Liquid feeder

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of preventing liquid from flowing out from a nozzle independent of an operator's intention.SOLUTION: A liquid feeder 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a feed passage 20 for feeding liquid to a feed object; a hose 22 extending from the feed passage 20; a liquid feeding nozzle 30 capable of discharging the liquid fed through the feed passage 20 by operating a lever part 30d, that is provided at a tip of the hose 22; a pump 40 for feeding the liquid onto a liquid feeding nozzle 30 side through the feed passage 20; an operation state detection part 90 for detecting an operation state of the lever part 30d; and a control part 70 for starting or stopping the pump, based on a detection result of the operation state detection part 90.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fluid dispensing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, a liquid supply device is known in which a pump is activated when a nozzle for supplying liquid is removed from a nozzle hanger, and a valve in a flow path inside the nozzle is opened when a lever on the nozzle is operated, causing liquid to be ejected from the nozzle (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-292100 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is a possibility that the valve will not close due to the intrusion of foreign matter between the valve and the valve seat inside the nozzle or a malfunction of the valve itself. In such a case, if the nozzle is removed from the nozzle hanger and the pump is started, liquid may flow out of the nozzle regardless of the operator's intention.

[0005] In view of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of suppressing the outflow of liquid from a nozzle unintentionally by an operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, A supply path for supplying liquid to a supply target; A hose extending from the supply path; a liquid supply nozzle provided at a tip of the hose and operable to discharge the liquid supplied through the supply path toward the supply target by operating a lever portion; a pump for supplying liquid to the liquid supply nozzle through the supply path; a detection unit provided in the liquid supply nozzle and detecting an operation state of the lever unit; and a control unit that determines whether the lever unit is operated based on the detection result of the detection unit, and starts or stops the pump based on the determination result. A fluid delivery device is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to prevent liquid from flowing out of the nozzle unintentionally by the operator. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an example of a liquid supplying apparatus. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a liquid supply nozzle. [Diagram 3] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by a control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [Configuration of the liquid supply device] First, the configuration of a liquid supply device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an example of a liquid supply device 1. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a liquid supply nozzle.

[0012] In FIG. 2, a portion of the nozzle body 30b and the lever portion 30d are illustrated as a cross-sectional view.

[0013] The liquid supplying device 1 supplies a predetermined liquid to a predetermined target in response to a user's operation. For example, the predetermined liquid is liquid fuel such as regular gasoline with a relatively low octane number, high-octane gasoline or diesel with a relatively high octane number, and the predetermined target is a fuel tank of a vehicle such as an automobile. The liquid supplying device 1 is installed in a liquid supply facility such as a gas station. The following description will be centered on a case where liquid fuel is supplied from the liquid supplying device 1 to a fuel tank of a vehicle.

[0014] 1, the liquid supply device 1 includes a housing 10, a supply path 20, a hose 22, a liquid supply nozzle 30, a nozzle hanger 32, a nozzle switch 34, a pump 40, a flow meter 50, and a solenoid valve 60. The liquid supply device 1 also includes a control unit 70, a display unit 80, and an operation state detection unit 90.

[0015] The housing 10 accommodates various components of the liquid supply device 1 internally and holds them externally.

[0016] The supply path 20 is housed inside the housing 10, and is a path for supplying liquid fuel from a reservoir (for example, an underground tank) of the liquid supply facility to a fuel tank of the vehicle.

[0017] The hose 22 is attached to the tip of the supply path 20. The hose 22 is flexible and is provided so as to extend from the housing 10 to the outside.

[0018] The liquid supply nozzle 30 is provided at the tip of the hose 22 outside the housing 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the liquid supply nozzle 30 includes a discharge pipe 30a and a nozzle main body 30b. In the following description of the liquid supply nozzle 30, for convenience, the up-down positional relationship in a state in which an operator inserts the tip of the liquid supply nozzle 30 (discharge pipe 30a) into a liquid supply port of a vehicle to be supplied with liquid (the state in Fig. 2) may be used.

[0019] The discharge pipe 30a is provided so as to extend from the nozzle body 30b. The discharge pipe 30a is inserted into a fuel supply port of the vehicle and discharges the liquid fuel supplied through the hose 22 and the nozzle body 30b toward the fuel tank of the vehicle.

[0020] The nozzle body 30b includes a valve mechanism and the like that supplies the liquid fuel supplied through the hose 22 to the discharge pipe 30a in response to a user's operation and can automatically stop the supply by detecting the liquid level. The nozzle body 30b includes a grip portion 30c, a lever portion 30d, a lever guard 30e, and a movable portion 30f.

[0021] The grip portion 30c is a portion that the user holds with his / her hand when operating the liquid supply nozzle 30.

[0022] The lever portion 30d is provided below the grip portion 30c, and is a portion that a user operates when using the liquid supply nozzle 30 to supply liquid fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle. The lever portion 30d has a rotation axis AX at a portion of the nozzle body portion 30b near the discharge pipe 30a, and is provided rotatable about the rotation axis AX. The lever portion 30d includes a finger hook portion 30d1 on which an operator hooks his / her finger, and a proximity portion 30d2 that is in proximity to the lever guard 30e when not in operation.

[0023] The finger hook portion 30d1 is provided on the lever portion 30d at a portion farther from the rotation axis AX than the adjacent portion 30d2. The finger hook portion 30d1 is disposed so as to be spaced apart from the lever guard 30e to such an extent that a finger can be inserted between the finger hook portion 30d1 and the lever guard 30e when the lever portion 30d is in a non-operated state.

[0024] The adjacent portion 30d2 is provided in a portion of the lever portion 30d closer to the rotation axis AX than the finger hook portion 30d1. The adjacent portion 30d2 is disposed so as to be adjacent to the top of the lever guard 30e when the lever portion 30d is in a non-operated state. A part or the whole of the adjacent portion 30d2 may abut against the lever guard 30e. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a part of the entire adjacent portion 30d2 abuts against the lever guard 30e, and the remaining portion is disposed so as to be adjacent to and face the lever guard 30e vertically.

[0025] The lever guard 30e is provided to cover the lower part of the lever portion 30d. When the lever portion 30d is in a non-operated state, the lever guard 30e abuts against the adjacent part 30d2 of the lever portion 30d, thereby supporting the lever portion 30d from below and defining a reference position on one end side of the rotatable movable range of the lever portion 30d (i.e., the lower end position in the state of FIG. 2).

[0026] The movable part 30f is a member that abuts against the upper surface of the proximal part 30d2 of the lever part 30d and moves according to the position of the proximal part 30d2, which changes according to the operating state of the lever part 30d. The movable part 30f protrudes from the nozzle main body part 30b so as to abut against the upper surface of the proximal part 30d2 of the lever part 30d, and can be moved so as to be pushed into the nozzle main body part 30b side by the proximal part 30d2 of the lever part 30d being pulled up toward the grip part 30c side (direction A in the figure). The movable part 30f is pushed into the nozzle main body part 30b side from the state in which it protrudes from the nozzle main body part 30b, thereby operating a valve mechanism inside the nozzle main body part 30b and shifting the flow path between the hose 22 side and the discharge pipe 30a side from a state in which they are not connected to a state in which they are connected. This allows the user to supply liquid fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle using the liquid supply nozzle 30 by operating the lever part 30d. The amount by which the movable part 30f can move toward the nozzle body 30b is predefined. Therefore, the reference position on the other end of the rotatable range of the lever part 30d (i.e., the upper end position in the state of FIG. 2) is defined according to the amount by which the movable part 30f can move. For example, when the movable part 30f can move so that the entire movable part 30f is pushed into the nozzle body 30b, the rotational movement of the lever part 30d is restricted by the nozzle body 30b, and as a result, the upper end position of the rotatable range of the lever part 30d is defined. Also, when the movement of the movable part 30f stops in a state in which a part of the movable part 30f protrudes from the nozzle body 30b, the rotational movement of the lever part 30d is restricted by the movable part 30f in the stopped state, and as a result, the upper end position of the rotatable range of the lever part 30d is defined.

[0027] The lever portion 30d is operated in such a manner that the operator pulls up the finger hook portion 30d1 toward the grip portion 30c (direction A in the figure) with the tip of the finger while gripping the grip portion 30c. At this time, when the finger hook portion 30d1 is pulled up in the direction A, the adjacent portion 30d2 is also pulled up in the direction A (i.e., its position is displaced toward the direction A), and moves away from the lever guard 30e, while pushing the movable portion 30f toward the nozzle main body portion 30b. This starts the supply of liquid from the liquid supply nozzle 30 to the fuel tank of the vehicle. Thereafter, when the operator releases the state where the finger is hooked on the finger hook portion 30d1 or reduces the pulling force, the lever portion 30d transitions to a state where it is not being operated. Specifically, the lever portion 30d moves toward the lever guard 30e (direction B in the figure) due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown) acting on the movable portion 30f, and the adjacent portion 30d2 abuts against the lever guard 30e. This stops the supply of liquid from the liquid supply nozzle 30 to the vehicle's fuel tank.

[0028] Returning to FIG. 1, the nozzle hanger 32 is provided on the outer surface of the housing 10, and holds the liquid supply nozzle 30 in a predetermined position when not in use.

[0029] The nozzle switch 34 is provided on the nozzle hanger 32, and outputs a signal indicating whether or not the liquid supply nozzle 30 is hung on the nozzle hanger 32. For example, the nozzle switch 34 is in an OFF state when the liquid supply nozzle 30 is not hung on the nozzle hanger 32, and when the liquid supply nozzle 30 is hung on the nozzle hanger 32, the nozzle switch 34 comes into contact with a predetermined location of the liquid supply nozzle 30 and switches to an ON state. The output of the nozzle switch 34 is taken into the control unit 70 through a predetermined communication line such as a one-to-one communication line. As a result, the control unit 70 can determine whether or not the liquid supply nozzle 30 is hung on the nozzle hanger 32 depending on whether the output of the nozzle switch 34 is a signal indicating an ON state (nozzle ON signal) or a signal indicating an OFF state (nozzle OFF signal).

[0030] The pump 40 is provided in the supply path 20 and pumps the liquid fuel toward the liquid supply nozzle 30 under the control of the control unit 70 .

[0031] The flow meter 50 measures the flow rate of the liquid fuel passing through the supply path 20. The flow meter 50 transmits a measurement signal (flow rate pulse) proportional to the flow velocity or instantaneous flow rate of the liquid fuel passing through the supply path to the control unit 70 via a pulse generator 52.

[0032] The solenoid valve 60 is provided in the supply path 20 and switches the supply path 20 between an open state and an closed state under the control of the control unit 70 .

[0033] The control unit 70 controls the operation of the liquid supply device 1.

[0034] The functions of the control unit 70 are realized by any hardware or a combination of any hardware and software. For example, the control unit 70 is mainly configured with a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory device, an auxiliary storage device, and an interface. The memory device is, for example, an SRAM (State Random Access Memory). The auxiliary storage device is, for example, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) or a flash memory. The interface performs communication between the control unit 70 and the outside. In this case, the control unit 70 can realize various functions by loading a program installed in the auxiliary storage device into the memory device and executing it on the CPU.

[0035] The display unit 80, under the control of the control unit 70, displays information related to the operation of the liquid supply device 1. For example, under the control of the control unit 70, the display unit 80 displays the amount of fuel supply from the start of supply of liquid fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle.

[0036] The operation state detection unit 90 detects the operation state of the lever portion 30d of the liquid supply nozzle 30, specifically, whether or not it is operated. The operation state detection unit 90 includes a transmitting / receiving unit 92 and a reply unit 94. The operation state detection unit 90 may also include a blocking unit 96.

[0037] The transmitting / receiving unit 92 is provided in the housing 10, and under the control of the control unit 70, wirelessly transmits a signal that can be received by the reply unit 94, and receives a signal wirelessly transmitted from the reply unit 94. The transmitting / receiving unit 92 may be attached to the outer surface of the housing 10, or may be built into the housing 10.

[0038] The reply unit 94 is provided in the liquid supply nozzle 30, receives a signal from the transmitting / receiving unit 92, and in response to the reception of the signal, wirelessly transmits (replies) a signal to the outside in a form that can be received by the transmitting / receiving unit 92. In this way, the transmitting / receiving unit 92 can receive the signal returned from the reply unit 94.

[0039] As described below, the reply unit 94 is attached to the liquid supply nozzle 30 so that whether or not it can receive a signal from the transceiver unit 92 changes depending on the operational state of the lever unit 30d. As a result, depending on the operational state of the lever unit 30d, the reply unit 94 may or may not be able to reply to a signal from the transceiver unit 92. Therefore, the operation state detection unit 90 can detect the operation state of the lever unit 30d depending on the reception status of the signal from the reply unit 94 by the transceiver unit 92.

[0040] The blocking portion 96 blocks the signal from the transmitting / receiving portion 92 so that the reply portion 94 has difficulty receiving the signal (eg, cannot receive the signal) when the lever portion 30d is in a non-operated state.

[0041] The function of the transmission / reception unit 92 may be incorporated in the control unit 70.

[0042] [An example of an operation state detection unit] Next, an example of the operation state detection unit 90 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0043] In this example, the reply unit 94 includes a transponder coil, and is activated by receiving a signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92 using the energy of the signal. As a result, the reply unit 94 can be activated without having a dedicated power source. Therefore, an explosion-proof structure or the like required for a dedicated power source can be omitted, and as a result, the structure of the liquid supply nozzle 30 side including the reply unit 94 can be simplified and costs can be reduced. When the reply unit 94 is activated in response to a signal received from the transmitting / receiving unit 92, it returns a predetermined signal to the outside in a form that the transmitting / receiving unit 92 can receive. As a result, the transmitting / receiving unit 92 can receive a reply signal from the reply unit 94 in response to a signal transmitted by the transmitting / receiving unit 92. The reply unit 94 is, for example, an RF (Radio Frequency) tag (also referred to as an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag).

[0044] The transmitting / receiving unit 92 transmits a signal that can be received by a transponder coil mounted in the reply unit 94, and receives a signal returned from the reply unit 94. The transmitting / receiving unit 92 is, for example, an RF reader / writer that can read and rewrite data in an RF tag by transmitting and receiving signals to and from the RF tag.

[0045] The return part 94 is covered by a predetermined member of the liquid supply nozzle 30 when the lever part 30d is not operated, and is released from being covered by the predetermined member when the lever part 30d is operated. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the return part 94 is embedded in the adjacent part 30d2 of the lever part 30d so that its surface is exposed on the lever guard 30e side (lower side), and is covered by the opposing lever guard 30e when the lever part 30d is not operated. Therefore, when the lever part 30d is not operated, the return part 94 is embedded in the adjacent part of the lever part 30d and its surface (lower surface) is covered by the lever guard 30e, thereby realizing a state in which it is difficult to receive a signal from the transmitting / receiving part 92. On the other hand, when the lever part 30d is operated, the lever part 30d moves so that the lever part 30d and the member (e.g., the lever guard 30e) facing the return part 94 are separated, and the return part 94 is released from being covered on its surface. Therefore, in a state where the lever portion 30d is operated, the surface of the lever portion 30d is exposed, and thus the reply portion 94 is in a state where it is easy to receive a signal from the transceiver portion 92. As a result, when the lever portion 30d is not operated, the reply portion 94 is highly likely to be unable to receive a signal from the transceiver portion 92, whereas when the lever portion 30d is operated, the reply portion 94 is highly likely to receive a signal from the transceiver portion 92 and return a signal in a form that the transceiver portion 92 can receive. Thus, the control portion 70 can determine whether or not the lever portion 30d is operated by, for example, monitoring the reception status of the signal returned from the reply portion 94 while periodically transmitting a signal from the transceiver portion 92 to the outside. In other words, the operation state detection portion 90 can detect whether or not the lever portion 30d is operated from the reception status at the transceiver portion 92 of the signal transmitted from the reply portion 94 according to the rotation position of the lever portion 30d around the rotation axis AX.

[0046] 2, a blocking section 96 may be provided around the return section 94. The blocking section 96 includes at least one of blocking members 97 and 98, for example.

[0047] The blocking member 97 is a member for blocking a signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92. Specifically, the blocking member 97 may block a signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92 by attenuating the radio wave of the signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92. For example, the blocking member 97 is a metal member having a relatively high radio wave attenuation effect, such as silver, copper, nickel, or aluminum. The blocking member 97 is embedded in the proximal portion 30d2 of the lever portion 30d, and is disposed so as to surround the periphery of the return portion 94 except for the surface exposed from the lever portion 30d. For example, the blocking member 97 is formed in a shape that allows the return portion 94 to be fitted in such a manner that the surface is exposed, and is embedded in the lever portion 30d with the return portion 94 fitted in. This allows the blocking member 97 to block a signal that passes through the lever portion 30d and attempts to reach the return portion 94. Therefore, when the lever portion 30d is not operated, the return portion 94 is more likely to be unable to receive a signal from the transmitting / receiving unit 92. As a result, the change in the reception state of the signal returned from the reply unit 94 by the transmitter / receiver 92 between when the lever unit 30d is operated and when it is not operated becomes more noticeable. Therefore, the control unit 70 can more appropriately determine whether or not the lever unit 30d is operated.

[0048] The blocking member 98 is a member for blocking a signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92. Specifically, the blocking member 98 may block a signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92 by attenuating the radio wave of the signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 92, similar to the blocking member 97. For example, the blocking member 98 is a metal member having a relatively high radio wave attenuation effect, such as silver, copper, nickel, or aluminum, similar to the blocking member 97. The blocking member 98 is embedded in a portion (e.g., the lever guard 30e) that faces the return part 94 and covers the surface of the return part 94 in a state in which the lever part 30d is not operated, in the nozzle main body 30b of the liquid supply nozzle 30. Thereby, in a state in which the lever part 30d is not operated, the blocking member 98 can block a signal that passes through a portion of the nozzle main body 30b that faces the return part 94 and attempts to reach the return part 94. Therefore, when the lever part 30d is not operated, the return part 94 is more likely to be unable to receive a signal from the transmitting / receiving unit 92. As a result, the change in the reception state of the signal returned from the reply unit 94 by the transmitter / receiver 92 between when the lever unit 30d is operated and when it is not operated becomes more noticeable. Therefore, the control unit 70 can more appropriately determine whether or not the lever unit 30d is operated.

[0049] 2, the return portion 94 may be embedded in a member (e.g., lever guard 30e) of the nozzle main body 30b that faces the lever portion 30d in a state in which the lever portion 30d is not operated, so that the surface of the return portion 94 is exposed. Specifically, in FIG. 2, the embedding location of the blocking member 98 and the embedding locations of the return portion 94 and blocking member 97 may be interchanged.

[0050] [Other examples of operation state detection units] Next, another example of the operation state detection unit 90 will be described.

[0051] The reply section 94 may be replaced with a transmitting section capable of transmitting a signal corresponding to the operation state of the lever section 30d to the outside by adopting a known method, without mounting a dedicated power source. For example, the reply section 94 is a limit switch capable of generating electricity by an external pressing force acting in response to the operation of the lever section 30d and transmitting a signal to the outside. In this case, the transmitting / receiving section 92 is replaced with a receiving section capable of receiving a signal indicating that it has been pressed from a transmitting section (limit switch) mounted on the liquid supply nozzle 30. This allows the control section 70 to determine whether the lever section 30d has been operated, depending on whether a signal from a transmitting section (limit switch) on the liquid supply nozzle 30 side is received by the receiving section on the housing 10 side.

[0052] The operation state detection unit 90 may be any switch or sensor provided in the liquid supply nozzle 30 and capable of detecting the operation state of the lever portion 30d. In this case, a dedicated power source required for the operation of the switch or sensor is provided in the liquid supply nozzle 30, and the dedicated power source is arranged in a configuration that complies with explosion-proof standards. For example, the operation state detection unit 90 is a limit switch, a potentiometer, a magnetic sensor, or the like. This allows the control unit 70 to determine whether or not the lever portion 30d has been operated based on the output of the switch or sensor serving as the operation state detection unit 90. In this case, the output of the operation state detection unit 90 may be taken into the control unit 70 wirelessly, or may be taken into the control unit 70 via a wire such as a communication line arranged in parallel with the hose 22.

[0053] [Processing related to the operation of the liquid supply device] Next, a process related to the operation of the liquid supply device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0054] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by the control unit 70. As shown in FIG.

[0055] Incidentally, this example (Figure 3) illustrates processing assuming that the response section 94 is as shown in Figure 2, specifically, that the response section 94 is an RF tag and that blocking members 97, 98 are arranged around the response section 94.

[0056] FIG. 3 is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals while the liquid supply device 1 is in operation.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 3, in step S102, the control unit 70 determines whether or not liquid supply is permitted. For example, the control unit 70 determines that liquid supply is permitted when the user (operator) has performed all operations required for supplying liquid to the fuel tank of the automobile via the operation screen of the display unit 80 and completed them all. The operations required for liquid supply include, for example, setting operations for the amount of liquid to be supplied, the type of liquid fuel, the payment method, and the like. If the control unit 70 determines that liquid supply is permitted, the process proceeds to step S104, and otherwise the process of step S102 is repeated until liquid supply is permitted.

[0058] In step S104, the control unit 70 determines whether or not a nozzle OFF signal has been received from the nozzle switch 34. If the nozzle OFF signal has not been received, i.e., if the nozzle ON signal has been received, the control unit 70 determines that the liquid supply nozzle 30 has not been removed from the nozzle hanger 32, and repeats the processing of step S106 until the nozzle OFF signal is received. On the other hand, if the nozzle OFF signal has been received, the control unit 70 determines that the liquid supply nozzle 30 has been removed from the nozzle hanger 32, and proceeds to step S106.

[0059] In step S106, the control unit 70 controls the RF reader / writer (transmitter / receiver 92) to wirelessly transmit a signal from the RF reader / writer to the outside in a format that can be received by the RF tag (reply unit 94).

[0060] When the process of step S106 is completed, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S108.

[0061] In step S108, control unit 70 determines whether or not a signal has been received by the reader / writer from the RF tag mounted on liquid supply nozzle 30. If a signal has not been received from the RF tag, control unit 70 determines that lever portion 30d of liquid supply nozzle 30 has not been operated, and proceeds to step S110. On the other hand, if a signal has been received from the RF tag, control unit 70 determines that lever portion 30d of liquid supply nozzle 30 has been operated, and proceeds to step S114.

[0062] Furthermore, the control unit 70 may cause the transmission / reception unit 92 to repeatedly transmit signals in a chronological order, and determine whether or not the lever unit 30d has been operated based on the number of times (reception frequency) that a response signal is received from the response unit 94 in response to a predetermined number of recent signal transmissions.

[0063] In step S110, the control unit 70 determines whether a predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the timing of starting transmission of a signal from the reader / writer or the timing of receiving a nozzle OFF signal. If the predetermined time T1 has elapsed, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S112, and if not, the control unit 70 returns to step S108.

[0064] In step S112, the control unit 70 issues a notification to the user (operator) via the display unit 80, a speaker attached to the display unit 80, or the like, urging the user to operate the lever portion 30d of the liquid supply nozzle 30.

[0065] This allows the control unit 70 to prompt the user to operate the lever unit 30d to supply liquid when liquid supply has not started even though a certain amount of time has passed since the liquid supply nozzle 30 was removed from the nozzle hanger 32.

[0066] When the process of step S112 is completed, the control unit 70 returns to step S108.

[0067] On the other hand, in step S114, the control unit 70 transmits a drive signal to the pump 40 to cause the pump 40 to start operating.

[0068] This enables the control unit 70 to start the operation of the pump 40 using the operation of the lever portion 30d of the liquid supply nozzle 30 as a trigger.

[0069] When the process of step S114 is completed, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S116.

[0070] In step S116, control unit 70 controls the RF reader / writer to transmit a signal to the outside from the RF reader / writer.

[0071] When the process of step S116 is completed, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S118.

[0072] In step S118, control unit 70 determines whether or not a signal from the RF tag mounted on liquid supply nozzle 30 has been received from the reader / writer. If a signal from the RF tag has been received, control unit 70 determines that operation of lever portion 30d of liquid supply nozzle 30 is continuing, and returns to step S116. On the other hand, if a signal from the RF tag has not been received, control unit 70 determines that operation of lever portion 30d of liquid supply nozzle 30 has ended, and proceeds to step S120.

[0073] In step S120, the control unit 70 judges whether a predetermined time T2 has elapsed since the state shifted from receiving a signal from the RF tag to not receiving the signal. If the predetermined time T2 has not elapsed, the control unit 70 judges that liquid supply may be resumed and returns to step S116, and if the predetermined time T2 has elapsed, it judges that liquid supply has ended and proceeds to step S122. The predetermined time T2 is determined in advance assuming, for example, a situation in which the user (operator) re-gripping the grip portion 30c of the liquid supply nozzle 30 in the middle of liquid supply and resumes operation of the lever portion 30d, or a situation in which the user operates the lever portion 30d intermittently to supply additional liquid little by little.

[0074] In step S122, the control unit 70 transmits a stop signal to the pump 40 to stop the operation of the pump 40.

[0075] This allows the control unit 70 to stop the operation of the pump using the completion of supply of liquid to the vehicle's fuel tank using the liquid supply nozzle 30 as a trigger.

[0076] When the process of step S122 is completed, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S124.

[0077] In step S124, it is determined whether or not a nozzle ON signal has been received from the nozzle switch 34. If the nozzle ON signal has not been received, i.e., if a nozzle OFF signal has been received, the control unit 70 determines that the liquid supply nozzle 30 has not been hung on the nozzle hanger 32 (i.e., has not been returned), and repeats the processing of step S124 until the nozzle ON signal is received. On the other hand, if the nozzle ON signal has been received, the control unit 70 determines that the liquid supply nozzle 30 has been hung on the nozzle hanger 32 (i.e., has been returned), and ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0078] The control unit 70 may stop the pump 40 in response to the end of the operation of the lever unit 30d, and may restart the pump 40 when the operation of the lever unit 30d is resumed. In this case, the process of step S120 may be omitted, and processes similar to steps S106 and S108 may be added after the process of step S122. Then, if it is determined in the added process that a signal has been received from the RF tag before the condition of step S124 is satisfied, a flow returning to step S114 may be adopted.

[0079] Thus, in this example, the control unit 70 determines whether or not the lever unit 30d has been operated depending on the state of reception of the reply signal from the reply unit 94 by the transceiver unit 92, and starts the operation of the pump 40 in response to the start of the operation of the lever unit 30d. Also, in this example, the control unit 70 stops the operation of the pump 40 in response to the stop of the operation of the lever unit 30d.

[0080] For example, the valve inside the liquid supply nozzle 30 may not close due to the intrusion of foreign matter between the valve and the valve seat inside the liquid supply nozzle 30 or due to malfunction of the valve itself. In this case, for example, if the operation of the pump 40 is started at a timing before the operation of the lever portion 30d is started, such as when a nozzle OFF signal is received, liquid fuel may flow out from the liquid supply nozzle 30 regardless of the intention of the user (operator). Also, for example, if the operation of the pump 40 is stopped at a timing when the discharge pipe 30a is removed from the liquid supply port after the operation of the lever portion 30d is completed, such as when a nozzle ON signal is received, liquid fuel may flow out from the liquid supply nozzle 30 regardless of the intention of the user.

[0081] In contrast, in this example, the control unit 70 starts the operation of the pump 40 after confirming the start of the operation of the lever unit 30d, thereby preventing the liquid fuel from flowing out before the discharge pipe 30a is inserted into the liquid supply port, even if the valve inside the liquid supply nozzle 30 is not closed. In this example, the control unit 70 stops the operation of the pump 40 after the predetermined time T2 has elapsed after confirming the end of the operation of the lever unit 30d, thereby preventing the liquid fuel from flowing out after the discharge pipe 30a is removed from the liquid supply port, even if the valve inside the liquid supply nozzle 30 is not closed. Therefore, the control unit 70 can prevent the liquid fuel from flowing out from the liquid supply nozzle 30 regardless of the intention of the user (operator).

[0082] [Effect] Next, the operation of the liquid supply device according to this embodiment will be described.

[0083] In a first aspect of this embodiment, the liquid supply device includes a supply path, a hose, a liquid supply nozzle, a pump, a detection unit, and a control unit. The liquid supply device is, for example, the liquid supply device 1 described above. The supply path is, for example, the supply path 20 described above. The hose is, for example, the hose 22 described above. The liquid supply nozzle is, for example, the liquid supply nozzle 30 described above. The pump is, for example, the pump 40 described above. The detection unit is, for example, the operation state detection unit 90 described above. The control unit is, for example, the control unit 70 described above. Specifically, the supply path is provided to send liquid to a supply target. The supply target is, for example, a fuel tank of a vehicle. The hose is provided so as to extend from the supply path. The liquid supply nozzle is provided at the tip of the hose, and is capable of discharging the liquid supplied through the supply path toward the supply target by operating the lever unit. The pump sends liquid to the liquid supply nozzle side through the supply path. The detection unit is provided in the liquid supply nozzle, and detects the operation state of the lever unit. The lever portion is, for example, lever portion 30d. The control portion determines whether or not the lever portion is operated based on the detection result of the detection portion, and starts or stops the pump based on the determination result.

[0084] This allows the liquid supply device to start the pump in response to the start of operation of the lever part of the liquid supply nozzle, and to stop the pump in response to the end of operation of the lever part. Therefore, the liquid supply device can prevent a situation in which liquid fuel flows out from the liquid supply nozzle 30 regardless of the operator's intention.

[0085] In a second aspect of the present embodiment, on the premise of the first aspect described above, the liquid supply device may include a main body on which the supply path, the pump, and the control unit are mounted. The main body is, for example, the housing 10 described above. The detection unit may include a transmitting / receiving unit mounted on the main body for transmitting and receiving a signal, and a reply unit mounted on the liquid supply nozzle for wirelessly replying to a signal received from the transmitting / receiving unit. The transmitting / receiving unit is, for example, the transmitting / receiving unit 92 described above. The reply unit is, for example, the reply unit 94 described above. More specifically, the transmitting / receiving unit may wirelessly transmit a signal to the periphery of the main body, and receive a signal wirelessly replied from the detecting unit in response to the transmitted signal. The reply unit may be provided on the liquid supply nozzle so that whether or not the signal from the transmitting / receiving unit can be received changes depending on the operation state of the lever unit, and may wirelessly reply to a signal received from the transmitting / receiving unit.

[0086] This allows the detection section to detect the operation state of the lever section based on the reception status of the signal returned from the reply section by the transmitting / receiving section.

[0087] In this embodiment, a blocking portion may be provided around the return part of the liquid supply nozzle, and blocks the return part from receiving a signal from the transmitting / receiving part when the lever part is not being operated (preferably, the return part cannot receive the signal). The blocking portion is, for example, blocking portion 96.

[0088] As a result, the reply section is less likely to receive a signal from the transceiver section when the lever section is not operated, while the reply section is more likely to receive a signal from the transceiver section when the lever section is operated. Therefore, the control section can determine that the lever section is operated when the transceiver section receives a signal from the reply section or when the success rate of the reception is high, and that the lever section is not operated when the transceiver section does not receive a signal from the reply section or when the success rate of the reception is low.

[0089] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1 Liquid supply device 10. Chassis 20 Supply Channel 22 Hose 30 Liquid supply nozzle 30a Discharge pipe 30b Nozzle body 30c Grip 30d Lever part 30d1 Finger grip 30d2 Nearby 30e Lever Guard 30f moving part 32 Nozzle Hanger 34 Nozzle switch 40 Pump 70 Control section 90 Operation status detection unit 92 Transmitter / receiver 94 Reply section 96 Breaker 97,98 Blocking member

Claims

1. A supply path for supplying liquid to a supply target; A hose extending from the supply path; a liquid supply nozzle provided at a tip of the hose and operable to discharge the liquid supplied through the supply path toward the supply target by operating a lever portion; a pump for supplying liquid to the liquid supply nozzle through the supply path; A detection unit that detects an operation state of the lever unit; and a control unit that determines whether the lever unit is operated based on the detection result of the detection unit, and starts or stops the pump based on the determination result. Liquid supply device.

2. a main body portion on which the supply path, the pump, and the control unit are mounted, The detection unit is A transceiver unit mounted on the main body for transmitting and receiving signals; a reply unit that is mounted on the liquid supply nozzle and that wirelessly replies with a signal when it receives the signal from the transmitting / receiving unit; A blocking unit that blocks a signal transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit when the lever unit is not operated so that the signal cannot be received by the reply unit. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 .

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