Gas filling device

Abstract

To provide a gas filling device capable of effectively preventing intrusion of rainwater with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A gas filling apparatus (1) of the present invention comprises a main body housing (2) in which a filling mechanism for conveying gas from a gas supply source through a gas pipe is provided, a filling hose (3) connected to an outlet of the gas pipe of the filling mechanism, and a supporting arm mechanism (6) for supporting a filling nozzle (4) provided at a tip end of the filling hose (3) by attaching a wire (5) to the filling nozzle (4). The support arm mechanism (6) is composed of an upper cover (side 6AA) in which a first bent portion (side 6A) is formed downward on the entire circumference and a lower cover (side 6BA) in which a second bent portion (side 6B) is formed upward, and the second bent portion (side 6AA) is located on the inner surface of the first bent portion (side 6BA).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas filling device for supplying gas such as hydrogen gas to an FCV or the like, and in particular to a support mechanism thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Hydrogen has many advantages, including being environmentally friendly and contributing to energy security, and technologies for utilizing hydrogen gas are rapidly being put into practical use. One of the applications of such hydrogen gas is a technology relating to a gas filling device that fills hydrogen gas pressurized to a high pressure (for example, 70 MPa or higher) into a fuel tank of a vehicle. The gas filling device uses a heavy filling nozzle so that it can withstand the high pressure (for example, 70 MPa or higher) described above. However, because the filling nozzle is heavy, removing the filling nozzle from the gas filling device and connecting it to the vehicle's receptacle to fill with hydrogen gas is hard work for the worker performing the task.

[0003] In recent years, self-service hydrogen stations have been developed, and a support arm mechanism has been proposed that supports the filling nozzle, allowing customers to fill the gas themselves as a light task (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Although this technology (Patent Document 1) is effective, the arm of the support mechanism needs to be configured to be extendable and retractable, which causes problems such as rainwater entering through moving parts, causing malfunctions and hindering filling operations. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2020-133825 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a gas filling device that can effectively prevent the intrusion of rainwater with a simple structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The gas filling device (1) of the present invention is A gas filling device (1) is provided in a main housing (2) with a filling mechanism for transporting gas from a gas supply source through a gas pipeline, a filling hose (3) connected to an outlet of the gas pipeline of the filling mechanism, and a support arm mechanism (6) for supporting a filling nozzle (4) provided at the tip of the filling hose (3) by attaching a wire (5) to the filling nozzle (4), The support arm mechanism (6) includes an upper cover (6A) having a first bent portion (6AA) formed around the entire circumference facing downward; and a lower cover (6B) having a second bent portion (6BA) formed upward, The second bent portion (6BA) is located on the inner surface of the first bent portion (6AA).

[0007] In the gas filling device (1) of the present invention, The second bent portion (6BA) is preferably provided with tall (large vertical dimension) guide portions (6BB) intermittently, and the guide portions (6BB) preferably abut against the inner surface of the upper cover (6A). It is preferable that the guide portion (6BB) has a fastening guide portion (6BB-1) that fastens to the upper cover (6A) and a reinforcing guide portion (6BB-2) that suppresses bending of the support arm mechanism (6) in the longitudinal direction.

[0008] In the present invention, the support arm mechanism (6) is arranged to be rotatable relative to the main housing (2), and preferably includes a cylindrical portion (8) that communicates with an opening (7A) in which a rotation shaft (7) at one end of the support arm mechanism (6) is arranged, and a raised portion (21) formed on the upper part of the main housing (2), and the raised portion (21) is located on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion (8).

[0009] Furthermore, a mechanical winding device (9: retractor) that reels out and winds up the wire (5A) is provided inside the support arm mechanism (6), and it is preferable that the wire (5A) reeled out from the mechanical winding device (9) and the wire (5B) that supports the filling nozzle (4) are connected by a connecting member (10B: carabiner).

[0010] In the gas filling device (1) of the present invention, It is preferable that a mechanical winding device (9: retractor) is provided at one end of the support arm mechanism, and a guide member is provided at the other end to guide the wire (5A) unwound from the mechanical winding device to an opening (6BC) formed in the lower cover (6B). In that case, the guide member comprises a roller member (11), The roller member (11) is composed of a payout roller (11A: large roller) that sends the wire (5A) from the retractor (9) to the opening (6BC) and a retaining roller (11B: small roller) that restricts the wire (5A) from moving upward, and it is preferable that the payout roller (11A: large roller) and the retaining roller (11B: small roller) pinch the wire (5A). Here, it is preferable that the movement range of the wire (5A) is within the range of the opening (6BC) on the lower surface of the lower cover (6B), so that rainwater can be prevented from entering. The delivery roller (large roller 11A) and the holding roller (small roller 11B) are supported by a roller holding bracket (12). The distance from the center of the rotation shaft (11BS) of the retaining roller (11B) to the lower edge (12A) of the roller support bracket (12) is a distance that ensures a strength that allows the roller support bracket (12) to reliably support the load acting on the retaining roller (11B: small roller), and The direction in which the wire (5A) sandwiched between the payout roller (11A: large roller) and the holding roller (11B: small roller) extends is preferably the area between the opening front edge (6BC-F) and the opening rear edge (6BC-R).

[0011] It is also preferable that the outer surface of the delivery roller (11A) is provided with a stepped portion that protrudes outward (a large roller side edge protrusion 11AA is formed). Furthermore, it is preferable that the delivery roller (11A) is formed with a V-shaped groove (11AB). Alternatively, the diameter of the support roller (111B: small roller) is preferably set to a dimension such that the wire (5A) and the arc of the outer periphery of the support roller (111B) make line contact rather than point contact. In the present invention, the guide member includes a roller member (11), The roller member (11) includes a payout roller (11A) that feeds the wire (5A) from the retractor (9) to the opening (6BC); a first shaft (42) provided at a position that prevents the wire (5A) from moving upward (floating up); It is preferable to have a second shaft (44) that can guide the wire (5A) into the opening (6BC) and is located at a position that does not cause the wire (5A) to interfere with the opening front edge (6BC-F). [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the upper cover (6A) having a first bent portion (6AA) formed around the entire circumference facing downward is placed over the lower cover (6B) having a second bent portion (6BA) formed facing upward, and the second bent portion (6BA) is positioned on the inner surface of the first bent portion (6AA). This makes it possible to prevent rainwater from entering the inside of the support arm mechanism (6) to a necessary and sufficient extent with a simple structure without arranging a sealing structure.

[0013] In the present invention, the second bending portion (6BA) is provided with intermittently tall guide portions (6BB) (large vertical dimension), and when the guide portions (6BB) abut against the inner surface of the upper cover (6A), the work of placing the upper cover (6A) over the lower cover (6B) and attaching it becomes easier. Furthermore, if the guide portion (6BB) has a fastening guide portion (6BB-1) and a reinforcing guide portion (6BB-2), the upper cover (6A) can be fastened with screws at the fastening guide portion (6BB-1), and the geometric moment of inertia at the locations where these are installed can be increased, thereby suppressing bending of the arm (6) in the longitudinal direction.

[0014] In addition, in the present invention, the support arm mechanism (6) is arranged to be freely rotatable relative to the main housing (2), and a raised portion (21) formed on the upper part of the main housing (2) is provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion (8) that leads to the opening (7A) in which the rotation shaft (7) at one end of the support arm mechanism (6) is arranged, and if the raised portion (21) is located on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion (8), it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering and preventing rainwater from entering the main housing (2).

[0015] Furthermore, a mechanical winding device (9: retractor) that reels out and winds up the wire (5A) is provided inside the support arm mechanism (6), and the wire (5A) reeled out from the mechanical winding device (9) and the wire (5B) that supports the filling nozzle (4) are connected by a connecting member (10B: carabiner).If a problem occurs with the mechanical winding device (9) or the wire (5A), it is possible to replace only the wire (5A, 5B) between the connecting members (10A, 10B, 10C) or the attached member without replacing the entire member attached to the wire (5A), making part replacement easy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a gas filling device according to the illustrated embodiment; [Figure 2] 2 is an explanatory view of an upper cover of the support arm mechanism of the gas filling device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a lower cover of the support arm mechanism of the gas filling device of FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the base of the support arm mechanism and the top of the gas filling device. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a panel of a bearing portion provided at a connection point between the top of the gas filling device and the arm base portion. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the wires from the support arm mechanism to the filling nozzle and related members. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating members related to the wire on the mechanical winding device side. [Figure 8] 10 is an explanatory perspective view showing an opening for passing a wire on the mechanical winding device side provided in the bottom surface of the lower cover at the tip of the arm, and a roller provided in the opening. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory plan view showing the arrangement of rollers at the tip of the arm. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the mounting state of the rollers. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is an explanatory side view showing an example of the relative positional relationship between a large roller and a small roller. [Figure 12] 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the conditions for the relative positional relationship between the large roller and the small roller in the example of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 13] 12. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the relative positional relationship conditions between the large roller and the small roller in the example of FIG. [Figure 14] 12 is an explanatory side view showing the relative positional relationship between the large roller and the small roller in an example different from that shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of members other than the rollers in the example shown in FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is an explanatory side view showing an example different from those in FIGS. 11 to 15, illustrating the relative positional relationship between the large roller at the tip of the arm and the first and second shafts. FIG. [Figure 17] 17 is an explanatory perspective view showing an opening on the bottom surface of the lower cover and a wire on the mechanical winding device side in the example shown in FIG. 16. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is an explanatory perspective view showing a torque range mechanism that supports the rotation shaft of the arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the illustrated embodiment, a gas filling device 1 (dispenser) shown in Fig. 1 is exemplified as a hydrogen filling device for filling hydrogen. 1, a gas filling device 1 (hydrogen filling device) is a device that supplies pressurized fuel gas (e.g., hydrogen gas) from a gas supply source (not shown) via a gas pipe to the fuel tank of, for example, a fuel cell vehicle (FCV: not shown) to fill it, and is installed, for example, in a facility called a gas supply station. The gas filling device 1 has a filling mechanism inside a main body housing 2, a filling hose 3 connected to the outlet of the gas pipe (not shown) in the filling mechanism, and a filling nozzle 4 provided at the tip of the filling hose 3. Although the illustrated embodiment exemplifies a hydrogen gas filling device, the illustrated embodiment can also be applied to a CNG gas filling device or other gas filling devices. Furthermore, the other configurations and effects of the filling mechanism (not shown) are the same as those of the conventionally known filling mechanism.

[0018] In FIG. 1, a support arm mechanism 6 is provided on the upper surface (top surface) of a main body housing 2 which is provided with a filling hose 3 and a filling nozzle 4. A wire 5B hangs down from a tip 6S of the support arm mechanism 6, and the hanging tip of the wire 5B is connected to the stuffing nozzle 4 via a connecting member 10C (carabiner). Although not shown in Figure 1, the other end of the wire 5B is connected to a mechanical winding device 9 (retractor: see Figure 6) housed in the base 6K of the support arm mechanism 6. The mechanical winding device 9 is equipped with a rotational force imparting mechanism that imparts a constant rotational force when the wire reel that winds and unwinds the wire rotates forward or backward. Furthermore, the mechanical winding device 9 is equipped with a wire holding mechanism that holds the wire (in its current position) when winding or unwinding of the wire is stopped. The filling nozzle 4 is suspended by a wire 5B, and the weight of the filling hose 3 and filling nozzle 4 is supported by a support arm mechanism 6. Therefore, when performing hydrogen filling work using the heavy filling hose 2 and filling nozzle 4, the support arm mechanism 6 supports the weight of the filling hose 3 and filling nozzle 4, thereby reducing the burden on the worker performing the gas filling work. The configuration including the wire 5 from the mechanical winding device 9 (not shown in FIG. 1) to the stuffing nozzle 4 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

[0019] In Fig. 1, the support arm mechanism 6 is disposed rotatably relative to the main body housing 2. Although not clearly shown in Fig. 1, the rotation shaft disposed in the base 6K of the support arm mechanism 6 is journaled by a bearing on the main body housing 2 side. The attachment structure of the base 6K of the support arm mechanism 6 to the main body housing 2 side will be described later with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Furthermore, a rotation restriction means for restricting (limiting) the rotation of the rotation shaft of the support arm mechanism 6 will be described later with reference to Fig. 14. In addition to the support arm mechanism 6, an explosion release means 13 is disposed on the top of the main body housing 2. In the unlikely event that an explosion occurs inside the main body housing 2, the explosion release means 13 is configured to release the explosion to prevent danger to the user and to prevent damage to the main body housing 2 and the components of the gas filling device 1. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 31 denotes a display in the gas filling device 1, and reference numeral 32 denotes a ventilation slit in the main body housing 2.

[0020] The support arm mechanism 6 shown in FIG. 1 will be further described with reference to FIGS. The support arm mechanism 6 has an upper cover 6A shown in Fig. 2 and a lower cover 6B shown in Fig. 3, and is configured by placing the upper cover 6A over the lower cover 6B. In the support arm mechanism 6 (upper cover 6A, lower cover 6B) in Figs. 2 and 3, the part on the side with the larger width dimension is the base 6K, and the part on the opposite side of the base 6K with the smaller width dimension is the tip 6S. In FIG. 2, a first bent portion 6AA (protrusion) that protrudes downward (toward the lower cover 6B) is provided along the entire periphery of the peripheral edge of the upper cover 6A. 2, screw holes H1 for attaching the lower cover 6B are formed in a total of four locations around the periphery of the upper surface of the upper cover 6A. Although not shown, in the prior art, the cover was fastened to the hollow structure with 11 screws via a sealant to prevent liquid from entering the support arm. In contrast, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper cover 6A is simply placed over the lower cover 6B and fastened together with screws S, so the labor required for assembly is extremely small.

[0021] A second bent portion 6BA that protrudes upward is formed around the entire periphery of the lower cover 6B shown in Fig. 3. Six tall guide portions 6BB (fastening guide portions 6BB-1 and reinforcing guide portions 6BB-2) are formed intermittently along the periphery of the second bent portion 6BA. The upper ends of the guide portions 6BB are flat. When assembling the upper cover 6A and the lower cover 6B, the upper cover 6A is placed over the lower cover 6B so that the second bent portion 6BA of the lower cover 6B is positioned on the inner surface of the first bent portion 6AA of the upper cover 6A. As a result, the flat portion at the upper end of the guide portion 6BB comes into contact with the inner surface of the upper cover 6A and supports the upper cover 6A. If the height dimension of the second bent portion 6BA were to be the same as the height dimension of the guide portion 6BB along the entire periphery of the edge of the lower cover 6B, the friction between the second bent portion 6BA and the first bent portion 6AA would be too great, and there is a risk that the first bent portion 6AA will not fit into the second bent portion 6BA when the upper cover 6A is placed over the lower cover 6B. In addition, if the second bent portion 6BA and the first bent portion 6AA have different inclinations, it would be difficult to place the upper cover 6A over the lower cover 6B.

[0022] In an actual product, it is difficult to always perfectly align the relative positions of the first bent portion 6AA of the upper cover 6A and the second bent portion 6BA of the lower cover 6B. For this reason, in the illustrated embodiment, second bent portions 6BA having the same height as the guide portions 6BB that reach the upper cover when the upper cover 6A is placed over the lower cover 6B are not formed along the entire circumferential edge of the lower cover 6B. When the upper cover 6A is placed over the lower cover 6B, only six guide portions 6BB (fastening guide portions 6BB-1 and reinforcing guide portions 6BB-2) that are provided intermittently around the circumferential edge of the lower cover 6B reach the upper cover. As a result, even if the inclination of the second bent portion 6BA and the first bent portion 6AA differs slightly from the design value, the upper cover 6A can be securely and easily placed over the lower cover 6B and integrated.

[0023] As described above, the lower cover 6B has the second bent portion 6BA formed around the entire periphery in the peripheral direction, and the guide portions 6BB (the fastening guide portion 6BB-1 and the reinforcing guide portion 6BB-2) formed at six locations intermittently in the peripheral direction. In other words, the spaces between adjacent guide portions 6BB are recessed, and these recessed portions form so-called "recessed portions." Therefore, the weight of the lower cover 6B can be reduced compared to when the guide portions 6BB are formed around the entire periphery in the peripheral direction of the lower cover 6B.

[0024] In Figure 3, of the six guide portions 6BB on the lower cover 6B, two guide portions 6BB-1 formed on the tip 6S side (left side of Figure 3) of the support arm mechanism 6 and two guide portions 6BB-1 formed on the base 6K side (right side of Figure 3) (a total of four guide portions 6BB-1: fastening guide portions) have screw holes H2 formed in their flat portions. In contrast, two guide portions 6BB-2 (reinforcement guide portions) are located in the area between the fastening guide portion 6BB-1 on the tip 6S side of the support arm mechanism 6 and the fastening guide portion 6BB-1 on the base 6K side of the support arm mechanism 6, but no screw hole H2 is formed in the flat portion of the reinforcement guide portion 6BB-2.

[0025] The screw holes H2 formed in the flat portions of the four fastening guide portions 6BB-1 are arranged to align with the screw holes H1 formed in the upper cover 6A when the upper cover 6A is placed over the lower cover 6B, and by fastening screws S into the screw holes H1 in the upper cover 6A and the screw holes H2 in the flat portions of the guide portions 6BB-1, the upper cover 6A is fixed in place over the lower cover 6B. That is, the four fastening guide portions 6BB-1 on the tip 6S side and base 6K side of the support arm mechanism 6 in the lower cover 6B function as fastening members that fasten the upper cover 6A.

[0026] No screw holes are formed on the flat surface at the top end of the reinforcing guide portion 6BB-2, and it does not contribute to fastening to the upper cover 6A. However, when an external force is applied that bends the support arm mechanism 6 in the short direction, the moment of inertia at the location where the reinforcing guide portion 6BB-2 is provided increases, making it difficult for the entire support arm mechanism 6 to bend. Therefore, the reinforcing guide portion 6BB-2 acts as a reinforcing member that makes it difficult for the support arm mechanism 6 to bend in response to the external force. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 7 denotes a rotation shaft of the support arm mechanism 6, and the support arm mechanism 6 is rotatable relative to the main body housing 2 by the rotation shaft 7 and a bearing on the main body housing 2 side.

[0027] As described above, the support arm mechanism 6 in the illustrated embodiment is configured by covering the upper cover 6A in FIG. 2 with the lower cover 6B in FIG. This makes it possible to prevent rainwater from entering the inside of the support arm mechanism 6 as necessary and sufficiently as possible with a simple structure, without providing a sealing structure. The waterproof performance required for the support arm mechanism 6 of the gas filling device 1 according to the illustrated embodiment is such that it is not adversely affected by water sprayed from above or from an area between a vertical surface and a surface inclined at 60° from the hanging surface (equivalent to IPX3 standard: waterproof level 3). According to experiments by the inventors, by covering the upper cover 6A with the lower cover 6B, waterproof performance that satisfies the IPX3 waterproof grade (sufficiently withstands the IPX3 waterproof test) is exhibited. Furthermore, in the support arm mechanism 6 according to the illustrated embodiment, the upper cover 6A can be simply placed over the lower cover 6B, and there is no need to fasten the cover body with screws around the entire periphery or use sealing material, making assembly easy and achieving weight reduction, compactness, and a reduction in the number of parts.

[0028] Next, a structure for supporting the support arm mechanism 6 rotatably relative to the main body housing 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. In Figure 4, a rotary shaft 7 for rotating the arm is provided at the base 6K of the support arm mechanism 6. A bearing 20 for supporting the rotary shaft 7 is provided on the main body housing 2 side. Here, it is necessary to reliably prevent water from entering the bearing 20. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, a raised portion 21 consisting of a cylindrical protrusion protruding upward (towards the support arm mechanism 6) is provided at the top 2A of the main body housing 2. 4, a cylindrical portion 8 (hanging portion) consisting of a cylindrical protrusion protruding downward is provided near the base 6K side of the support arm mechanism 6. The cylindrical portion 8 leads to an opening 7A in which the rotation shaft 7 is disposed. The cylindrical portion 8 is configured to cover the rising portion 21 from above, and the rising portion 21 is arranged concentrically on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 8. Although not clearly shown, the dimension by which the rising portion 21 (FIG. 5) protrudes upward is set to be, for example, 300% to 350% higher than the dimension by which a similar member in an existing gas filling device protrudes.

[0029] This configuration prevents water from seeping in beyond the cylindrical portion 8 and the rising portion 21 and into the bearing 20 located radially inward, even if water is sprayed from the area above the support arm mechanism 6 and the area between the vertical plane and the plane inclined at 60° from the vertical plane (even if water is sprayed in a manner similar to that of the IPX3 standard, waterproofing level 3). The above-mentioned effect was confirmed through experiments by the inventors.

[0030] Fig. 6 shows the internal structure of the support arm mechanism 6. For simplicity of illustration, Fig. 6 omits the upper cover 6A and shows only the lower cover 6B. The base 6K side (right side in Fig. 6) of the support arm mechanism 6 is the side that is rotatably disposed on the main body housing 2 (not shown in Fig. 6), and is provided with a rotation shaft 7 and the like. The tip 6S side (left side in Fig. 6) of the support arm mechanism 6 is the side from which the wire 5B connected to the filling nozzle 4 hangs down, and is provided with a roller 11 and the like. The configuration and operation of the roller 11 will be described later with reference to Figs. 8 to 13. Here, the support arm mechanism 6 according to the illustrated embodiment does not itself extend or contract in the longitudinal direction. The support arm mechanism 6 according to the illustrated embodiment does not have a configuration that includes an arm body and a telescoping arm, but rather is configured with priority given to compactness and light weight.

[0031] A mechanical winding device 9 (retractor) that pays out and winds up the wire 5A is provided inside the base 6K side of the support arm mechanism 6, and the mechanical winding device 9 is a known mechanism that winds up the wire 5A using mechanical power such as a spring. Although not clearly shown, the mechanical winding device 9 in the illustrated embodiment is smaller and lighter than mechanical winding devices provided in existing gas filling devices. The mechanical winding device 9 and the mechanical winding device side wire 5A (the wire unwound from the mechanical winding device 9) are connected by a first connecting part 10A (for example, a carabiner). Mechanical winding device wire 5A and stuffing nozzle wire 5B (the wire that supports stuffing nozzle 4) are connected by second connecting part 10B (e.g., a wire coupling). Stuffing nozzle 4 and stuffing nozzle wire 5B are connected by third connecting part 10C (e.g., a carabiner). In the illustrated embodiment, a buffer rubber 14, a stopper 15, a washer 16, etc. are interposed on the mechanical winding device side wire 5A.

[0032] With the above-described configuration, for example, when replacing components shown in Fig. 7 (components interposed between first connecting part 10A and second connecting part 10B, such as mechanical take-up device side wire 5A, buffer rubber 14, stopper 15, and washer 16), the connection between first connecting part 10A and second connecting part 10B can be released and only the components that need to be replaced can be replaced; there is no need to remove components that do not need to be replaced (for example, mechanical take-up device 9, roller 11, filling nozzle side wire 5B, filling nozzle 4, etc.). This makes part replacement easy.

[0033] 6, in the illustrated embodiment, the mechanical winding device wire 5A and the filling nozzle wire 5B are coated with a synthetic resin (e.g., polyamide) to improve sliding properties, which allows smooth unwinding and winding of the mechanical winding device wire 5A and prevents wear on the roller 11 used in this process. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, when the third connecting part 10C is configured as a carabiner, the carabiner is a product that opens inward, not outward. If the carabiner is a type that opens outward, if the carabiner accidentally opens (outward), there is a risk that the filling nozzle 4 will fall to the ground from the outward opening and be damaged. In contrast, if the carabiner is a type that opens inward, even if the carabiner accidentally opens, there is an extremely low possibility that the filling nozzle 4 will come off the inward-opening carabiner, reducing the risk that the filling nozzle 4 will fall to the ground and be damaged.

[0034] The arrangement of wires and the like in FIG. 6 is shown schematically in FIG. In Figure 7, the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side is provided with a member to buffer the tension that acts when the FCV vehicle erroneously starts or the filling nozzle 4 falls, and to buffer forces generated by other factors. That is, on the base 6K side of the support arm mechanism 6, near the first connecting part 10A that is connected to the mechanical winding device 9, a cushioning rubber 14 and a stopper 15 are interposed, with a washer 16 interposed between them. A stopper 15 and a washer 16 are also interposed on the tip 6S side of the support arm mechanism 6, near the roller 11. The washer 16 is provided to reduce the impact between the buffer rubber 14 and the stopper 15 when an impact (compression) acts on the buffer rubber 14, such as when the FCV vehicle erroneously starts or the filling nozzle 4 falls, or when the mechanical winding device side wire 5A is wound around the mechanical winding device 9, thereby extending the life of the buffer rubber 14.

[0035] The arrangement of the buffer rubber 14, stopper 15, and washer 16 can buffer the impact (force acting in the direction of arrow A or arrow B in Figures 7 and 6) received by the gas filling device 1. The above-mentioned configuration is also effective in buffering when an external force acts due to factors other than those mentioned above. Furthermore, for example, an emergency release mechanism (wire coupling) can be provided in the second connecting part 10B (not shown in Figure 7, see Figure 6), and when the filling nozzle 4 is pulled with a force greater than a predetermined value, the emergency release mechanism (wire coupling) can separate, thereby releasing the connection between the second connecting part 10B and the mechanical winding device side wire 5A.

[0036] The roller designated by reference numeral 11 in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 13. FIG. 8, an opening 6BC is formed in the bottom surface of the lower cover 6B at the tip 6S of the support arm mechanism 6, and a large roller 11A (payout roller) and a small roller 11B (holding roller) are arranged near the opening 6BC. The large roller 11A functions as a payout roller that sends the wire 5A from the mechanical winding device 9 (retractor, FIG. 6) to the opening 6BC, and the small roller 11B functions as a holding roller that restricts the upward movement of the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side. Mechanical winding device side wire 5A is sandwiched between large roller 11A and small roller 11B and extends downward from opening 6BC (toward filling nozzle 4, not shown in FIG. 8). A V-shaped groove 11AB is formed in the large roller 11A, and the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side extends within the V-shaped groove 11AB, thereby stabilizing the unwinding direction of the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side and restricting movement in a direction perpendicular to that (the direction in which the wire 5A tries to come off the large roller 11A: lateral direction).

[0037] 8, the opening 6BC is formed only on the lower surface (bottom surface) of the lower cover 6B of the support arm mechanism 6 and does not extend to the arm tip. If the opening 6BC extended to the arm tip of the support arm mechanism 6, rainwater would seep in from the area of ​​the opening 6BC on the arm tip side. As will be described later, the movement range of the mechanical winding device side wire 5A is also within the range of the opening 6BC, so rainwater is prevented from seeping into the inside of the support arm mechanism 6 along the wire 5A. The inventors have confirmed that water does not get inside the support arm mechanism 6 by conducting a water spray test in accordance with the IPX3 standard (waterproof level 3).

[0038] 9, which shows the large roller 11A and small roller 11B viewed from above the tip of the support arm mechanism 6, the mechanical winding device side wire 5A is arranged in such a manner that it is sandwiched between the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B. Here, the small roller 11B is located on the arm tip 6S side (arrow B) relative to the large roller 11A. By arranging the mechanical winding device side wire 5A so that it is clamped between the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B, the mechanical winding device side wire 5A is prevented from coming off the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 9, a rotation shaft 11AS of the large roller 11A and a rotation shaft 11BS of the small roller 11B are supported by a roller support bracket 12. As shown in FIG. 10, the roller support bracket 12 is attached to the lower cover 6B by its base portion 12B in a manner that straddles the opening 6BC. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 15 denotes a stopper against which the washer 16 pressed by the buffer rubber 14 abuts, and is the stopper 15 described with reference to FIG.

[0040] 10, the side edge of the large roller 11A is provided with a large roller side edge protrusion 11AA that protrudes outward (in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11AS: left and right in FIG. 10). In other words, the side edge of the large roller 11A is provided with a step that protrudes outward. By providing the large roller side edge protrusions 11AA, the outer surface of the large roller 11A is prevented from contacting or interfering with the roller support bracket 12 or the inner edge of the opening 6BC. This prevents the paint film from being removed from the area due to interference with the outer surface of the large roller 11A, which could cause rust. Also, the large roller 11A rotates smoothly without interference.

[0041] Next, the relative positional relationship between the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 11, the mechanical take-up device side wire 5A needs to be smoothly passed through the opening 6BC of the lower cover 6B without interfering with the front edge 6BC-F of the opening 6BC, and then fed out and taken up. If the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side interferes with the opening 6BC, the coating will peel off, the roller 11 will wear, and the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side will no longer be able to be smoothly wound and fed out, and ultimately the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side may break and become unable to hold the filling nozzle 4.

[0042] As described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10, the rotation shaft 11BS of the small roller 11B is supported by the roller support bracket 12. However, as is clear from Figure 10, the lowest part of the roller support bracket 12, which is fixed to the bottom surface of the lower cover 6B, is naturally not lower than the lower cover 6B. In Figure 12, if the distance L1 from the rotation center 11BC of the small roller 11B (the axis of the rotation shaft 11BS shown in Figure 11) to the lower edge 12A of the roller support bracket 12 is short, the roller support bracket 12 must support the external force applied to the small roller 11B using the region R1 defined by the short distance L1, which could result in insufficient strength (relative to the strength required to support the small roller 11B). Therefore, the distance L1 must be set large enough to ensure that the roller support bracket 12 has the necessary and sufficient strength to support the small roller 11B. As is clear from Figure 12, when the small roller 11B is positioned lower (towards the lower edge 12A of the roller support bracket 12), the distance L1 becomes smaller. Therefore, the small roller 11B needs to be positioned higher in Figures 11 and 12 so that the distance L1 from the rotation center 11BC of the small roller 11B to the lower edge 12A of the roller support bracket 12 can be increased and the area R of the roller support bracket 12 corresponding to the distance L1 (the area indicated by hatching in Figure 12) can have the strength necessary to support the small roller 11B.

[0043] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 13, if the position of small roller 11B (in Figs. 11 and 13) is too high and away from opening 6BC of lower cover 6B, mechanical take-up device side wire 5A will extend toward arm tip 6S (the side of arrow B in Figs. 11 and 13), and will be outside of opening 6BC, so mechanical take-up device side wire 5A will interfere with front edge 6BC-F of opening 6BC. In Fig. 13, the area where mechanical take-up device side wire 5A interferes with a location other than opening 6BC is indicated by hatching and symbol IF. Therefore, the position of the small roller 11B must not be too far away from the opening 6BC (upward in Figure 13), and the direction in which the mechanical winding device side wire 5A sandwiched between the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B extends must be set closer to the arm base 6K (towards arrow C in Figure 13) than the front edge 6BC-F of the opening. Naturally, the direction in which the mechanical take-up device side wire 5A extends must be closer to the arm tip 6S side (arrow B side) than the rear edge 6BC-R of the opening.

[0044] In order to satisfy the conditions described in Figures 11 to 13, The distance L1 from the axis 11BC of the rotation axis 11BS of the small roller 11B to the lower edge 12A of the roller support bracket 12 that supports the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B is a distance that ensures the strength of the roller support bracket 12 to reliably support the load acting on the small roller 11B, and The direction in which the wire 5A on the mechanical winding device side sandwiched between the large roller 11A and the small roller 11B extends must be closer to the arm base 6K (arrow C side) than the front edge 6BC-F of the opening of the lower cover 6B, and closer to the arm tip 6S (arrow B side) than the rear edge 6BC-R of the opening.

[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, the distance L1 is set to a distance that ensures that the roller support bracket 12 has the strength to reliably support the load acting on the small roller 11B. Furthermore, the angle θ formed between the direction in which the mechanical take-up device side wire 5A extends and the bottom surface of the lower cover 6B is set to be 30° or more, for example, 45° or more. According to experiments by the inventors, by setting the angle θ in this manner, the mechanical take-up device side wire 5A does not interfere with the front edge 6BC-F of the opening 6BC.

[0046] In the configuration described with reference to Figures 8 to 13, the roller support bracket 12 can reliably support the load acting on the small roller 11B, and the mechanical winding device side wire 5A can be prevented from interfering with the lower cover 6B (opening 6BC). Furthermore, rainwater is prevented from entering the support arm mechanism 6, and the problem of impediments to the filling work due to malfunction of the support arm mechanism 6 is eliminated.

[0047] Next, with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, a roller arrangement different from that of FIG. 11 will be described. In Fig. 14, roller 111B, which corresponds to small roller 11B (holding roller) in Fig. 11, is configured to have a larger diameter than small roller 11B (in Fig. 11). For example, if the diameter of small roller 11B shown in Fig. 11 is 12 mm, the diameter of small roller 111B in Fig. 14 is set to 18 mm. According to experiments conducted by the inventors, if the diameter of the small roller 11B is small (for example, 12 mm), the wire 5A is bent with a small radius of curvature at the point sandwiched between the large roller 11A (feed-out roller) and the small roller 11B. As a result, the wire 5A and the small roller 11B come into contact (point contact) at only one point on the circumference of the small roller 11B, which may cause damage to the wire 5A. On the other hand, if the diameter of the small roller 111B is increased (for example, if a small roller with a diameter of 18 mm is used), the wire 5A will contact the circumference of the small roller 111B not at just one point (not at a point) but over a certain length (area), forming a line contact, as shown in Fig. 14. Therefore, unlike in the case of point contact, the wire 5A will not be damaged. In other words, the diameter of the small roller 111B is set to a dimension such that the wire 5A makes line contact with the circumference of the small roller 111B, rather than making point contact.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 15, in the case of FIG. 14, as in the case of FIG. 11, the rotation shaft 111BS of the small roller 111B and the rotation shaft 11AS of the large roller 11A are supported by the roller support bracket 12. In FIG. 15, the roller support bracket 12 has four through holes, and the rotating shaft 11AS of the large roller 11A is inserted into the through holes 12AH1 and 12AH2. Here, the through holes 12AH1 and 12BH1 are circular, while the through openings 12AH2 and 12BH2 are D-shaped. The rotating shafts 11AS and 111BS have circular cross sections, but the cross sections of the tip regions 11AS2 and 111BS2 are not circular but have shapes complementary to the D-shaped through openings 12AH2 and 12BH2 (D-shapes). During assembly, the rotating shaft 11AS is inserted into the through opening 12AH1, while the D-shaped tip region 11AS2 is inserted into the D-shaped through hole 12AH2. The rotating shaft 111BS is inserted into the through opening 12BH1, while the D-shaped tip region 111BS2 is inserted into the D-shaped through hole 12BH2. When the D-shaped tip region 11AS2 is inserted into the D-shaped through hole 12AH2, the rotating shaft 11AS does not rotate, and when the D-shaped tip region 111BS2 is inserted into the D-shaped through hole 12BH2, the rotating shaft 111BS does not rotate either. Although not clearly shown, the large roller 11A is configured to rotate around a rotation axis 11AS (i.e., spin freely), and the small roller 111B is configured to rotate around a rotation axis 111BS (i.e., is freely rotatable).

[0049] Fitting grooves are formed in the D-shaped cross-sectional tip region 11AS2 of the rotating shaft 11AS inserted into the D-shaped through hole 12AH2, the other end 11AS1E of the rotating shaft 11AS, the D-shaped cross-sectional tip region 111BS2 of the rotating shaft 111BS inserted into the D-shaped through hole 12BH2, and the other end 111BS1E of the rotating shaft 111BS, and the large roller 11A and the small roller 111B are attached to the bracket 12 by fitting the C-rings CA2, CA1, CB2, and CB1 into them. If the rotating shafts 11AS and 111BS are secured with low-head bolts (not shown in Figures 9 and 10), removing one of the low-head bolts causes the rotating shaft to spin freely, preventing the other low-head bolt from being removed, making it difficult to remove the rollers 11A and 111B. In contrast, as described above, if the rollers 11A and 111B are rotatable relative to the rotating shafts 11AS and 111BS, preventing the rotating shafts 11AS and 111BS from rotating, and the rotating shafts 11AS and 111BS are attached to the bracket 12 by engaging the C-rings CA2, CA1, CB2, and CB1, then the rollers 11A and 111B can be easily removed by disengaging the C-rings CA2 and CB2. This also simplifies installation.

[0050] 14 and 15, the bending strength of the wire 5A is increased to prevent damage caused by the wire 5A being bent to a small radius of curvature at the point where the wire 5A is sandwiched between the large roller 11A (feed-out roller) and the small roller 11B. Specifically, the diameter of the wires constituting the wire 5A is reduced and the number of twists is increased. Other configurations and effects in the cases shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 are the same as those in the case shown in FIG.

[0051] Next, an example different from those shown in FIGS. 11 and 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the examples of FIGS. 16 and 17, first and second shafts 42, 44 having circular cross sections are provided in place of the small rollers 11B, 111B (holding rollers) in FIGS. If the wire 5A moves upward on the support arm (in the direction of arrow U), it may not pass through the opening 6BC properly. In FIG. 16, a first shaft 42 is provided above the wire 5A to ensure that the wire 5A passes through the opening 6BC properly, allowing the wire 5A to be inserted and removed properly. In other words, the first shaft 42 is provided at a position that can prevent the wire 5A from moving upward. The first shaft 42 does not need to be rotatable, as long as it can prevent the wire 5A from moving upward. On the other hand, the second shaft 44 has a function of guiding the wire 5A so that it does not interfere with the front edge 6BC-F (edge ​​on the side of arrow B) of the opening 6BC, and is configured to be rotatable. The second shaft 44 is provided at a position where it can guide the wire 5A into the opening 6BC and where the wire 5A does not interfere with the front edge 6BC-F.

[0052] In Fig. 17, the dimension of the opening 6BC of the lower cover 6B in the direction of arrow W (the width dimension of the opening 6BC) is set so that the wire 5A does not interfere with the side edge 6BC-S of the opening 6BC. Simply providing the first and second shafts 42, 44 and the large roller 11A is not enough to restrict movement of the wire 5A in the direction of arrow W in Fig. 12, but by appropriately setting the dimension of the opening 6BC in the direction of arrow W, it is possible to prevent interference between the wire 5A and the side edge 6BC-S of the opening 6BC. This prevents the paint on the lower cover 6B from peeling off, rusting, and damage to the wire 5A due to the interference. Other configurations and effects in the cases of FIGS. 16 and 17 are the same as those in the cases shown in FIGS.

[0053] The rotation restricting means for restricting (limiting) the rotation of the rotary shaft of the support arm mechanism 6 will be described with reference to FIG. A rotation restricting means 22 is provided below the rotation shaft 7 of the support arm mechanism 6. The rotation restricting means 22 includes a protruding piece 23 that is connected to the rotation shaft 7 of the support arm mechanism 6 and rotates integrally therewith, and a stopper 24 that is disposed on the top surface of the main body housing 2.

[0054] The rotating shaft 7 is fixed to two roughly semicircular connecting members 25 with bolts BT, and the connecting members 25 are connected to a lower circular plate 26, to the upper surface of which a convex piece 23 extending radially outward is fixed. With this structure, the lower circular plate 26 rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 7 of the support arm mechanism 6. Meanwhile, a single cylindrical stopper 24 is fixed to the upper surface of the main body housing 2. The convex piece 23, which rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 7, comes into contact with the stopper 24, thereby restricting the rotation of the support arm mechanism 6. Here, since a single stopper 24 is provided, the rotational range of the support arm mechanism 6 is wider than when multiple (for example, two) stoppers are provided. Therefore, it can be adapted to any position where the filling nozzle (nozzle hanger) is located on the front, rear, or side of the gas filling device 1.

[0055] It should be noted that the illustrated embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1. Gas filling device 2. Main body housing 3. Filling hose 4. Filling nozzle 5. Wire 5A Mechanical winding device side wire 5B Filling nozzle side wire 6. Support arm mechanism 6A···Top cover 6AA... First bent part ( 6B Lower cover 6BA Second bend 6BB···Guide part 6BB-1···Fastening guide part 6BB-2 Reinforcement guide part 6BC···Opening (opening of lower cover) 6BC-F...Opening leading edge 6BC-R...Rear edge of opening 7. Rotating shaft 7A...Opening 8. Cylindrical part 9. Mechanical retractor 10A, 10B, 10C... Connecting member (e.g., carabiner) 11 Roller member 11A Large roller (feed-out roller) 11AA Large roller side edge protrusion 11AB...V-shaped groove 11AS···Large roller rotation axis 11B, 111B... Small roller (holding roller) 11BS, 111BS... Rotating shaft of small roller 12 Roller holding bracket 12A: Lower edge of roller support bracket 21. Rising section 42...First axis 44...Second axis

Claims

1. A gas filling device including a filling mechanism in a main body housing for transporting gas from a gas supply source through a gas pipeline, a filling hose connected to an outlet of the gas pipeline of the filling mechanism, and a support arm mechanism for supporting a filling nozzle provided at the tip of the filling hose by attaching a wire to the filling nozzle, The support arm mechanism includes an upper cover having a first bent portion formed downward along its entire periphery; a lower cover having a second bent portion formed upward, A gas filling device, wherein a second bent portion is located on an inner surface of the first bent portion.

2. 2. The gas filling device according to claim 1, wherein the second bent portion is provided with intermittent guide portions having a large vertical dimension, the guide portions being in contact with the inner surface of the upper cover.

3. 3. The gas filling device according to claim 2, wherein the guide portion includes a fastening guide portion for fastening to the upper cover, and a reinforcing guide portion for suppressing bending of the support arm mechanism in the longitudinal direction.

4. The gas filling device of claim 1, wherein the support arm mechanism is arranged to be freely rotatable relative to the main housing, and comprises a cylindrical portion that leads to an opening in which the rotation axis at one end of the support arm mechanism is arranged, and a raised portion formed on the upper part of the main housing, the raised portion being located on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion.

5. A gas filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a mechanical winding device that reels out and winds up the wire is provided inside the support arm mechanism, and the wire reeled out from the mechanical winding device and the wire supporting the filling nozzle are connected by a connecting member.

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