Liquid dispensing nozzle

Abstract

The present invention provides a liquid supply nozzle that can suppress the rotation of a shaft member that is displaced in response to the operation of an operating piece. [Solution] The nozzle 21, which is a liquid supply nozzle, supplies liquid fuel to the fuel tank by opening and closing a main valve 32 provided in the fuel supply passage 23 inside the nozzle body 22 when operated by a lever 31 which is an operating piece. The nozzle 21 includes a valve stem sleeve 37, a valve stem rod 38, an engagement rod 55, an automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54, and a rotation prevention mechanism 61. The rotation prevention mechanism 61 prevents the valve stem rod 38 from rotating around its central axis. The rotation prevention mechanism 61 has, for example, a recessed portion 61A provided in the lever 31 and a stepped portion 61B provided at the end of the valve stem rod 38.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid supply nozzle for supplying a liquid (liquid fuel) to, for example, a tank (fuel tank) of a vehicle (automobile).

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a fuel supply nozzle that opens a valve in a flow path by operating a lever to perform fuel supply. This fuel supply nozzle includes a discharge pipe inserted into a fuel filler opening, a lever operated by a fuel supplier, a shaft member that contacts (abuts) the lever, a valve that opens when the shaft member is displaced according to the operation of the lever, an air introduction path provided to open at the tip side of the discharge pipe, and a valve closing mechanism that closes the valve in the flow path based on a pressure change when the air introduction path is blocked by oil.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to the prior art, the shaft member that opens the valve according to the operation of the lever is composed of two members (two valve shaft members), a sleeve and a rod that moves axially within this sleeve. And, by engaging an engaging member with the engaged portions (recesses) provided on the sleeve and the rod respectively, the interlocking of the sleeve and the rod becomes possible. Further, the valve closing mechanism can close the valve even when the lever is operated to the open valve position by releasing the engagement between the engaging member and the engaged portion based on the pressure change in the air introduction path. In such a configuration, it is not preferable for the shaft member (sleeve, rod) to rotate.

[0005] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a liquid supply nozzle that can suppress the rotation of a shaft member that is displaced in response to the operation of a lever (operating piece). [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention preferably provides a liquid supply nozzle for supplying liquid to a container by opening and closing a valve provided in a liquid passage within the main body by operating an operating piece, comprising: a first valve shaft member for opening and closing the valve; a second valve shaft member that is displaced in accordance with the operation of the operating piece; an engaging means provided to be engageable with the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member, for interlocking the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member; an automatic valve closing mechanism that normally engages the engaging means with both the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member to interlock the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member, and when a liquid level is detected, releases the engagement of the engaging means with the second valve shaft member in order to close the valve regardless of the opening operation state of the operating piece; and a rotation prevention mechanism for preventing rotation of the second valve shaft member around its central axis. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the rotation of the second valve shaft member, which is displaced in response to the operation of the operating piece, can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing a fuel supply device (fueling device) equipped with a liquid supply nozzle (fueling nozzle) according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic overall diagram showing the fuel supply system in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the liquid supply nozzle in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of section (IV) in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of section (V) in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the first valve stem member (valve stem sleeve), the second valve stem member (valve stem rod), and the operating piece (lever) in the figure. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing the first valve shaft member, the second valve shaft member, the operating piece, etc. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view taken from the direction indicated by arrow VIII-VIII in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is an exploded perspective view showing the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member according to the first modified example. [Figure 10] This is an exploded perspective view showing the first and second valve shaft members according to a second modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following description of the liquid supply nozzle according to the embodiments and modifications will take as an example a refueling nozzle installed in a refueling device at a gas station (gas station, service station) that refuels vehicles such as automobiles, and will be explained with reference to the attached drawings.

[0010] Figures 1 to 8 illustrate embodiments. In Figure 1, the gas station 1, which serves as a fuel supply station, is equipped with a metering machine 2 for supplying fuel to a vehicle (not shown). At the gas station 1, regular gasoline, premium gasoline, diesel fuel, and other liquid fuels can be supplied to vehicles using the metering machine 2. The metering machine 2, which is a refueling device (fuel supply device), is installed in the refueling lane (refueling booth) of the gas station 1. Note that in Figures 1 and 2, to avoid complexity in the drawings, only one of several metering machines 2 installed at the gas station 1 is shown.

[0011] The ground-mounted metering machine 2 has a roughly rectangular housing 3. A monitor device 17, a setting device 18, etc. are provided on the front side of the housing 3. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the metering machine 2 is equipped with a liquid supply pipeline 6, a pump 12 which is a refueling pump (supply pump), a flow meter 13, a hose 8 which is a refueling hose (supply hose, liquid supply hose), and a nozzle 21 which is a refueling nozzle (supply nozzle, liquid supply nozzle). As shown in Figure 2, the housing 3 of the metering machine 2 is equipped with a liquid supply pipeline 6, a pump 12, a flow meter 13, a pump motor 14, a control valve 16, a control device 19 which is a refueling control device, etc.

[0012] Meanwhile, underground at the gas station 1, there is a storage tank 4 (hereinafter referred to as "underground tank 4") for storing fuels such as regular gasoline, premium gasoline, and diesel fuel. The underground tank 4 is divided into multiple sections, and each tank stores a different type of fuel (for example, regular gasoline, premium gasoline, and diesel fuel). The liquid level 5 in the underground tank 4 is detected using, for example, a dedicated liquid level detector (not shown), thereby monitoring the remaining liquid level in the underground tank 4.

[0013] Note that Figure 2 shows a simplified representation of the internal structure of the measuring machine 2 (i.e., the piping structure including the liquid supply pipeline 6, pump 12, flow meter 13, control valve 16, etc.). Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the housing 3 is provided with multiple (for example, three) hoses 8 for each type of liquid, but Figure 2 shows only one hose 8, and the other hoses are omitted for the sake of simplicity. The same applies to the underground tank 4.

[0014] The liquid supply pipeline 6, together with the hose 8, constitutes the fuel supply route. The liquid supply pipeline 6 connects the underground tank 4 and the hose 8. That is, one end (lower end) of the liquid supply pipeline 6 extends downward from inside the housing 3. One end of the liquid supply pipeline 6 is connected to the underground tank 4 as a suction pipe 6A. The other end (tip) of the liquid supply pipeline 6 is connected to the flexible hose 8 via, for example, a joint 7. In this embodiment, the hose 8 has a double-walled structure with a vapor suction tube 9 inserted inside, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, which will be described later, so that vapor (fuel vapor, vaporized fuel) released from the fuel inlet during refueling can be recovered. Note that the hose 8 and the vapor suction tube 9 do not necessarily have to be a double-walled structure; for example, they may be configured to extend separately.

[0015] On the tip side of the hose 8, a nozzle 21 is provided as a liquid supply nozzle for supplying a liquid (liquid fuel) to a supply target (liquid supply target, fuel supply target, liquid supply object, fuel supply object) such as a fuel tank of a vehicle. The nozzle 21 is hooked on the nozzle holder 10 during the standby of the refueling operation. For example, a refueler (including a self-service refueler) who performs refueling removes the nozzle 21 from the nozzle holder 10 and refuels the fuel tank of the vehicle.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 21 includes a nozzle body 22, a discharge pipe 29 that serves as a nozzle tip portion, and a nozzle lever 31 (hereinafter referred to as the lever 31) that is manually operated by a refueler. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a main valve 32 is provided in the nozzle body 22 as a valve whose opening degree is adjusted by the operation of the lever 31. The vehicle, which is the supply target of the fuel (liquid), has a fuel tank as a fuel container, and the fuel tank is provided with a fuel filling port (refueling port, supply port) for refueling (refilling) the fuel. The nozzle 21 can start refueling the fuel tank by operating the lever 31 with the discharge pipe 29 inserted into the fuel filling port. The configuration of the nozzle 21 will be described in detail later.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a nozzle holder 10 as a nozzle storage portion is provided on the housing 3 of the meter 2. The nozzle 21 is detachably hooked on the nozzle holder 10. That is, the nozzle 21 is normally stored in the nozzle holder 10. When the vehicle arrives at the gas station 1, the nozzle 21 is removed from the nozzle holder 10 by the refueler and inserted into the fuel filling port of the fuel tank of the vehicle. A nozzle switch 11 is attached to the nozzle holder 10. The nozzle switch 11 is connected to the control device 19.

[0018] The nozzle switch 11 detects whether the nozzle 21 is latched to the nozzle holder 10 and outputs the detection signal to the control device 19. While the nozzle 21 is latched to the nozzle holder 10, for example, an ON signal (energization) is output from the nozzle switch 11 to the control device 19. While the nozzle 21 is removed from the nozzle holder 10, an OFF signal (de-energization) is output from the nozzle switch 11 to the control device 19. Note that the nozzle switch 11 may output an ON signal (energization) while the nozzle 21 is removed from the nozzle holder 10 and output an OFF signal (de-energization) while the nozzle 21 is latched to the nozzle holder 10.

[0019] In the middle of the liquid supply pipeline 6, a pump 12, a flow meter 13, and a control valve 16 are arranged inside the housing 3. The liquid fuel (for example, regular gasoline) in the underground tank 4 sucked from the suction pipe 6A by the pump 12 is measured for its flow rate by the flow meter 13 when flowing through the liquid supply pipeline 6. The pump 12 is rotationally driven by a pump motor 14 to supply the fuel in the underground tank 4 to the nozzle 21 side. In this case, the rotation of the pump motor 14 is transmitted to the rotation shaft of the pump 12 via a belt 15 wound between the drive pulley 14A of the pump motor 14 and the driven pulley 12A of the pump 12.

[0020] The flow meter 13 is a flow rate detection device that individually measures the fuel supply amount of the liquid fuel supplied to the nozzle 21 by the pump 12 for each nozzle 21. For example, a flow rate pulse transmitter 13A is attached to the flow meter 13. The flow rate pulse transmitter 13A is connected to the control device 19. The flow rate pulse transmitter 13A outputs a flow rate pulse signal corresponding to the flow rate of the liquid fuel flowing through the liquid supply pipeline 6 to the control device 19.

[0021] The control valve 16 is composed of an electromagnetic flow control valve whose valve opening degree is variably controlled. The control valve 16 adjusts the flow rate of liquid fuel (e.g., oil liquid such as gasoline) supplied from the liquid supply pipeline 6 to the nozzle 21 via the hose 8. The control valve 16 is connected to the control device 19. The valve opening degree of the control valve 16 is variably controlled, for example, by variably controlling the drive current supplied to the control valve 16 according to the frequency and duty cycle of the control signal output from the control device 19. Alternatively, the opening and closing of the control valve 16 may be controlled continuously by ON / OFF control (full open / full closed control of the valve opening degree) using pulse width modulation.

[0022] On the front side of the housing 3, there is a monitor device 17, which serves as a display means (display) for displaying necessary information such as the amount of fuel dispensed by the metering machine 2 and the price, and a setting device 18, which serves as a setting means (input unit) for setting the amount of fuel dispensed, etc., by manually operating it on the part of the person dispensing fuel. The monitor device 17 is composed of, for example, an LCD monitor and a speaker (sound output device). The LCD monitor (display screen) of the monitor device 17 displays the amount of fuel dispensed, etc. In addition, the speaker of the monitor device 17 outputs voice information, warning sounds, etc., as needed. The monitor device 17 constitutes a notification means for informing (displaying and outputting sound) necessary information to the person dispensing fuel.

[0023] Furthermore, the display screen of the monitoring device 17 shows, for example, the setting items selected by the setting device 18. By operating the switches on the setting device 18, the refueler can select full tank refueling, set any preset refueling amount, etc. Although Figures 1 and 2 show a configuration in which the monitoring device 17 and the setting device 18 are provided separately, the monitoring device 17 and the setting device 18 may be integrated by, for example, configuring the monitoring device 17 as a touch panel.

[0024] A control device 19 is provided inside the housing 3 of the metering machine 2. The control device 19 corresponds to a control means that performs control related to refueling based on the refueling amount set by the setting device 18. The control device 19 also corresponds to a display control means that displays the refueling amount measured by the flow meter 13 on the monitoring device 17 when fuel is refueled by the nozzle 21. As shown in Figure 2, the input side of the control device 19 is connected to the nozzle switch 11 of the nozzle holder 10, the flow pulse transmitter 13A of the flow meter 13, the setting device 18, etc. The output side of the control device 19 is connected to the pump motor 14 that drives the pump 12, the control valve 16, the monitoring device 17, etc.

[0025] When the nozzle 21 is removed from the nozzle holder 10 and an OFF signal is received from the nozzle switch 11, the control device 19 starts the pump motor 14. This causes the pump 12 to draw fuel from the underground tank 4 into the liquid supply pipeline 6. The control device 19 also controls the control valve 16 by outputting a drive signal of a predetermined frequency to the control valve 16. In this case, the control device 19 controls the control valve 16 to maintain a predetermined valve opening by changing the duty cycle of the drive signal.

[0026] In this state, when the lever 31 of the nozzle 21 is operated, refueling of the vehicle's fuel tank begins. At this time, a flow pulse is output from the flow pulse transmitter 13A of the flow meter 13 to the control device 19. The control device 19 integrates the flow pulses output from the flow pulse transmitter 13A to determine the amount of refueling, and displays this determined amount of refueling on the display screen of the monitoring device 17. The control device 19 also stops refueling when the amount of refueling reached is set by the setting device 18, for example, in the case of preset refueling control.

[0027] The control device 19 controls various components of the metering machine 2, such as the pump motor 14, control valve 16, and monitoring device 17. For this purpose, the control device 19 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, a power supply circuit, a drive circuit, etc. The microcomputer of the control device 19 has a processing unit called a CPU, as well as memory consisting of ROM, RAM, and / or non-volatile memory. Processing programs for controlling refueling, such as preset refueling control, are stored in the memory.

[0028] Next, we will describe the nozzle 21.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the nozzle 21 is connected to the end of the hose 8. As shown in Figure 3, the nozzle 21 comprises a nozzle body 22, a discharge pipe 29, and a lever 31. The nozzle body 22 has a fuel supply passage 23 as a liquid passage through which fuel flows, a main valve 32 provided in the fuel supply passage 23 that opens based on the operation of the lever 31, and a negative pressure generating section 41 that generates negative pressure as fuel flows through it.

[0030] The main valve 32 is displaced away from the main valve seat 24 by the movement of the shaft member 36 (upward movement in Figures 3 and 4) based on the operation of the lever 31, thereby opening the valve. The discharge pipe 29, which serves as the nozzle tip, is inserted into the fuel filler port of the fuel recipient (e.g., a vehicle's fuel tank) when refueling. As shown in Figure 3, an opening 30, which serves as a detection hole (liquid level detection hole), is provided at the tip of the discharge pipe 29. The lever 31 is manually operated by the person refueling when refueling.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, a fuel supply passage 23 is formed in the nozzle body 22 so as to penetrate the length of the nozzle body 22 (left-right direction in Figure 3). One end 23A of the fuel supply passage 23 (right side in Figure 3) is connected to the hose 8 (and vapor suction tube 9), and the other end 23B (left side in Figure 3) is connected to the discharge pipe 29. The liquid (fuel) supplied from the hose 8 to the nozzle 21 flows through the fuel supply passage 23 from the one end 23A to the other end 23B. A main valve 32 is provided in the middle of the fuel supply passage 23 of the nozzle body 22 to open and close the fuel supply passage 23.

[0032] The main valve 32 opens and closes the fuel supply passage 23 by seating onto and away from an annular main valve seat 24 formed on the inner circumferential wall of the fuel supply passage 23. As shown in Figure 4, the main valve 32 is housed in an insertion hole 25 formed in the nozzle body 22. The main valve seat 24 is provided inside the insertion hole 25. The opening of the insertion hole 25 is closed by a cover 26. The main valve 32 comprises a main valve body 33 that opens and closes the fuel supply passage 23 by seating onto and away from the main valve seat 24, and a sub-valve body 35 that opens and closes a valve passage 34 provided in the main valve body 33 by seating onto and away from the main valve body 33.

[0033] The main valve body 33 is provided with a through hole 33A extending in the axial direction of the main valve body 33 (up and down direction in Figures 3 and 4). The base end of the sub-valve body 35 is inserted through the through hole 33A of the main valve body 33. That is, the base end of the sub-valve body 35 is the valve stem portion 35A. The sub-valve body 35 is located upstream of the main valve body 33, and its valve stem portion 35A is inserted through the through hole 33A of the main valve body 33. The sub-valve body 35 moves relative to the main valve body 33 in the axial direction as the valve stem portion 35A is guided by the through hole 33A of the main valve body 33. The sub-valve body 35 opens and closes the valve passage 34 by seating away from and onto the ring-shaped valve seat 33B provided on the main valve body 33. The sub-valve body 35 has a rod insertion hole 35B that extends in the axial direction of the sub-valve body 35.

[0034] A coil-shaped valve spring 28 is provided between the sub-valve body 35 and the cover body 26. The valve spring 28 biases the sub-valve body 35 so that it seats on the valve seat 33B of the main valve body 33, and the main valve body 33 seats on the main valve seat 24. A shaft member 36 is connected to the main valve 32, which comprises the main valve body 33 and the sub-valve body 35. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the shaft member 36 comprises a valve shaft sleeve 37 inserted through the rod insertion hole 35B of the sub-valve body 35, and a valve shaft rod 38 inserted so as to be able to move back and forth within the sleeve hole 37A of the valve shaft sleeve 37.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the valve stem sleeve 37 has an insertion rod portion 37B on one axial side (upper side) that is inserted into the rod insertion hole 35B of the auxiliary valve body 35, and a sleeve portion 37C on the other side (lower side) that is larger in diameter than the insertion rod portion 37B. The boundary step between the insertion rod portion 37B and the sleeve portion 37C is a shoulder portion 37D that can come into contact with the main valve body 33. The sleeve portion 37C is also provided with a sleeve hole 37A that extends in the axial direction of the sleeve portion 37C. As shown in Figure 3, the sleeve hole 37A opens at the other end (lower end) of the valve stem sleeve 37.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4, the insertion rod portion 37B of the valve stem sleeve 37 is inserted into the rod insertion hole 35B formed in the valve stem portion 35A of the sub-valve body 35, and its tip abuts against the bottom of the rod insertion hole 35B. Furthermore, with the main valve body 33 seated on the main valve seat 24 and the sub-valve body 35 seated on the valve seat 33B of the main valve body 33, the shoulder portion 37D of the valve stem sleeve 37 faces the main valve body 33 with a gap equal to the opening stroke of the sub-valve body 35 relative to the main valve body 33. Therefore, the main valve 32 opens after the sub-valve body 35 has opened, and then the main valve body 33 opens.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the valve stem rod 38 is inserted into the sleeve hole 37A of the valve stem sleeve 37, allowing for axial displacement. A spring member 39 is provided between one end (upper end) of the valve stem rod 38 and the bottom surface of the sleeve hole 37A. The spring member 39 biases the valve stem rod 38 toward the opening of the sleeve hole 37A. The other end (lower end) of the valve stem rod 38 protrudes from the opening of the sleeve hole 37A of the valve stem sleeve 37 to the outside of the nozzle body 22, and this protruding end (lower end in Figure 3) abuts against the lever 31. The configuration of the contact portion between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the lever 31 will be described later.

[0038] The valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 are connected so as to be axially movable as a whole by an engaging rod 55 of the automatic lubrication stop mechanism 54, also called an automatic valve closing mechanism. That is, the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 are provided with recesses 37E and 38A (see Figures 6 to 8 described later) which are engaged parts into which the engaging rod 55, acting as an engaging member (engaging means), engages. The engagement of the engaging rod 55 with the recess 37E of the valve stem sleeve 37 (hereinafter also referred to as the sleeve-side recess 37E) and the recess 38A of the valve stem rod 38 (hereinafter also referred to as the rod-side recess 38A) enables the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 to move in conjunction. Note that when the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 move together (are interlocked), the biasing force generated by the contraction of the spring member 39 is set to be smaller than the biasing force generated by the contraction of the valve spring 28.

[0039] The lever 31 is rotatably supported on the nozzle body 22 at its base end (left end in Figure 3), and its rotation causes its free end (right end in Figure 3) to move closer to or further away from the gripping portion 27 of the nozzle body 22. The other end (lower end) of the valve stem rod 38 abuts against the base end of the lever 31. When the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 are interlockingly engaged via the engagement rod 55 of the automatic lubrication stop mechanism 54, the shaft member 36 (valve stem sleeve 37 and valve stem rod 38) is displaced axially in response to the rotation of the lever 31, thereby opening and closing the main valve 32.

[0040] Next, the negative pressure generating unit 41, which generates negative pressure through fuel flow, and the automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54, which automatically stops fuel supply, will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 5.

[0041] The negative pressure generating unit 41 is located in the middle of the fuel supply passage 23, more specifically, downstream of the main valve 32. The negative pressure generating unit 41 is composed of an ejector valve that generates negative pressure with the flow of liquid (fuel). That is, as shown in Figure 5, the negative pressure generating unit 41 has a valve seat member 42 having a tapered valve seat 42A, a valve body 43 that closes the valve seat member 42 from the discharge side, a spring 44 that biases the valve body 43 in the closing direction, and a guide member 45 that guides the movement direction of the valve body 43 in the opening and closing direction.

[0042] When the main valve 32 opens based on the operation of the lever 31 and the supply of liquid (fuel) begins, the valve body 43 of the negative pressure generating unit 41 opens due to the discharge pressure of the liquid (fuel). As a result, the liquid (fuel) is sent to the discharge pipe 29 by passing between the valve seat 42A of the valve seat member 42 and the tapered portion 43A of the valve body 43. At this time, negative pressure is generated by the flow velocity of the liquid (fuel) passing between the valve seat 42A of the valve seat member 42 and the tapered portion 43A of the valve body 43. The valve seat member 42 has a passage 42B that connects the valve seat 42A on the inner circumference side and the annular passage 46 on the outer circumference side.

[0043] Furthermore, the nozzle 21 is equipped with a liquid level detection unit 47 for detecting whether or not the liquid level of the fuel supplied to the fuel body has reached the tip of the discharge pipe 29. The liquid level detection unit 47 has an opening 30 provided on the outer circumference of the tip of the discharge pipe 29, an air introduction pipeline 48 communicating with the opening 30, an air introduction pipeline opening / closing mechanism 49 as an opening / closing mechanism communicating with the air introduction pipeline 48, and a communication passage 50 whose one end is connected to the air introduction pipeline 48 via the air introduction pipeline opening / closing mechanism 49 and whose other end penetrates the inside of the guide member 45 and communicates with the annular passage 46.

[0044] When negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure generating section 41, air from the opening 30 is drawn in through the air intake pipe 48, the air intake pipe opening / closing mechanism 49, the connecting passage 50, the annular passage 46, and the passage 42B of the valve seat member 42 to the inside of the valve seat 42A of the valve seat member 42. The air intake pipe opening / closing mechanism 49 includes a cylindrical joint member 51 connected to the guide member 45, a valve seat 52 provided inside the joint member 51, and a closing ball 53 which is a metal ball that acts as a valve and moves to a position that closes the valve seat 52 when the nozzle 21 is in an upward position (for example, when it is hooked onto the nozzle holder 10).

[0045] The joint member 51 is provided between the guide member 45 and the air intake pipe 48, and its interior is a connecting passage 51A that connects the air intake pipe 48 and the communication passage 50 of the guide member 45. The closing ball 53 rolls to a lower position due to gravity. Therefore, when the nozzle 21 is positioned almost horizontally so that the tip of the discharge pipe 29 extends downward in order to insert the discharge pipe 29 into the fuel filler port of the vehicle, the closing ball 53 separates from the valve seat 52 and opens the air intake pipe 48. Conversely, when the discharge pipe 29 is withdrawn from the fuel filler port of the vehicle and the nozzle 21 is positioned upward so that the tip of the discharge pipe 29 extends upward, the closing ball 53 closes the valve seat 52 and blocks the air intake pipe 48.

[0046] Furthermore, the annular passage 46 on the outer circumference of the guide member 45 is connected to an automatic refueling stop mechanism 54 that detects when the liquid level in the fuel tank rises to the opening 30 of the discharge pipe 29 and stops refueling. Therefore, when the opening 30 of the discharge pipe 29 is blocked by the liquid (fuel) supplied to the fuel tank, the air supply to the negative pressure generating unit 41 is stopped, and the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure generating unit 41 is introduced to the automatic refueling stop mechanism 54 via the annular passage 46. The automatic refueling stop mechanism 54 has, for example, a diaphragm (not shown), which is displaced by the negative pressure.

[0047] The automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 disengages the lever 31 (more specifically, the valve stem rod 38) from the main valve 32 (more specifically, the valve stem sleeve 37) based on the displacement of the diaphragm. More specifically, the automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 displaces the engagement rod 55 away from the rod-side recess 38A of the valve stem rod 38 based on the displacement of the diaphragm. This allows the automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 to close the main valve 32 even when the position of the lever 31 (more specifically, the valve stem rod 38) is in a position that would open the main valve 32.

[0048] In other words, when the diaphragm of the automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 is displaced by negative pressure, the engagement between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 by the engagement rod 55 is released based on this displacement. The valve stem sleeve 37 is displaced together with the main valve 32 in the direction that closes the main valve 32 (downward in Figures 3 and 4) based on the biasing force of the valve spring 28, while the position of the valve stem rod 38 remains unchanged. As a result, the main valve 32 can be closed regardless of the position of the lever 31 (valve stem rod 38), and the supply of fuel to the fuel tank can be stopped.

[0049] Here, the nozzle 21 is equipped with an air intake pipe opening / closing mechanism 49 that switches between opening and closing the air intake pipe 48 depending on the vertical orientation of the nozzle 21. Therefore, when the discharge pipe 29 of the nozzle 21 is positioned almost horizontally, the closing ball 53 separates from the valve seat 52, opening the air intake pipe 48. As a result, when the discharge pipe 29 is inserted into the fuel filler port of the vehicle's fuel tank, the automatic fuel stop mechanism 54 does not activate, and fuel can be supplied to the vehicle's fuel tank. Conversely, when the discharge pipe 29 of the nozzle 21 is pointed upward, the closing ball 53 seats on the valve seat 52, and the air intake pipe 48 is blocked. As a result, the automatic fuel stop mechanism 54 activates, and fuel supply is automatically stopped.

[0050] In this embodiment, a cover member 56 is provided around the discharge pipe 29 to cover the discharge pipe so that vapor (fuel vapor, vaporized fuel) released from the fuel filler port during refueling of the vehicle can be recovered. The nozzle body 22 is also provided with a vapor passage 57 for recovering the vapor in the cover member 56. The vapor passage 57 is connected to a vapor suction tube 9 provided inside the hose 8.

[0051] The cover member 56 surrounds the fuel filler opening to prevent vapor from leaking out when refueling the vehicle's fuel tank using the nozzle 21. The vapor inside the cover member 56 is collected in a vapor recovery container (not shown) via the vapor passage 57 and vapor suction tube 9 of the nozzle body 22 by a suction pump (not shown) that is driven by the nozzle. In Figure 3, the flow of liquid (oil, fuel) in the refueling passage 23 is shown by solid arrows, and the flow of vapor in the vapor passage 57 is shown by dashed arrows. The basic configuration of the nozzle 21 is described in, for example, the aforementioned Patent Document 1 and in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-103500, so no further explanation is provided.

[0052] Incidentally, the shaft member that opens the valve (main valve) in response to the operation of the lever is composed of two members (two valve shaft members): a sleeve (valve shaft sleeve) and a rod (valve shaft rod) that moves axially within this sleeve. The sleeve and rod are linked together by the engagement of an engagement member (engagement rod) into an engagement portion (recess) provided on the sleeve and rod, respectively. Furthermore, the valve closing mechanism (automatic fuel supply stop mechanism) can close the valve even when the lever is operated to the open position by releasing the engagement between the engagement member and the engagement portion based on the pressure change in the air intake passage (air intake pipe). However, in the conventional technology, when the lever pushes up the rod of the shaft member, depending on the operation of the lever, the rod may rotate around its own central axis.

[0053] In other words, when operating the lever, depending on the position of the fingers gripping the lever, the force pushing up the lever may not be properly transmitted to the rod, potentially applying a rotational force (a force that rotates the rod around its central axis) to the rod. If this force exceeds the bonding force (adhesion) between the "anti-rotation pin between the rod and the sleeve" and the "rod," the pin may break (detach), causing the rod to rotate around its central axis. Furthermore, repeated application of the above rotational force to the anti-rotation pin may cause the anti-rotation pin to break (fatigue failure), potentially causing the rod to rotate around its central axis. In this case, the engagement between the rod and the engaging member may be unintentionally released, and the engaging member may also be damaged, which is undesirable.

[0054] To explain in more detail, when the lever is squeezed, the fuel nozzle at a gas station starts discharging fuel when the shaft member and main valve are displaced in conjunction. Here, the shaft member consists of a rod and a sleeve. The rod and sleeve are not fixed to each other so that fueling can be automatically stopped when the tank is full. During fueling, an engaging member engages with the rod and sleeve, causing the rod and sleeve to move in conjunction. In such a structure, it is necessary to restrict (limit) the circumferential (rotational) orientation of the rod and sleeve so that the engaging member can be engaged with the rod and sleeve.

[0055] Therefore, according to the prior art, the rod has an anti-rotation pin (for example, pin 84 in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1) embedded in it to restrict (fix) its circumferential orientation between the rod and the sleeve. In addition, a member (for example, pin 86 in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1) is provided between the sleeve and the nozzle body into which the sleeve is inserted to restrict (fix) the circumferential orientation of the sleeve. However, in such a structure, if the anti-rotation pin (for example, pin 84 in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1) is damaged due to the load applied to it based on the rotational force of the rod, the rod may rotate relative to the sleeve. This can result in the engagement member being unable to engage, potentially causing problems such as the fuel supply not starting even when the lever is squeezed.

[0056] Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotation of the rod is restricted (prevented) at the contact point where the lever and the rod come into contact. Specifically, in this embodiment, the tip of the rod of the fuel nozzle is convex, and the contacted portion of the lever that the rod comes into contact with is concave, and the rotation of the rod is restricted (prevented) based on the engagement between these convex and concave shapes.

[0057] As a result, in this embodiment, the load on the anti-rotation pin that restricts (fixes) the circumferential orientation between the rod and the sleeve can be reduced, and relative rotation between the rod and the sleeve can be suppressed. In other words, it is possible to suppress inconveniences such as the inability to supply oil due to damage to the anti-rotation pin. Moreover, the rotation of the rod is restricted (prevented) with respect to the lever, and the rotation of the sleeve is restricted (prevented) with respect to the rod by the anti-rotation pin. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a member (for example, pin 86 in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1) between the sleeve and the nozzle body to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the sleeve. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced and the structure of the oil supply nozzle can be simplified. These points will be explained in detail below.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the nozzle 21, acting as a liquid supply nozzle, supplies liquid (e.g., liquid fuel such as gasoline, diesel, or kerosene) to the vehicle's fuel tank through a discharge pipe 29 inserted into the fuel filler port. The fuel filler port corresponds to the liquid supply port (supply port) provided in a container (supply recipient, liquid recipient) such as a fuel tank or plastic tank. The nozzle 21 comprises a nozzle body 22 as the main body, a lever 31 as an operating piece, a main valve 32 as a valve, and a refueling passage 23 as a liquid flow path.

[0059] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the nozzle body 22 has a fuel supply passage 23 inside. Liquid (fuel) flows through the fuel supply passage 23. The main valve 32 is located in the middle of the fuel supply passage 23. The lever 31 opens the main valve 32. The nozzle body 22 is provided with an insertion hole 25. The main valve 32 is housed inside the insertion hole 25. Together, the insertion hole 25 constitutes part of the fuel supply passage 23. The main valve 32 is biased in a direction that blocks the fuel supply passage 23 by a valve spring 28 positioned between the main valve 32 and a cover 26 that closes one end of the insertion hole 25 (the upper side in Figures 3 and 4).

[0060] The nozzle 21 supplies liquid (fuel) to a container by opening and closing a main valve 32 located in a fuel supply passage 23 within the nozzle body 22 via the operation of a lever 31. The nozzle 21 includes a valve shaft sleeve 37 as a first valve shaft member, a valve shaft rod 38 as a second valve shaft member, an engagement rod 55 as an engagement means, an automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 which is an automatic valve closing mechanism, and an anti-rotation mechanism 61. The valve shaft sleeve 37 displaces the main valve 32 by opening and closing it. The valve shaft rod 38 is displaced in response to the operation of the lever 31.

[0061] The engaging rod 55 is provided so as to be able to engage with the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38. In this case, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, the valve stem sleeve 37 is provided with a sleeve-side recess 37E, which is an engaged portion into which the engaging rod 55 engages. The valve stem rod 38 is also provided with a rod-side recess 38A, which is an engaged portion into which the engaging rod 55 engages. The engaging rod 55 interlocks the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 by engaging with the sleeve-side recess 37E and the rod-side recess 38A.

[0062] The automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 normally engages the engagement rod 55 with both the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38, causing them to move in conjunction. That is, when the opening 30 at the tip of the discharge pipe 29 is not blocked by the liquid level, the engagement rod 55 is engaged with the sleeve-side recess 37E and the rod-side recess 38A. In contrast, when the liquid level is detected, the automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 releases the engagement of the engagement rod 55 with the valve stem rod 38 in order to close the main valve 32 regardless of the open operation state of the lever 31.

[0063] In other words, when the opening 30 at the tip of the discharge pipe 29 is blocked by the liquid level, the diaphragm of the automatic fuel supply stop mechanism 54 is displaced based on the negative pressure caused by the blocking of this opening 30. Then, based on the displacement of the diaphragm, the engagement rod 55 is displaced away from the rod-side recess 38A, and the engagement (interlocking) between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 by the engagement rod 55 is released.

[0064] The rotation prevention mechanism 61 prevents the valve stem rod 38 from rotating around its central axis. More specifically, the rotation prevention mechanism 61 prevents the valve stem rod 38 from rotating relative to the lever 31 between the lever 31 and the valve stem rod 38. To this end, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, the rotation prevention mechanism 61 has a recessed portion 61A provided on the lever 31 and a stepped portion 61B provided on the end of the valve stem rod 38 (the lower end which is the end on the lever 31 side). The rotation prevention mechanism 61 prevents the valve stem rod 38 from rotating by the contact between the recessed portion 61A and the stepped portion 61B.

[0065] The recessed portion 61A is formed as a bottomed elongated hole on the upper surface of the lever 31, facing the lower end of the valve stem rod 38. The recessed portion 61A comprises a pair of long walls 61A1, 61A2 extending in the longitudinal direction of the lever 31, a pair of short walls 61A3, 61A4 extending in the width direction of the lever 31, and a bottom surface 61A5 that covers the bottom surrounded by the long walls 61A1, 61A2 and the short walls 61A3, 61A4.

[0066] The stepped portion 61B has a pair of contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2 located at the lower end of the valve stem rod 38 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the lever 31, and an end surface 61B3 which is a convex curved surface that curves convexly toward the lever 31. The recessed portion 61A is a rectangular bottomed hole that is elongated in the axial direction of the lever 31. This allows the stepped portion 61B to be displaced in the axial direction of the lever 31 within the recessed portion 61A in accordance with the movement of the lever 31 when the lever 31 is operated.

[0067] With the stepped portion 61B of the valve stem rod 38 assembled to the recessed portion 61A of the lever 31, the contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2 of the stepped portion 61B face the long walls 61A1 and 61A2 of the recessed portion 61A, respectively. The contact between the contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2 of the stepped portion 61B and the long walls 61A1 and 61A2 of the recessed portion 61A restricts (prevents) the valve stem rod 38 from rotating around its own central axis relative to the lever 31. In addition, the end face 61B3 of the stepped portion 61B contacts the bottom face 61A5 of the recessed portion 61A. Since the end face 61B3 of the stepped portion 61B is curved in a convex shape, when the contact position between the bottom face 61A5 of the recessed portion 61A and the end face 61B3 of the stepped portion 61B shifts in the longitudinal direction of the lever 31 as the lever 31 is displaced, this displacement can be carried out smoothly.

[0068] As mentioned above, the valve stem rod 38 is provided with a rod-side recess 38A, which is an engaged portion into which the engaging rod 55 engages. The stepped portion 61B is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem rod 38 so as to coincide with the rod-side recess 38A in the circumferential direction. That is, the contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2 of the stepped portion 61B are provided parallel to each other. Of the contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2, the position of one of the contact surfaces 61B1 is such that the position of the rod-side recess 38A in the circumferential direction is the same as the position of the rod-side recess 38A in the circumferential direction. In other words, the contact surface 61B1 and the rod-side recess 38A are in phase with respect to the circumferential direction of the valve stem rod 38 and are in a coaxial position (coaxial surface). Therefore, by adjusting the circumferential position of the contact surface 61B1 of the stepped portion 61B, the circumferential position of the rod-side recess 38A can be adjusted to a desired position.

[0069] In other words, when assembling the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38, it is necessary to insert the valve stem rod 38 into the valve stem sleeve 37 so that the sleeve-side recess 37E of the valve stem sleeve 37 and the rod-side recess 38A of the valve stem rod 38 align. At this time, since the rod-side recess 38A and the contact surface 61B1 of the stepped portion 61B are provided coaxially on the valve stem rod 38, even if the rod-side recess 38A of the valve stem rod 38 inserted into the valve stem sleeve 37 cannot be visually seen, the rod-side recess 38A can be aligned to the desired position by the position of the contact surface 61B1 of the stepped portion 61B. This makes it easy to assemble the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38, and consequently, to assemble the valve stem sleeve 37, the valve stem rod 38, and the engaging rod 55.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a bottomed elongated hole 38B extending in the axial direction is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem rod 38. In addition, a rotation-preventing pin 62 is attached to the valve stem sleeve 37 at a position corresponding to the elongated hole 38B of the valve stem rod 38. The rotation-preventing pin 62 prevents the valve stem sleeve 37 from rotating relative to the valve stem rod 38 between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38. That is, the rotation-preventing pin 62 is able to be displaced within the elongated hole 38B of the valve stem sleeve 37 in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 38B (in other words, in the axial direction of the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38).

[0071] As a result, the anti-rotation pin 62 restricts (prevents) relative rotation between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38, while allowing relative axial displacement between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38. The valve stem rod 38's rotation is restricted (prevented) relative to the lever 31 by contact between the recessed portion 61A and the stepped portion 61B. The valve stem sleeve 37's rotation is restricted (prevented) relative to the valve stem rod 38 by the anti-rotation pin 62. Therefore, there is no member (e.g., a pin) between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the nozzle body 22 to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the valve stem sleeve 37 between them.

[0072] The nozzle 21 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above, and its operation will now be explained.

[0073] When refueling a vehicle's fuel tank, the refueler removes the nozzle 21 of the metering machine 2 from the nozzle holder 10 and inserts the discharge pipe 29 of the nozzle 21 into the fuel tank's filler opening. This activates the pump 12, supplying liquid fuel from the underground tank 4 to the nozzle 21 through the liquid supply pipeline 6 and hose 8. When the refueler operates the lever 31 of the nozzle 21, the main valve 32 of the nozzle body 22 opens, and the liquid fuel discharged from the discharge pipe 29 is supplied to the vehicle's fuel tank. At this time, the flow rate of the liquid fuel flowing through the liquid supply pipeline 6 is measured by the flow meter 13, and the measured liquid fuel flow rate is displayed on the monitor device 17 located on the outer surface of the housing 3.

[0074] When the liquid (fuel) supplied to the fuel tank from the nozzle 21 approaches full capacity and the opening 30 of the discharge pipe 29 of the nozzle 21 is blocked by the liquid (fuel), the air supply to the negative pressure generating unit 41 is stopped. As a result, the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure generating unit 41 is introduced to the automatic refueling stop mechanism 54 via the annular passage 46. At this time, the automatic refueling stop mechanism 54, based on the displacement of the diaphragm due to the negative pressure, releases the engagement between the valve stem rod 38 (lever 31) and the valve stem sleeve 37 (main valve 32) by the engagement rod 55, and closes the main valve 32. As a result, refueling to the fuel tank is stopped. When refueling is stopped, the refueler returns the nozzle 21 to the nozzle holder 10 and ends the refueling operation.

[0075] In this embodiment, the nozzle 21 is equipped with a rotation prevention mechanism 61 that prevents the valve stem rod 38, which is displaced in response to the operation of the lever 31, from rotating around its central axis. This suppresses the rotation of the valve stem rod 38, which is displaced in response to the operation of the lever 31. This prevents the engagement between the valve stem rod 38 and the engagement rod 55 from being unintentionally released, and prevents damage to the engagement rod 55.

[0076] According to the embodiment, the rotation prevention mechanism 61 prevents the valve stem rod 38 from rotating relative to the lever 31 between the lever 31 and the valve stem rod 38. Therefore, the rotation prevention mechanism 61 suppresses the rotation of the valve stem rod 38 relative to the lever 31.

[0077] According to this embodiment, the anti-rotation mechanism 61 prevents the rotation of the valve stem rod 38 by contact between a recessed portion 61A provided on the lever 31 and a stepped portion 61B provided on the end of the valve stem rod 38. For this reason, the anti-rotation mechanism 61 can be composed of the recessed portion 61A of the lever 31 and the stepped portion 61B of the valve stem rod 38.

[0078] According to the embodiment, a rotation-preventing pin 62 is provided between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the valve stem rod 38 as a rotation-preventing member to prevent relative rotation between them. Furthermore, since the rotation of the valve stem rod 38 relative to the lever 31 is suppressed by the rotation prevention mechanism 61, the load applied from the valve stem rod 38 to the rotation-preventing pin 62 can be reduced. This can suppress damage to the rotation-preventing pin 62.

[0079] Furthermore, the valve stem rod 38 is restricted (prevented) from rotating relative to the lever 31 by contact between the recessed portion 61A and the stepped portion 61B, and the valve stem sleeve 37 is restricted (prevented) from rotating relative to the valve stem rod 38 by the anti-rotation pin 62. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a member (for example, a pin) between the valve stem sleeve 37 and the nozzle body 22 to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the valve stem sleeve 37. This reduces the number of parts and simplifies the structure of the nozzle 21.

[0080] According to this embodiment, the stepped portion 61B is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem rod 38 so as to coincide in the circumferential direction with the rod-side recess 38A into which the engaging rod 55 engages. Therefore, when assembling the valve stem rod 38, valve stem sleeve 37, and engaging rod 55, even if the rod-side recess 38A of the valve stem rod 38 inside the valve stem sleeve 37 cannot be visually inspected, the stepped portion 61B allows for the positioning of the rod-side recess 38A, and consequently the valve stem rod 38. This makes it easier to assemble the valve stem rod 38, valve stem sleeve 37, and engaging rod 55.

[0081] In this embodiment, the anti-rotation mechanism 61 was described using the example of a case where the lever 31 is concave (recessed portion 61A) and the end of the valve stem rod 38 is convex (stepped portion 61B). However, the anti-rotation mechanism is not limited to this, and for example, the lever (operating piece) may have a convex (convex portion), and a concave (recessed portion) that engages with it may be provided at the end of the valve stem rod (second valve stem member). Alternatively, both the lever (operating piece) and the end of the valve stem rod (second valve stem member) may have convex (convex portions), and the anti-rotation mechanism may be configured by the engagement of both of these convex (convex portions).

[0082] In the embodiment, the stepped portion 61B of the valve stem rod 38 is configured to have two contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2, and these two contact surfaces 61B1 and 61B2 are configured to contact two long walls 61A1 and 61A2 of the recessed portion 61A of the lever 31. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the stepped portion may be configured to have one contact surface. That is, the stepped portion provided at the end of the valve stem rod (first valve member) may have one contact surface, and a rotation prevention mechanism may be configured by bringing this one contact surface into contact with the side wall of the recessed portion of the lever (operating piece). In this case, the recessed portion of the lever can be shaped to match the shape of the stepped portion (to prevent rotation of the valve stem rod) and to allow the stepped portion to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the lever within the recessed portion of the lever.

[0083] In this embodiment, the rotation prevention mechanism 61 was described as being composed of a recessed portion 61A provided on the lever 31 and a stepped portion 61B provided on the end of the valve stem rod 38. However, the rotation prevention mechanism is not limited to this, and various types of rotation prevention mechanisms capable of preventing rotation around the central axis of the valve stem rod (second valve stem member) can be employed.

[0084] For example, as shown in the first modified example in Figure 9, the cross-sectional shape of the valve stem rod 71 may be polygonal (e.g., quadrilateral), and the cross-sectional shape of the insertion hole 73 of the valve stem sleeve 72 through which the valve stem rod 71 is inserted may be a polygonal shape (e.g., quadrilateral) corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the valve stem rod 71. In this case, a member (e.g., a pin) is provided between the valve stem sleeve 72 and the nozzle body through which the valve stem sleeve 72 is inserted to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the valve stem sleeve 37. This makes it possible to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the valve stem sleeve 72 and the valve stem rod 71 relative to the nozzle body.

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in the second modified example in Figure 10, the cross-sectional shape of the valve stem rod 76 may be a segmental shape (i.e., a shape in which a flat surface 77 extending in the axial direction is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem rod 76), and the cross-sectional shape of the insertion hole 79 of the valve stem sleeve 78 through which the valve stem rod 76 is inserted may be a segmental shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the valve stem rod 76. In this case as well, a member (e.g., a pin) is provided between the valve stem sleeve 78 and the nozzle body through which the valve stem sleeve 78 is inserted to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the valve stem sleeve 78. This makes it possible to restrict (prevent) the rotation of the valve stem sleeve 78 and the valve stem rod 76 relative to the nozzle body.

[0086] Thus, the anti-rotation mechanism may be constructed by making the cross-sectional shapes of the valve stem rods 71 ​​and 76 and the through-holes 73 and 79 of the valve stem sleeves 72 and 78 non-circular relative to each other. When such a configuration is adopted, the area of ​​the part that functions as an anti-rotation mechanism, i.e., the area (region) of the part that receives force in the rotational direction (rotational force), can be widened among the outer circumferential surfaces of the valve stem rods 71 ​​and 76 and the inner circumferential surfaces of the valve stem sleeves 72 and 78. In the embodiment as well, since the anti-rotation mechanism is constructed by the recessed part 61A and the stepped part 61B, the area (region) of the part that receives force in the rotational direction (rotational force) can be widened. As a result, the stress on the part that receives rotational force can be reduced, and rotation can be prevented more reliably than with a pin.

[0087] In this embodiment, a ground-mounted refueling device (fuel supply device) was used as an example of the measuring device 2. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, a suspended refueling device that raises and lowers the refueling nozzle may be used as the measuring device.

[0088] In this embodiment, the fuel tank of a vehicle was used as an example of the fuel recipient (supply target, recipient) to which the metering device 2 supplies fuel. However, the metering device that serves as a fuel supply device may also supply fuel to a fuel recipient other than a vehicle's fuel tank, such as a gasoline jerrycan or a plastic container.

[0089] In this embodiment, a measuring device 2 installed at a gas station (service station) was used as an example. However, the device is not limited to this, and the measuring device that serves as the fuel supply device may be installed at other refueling locations (fuel supply locations) such as factories, shops, and home improvement stores, rather than gas stations (service stations).

[0090] In this embodiment, a nozzle 21 for supplying liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel was used as an example of a liquid supply nozzle. However, the liquid supply nozzle can be used to supply various liquids, including not only liquid fuels but also liquids other than fuels.

[0091] According to the embodiments and / or modifications described above (hereinafter simply referred to as "embodiments"), the liquid supply nozzle includes a second valve shaft member that is displaced in response to the operation of an operating piece, and a rotation prevention mechanism that prevents the second valve shaft member from rotating around its central axis. Therefore, the rotation of the second valve shaft member that is displaced in response to the operation of an operating piece can be suppressed. This prevents the engagement between the second valve shaft member and the engaging means from being unintentionally released, or the engaging means from being damaged.

[0092] According to the embodiment, the anti-rotation mechanism prevents the second valve shaft member from rotating relative to the operating piece between the operating piece and the second valve shaft member. Therefore, the anti-rotation mechanism suppresses the rotation of the second valve shaft member relative to the operating piece.

[0093] According to the embodiment, the anti-rotation mechanism prevents the rotation of the second valve shaft member by contact between a recess provided on the operating piece and a stepped portion provided on the end of the second valve shaft member. For this reason, the anti-rotation mechanism can be composed of the recess on the operating piece and the stepped portion on the second valve shaft member.

[0094] According to the embodiment, the stepped portion is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second valve shaft member so as to coincide in the circumferential direction with the engaged portion that the engaging means engages with. Therefore, when assembling the second valve shaft member, the first valve shaft member, and the engaging means, the second valve shaft member can be positioned by the stepped portion even if the engaged portion of the second valve shaft member cannot be visually inspected. This makes it easier to assemble the second valve shaft member, the first valve shaft member, and the engaging means. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 21 Nozzles (Fluid dispensing nozzles) 22 Nozzle body (main unit) 23. Fueling passage (liquid flow path) 31 Lever (operating piece) 32 Main valve 37,72,78 Valve shaft sleeve (first valve shaft member) 38, 71, 76 Valve shaft rod (second valve shaft member) 38A Rod-side recess (engaged portion) 54. Automatic fuel shut-off mechanism (automatic valve closing mechanism) 55 Engaging rod (engaging means) 61 Anti-rotation mechanism 61A Recessed area 61B Stepped section

Claims

1. A liquid supply nozzle that supplies liquid to a container by opening and closing a valve provided in the liquid flow path inside the main body through the operation of an operating piece, A first valve shaft member that opens and closes the valve, A second valve shaft member that is displaced in response to the operation of the operating piece, An engaging means is provided so as to be engageable with the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member, and interlocks the first valve shaft member and the second valve shaft member, Normally, the engaging means engages both the first valve stem member and the second valve stem member to interlock the first valve stem member and the second valve stem member, and when the liquid level is detected, the automatic valve closing mechanism releases the engagement of the engaging means to the second valve stem member in order to close the valve regardless of the opening operation state of the operating piece. A rotation prevention mechanism for preventing rotation of the second valve shaft member around its central axis, Equipped with, A liquid supply nozzle characterized by the following features.

2. The rotation prevention mechanism prevents the second valve shaft member from rotating relative to the operating piece between the operating piece and the second valve shaft member. The liquid supply nozzle according to feature 1.

3. The rotation prevention mechanism has a recessed portion provided on the operating piece and a stepped portion provided on the end of the second valve stem member, and the rotation of the second valve stem member is prevented by the contact between the recessed portion and the stepped portion. The liquid supply nozzle according to feature 2.

4. The second valve shaft member is provided with an engaged portion into which the engaging means engages, The stepped portion is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second valve shaft member so as to coincide with the engaged portion in the circumferential direction. The liquid supply nozzle according to feature 3.

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