, did not issue a false alarm. Furthermore, the electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by this invention includes an anti-drip unit 5 and an attitude sensing unit 9, and no dripping occurred within the fuel dispenser body.

[0121] In summary, this invention provides an electronic intelligent fuel dispenser, which has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0122] (1) The electronic intelligent fuel nozzle provided by the present invention uses a liquid level sensor to detect the liquid level of the injected container. Compared with the traditional mechanical fuel nozzle, the present invention has a more accurate liquid level detection result for the injected container (such as a car fuel tank), effectively reducing false alarms of the fuel nozzle liquid level and incorrect start-up, and can increase refueling efficiency.

[0123] (2) The electronic intelligent fuel dispenser provided by the present invention can monitor the operating status of the fuel dispenser in real time through the status detection module, which can effectively avoid safety accidents caused by fuel dispenser damage.

[0124] (3) The electronic intelligent fuel gun provided by the present invention can effectively realize the intelligent interconnection between the fuel gun and the fuel dispenser through the control module, thereby increasing the level of intelligence of the fueling system.

[0125] It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to the specific structures, processing steps, or materials disclosed herein, but should be extended to equivalent substitutions of these features as understood by those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0126] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "front end," "rear end," "head," "tail," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0127] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0128] Certain terms are used throughout this application to refer to specific system components. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the same components may often be referred to by different names, and therefore this application is not intended to distinguish those components that differ only in name and not in function. In this application, the terms “comprise,” “include,” and “have” are used in an open-ended manner and should therefore be interpreted as meaning “including, but not limited to…”. Furthermore, the terms “substantially,” “materially,” or “approximately” as used herein refer to industry-accepted tolerances for the corresponding terms. The term “coupling,” as may be used herein, includes direct coupling and indirect coupling via additional components, elements, circuits, or modules, wherein, for indirect coupling, the intermediate component, element, circuit, or module does not alter the information of the signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and / or power level. Inferred coupling (e.g., one element is inferredly coupled to another element) includes direct and indirect coupling between two elements in the same manner as “coupling.”

[0129] The phrase "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" used in this specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the phrase "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0130] The embodiments of the present invention are given for illustrative and descriptive purposes only, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to better illustrate the principles and practical application of the invention, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention and to design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for a particular purpose.

[0131] While the embodiments disclosed in this invention are as described above, the content is merely for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make any modifications and variations in form and detail of the implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein; however, the scope of patent protection for this invention shall still be determined by the scope defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electronic smart fuel dispenser, characterized by, The fueling gun comprises: a state detection module for detecting the posture of the fueling gun in real time to generate a posture sensing result and performing drip-proof control according to a posture control instruction; a fueling control module for detecting the liquid level of the container being filled during fueling to generate a liquid level detection result and performing fueling control according to a fueling control instruction; a control module for generating the posture control instruction based on the posture sensing result and generating the fueling control instruction based on the liquid level detection result; the state detection module comprises a posture sensing unit arranged on the fueling gun body for sensing the included angle between the extension direction of the fueling gun nozzle and the horizontal plane in real time to generate the posture sensing result; the fueling control module comprises a liquid level detection unit arranged on the fueling gun nozzle for detecting whether the liquid level of the container being filled contacts the liquid level detection unit in the fueling state to generate the liquid level detection result, wherein the liquid level detection unit comprises a liquid level sensor arranged on the outer wall of the fueling gun nozzle, and the liquid level sensor is an optical liquid level sensor or a radar sensor; the state detection module comprises a drip-proof unit arranged in the fueling pipeline for being opened or closed according to the posture control instruction, wherein the fueling gun has the drip-proof capability when the drip-proof unit is opened, and the fueling gun does not have the drip-proof capability when the drip-proof unit is closed; the drip-proof unit comprises a self-plugging head and an annular drip-proof electromagnetic structure, wherein the self-plugging head is a T-shaped structure arranged on the fueling pipeline, and the drip-proof unit is in the opened or closed state when the annular drip-proof electromagnetic structure is attracted to or away from the self-plugging head; The anti-dripping oil control is performed by the following steps: taking a horizontal plane as a reference plane, vertically upward as , and vertically downward as , determining an anti-dripping oil coordinate system; when an included angle between an extension direction of a nozzle of a refueling gun and the horizontal plane belongs to , generating a posture control instruction for closing an anti-dripping oil unit in the state detection module, wherein represents a preset angle; and when the included angle between the extension direction of the nozzle of the refueling gun and the horizontal plane belongs to , generating a posture control instruction for opening the anti-dripping oil unit in the state detection module.

2. An electronic smart fuel dispenser as in claim 1, wherein, the liquid level detection unit comprises one or two liquid level sensors arranged on the outer wall of the fueling gun nozzle.

3. An electronic smart fuel dispenser as in claim 1, wherein, the fueling control module comprises a fueling controller arranged in the fueling pipeline for being opened or closed according to the fueling control instruction, wherein the fueling pipeline is opened when the fueling controller is opened, and the fueling pipeline is closed when the fueling controller is closed.

4. An electronic smart filler as claimed in claim 3, wherein, the fueling controller comprises a fueling electromagnetic structure arranged outside the fueling pipeline and a sealing plug, and the fueling controller is in the opened or closed state when the sealing plug is attracted to or away from the fueling electromagnetic structure.

5. An electronic smart fuel dispenser as in claim 1, wherein, the control module comprises: a state judgment unit for determining whether to take the drip-proof measure based on the preset angle and the included angle between the extension direction of the fueling gun nozzle and the horizontal plane to generate the posture control instruction; a fueling judgment unit for determining whether to end the fueling process based on the liquid level detection result, the state of the fueling machine and the fueling flow condition to generate the fueling control instruction; a communication unit for communicating with the fueling machine, the state detection module and the fueling control module.

6. An electronic intelligent dispensing gun as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The fueling gun comprises: a positioning module arranged on the fueling gun body for positioning the fueling gun; a battery arranged on the fueling gun body and meeting the waterproof and explosion-proof levels for receiving wireless charging energy when the fueling gun is idle. A flow control module is arranged in the refueling pipeline for counting the refueling state and flow of the refueling pipeline.

7. An electronic smart fuel gun based fuel dispensing status detection method, characterized in that, The method is performed by the refueling gun as claimed in any one of claims 1-6, and comprises the following steps: The posture of the refueling gun is detected in real time by the state detection module to generate the posture sensing result, and the anti-dripping control is performed according to the posture control instruction; During the refueling process, the liquid level of the container being filled is detected by the refueling control module to generate the liquid level detection result, and the refueling control is performed according to the refueling control instruction; The posture control instruction is generated by the control module based on the posture sensing result, and the refueling control instruction is generated based on the liquid level detection result.

8. The electronic smart fuel gun based fuel dispensing status detection method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, The refueling control is performed by the following steps: Step a, after receiving the refueling instruction, it is judged whether the liquid level of the container being filled is higher than the liquid level sensor in the refueling control module; Step b, if the judgment result of step a is yes, a refueling machine stop instruction is generated, and if the judgment result of step a is no, a refueling machine start instruction is generated; Step c, it is judged whether the refueling machine is started normally, if the judgment result of step c is no, a refueling machine alarm instruction is generated, and if the judgment result of step c is yes, a refueling control instruction for starting the refueling controller in the refueling control module is generated; Step d, it is judged whether the refueling flow is normal, if the judgment result of step d is no, a refueling machine stop and alarm instruction is generated, and if the judgment result of step d is yes, it is returned to step a to judge whether the liquid level of the container being filled is higher than the liquid level sensor in the refueling control module.

9. A storage medium, characterized by It comprises a series of instructions for performing the method steps as claimed in any one of claims 7-8.

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