Supply device for a valve assembly, valve assembly, gas reservoir and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a supply device (30) for a valve arrangement (20) of a gas reservoir (10), wherein the valve arrangement (20) has at least one valve inlet (24) and at least one rubber seal (26), the supply device (30) is designed to be arranged in the gas reservoir (10), and wherein the supply device (30) comprises: a substantially cylindrical body (32); a passage (36) inside the body (32), which passage is designed to be arranged in fluid communication with the valve inlet (24); and at least one opening (38) in fluid communication with the passage (36) to enable gas flow between the valve inlet (24) and the reservoir (10). The supply device (30) has insulating material for reducing cooling of the valve arrangement (20) when gas expands in the gas reservoir (10).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELDThe invention relates to a supply device for a valve arrangement, a valve arrangement with such a supply device, a gas reservoir with such a valve arrangement and a vehicle with such a gas reservoir. In particular, the invention relates to a supply device for a valve arrangement in connection with a gas reservoir.RELATED ARTCurrently, alternative fuels such as natural gas or so-called biogas are introduced for driving vehicles. Often, the fuel gas is stored under high pressure in a gas reservoir / tank. Compressed natural gas, CNG, is thus stored, for example. A higher density is achieved by strong compression of the gas. The gas reservoir is typically filled with the compressed gas via a conduit in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas at one end and with the gas reservoir at the other end. The gas reservoir is usually equipped with a valve assembly having integrated components, such as manually actuatable shut-off valves, automatic shut-off valves, safety devices and / or spill valves. Some of the components of the valve assembly are typically located outside the reservoir connected to the conduit, while a delivery device is typically located inside the gas reservoir. The valve assembly also typically has a plurality of rubber seals to prevent leakage of gas. When the gas reservoir is filled, the gas expands in two stages. First, the gas expands upon exiting the compressed gas source and thus enters the conduit. A one-way valve is disposed in communication with the conduit and the gas first expands in the conduit downstream of the shut-off valve. Secondly, the gas expands via the supply device upon entry into the gas reservoir. If the gas expands, its temperature decreases, which results in a low inlet temperature of the gas upon entry into the valve arrangement and into the gas reservoir. The greatest temperature drop occurs inside the gas reservoir because the pressure inside the gas reservoir is much lower than the pressure in the source of compressed gas when the gas reservoir is still empty. In vehicle applications, the temperature drop may be isotropically about 40-60°C or more. As the filling state of the gas reservoir increases, the temperature of the gas increases. The low initial temperature of the gas cools the supply means rapidly and thus also the remaining parts of the valve assembly including the rubber seals. This may cause the rubber seals to lose their flexibility and begin to leak. Leakage of such highly combustible gas is highly undesirable.A known solution to this problem is to shift the expansion of the gas inside the gas reservoir by means of a tube attached to the supply device. In this way, the gas is fed into the gas reservoir further away from the supply device of the valve arrangement and the cooling of the supply device is therefore reduced. This solution is typically used in small gas reservoirs. Another solution to the problem is to use very durable rubber sealing materials, but this does not necessarily provide a more stable solution to the problem and in any case drives costs as such materials are more expensive.US 5 813 429 A relates to a compressed natural gas charging system for use in a vehicle. Part of the charging system is a gas charging passage connecting a supply device to a gas container. The compressed natural gas flows into the gas container via a constriction with a constant cross section. Further, a one-way valve is associated with the charging system which is installed in the gas charging passage prior to the constriction. The one-way valve is opened when a predefined pressure difference is present between one region upstream of the one-way valve and another region downstream of the one-way valve. The constriction has a constant and stronger constriction than the one-way valve.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONDespite the solutions known in this field, it is desirable to develop a valve arrangement for gas reservoirs which overcomes or at least reduces the disadvantages of the prior art.It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an advantageous supply means for a valve assembly of a gas reservoir which reduces the risk of leakage of gas through the valve assembly.Another object of the invention is to provide an advantageous valve arrangement for a gas reservoir, which valve arrangement reduces the risk of gas leakage.The above objects are achieved by a supply device for a valve arrangement in connection with a gas reservoir, wherein the valve arrangement comprises such a supply device, by a gas reservoir with such a valve arrangement and by a vehicle with such a gas reservoir according to the independent claims.Thus, according to a first variant of the invention, a supply device for a valve arrangement is provided in connection with a gas reservoir. The valve assembly is configured to be disposed in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas, the valve assembly comprising at least one valve device having a valve inlet; and at least one rubber seal, wherein the supply device is configured to be disposed within a gas reservoir, and wherein the supply device comprises: a substantially cylindrical body having a first end and a second end; a passage in the body configured to be disposed in fluid communication with the valve inlet; and at least one opening in the body in fluid communication with the passage to allow gas flow between the valve inlet and the reservoir. The supply means comprises an insulating material for reducing cooling of the valve assembly as gas expands into the interior of the gas reservoir.According to a variant of the invention, a valve arrangement for a gas reservoir is provided. The valve assembly is configured to be disposed in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas, the valve assembly comprising: at least one valve device having a valve inlet; and at least one rubber seal, the valve assembly comprising a supply device configured to be disposed within a gas reservoir. The delivery device comprises: a substantially cylindrical body having a first end and a second end; a passage within the body configured to be disposed in fluid communication with the valve inlet of the valve device; and at least one opening within the body configured in fluid communication with the passage to allow gas flow between the valve inlet and the reservoir. The supply means comprises an insulating material to reduce cooling of the valve assembly upon expansion of gas into the gas reservoir.The valve assembly may be configured to control the flow of the gas into the gas reservoir. The gas reservoir can be a gas tank / a gas cylinder on or in a vehicle, but also any other gas reservoir for receiving compressed gas. The valve assembly may be configured to be arranged such that the valve inlet is in fluid communication with the source of compressed gas via a conduit. Thus, the valve inlet may be disposed in fluid communication with a conduit connected to the source of compressed gas. The valve inlet may be in fluid communication with the passage of the supply device when the valve device is in the open state. Gas can thus flow through the line, through the valve inlet into the passage of the supply device and out of the at least one opening into the reservoir. The valve arrangement can also be configured for controlling the gas flow from the gas reservoir, for example to a vehicle engine. The gas can thus flow from the gas reservoir through the at least one opening into the supply device, via the passage through the valve device and to a pipe which is connected to a valve arrangement and which leads, for example, to the vehicle engine. The at least one valve means may be a shut-off valve having a valve inlet, the valve inlet being in fluid communication with the conduit and the valve inlet being in fluid communication with the passage of the supply means when the shut-off valve is in the open position.The valve arrangement may comprise a plurality of components, such as mechanical and / or electrical shut-off valves, safety devices activated in the case of, for example, fire, and connections to different pipes / lines. The more components the valve assembly has, the more rubber seals must be placed to prevent leakage. The at least one rubber seal may be an O-ring or the like. The valve assembly may have between 5 and 20 rubber seals. The valve assembly includes at least one rubber seal which is inserted with respect to the opening into the gas reservoir through which the delivery means is inserted.The gas reservoir is normally substantially empty when filled with compressed gas. As mentioned above, the introduction of gas into the gas reservoir from the compressed gas source is associated with two-stage gas expansions. Due to the pressure differences, the gas first expands upon discharge from the source of compressed gas into the conduit and expands again upon discharge inside the gas reservoir via the supply device. The supply device can therefore also be referred to as an expansion device. When the gas expands, the temperature of the gas falls, and since the gas is discharged via the feeder, the gas expansion and the temperature drop occur at the feeder. This leads to a very rapid cooling of the supply device. Usually, the valve means including the supply means is made of brass or a similar material having high thermal conductivity. When the feeder is cooled to low temperatures, these low temperatures are transferred to the remaining components of the valve assembly and the rubber seals may lose their elasticity and leaks may occur. By configuring the supply device according to the invention, insulating material of the supply device reduces the cooling of the valve arrangement and thus also the cooling of the at least one rubber seal. Even if the feeder is cooled down greatly, the low temperature will not be transferred to all the components of the valve assembly and, in particular, the rubber seals will not lose their elasticity. This reduces the risk of defective rubber seals and leaks. The delivery means comprises suitable material for reducing heat transfer between the delivery means and the remainder of the valve assembly.The feeding device will be described in more detail below. It is understood that all descriptions with respect to the supply device also apply to the valve arrangement comprising such a supply device according to the invention.According to an embodiment of the invention, the supply device is designed such that it is detachably fastened to a connection piece of the valve arrangement. The supply device may be adapted to be screwed onto a threaded neck of the valve arrangement. Advantageously, the first end of the body of the supply device is removably attached to the neck of the valve assembly. The first end of the body of the feeder may be internally or externally threaded to cooperate with a threaded portion of the neck of the valve assembly. The at least one rubber seal can be provided in connection with the connector of the valve arrangement. A feeder which is easily removable / removable with respect to the rest of the valve assembly can be easily manufactured with the insulating material, while the rest of the valve assembly comprises metal such as brass, steel or the like. The connector of the valve arrangement can therefore comprise a metal, such as brass, steel or the like, in particular consist thereof.The supply means may include one or more apertures in the body of the supply means to allow gas flow between the valve means and the gas reservoir. For example, the supply device can have four openings. The opening(s) may be formed by a circular hole in the peripheral surface of the feeder body. If the supply device has a plurality of openings, these are advantageously arranged symmetrically in the body of the supply device.According to an embodiment of the invention, the body of the supply device is made of an insulating material. On the other hand, the body of the supply device may have a coating with an insulating material. In this way, the low gas temperature substantially affects the insulating material and is not transferred from the supply device to the remaining components of the valve assembly.According to a further embodiment of the invention, the supply means comprises an insulating element with the insulating material, wherein the insulating element is arranged circumferentially on the outer side of the body. The insulating element advantageously comprises the body of the supply device in the region where the gas expansion takes place. The insulating element can thus be arranged around the area where the at least one opening is located in the body. The insulating element can thus have at least one opening corresponding to the at least one opening of the supply device. The insulating member protects the body from the cold expanding gas, so that the low temperature does not greatly affect the body. The body of the supply device can thus consist of brass or a metal known for this purpose, without the low gas temperature being transmitted to the at least one rubber seal.According to a further embodiment of the invention, the supply means comprises an insulating element with the insulating material, wherein the insulating element is arranged to be arranged between the body of the supply means and the neck of the valve arrangement. The insulating element can thus be an adapter which can be connected both to the body of the supply device and to the connector of the valve arrangement. The body of the supply device may thereby comprise a metal and even if the body is cooled to the low temperature, it is prevented by the insulating element from being transferred to the at least one rubber seal.The insulating material can be a ceramic or else a plastic material. The insulating material may be any material other than metal. The insulating material is thus a material having a low thermal conductivity.According to the invention, the supply means further comprises a piston movably arranged in the passage, the piston being arranged to be moved to a position where it partially blocks the at least one opening of the supply means when the pressure at the valve inlet exceeds the pressure inside the gas reservoir by a predetermined value. The predetermined value may be in the range of 100-250 bar. As discussed above, the gas first expands upon exiting the compressed gas source. This means that the gas entering the valve arrangement via the valve inlet of the at least one valve device has a low temperature, which can impair the at least one rubber seal. In order to reduce the risk of leakage, it would therefore be desirable for the main part of the gas expansion to take place inside the gas reservoir, that is to say for the gas expansion upstream of the valve arrangement to be reduced. The expansion of the gas after leaving the source of compressed gas depends on the pressure in the conduit and in the gas reservoir. When filling the gas reservoir, the initial pressure in the gas reservoir may be 10 bar and the pressure in the source of compressed gas may be 200-250 bar. There is thus a large difference between the pressures at the valve inlet and inside the gas reservoir. When gas is discharged from the source of compressed gas, the pressure in the line drops to about 150 bar. By providing the supply device with a piston which partially blocks the at least one opening, the gas flow through the at least one opening into the gas reservoir is impeded during the filling process. An increased gas flow resistance in the valve assembly is thus achieved, which reduces gas expansion and pressure drop upstream of the valve assembly. The major part of the gas expansion thus takes place upon entry into the gas reservoir and the cooling effect in the gas upstream of the valve arrangement is thus reduced.The piston may be substantially cylindrical in shape with a first end at the first end of the body of the delivery device and a second end at the second end of the body of the delivery device. The piston is preferably axially aligned with respect to the body of the delivery device. The piston may have an open first end and a closed second end. The piston may include a partition dividing the piston into two cylindrical portions, the first cylindrical portion extending between the first end of the piston and the partition, while the second cylindrical portion extends between the partition and the second end of the piston.The gas entering the valve inlet acts on the partition and moves the piston axially. The piston may further comprise at least one opening. If the pressure at the valve inlet substantially corresponds to the pressure in the interior of the gas reservoir, then the piston is positioned such that the at least one opening in the piston is aligned with respect to the at least one opening in the body of the supply device. In this way, gas entering via the valve inlet is transferred into the gas reservoir. If the pressure at the valve inlet is greater than the pressure inside the reservoir, the piston is pressed towards the second end of the body of the supply device and the piston is positioned such that the at least one opening of the piston and the at least one opening in the body of the supply device are offset from one another. In this way, the cylindrical wall of the piston partially blocks the at least one opening in the body of the supply device. The size of the at least one opening in the body of the supply device is thus reduced and a greater flow resistance for the gas is achieved. The greater the pressure at the valve inlet compared to the pressure inside the reservoir, the more the at least one opening in the body of the supply device is blocked.According to an embodiment of the invention, the feeding means further comprises spring means arranged between the piston and the second end of the body of the feeding means. The spring means is arranged to be compressed by the piston when the pressure at the valve inlet exceeds the pressure inside the gas reservoir by a predetermined value, so that the spring means blocks an opening at the second end of the body. The second end of the body of the feeder is partially open and thus has an opening. The spring device is arranged so as to at least partially cover the opening. The spring arrangement is arranged such that when the pressure at the valve inlet and the pressure inside the gas reservoir are substantially equal, the spring means is stretched and holds the piston such that the at least one opening in the piston is aligned with the at least one opening in the body of the supply means. If the pressure at the valve inlet is significantly greater than the pressure in the gas reservoir, the gas entering the supply means pushes the piston towards the second end of the body of the supply means and the spring means is compressed by the piston. Thus, when the pressure of the gas entering the supply means is greater than the spring force of the spring means, the piston is urged towards the second end of the body of the supply means. The extent to which the piston blocks the at least one opening of the feed device thus depends on the pressure at the valve inlet, the pressure in the gas reservoir and the spring force (spring constants) of the spring device. When the spring means is compressed, it is substantially flat and covers the opening at the second end of the body. When the spring means is expanded, some gas can flow over the opening on the spring means and past the piston. However, when the spring means is compressed, the gas flow across the aperture and past the piston is reduced, ensuring that the piston is held in the position where it partially blocks the at least one aperture. The spring device can be a spring plate (disk spring).According to an embodiment of the invention, the piston is arranged to be moved to a position in which it blocks the at least one opening in the supply means when the gas flow from the reservoir into the supply means via the at least one opening exceeds a predetermined flow rate. This function can also be referred to as an "excess flow valve function". Thus, if the gas flow from the reservoir is abnormally large, the gas will move the piston towards the first end of the body of the delivery device. In this way, the piston blocks the at least one opening in the body of the supply device and the gas flow from the gas reservoir is thus limited. This function is helpful, for example, if a pipe breaks and the risk of free outflow thereby occurs. The supply means may comprise a spring element encircling the piston to realize the excess flow valve function. The spring element is thus arranged between the piston and the body of the supply device. If the gas flow exceeds the predetermined flow rate, the force exerted by the gas on the piston is greater than the spring force of the spring element. The piston is thus moved and the spring element is compressed. When the gas flow is normal, the spring element is stretched and the piston is in its normal position, in which the at least one opening of the piston is aligned with the at least one opening in the body of the supply device. The supply device according to the invention can thus be an integrated excess flow valve and a filling valve with the function of limiting excess flow out of the gas reservoir and the function of reducing gas expansion upstream of the valve arrangement. Alternatively, the valve assembly has a separate spill valve.According to a combination of features of the invention, a supply device for a valve arrangement of a gas reservoir is provided. The valve assembly is configured to be disposed in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas, the valve assembly including at least one valve device having a valve inlet; and at least one rubber seal, the supply device configured to be disposed within the gas reservoir, and the supply device including: a substantially cylindrical body having a first end and a second end; a passage in the body configured for fluid communication with the valve inlet; and at least one opening in the body configured for fluid communication with the passage to allow gas flow between the valve inlet and the reservoir. The supply means has a piston movable in the passage, the piston being arranged to be moved to a position where it partially blocks the at least one opening in the supply means when the pressure at the valve inlet exceeds the pressure in the gas reservoir by a predetermined amount.The supply means may further comprise spring means disposed between the piston and the second end of the body of the supply means. The spring means may be arranged to be compressed by the piston when the pressure at the valve inlet exceeds the pressure in the reservoir by a predetermined amount such that the spring means blocks an opening at the second end of the body.The piston may also be arranged to be moved to a position blocking the at least one opening of the supply means when the gas flow from the reservoir into the supply means via the at least one opening exceeds a predetermined flow rate.The supply device may be configured to be removably attached to a neck of the valve assembly.The supply device according to this combination of features of the invention may comprise an insulating material for reducing cooling of the valve assembly when the gas expands inside the gas reservoir. The body of the feeder may have a coating with the insulating material. The supply means may comprise an insulation element comprising the insulating material, the insulation element enclosing the outer side of said body. The supply device may comprise an insulation element with the insulating material, wherein the insulation element is configured to be arranged between the body and the neck of the valve arrangement. The insulating material can be a ceramic or a plastic.Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, particularly when the invention is put into practice. Although the invention will be described in detail below, it is not limited to such details. Those skilled in the art, upon having access to the teachings herein, will appreciate that other applications, modifications and implementations are possible in other areas, which are also within the scope of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURESFor a still further understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, the following description is provided in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals designate corresponding components: FIG. 1 schematically shows a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 schematically shows a valve arrangement for a gas reservoir according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 schematically shows a feed device according to an embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 4 a- cschematically illustrate a feeding device according to embodiments of the invention; and FIGS. 5 a- cschematically illustrate a feeding device according to embodiments of the invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURESFIG. 1 schematically shows a side view of a vehicle 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 has a drive unit 2, which may be, for example, a gas-driven motor, for example an Otto motor. The drive unit 2 is advantageously driven by a so-called CNG fuel (compressed natural gas). The vehicle 1 has a tank assembly including at least one reservoir (tank) 10 that transports CNG. The tank arrangement may comprise a plurality of reservoirs 10 which carry the pressurized gas. Each reservoir 10 has a valve assembly 20 for controlling gas flow into and out of the reservoir 10. The valve assembly 20 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The vehicle 1 can be a heavy-duty vehicle, for example a truck or a bus. On the other hand, the vehicle 1 can also be a passenger car, for example. The vehicle 1 may be manually controlled, remotely controlled, or autonomously driven. In the figure, the vehicle 1 is shown as a truck and the reservoir 10 is arranged on the frame 1 of the vehicle 1. If the vehicle 1 is a bus, the reservoir 10 can be arranged on the roof of the vehicle 1.FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a valve arrangement 20 for a gas reservoir 10 according to an exemplary embodiment. The valve assembly 20 may be configured to control a flow of gas into or out of the gas reservoir 10. The gas reservoir may be a gas tank according to FIG. 1 and may also be referred to as a tank or a (gas) bottle, for example. The valve assembly 20 may be configured to be arranged for fluid communication with a source (not shown) of compressed gas via a conduit 100. The conduit 100 may include a one-way valve 110 that allows gas to enter the conduit 100 but not to exit the conduit 100. On the other hand, the one-way valve 110 may also be disposed in communication with the source of compressed gas, such as in a nozzle or the like. The valve assembly 20 includes at least one valve assembly 22 having a valve inlet 24 and at least one rubber seal 26. The delivery device 30 may be configured to be removably attachable to a neck 28 of the valve assembly 20. The supply device 30 can be designed such that it can be screwed / screwed onto a threaded connection piece 28 of the valve arrangement 30. The feeder 30 is shown in more detail in Figs. 3-5.The valve assembly 20 is configured to be disposed such that the valve inlet 24 is in fluid communication with the source of compressed gas via the conduit 100. The valve inlet 24 is in fluid communication with the supply device 30 when the valve device 22 is in its open position. Gas can thus flow through the line 100, through the valve inlet 24, into the supply device 30 and into the reservoir 10. The valve assembly 20 may include several components, such as mechanical and / or electrical shut-off valves, safety devices (not shown), and connectors to various pipes / conduits (not shown). The valve assembly 20 may include a plurality of rubber seals 26 disposed to prevent leaks between the various components. The at least one valve device 22 can be a shut-off valve.FIG. 3 schematically shows a supply device 30 for a valve arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The valve assembly 20 is preferably constructed as shown in Figure 2 and is thus adapted to be in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas, the valve assembly 20 including at least one valve means 22 having a valve inlet 24; and at least one rubber seal 26. In the figure, the supply device 30 is shown mounted on the connector 28 of the valve arrangement 20, as is described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.The delivery device 30 includes: a substantially cylindrical body 32 having a first end 34' and a second end 34"; a passage 36 in the body 32 configured to be disposed in fluid communication with the valve inlet 24 of the valve assembly 20; and at least one opening 38 in the body 32 in fluid communication with the passage 32 to allow gas flow between the valve inlet 24 and the gas reservoir 10. Gas thus enters the gas reservoir via the at least one opening 38. The feeder 30 may have two or more openings in the feeder body 32. The first end 34' of the delivery device body 32 may be configured to be removably attachable to the nozzle 28 of the valve assembly. The first end 34' of the feeder body 32 may be threaded, for example, internally or externally, to a correspondingly threaded socket 28 of the valve assembly 20.Upon filling a gas reservoir 10 with gas from a source of compressed gas, the gas expands in (at least) two stages, first upon entering the conduit 100 downstream of the one-way valve 110 and then upon entering the gas reservoir 10. This will cool the feeder 30 very quickly. Typically, the supply device 30 is made of brass or similar material having high thermal conductivity. Thus, when the supply means 30 is cooled to low temperatures, this temperature is transferred to the remaining components of the valve assembly 20 including the rubber seal 26 which may lose its elasticity and thus cause leakage. To overcome this problem, the feeder 30 may include an insulating material for reducing the cooling of the at least one rubber seal 26 of the valve assembly 20 upon expansion of the gas in the gas reservoir 10, and thereby, even when the feeder 30 is cooled, the low temperature is not transferred to the remaining components of the valve assembly 20, and the rubber seal 26 will not lose its elasticity. The insulating material may be, for example, ceramic material or plastic material (plastic). The insulating material may be any material other than metal. The insulating material is thus a material with low thermal conductivity. The structure of the feeder 30 with respect to the insulating material is illustrated in more detail in Figures 4a-c.FIGS. 4a-4c schematically show cross-sections of a supply device for a valve arrangement according to exemplary embodiments of the invention. The supply device 30 can be configured according to FIG. 3. In these figures, the feeder 30 is shown mounted to the neck 28 of the valve assembly 20, and in these figures, portions of the feeder 30 comprising the insulating material are shown shaded.Referring to Fig. 4a, the body 32 of the feeder 30 is made of insulating material to reduce cooling of the at least one rubber seal 26 of the valve assembly 20. On the other hand, the body 32 of the supply device 30 can also have a coating with an insulating material. In this embodiment, the feeder 30 has four apertures 38 in the feeder body 32, only three apertures 38 being shown. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance d between the openings 38 in the body 32 of the delivery device and the nozzle 38 of the valve assembly 20 is such that the nozzle 28 is not significantly cooled by the cold expanded gas. By increasing the distance d between the openings 38 in the body 32 and the stub 28 of the valve arrangement 20, the risk of significant cooling of the stub 28 and the valve arrangement 20 is reduced. The distance d between the openings 38 and the nozzle 28 should be determined such that the expansion of the gas takes place at a sufficient distance from the nozzle 28 to keep cooling of the nozzle 28 low, but at the same time the distance should be small enough to prevent the expanded gas from becoming too cold, namely by means of heat from the nozzle 28.According to FIG. 4 b, the supply device 30 has an insulation element 40 with the insulating material, wherein the insulation element 40 extends over the circumference of the outer side of the body 32 of the supply device 30. In this cross-sectional view, only one side of the feeder 30 is shown, but it should be understood that the feeder 30 is configured to be correspondingly symmetrical. The isolation element 40 surrounds the body 32 of the supply device 30 in the region of the gas expansion. That is, the insulation element 40 can be arranged in the region of the at least one opening 38 in the body 32. The insulation element can thus have at least one opening 42, corresponding to the at least one opening 38 in the body 32 of the feed device. The insulator 40 protects the body 32 from the cold expanded gas and the low temperature will therefore not substantially penetrate the body 32. The body 32 of the supply device 30 can thus comprise metal without the low gas temperature being transferred to a considerable extent to the at least one rubber seal 26 of the valve arrangement 20.According to FIG. 4 c, the supply device 30 has an insulation element 44 with the insulating material, wherein the insulation element 44 is designed such that it can be arranged between the body 32 of the supply device 30 and the connection piece 28 of the valve arrangement 20. In the figure, only one side of the cross section of the feeding device 30 is shown, but it is understood that the feeding device 30 is symmetrically designed. The insulation element 44 can be an adapter which can be connected both to the body 32 of the supply device 30 and to the connection piece 28 of the valve arrangement 20. The isolation member 44 may be configured such that the distance between the apertures 38 in the feeder body 32 and the spout 28 keeps cooling of the spout 28 low, but at the same time prevents the expanded gas from becoming too cold. The insulator 44 may be threaded corresponding to a thread on or in the socket 28 and a thread on or in the body 32 of the feeder. On the other hand, the insulation element 44 can also provide a connection between the connecting piece 28 and the body 32 of the supply device in the form of a snap closure or a press closure.FIGS. 5a-5c schematically show cross-sections of a supply device 30 according to an embodiment of the invention. The feed device 30 can be designed according to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 a, FIG. 4 bor FIG. 4 c. In this embodiment, the supply device 30 has a piston 50 movable in the passage 36 of the body 32, the piston 50 being arranged to be moved to a position where it partially blocks the at least one opening 38 of the supply device 30 when the pressure at the valve inlet 24 exceeds the pressure in the gas reservoir 10 by a predetermined amount. As explained above, the gas expands upon injection from the compressed gas source. This means that the gas, upon entry into the valve arrangement 20 via the valve inlet 24 of the at least one valve device 22, has a low temperature which can impair the at least one rubber seal 26 of the valve arrangement 20. By configuring the supply device 30 with a piston 50 such that it partially blocks the at least one opening 38, the gas flow through the at least one opening 38 into the gas reservoir 10 is impeded during the filling process. An increased flow resistance in the valve arrangement 20 is thus achieved, which reduces the pressure drop upstream of the valve arrangement 20. The major part of the gas expansion will therefore take place on entry into the gas reservoir 10 and the cooling effect of the gas upstream of the valve arrangement 20 is thus reduced.The piston 50 may be substantially cylindrical in shape with a first end 52' opposite the first end 34' of the feeder body 32 and a second end 52'', opposite the second end 34'' of the feeder body 32. The piston 50 is substantially coaxially arranged with respect to the body 32 of the supply device 30. the piston 50 may have an open first end 52' and a closed or open second end 52". The piston 50 may include a partition 54 separating the piston 50 into two cylindrical portions, a first cylindrical portion extending between the first end 52' of the piston 50 and the partition 54, and a second cylindrical portion extending from the partition 54 to the second end 52" of the piston 50. The piston 50 may further include at least one opening 58.The feeder 30 further includes spring means 60 disposed between the piston 50 and the second end 34" of the feeder body 32. The second end 34" of the feeder body 32 is partially open and thus has an opening 70. The spring device 60 is arranged so as to at least partially cover the opening 70. The spring device 60 can be a disk spring.FIG. 5 ashows the supply device 30 in a state in which the pressure P inlet at the valve inlet substantially corresponds to the pressure P res in the reservoir. In this state, the piston 50 is positioned such that the at least one opening 58 in the piston 50 is aligned (aligned) with respect to the at least one opening 38 in the feeder body 32. The spring means 60 is sized such that when the pressure P inlet at the valve inlet and the pressure P res inside the gas reservoir substantially correspond to each other, the spring means 60 is in the expanded state and maintains the piston 50 in a position in which the at least one opening 58 in the piston 50 is aligned with the at least one opening 38 in the body 32 of the delivery means. In this way, gas entering via the valve inlet 24 is fed into the gas reservoir 10.FIG. 5 bshows the supply device 30 in a state in which the pressure P inlet at the valve inlet exceeds the pressure P res in the interior of the reservoir by a predetermined amount. If the pressure P inlet at the valve inlet is sufficiently greater than the pressure P res inside the reservoir, the force exerted on the piston 50 by the gas entering via the valve inlet 24 is greater than the spring force of the spring means 60, which gas will thus act on the partition 54 of the piston 50 and move the piston 50 axially towards the second end 34" of the body 32 of the supply means. The piston 50 will thereby compress the spring means 60 and the spring means 60 will cover the opening 70 of the feeder body 32. The piston 50 is positioned in this manner such that the at least one opening 58 of the piston 50 and the at least one opening 38 in the body of the delivery device are offset from each other. The offset between the at least one port 58 of the piston 50 and the at least one port 38 of the body 32 of the delivery device may vary depending on the pressure P inlet at the valve inlet, the pressure P res inside the gas reservoir and the spring force of the spring device 60. The (effective) size of the at least one opening 38 of the body 32 of the supply device is thus reduced and an increased resistance for the gas flow is achieved. When the spring means 60 is expanded, some gas can flow past the spring means 60 and the piston 50 via the opening 70. However, when the spring means is compressed, the flow of gas across the opening 70 and past the piston 50 is reduced, ensuring that the piston 50 is held in the position in which it partially blocks the at least one opening 38 in the body 32 of the delivery means.FIG. 5 cshows the supply device 30 according to FIGS. 5 aand 5 b, wherein the piston 50 is also configured to be moved into a position in which it blocks the at least one opening 38 of the body 32 of the supply device when the gas flow from the reservoir 10 into the supply device 30 via the at least one opening 38 exceeds a predetermined flow rate. This function can be referred to as an "excess flow valve function.". Thus, if the flow of gas from the reservoir 10 is abnormally large, the gas will move the piston 50 toward the first end 34' of the feeder body 32. The gas flow is shown in the figure with an arrow. In this manner, the piston 50 blocks the at least one opening 38 in the feeder body 32 and the flow of gas from the gas reservoir 10 is thereby restricted. The supply means 30 may therefore comprise a spring element 80 which surrounds the piston 50 to perform this excess flow valve function. The spring member 80 may be disposed between the plunger 50 and the feeder body 32. If the gas flow exceeds the predetermined flow rate, the force exerted by the gas on the piston 50 is greater than the spring force of the spring member 80. the piston 50 therefore moves and compresses the spring member 80. When the gas flow is normal, the spring member 80 is automatically expanded and the piston returns to its normal position with the at least one opening 58 of the piston 50 aligned with the at least one opening 38 in the body 32 of the feeder.The above description of preferred embodiments of the invention is intended for purposes of illustration and explanation. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the examples described. A variety of modifications and changes will be apparent to one skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in detail in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, and thus to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments thereof, including modifications in accordance with the intended use.

Claims

A supply device (30) for a valve assembly (20) in communication with a gas reservoir (10), the valve assembly (20) being arranged to be disposed in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas, the valve assembly (20) comprising at least one valve device (22) having a valve inlet (24) and at least one rubber seal (26), the supply device (30) being arranged to be disposed within the gas reservoir (10), and wherein the supply device (30) comprises: a substantially cylindrical body (32) having a first end (34') and a second end (34"); a passage (36) in the body (32) being arranged to be disposed in fluid communication with the valve inlet (24) of the valve assembly (20); at least one opening (38) in the body (32) in fluid communication with the passageway (36) for allowing gas flow between the valve inlet (24) and the gas reservoir (10), and insulating material for reducing cooling of the valve assembly (20) as gas expands in the gas reservoir (10), characterized in that the delivery device (30) comprises a piston (50) movably disposed in the passageway (36), the piston (50) being configured to move to a position partially blocking the at least one opening (38) of the delivery device (30) when a pressure (P inlet) at the valve inlet exceeds a pressure (P res) inside the gas reservoir by a predetermined value, wherein the at least one opening (38) of the supply device (30) is blocked all the more the greater the pressure (P inlet) at the valve inlet (24) compared to the pressure (P res) in the interior of the reservoir.The delivery device (30) of claim 1, wherein the delivery device (30) is configured to be removably attached to a neck (28) of the valve assembly (20).The feeder (30) of any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the body (32) comprises a coating with the insulating material.The feeder (30) according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the feeder (30) comprises an insulation element (42) with the insulating material, and wherein the insulation element (42) is arranged over the perimeter of the outside of the body (32).The feeder (30) according to claim 2, wherein the feeder (30) comprises an insulation element (44) with the insulating material, and wherein the insulation element (44) is configured to be arranged between the body (32) and the neck (28) of the valve assembly (20).The feeder (30) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the insulating material is a ceramic or a plastic material.The delivery device (30) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising: a spring device (60) arranged between the piston (50) and an opening (70) at the second end (34") of the body (32).The feeder (30) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the piston (50) is arranged to move to a position blocking the at least one opening (38) of the feeder (30) when the gas flow from the gas reservoir (10) via the at least one opening (38) into the feeder (30) exceeds a predetermined flow rate.A valve assembly (20) for a gas reservoir (10), the valve assembly (20) being adapted to be disposed in fluid communication with a source of compressed gas, and the valve assembly (20) comprising: at least one valve device (22) having a valve inlet (24); and at least one rubber seal (26), characterized in that the valve assembly (20) comprises a supply device (30) according to any preceding claim.A gas reservoir (10) characterized in that it comprises a valve assembly (20) according to claim 9.Vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a gas reservoir (10) according to claim 10.

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