Safety system during refueling by vehicles in a service area

Abstract

Safety system (100), during refueling by vehicles (102) in a service area, applied to a fuel dispensing column (200), in correspondence with each housing of the respective dispensing nozzles (204a, 204b, 204c), characterised in that comprising: - a first pair of sensors (201a, 201b) for the first dispensing nozzle (204a), a second pair of sensors (202a, 202b) for the second dispensing nozzle (204b), a third pair of sensors (203a, 203b) for the third dispensing nozzle (204c); means of transmitting data from the above said pairs of sensors (201a, 201b), (202a, 202b), (203a, 203b) to a data processing unit which acquires the respective status of the dispensing nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c) as "present" or "absent"; - data processing means which, based on the above said "present" or "absent" state of the delivery nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c), determines a "block" command if at least one of the delivery nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c) is "absent", or an "unlock and enable" command if all the delivery nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c) are simultaneously in the "present" state; means for transmitting the above said commands to a control unit of an exit barrier, which activates the respective means of automatic movement of the barrier based on the above said "block" or "unlock and enable" command; - an exit barrier (101) installed on the exit lane of the vehicle (102) from the service area, so that if the respective control unit receives the "lock" command, the activation of the movement systems brings the barrier (101) into a closed horizontal position, which prevents the passage of the vehicle (102), if instead the respective control unit receives the "unlock and go" command, the activation of the movement systems brings the barrier (101) into an open vertical position, which allows the passage of the vehicle (102).

Description

[0001] The present invention essentially concerns a safety system during vehicle refueling at a service station. More specifically, the safety system activates a blocking function when a vehicle is stopped next to a fuel dispenser with the nozzle inserted into the filler neck. Subsequently, once the refueling phase is completed and the nozzle has been returned to its location in the dispenser, the safety system activates an unlocking function and clears the way.

[0002] During the blocking phase, the system physically prevents the vehicle from restarting and thus leaving the service station with the nozzle still inserted, dragging part of the instrumentation with it and thus causing serious damage and / or dangerous accidents. This eventuality can unfortunately occur for various reasons, such as inattention, an altered psycho-physical condition caused by substances or the driver's lack of attention, or a communication problem between the person refueling and the driver of the vehicle. The technical problem addressed by the present invention is therefore to prevent a vehicle from leaving the service area if the nozzle of the respective dispenser used has not been returned to its housing on the column.

[0003] As known from the prior art, currently there are some known attempts to address this problem indirectly. For example, since the refueling area is constantly monitored by a video surveillance system, an operator observing the scene on a monitor could detect an anomalous situation and activate an alarm system or make an announcement over a loudspeaker, but in any case, this action would occur after the damage has already occurred.

[0004] Another solution, implemented by fueling station manufacturers, is to install strain-proof safety couplings, in which the end of the delivery hose automatically releases from the station if the vehicle starts moving and drags the hose with it. This prevents more serious problems, but the whiplash of the disconnected hose, impacting the station, the ground, the vehicle, and the systems, as well as causing fuel to leak from inside, can lead to very risky situations with unpredictable consequences.

[0005] The primary objective of this invention is therefore to overcome all the above said drawbacks by proposing a solution that can prevent accidents of this type from occurring at the source, rather than mitigating their consequences. It relies on making the vehicle driver aware of the external situation and whether or not the conditions are right to restart. This perception must be immediate, visible, and accurate, to prevent the vehicle from moving away even just a few meters, as would occur, for example, with an audible alarm connected to the hose's strain-proof safety couplings.

[0006] Another objective is for the external situation to be objective, detected by automatic and reliable safety systems, without requiring the supervision, attention, or intervention of a third party, such as a service station operator, who could, for example, press an alarm button in the event of anomalies or emergency situations.

[0007] Another goal is that, once it's automatically detected that the conditions for restarting the vehicle safely are not met, the final decision shouldn't be left to the driver, who could still decide to restart due to a misunderstanding or a misjudgment. In the event of a roadblock, the vehicle should be forced to remain stationary and unable to restart.

[0008] A further objective is that the safety system of the present invention would be perfectly integrated into the existing service areas, without significantly modifying the installations and operation of the fueling stations, while also avoiding changes to current fueling operations, execution times, and the habits of both operators and users.

[0009] Another objective is that, by introducing a technological system in an area with a high risk of flammable liquid spills and fires, the system itself would be compliant to all the precautions required for proper implementation in similar contexts, as established and required by both current national and international standards and laws.

[0010] Therefore, it is specific subject of the present invention a safety system for refueling vehicles at a service station, applied to a fuel dispenser column, corresponding to each nozzle housing, characterized in that comprising: a first pair of sensors for the first nozzle, a second pair of sensors for the second nozzle, and a third pair of sensors for the third nozzle; means for transmitting data from the above said sensor pairs to a data processing unit that acquires the respective status of the nozzles as "present" or "absent"; data processing means that, based on the above said "present" or "absent" status of the nozzles, determines a "block" command if at least one of the nozzles is "absent" or an "unlock and enable" command if all the nozzles are simultaneously in the "present" state; means of transmitting the above said commands to a control unit of an exit barrier, which activates the respective means of automatic movement of the barrier on the basis of the above said "lock" or "unlock and clear" command; an exit barrier installed on the vehicles exit lane from the service area, so that if the respective control unit receives the "lock" command, the activation of the movement systems brings the barrier to a closed horizontal position, which prevents the passage of the vehicle, while if the respective control unit receives the "unlock and clear" command, the activation of the movement systems brings the barrier to a vertical open position, which allows the passage of the vehicle.

[0011] The present invention will now be described for illustrative, but not limiting, purposes, with particular reference to the figures in the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle, stopped next to a fuel dispenser column at a service station, during a refueling phase in which the safety system of the present invention has entered the lock function; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the nozzle inserted into the fuel filler neck of the same motor vehicle as shown in Figure 1, during the refueling phase; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same motor vehicle as shown in Figure 1, stopped next to a fuel dispenser column, after the refueling phase has been completed and the nozzle has been returned to its housing in the column; at this stage, the safety system of the present invention has entered the unlock and clear function; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the same part as shown in Figure 2, where the fuel filler neck of the vehicle shown in Figure 1 is located, with the door closed and the refueling process completed; Figure 5 is a front view of a fuel dispenser including sensors for the respective nozzles, which are part of the safety system of the present invention; Figure 6 is a front view of the same vehicle as shown in Figure 1, during a refueling phase in which the safety system of the present invention has entered the blocking function; Figure 7 is a front view of the same vehicle as shown in Figure 3, after the refueling phase has been completed and the dispenser nozzle has been returned to its housing in the column; at this stage, the safety system of the present invention has entered the unlocking and clearing function.

[0012] It should be emphasized that only few of the possible embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated below, by way of non-limiting examples, as many others can be described based on the specific technical solutions identified. In the various figures, the same elements will be indicated with the same reference numbers.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle 102, stopped at the side of a column 104 of a fuel dispenser 105 during a refueling phase at a service station. Figure 2 shows a detail of the nozzle 106 of the dispenser inserted into the refueling neck 107 of the same motor vehicle 102. The service station has a safety system 100 installed which, for the entire time in which the nozzle 106 of the dispenser is removed from its respective housing in the column 104, keeps an automatic barrier 101 in a lowered horizontal position, and prevents the passage of the vehicle 102.

[0014] Figure 3 shows the same vehicle 102, stationary at the side of the column 104 of the fuel dispenser 105, after the refueling phase has been concluded and the nozzle 106 of the dispenser has been placed in its housing in the column 104. Figure 4 shows a detail of the part of the refueling nozzle 107 of the same vehicle 102, in which the door 108 has been closed and the refueling phase has been concluded. The same safety system 100 of the service station detects the position of the nozzle 106 in its housing in the column 104 and opens the automatic barrier 101 in the vertical raised position, to allow the passage of the vehicle 102.

[0015] Thus, when the driver of vehicle 102 visually sees barrier 101 lowered, he understands that there is no room for vehicle 102 to start and pass without causing damage by crashing into barrier 101. He remains stationary, waiting for barrier 101 to rise and the road to be clear. If barrier 101 does not rise, the driver will sooner or later realize, in the case of self-service, that he forgot to return the nozzle 106 of the dispenser to the appropriate slot in column 104. He will exit vehicle 102 and proceed with the operation. If, however, the refueling was performed by a service station operator, the driver will wait until the operator has completed the operation by returning the nozzle 106 of the dispenser to the appropriate slot in column 104.

[0016] When the driver of vehicle 102 visually sees the barrier 101 raised, he or she understands that all the instruments of the refueling column 104 are in place, and can start and drive vehicle 102.

[0017] The safety system 100 then automatically checks that all the nozzles of the dispensers of a column 104 are present in their respective housings, and only then it will automatically raise the barrier 101 and release the vehicle 102.

[0018] Figure 5 shows a fuel dispensing column 200, illustrating some technical details that enable the safety system 100 of the present invention to function. Specifically, presence sensors 201a, 201b, 202a, 202b, 203a, 203b, for the respective nozzles 204a, 204b, and 204c of the dispenser have been applied: a first pair of sensors 201a, 201b for the first dispensing nozzle 204a; a second pair of sensors 202a, 202b for the second dispensing nozzle 204b, and a third pair of sensors 203a, 203b for the third dispensing nozzle 204c. Transmission means send the data from the above said sensor pairs 201a, 201b, 202a, 202b, 203a, 203b to a data processing unit, which acquires the respective status of the dispensing nozzles 204a, 204b, 204c as "present" or "absent".

[0019] The safety system 100 also comprises data processing means which, based on the above said "present" or "absent" state of the dispensing nozzles 204a, 204b, 204c, determines a "block" command if at least one of the dispensing nozzles 204a, 204b, 204c is "absent", or an "unlock and enable" command if all the dispensing nozzles 204a, 204b, 204c are simultaneously in the "present" state. Further transmission means send these commands to a control unit of an exit barrier 101, which activates the respective automatic movement means of the barrier 101 based on the above said "block" or "unlock and enable" command.

[0020] With reference to Figures 6 and 7, the exit barrier 101 is installed on the exit lane of the vehicle 102 from the service area. In this way, if the respective control unit receives the "lock" command, the actuation of the movement systems brings the barrier 101 to a closed horizontal position (Figure 6), which prevents the passage of the vehicle 102. If, however, the respective control unit receives the "unlock and clear" command, the actuation of the movement systems brings the barrier 101 to a vertical open position (Figure 7), which allows the passage of the vehicle 102.

[0021] An important feature of the present invention is that the above said pairs of sensors 201a, 201b, 202a, 202b, 203a, 203b, the above said data transmission means, the above said data processing control unit, the above said data processing means, and the above said control unit of the exit barrier 101 are all devices made using electronic and computer technology that meets the highest safety standards for installation in environments where combustibles are present and pose a risk of spillage and fire.

[0022] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the above said sensor pairs 201a, 201b, 202a, 202b, 203a, and 203b can be implemented using LED optical technology, or using microcameras that remotely record a scene in the field of view. Furthermore, all the electronic hardware components can be installed inside watertight containers. Communications between one component of the security system and another can occur using wireless technology or fiber optics with appropriately insulated electronic management components equipped with a grounding connection.

[0023] All of this is done in accordance with the known precautions for proper implementation in similar contexts, as established and required by both current national and international standards and laws.

[0024] The above said vehicle 102 may be represented by cars, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, trucks, buses, articulated trucks, or any other type of vehicle approved for road circulation.

[0025] The engine of the vehicles 102 may be powered by gasoline, diesel, or other hydrocarbons, or it may be electric, or any other type of fuel, including hybrid, approved for road circulation.

[0026] The above said service area may consist of a traditional vehicle refueling area, or it may consist of more recent parking areas with on-street electric vehicle charging, which may be integrated with a safety system such as that of the present invention, installing all the above said equipment, including an exit barrier that allows or prevents the vehicles from restarting.

[0027] Therefore, the present invention achieves all the expected objectives, overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art and offering a solution that can prevent the described accidents from occurring at the source, rather than mitigating their consequences. It relies on making the vehicle driver aware of the external situation and whether or not the conditions exist to restart. This perception is therefore immediate, visible, and accurate, preventing the vehicle from moving even a few meters away, as would occur, for example, with an audible alarm connected to the anti-tear safety joints of the fuel hose.

[0028] Also according to the invention, the external situation is objective, detected by automatic and reliable safety systems, without requiring the supervision, attention, or intervention of a third party, such as a service station operator, who could, for example, press an alarm button in the event of anomalies or emergency situations.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the invention, once it is automatically detected that the conditions for safely restarting the vehicle are not met, the final decision is not left to the driver, who could still decide to restart due to a misunderstanding or a misjudgment. In the event of a roadblock, the vehicle is forced to remain stationary and unable to restart.

[0030] Furthermore, according to the invention, the safety system can be perfectly integrated into the existing service areas, without significantly modifying the installation and operation of the refueling stations, while also avoiding changes to current refueling operations, execution times, and the habits of both operators and users.

[0031] Furthermore, by introducing a technological system in an area with a high risk of flammable liquid dispersion and fire, the system itself is compliant to all the precautions required for proper implementation in similar contexts, as established and required by both national and international standards and laws.

[0032] The present invention has been described for illustrative, but not limitative, purposes according to some preferred embodiments. However, it is understood that any variations and / or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, without thereby departing from the scope of protection, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Safety system (100), during refueling by vehicles (102) in a service area, applied to a fuel dispensing column (200), in correspondence with each housing of the respective dispensing nozzles (204a, 204b, 204c), characterised in that comprising: - a first pair of sensors (201a, 201b) for the first dispensing nozzle (204a), a second pair of sensors (202a, 202b) for the second dispensing nozzle (204b), a third pair of sensors (203a, 203b) for the third dispensing nozzle (204c); means of transmitting data from the above said pairs of sensors (201a, 201b), (202a, 202b), (203a, 203b) to a data processing unit which acquires the respective status of the dispensing nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c) as "present" or "absent"; - data processing means which, based on the above said "present" or "absent" state of the delivery nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c), determines a "block" command if at least one of the delivery nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c) is "absent", or an "unlock and enable" command if all the delivery nozzles (204a), (204b), (204c) are simultaneously in the "present" state; means for transmitting the above said commands to a control unit of an exit barrier, which activates the respective means of automatic movement of the barrier based on the above said "block" or "unlock and enable" command; - an exit barrier (101) installed on the exit lane of the vehicle (102) from the service area, so that if the respective control unit receives the "lock" command, the activation of the movement systems brings the barrier (101) into a closed horizontal position, which prevents the passage of the vehicle (102), if instead the respective control unit receives the "unlock and go" command, the activation of the movement systems brings the barrier (101) into an open vertical position, which allows the passage of the vehicle (102).

2. Safety system (100) for refueling vehicles (102) in a service area, according to the previous claim 1, characterized in that: - the above said pairs of sensors (201a, 201b), (202a, 202b), (203a, 203b); the above said data transmission means; the above said data processing unit; the above said data processing means and the above said exit barrier (101) control unit, are all devices made using electronic and computer technology that meets the highest safety standards for installation in environments where combustibles are present and at risk of spillage and fire.

3. A safety system (100) for refueling vehicles (102) in a service area, according to the previous claim 2, characterized in that: - the above said pairs of sensors (201a, 201b), (202a, 202b), (203a, 203b) are made using LED optical technology, or using micro cameras that remotely record a scene in the field of view; furthermore, all the electronic hardware components are installed inside watertight containers; communications from one component of the safety system to another take place using wireless technology or fiber optics with appropriately insulated electronic management components having an earth leakage connection, according to all the precautions of proper installations in similar contexts, as established and prescribed by both the standards and laws in force, at a national and international level.

4. Safety system (100), during refueling by vehicles (102) in a service area, according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that: - the above said vehicle (102) is represented by motor vehicles, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, trucks, buses, articulated lorries, or any other type of vehicle approved for road circulation.

5. Safety system (100), during refueling by vehicles (102) in a service area, according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that: - the type of fuel supply of the engine of the vehicles (102) is represented by gasoline, diesel or other hydrocarbon type, it can be electric, or any other type of fuel, including hybrid, approved for road circulation.

6. Safety system (100) for refueling vehicles (102) in a service area, according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that: - the above said service area may consist of a traditional vehicle refueling area, or it may consist of the more recent parking areas with on-street charging for electric vehicles, which may be integrated with a safety system such as that of the present invention, by installing all the above said equipment including an exit barrier that allows or blocks the restarting of the vehicles.

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