Liquid supply nozzle

Abstract

To provide a liquid feed nozzle in which work efficiency during fuel supply work is improved.SOLUTION: A fueling nozzle 1 opens / closes a nozzle valve provided in a liquid passage inside a nozzle body 2 in response to an operation of an operation lever 4, and discharges a fuel from a discharge pipe 3 connected in communication with the liquid passage on a downstream side of the nozzle valve and connected with the nozzle body 2. The discharge pipe 3 is constituted using a freely bendable flexible metal pipe 30, and a coming-off prevention coil spring 35 for holding the fueling nozzle 1 to a fuel supply port is wound around an outer peripheral surface of the discharge pipe 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid supply nozzle that is provided at the end of a liquid supply hose of a fuel supply machine that supplies fuel to a fuel tank of, for example, a diesel railcar of a railway vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] The liquid supply nozzle is equipped with an automatic valve-closing mechanism to prevent fuel from overflowing from the fuel supply port after the fuel tank is full. When the air inlet at the end of the discharge pipe of the liquid supply nozzle inserted into the fuel supply port is blocked by the fuel level or the like, the automatic valve-closing mechanism uses the negative pressure generated by the Venturi effect caused by the fuel flowing inside the nozzle body to close the nozzle valve, which has been opened by the valve-opening operation of the operating lever, regardless of the operating state of the operating lever.

[0003] On the other hand, the fuel tank of a diesel railcar of a railway vehicle equipped with a diesel engine is attached to the underside of the car body mounted on a bogie. The fuel supply port is provided on the underside of the car body at a height position close to the car body side and facing the side of the car body via an introduction pipe extended from the tank body. Therefore, a liquid supply nozzle that supplies fuel to a fuel tank of a diesel railcar of a railway vehicle or the like is formed in advance in a bent shape as described in Patent Document 1 so that the nozzle can easily insert the nozzle tip into the fuel supply port and can easily be hooked onto the fuel supply port during refueling. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-95599 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the fuel tanks of diesel railcars and the like, the positions and environments of the fuel refill port and the tank body on the underside of the car body differ depending on the model of the diesel railcar, and therefore, in a conventional liquid supply nozzle in which the discharge pipe is pre-formed in a bent shape, when used to refill a fuel tank of a diesel railcar of a model other than the main model, the liquid supply nozzle is interfered with by the car body, bogie, and adjacent body-mounted equipment, making it difficult to insert the discharge pipe of the liquid supply nozzle into the fuel refill port and difficult to operate the operating lever.

[0006] In addition, the structure and extension state of the inlet pipe connecting the fuel refill port and the tank body also differ depending on the model of diesel railcar, depending on the location of the fuel refill port and the tank body on the underside of the vehicle body. Therefore, in certain models of diesel railcars, the automatic valve-closing mechanism of the liquid supply nozzle may malfunction due to fuel adhesion or bubbles immediately after refueling begins. Usually, in such cases, the remaining fuel must be refilled each time the automatic valve-closing mechanism malfunctions, for example, by adjusting the flow rate per unit time discharged from the discharge pipe or by adjusting the insertion of the discharge pipe into the fuel refill port, so that the automatic valve-closing mechanism is as unlikely to malfunction as possible.

[0007] In such a case, in a conventional liquid supply nozzle in which the discharge pipe is pre-formed in a bent shape, even if the insertion posture or degree of insertion of the discharge pipe into the fuel supply port is adjusted, the insertion posture or degree of insertion must be adjusted by adjusting the posture of the entire liquid supply nozzle including the discharge pipe. However, adjustment of the posture of the entire liquid supply nozzle is limited because the liquid supply nozzle interferes with the car body, the bogie, and adjacent car body mounted equipment.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a liquid supply nozzle which allows the insertion posture and depth of the discharge pipe into the refueling port to be adjusted independently by the discharge pipe without interference from other parts, thereby improving the workability of refueling operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the liquid supply nozzle of the present disclosure is a liquid supply nozzle that opens and closes a valve provided in a liquid passage in the nozzle body in response to the operation of an operating lever, and discharges fuel from a discharge pipe that is connected to the nozzle body and communicates with the liquid passage downstream of the valve, the discharge pipe being constructed of a flexible pipe that can be bent freely, and a spring to prevent the liquid supply nozzle from coming loose is wound around the outer surface of the discharge pipe to hold the liquid supply nozzle in the fuel supply port of the target to be supplied with liquid. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the liquid supply nozzle of the present disclosure, the insertion posture and depth of the discharge pipe into the refueling port can be adjusted independently by the discharge pipe without interference from other parts, thereby improving the workability of the refueling operation.

[0011] Furthermore, problems, configurations, and effects of the present disclosure other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially cut-away external view of a fuel supply nozzle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a discharge pipe in the fuel supply nozzle shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is an external view of a base end side portion of the discharge pipe shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a base end side portion of the discharge pipe shown in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the liquid supply nozzle according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a fuel supply nozzle for supplying fuel to a fuel tank of a diesel railcar of a railway vehicle will be described as an example, but the liquid supply nozzle according to the present disclosure is not limited to a liquid supply nozzle for railway vehicles. The liquid supply nozzle according to the present disclosure is applicable without being limited to a specific configuration and form of the nozzle body, as long as it is a liquid supply nozzle configured to open and close a valve provided in a liquid passage in a nozzle body in response to the operation of an operating lever, and to discharge fuel from a discharge pipe connected to the nozzle body and communicated with a liquid passage downstream of the valve.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway external view of a fuel supply nozzle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a discharge pipe in the fuel supply nozzle shown in FIG.

[0015] The fuel supply nozzle 1 of this embodiment has a configuration in which a discharge pipe 3 is connected and fixed to a nozzle body 2. A liquid passage is formed inside the nozzle body 2, penetrating the nozzle body 2. One open end of the liquid passage is connected to a fuel supply hose via a joint, and the other open end serves as a connection portion for the discharge pipe 3. Fuel oil liquid delivered from a fuel supply machine body equipped with a pump or the like is supplied to one open end of the liquid passage via the fuel supply hose.

[0016] 1, a nozzle valve is provided in the liquid passage in the nozzle body 2, which opens and closes the liquid passage by moving a valve body onto and off a valve seat provided in the liquid passage. Fuel oil liquid supplied to the fuel nozzle 1 through a fuel supply hose flows through the liquid passage from one opening end to the other opening end via the nozzle valve.

[0017] The valve element of the nozzle valve is connected to the operating lever 4 shown in Fig. 1 via a valve shaft mechanism provided in the nozzle body 2, which is also not shown in Fig. 1. The valve shaft mechanism moves the valve element of the nozzle valve to and from the valve seat in response to the opening and closing operation of the operating lever 4. As shown in Fig. 1, the base end of the operating lever 4 is rotatably supported by the nozzle body 2, and the free end side can be moved toward or away from the nozzle body grip portion 5 of the nozzle body 2 by the rotation.

[0018] The operating lever 4 is protected by a lever guard 6 that is provided so as to surround the operating lever 4 along its rotation path. A lever hook is attached to the lever guard 6, and by hooking the free end of the operating lever 4 onto any of the steps provided on the lever hook, the valve-open operating position of the operating lever 4 can be held at the nozzle valve open position corresponding to the step on which it is hooked, even if the hand is released from the operating lever 4.

[0019] In addition, although not shown in FIG. 1, an automatic valve-closing mechanism is provided within the nozzle body 2. When the liquid level detection port (air inlet) 7 at the end of the discharge pipe 3 becomes blocked by fuel oil liquid or its bubbles, the mechanism utilizes the negative pressure generated by the Venturi effect of the fuel oil liquid flowing through the liquid passage to close the nozzle valve, which has been opened by the valve-opening operation of the operating lever 4, regardless of the operating state of the operating lever 4.

[0020] The automatic valve-closing mechanism has a negative pressure chamber, a negative pressure generating unit, a negative pressure passage having one end connected to the negative pressure generating unit and the other end connected to the negative pressure chamber, and a compensation passage having one end connected to the liquid level detection port 7 of the discharge pipe 3 and the other end connected to the negative pressure chamber. The negative pressure chamber is defined by a movable partition of a diaphragm and is provided in the nozzle body 2. The negative pressure generating unit generates negative pressure by the Venturi effect of the fuel flowing through the liquid passage when the operating lever 4 is in the valve-opening state in which fuel that has flowed in from one open end of the liquid passage flows out from the nozzle tip of the discharge pipe 3.

[0021] When the liquid level detection port 7 at the end of the discharge pipe 3 becomes blocked by fuel oil liquid or its bubbles, the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure generating section is no longer compensated for by the atmospheric pressure introduced from the liquid level detection port 7, the negative pressure chamber becomes negative and the movable partition of the diaphragm moves and displaces. In response to this movement and displacement of the movable partition, the connection between the valve body of the nozzle valve in the valve shaft mechanism and the operating lever 4 is released, closing the nozzle valve regardless of the operating state of the operating lever 4.

[0022] On the other hand, the discharge pipe 3 connected and fixed to the other opening end of the nozzle body 2 configured in this manner, as shown in Figure 2, has a tip pipe section 11 in which the liquid level detection port 7 is provided, and a base pipe section 13 connected and fixed to the other opening end of the nozzle body 2, which are made of rigid metal pipe members, and an intermediate pipe section 12 between the tip pipe section 11 and the base pipe section 13 is made of a bendable flexible metal pipe member having a bellows-shaped pipe wall (bellows).

[0023] Accordingly, in the negative pressure compensating tube 20 of the passage portion extending within the discharge pipe 3 in the compensation passage having one end connected to the liquid level detection port 7 of the discharge pipe 3 and the other end connected to the negative pressure chamber, the component part 21 of the liquid level detection port 7 is made of a rigid metal material, and the extension part 22 within the pipe from the component part 21 of the liquid level detection port 7 to the compensation passage part 24 formed in the nozzle body 2 is made of a bendable flexible metal tube material.

[0024] Here, the connection and fixing configuration between the portion of the discharge pipe 3 made of a bendable flexible metal pipe member and the portion made of a rigid metal pipe member will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4, taking as an example the connection and fixing portion between the base end pipe portion 13 and the intermediate pipe portion 12 of the discharge pipe 3, which is shown surrounded by a dotted frame line in Figure 2. Note that the connection and fixing portion between the tip end pipe portion 11 and the intermediate pipe portion 12 of the discharge pipe 3 has a similar connection and fixing configuration to the connection and fixing portion between the base end pipe portion 13 and the intermediate pipe portion 12 of the discharge pipe 3, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0025] FIG. 3 is an external view of a connection and fixing portion between a base end pipe portion and an intermediate pipe portion in a discharge pipe. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connection and fixing portion between the base end pipe portion and the intermediate pipe portion of the discharge pipe shown in FIG.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4, a fixing metal fitting 31 made of a rigid cylindrical metal member is attached and fixed to the outer periphery of the pipe end side portion of the flexible metal pipe 30 having a bellows-shaped pipe wall constituting the intermediate pipe portion 12. The fixing metal fitting 31 is attached and fixed integrally to the pipe end side portion of the flexible metal pipe 30, for example, by press-fitting the fixing metal fitting 31 into the outer periphery of the pipe end side portion of the flexible metal pipe 30. Then, the pipe end portion of the flexible metal pipe 30 to which the fixing metal fitting 31 is attached and fixed to the outer periphery and the pipe end portion of the rigid metal pipe 32 constituting the base end pipe portion 13 connected and fixed to the other open end of the nozzle body 2 are welded and fixed integrally, for example, by TIG welding (tungsten inert gas welding). At this time, in the illustrated example, the diameter of the pipe outer periphery surface of the rigid metal pipe 32 constituting the base end pipe portion 13 of the discharge pipe 3 is smaller than the diameter of the pipe outer periphery surface of the fixing metal fitting 31 portion, and a step portion 33 is formed at the boundary between the two outer peripheries.

[0027] As a result, the discharge pipe 3 can be kept in a desired bent or extended state by bending and extending the bendable flexible metal tube 30 having a bellows-shaped tube wall of the intermediate pipe section 12. With the bending and extension of the flexible metal tube 30, the extension direction of the tip pipe section 11 of the nozzle tip of the discharge pipe 3 can be changed to a desired direction with respect to the extension direction of the base end pipe section 13 connected and fixed to the other opening end of the nozzle body 2. In other words, by bending and extending the flexible metal tube 30 that becomes the intermediate pipe section 12 of the discharge pipe 3, the nozzle body 2 can be directed to a desired direction with the nozzle body 2 in the same position, or the nozzle body 2 can be adjusted to a desired position with the nozzle body 2 in the same position with the tip opening of the discharge pipe 3 in the same position.

[0028] 2 and 3, a metallic retaining coil spring 35 for preventing the fuel filler nozzle 1 from falling off the fuel filler opening of the fuel tank while the fuel is being filled to a fuel supply target is wound around the outer periphery of the discharge pipe 3. The retaining coil spring 35 has a configuration in which a small diameter portion 37 is connected to one end of a large diameter portion 36 in relation to the inner diameter of the coil.

[0029] The large diameter portion 36 of the retaining coil spring 35 has an inner coil diameter larger than the outer diameter of the convex portion (mountain fold portion) of the flexible metal tube 30 that becomes the intermediate pipe portion 12 of the discharge pipe 3. In the illustrated example, when the large diameter portion 36 of the retaining coil spring 35 and the flexible metal tube 30 are wound coaxially, a gap δ is generated in the radial direction between the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 36 of the retaining coil spring 35 and the outer peripheral surface of the convex portion (mountain fold portion) of the bellows of the flexible metal tube 30, as shown in FIG. 3. The length of the large diameter portion 36 of the retaining coil spring 35 along the axial direction is formed to be substantially equal to or longer than the length of the flexible metal tube 30 along the axial direction. In addition, the pitch P of the large diameter portion 36 of the anti-slip coil spring 35 is longer than the pitch p of the series of convex portions (mountain folds) and concave portions (valley folds) of the bellows of the flexible metal tube 30, and the large diameter portion 36 of the anti-slip coil spring 35 is wound multiple times along the axial direction of the flexible metal tube 30.

[0030] Furthermore, the small diameter portion 37 of the retaining coil spring 35 is wound and tightly fixed around the outer circumferential surface of the rigid metal tube 32 of the base end pipe section 13. As a result, the small diameter portion 37 of the retaining coil spring 35 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rigid metal tube 32 between the nozzle body 2 and the step 33 with the fixing metal fitting 31.

[0031] Next, the operation and effect of the fuel nozzle 1 of this embodiment configured as described above when used as a fuel nozzle of a fuel tanker that replenishes fuel to the fuel tank of a diesel railcar of a railway vehicle or the like will be described.

[0032] For example, when refueling the fuel tank of a diesel railcar, the orientation of the fuel filler port and the structure and installation state of the inlet pipe connecting the fuel filler port and the tank body differ depending on the model. Therefore, during refueling work, problems occur with certain models of vehicles, such as difficulty in inserting the discharge pipe 3 of the fuel filler nozzle 1 into the fuel filler port, an unstable position of the fuel filler nozzle 1 even when the discharge pipe 3 is inserted into the fuel filler port, and difficulty in gripping the operating lever 4 and the nozzle body grip 5 due to interference with the fuel filler nozzle 1 by the car body, the bogie, and adjacent car body mounted devices.

[0033] In the event that such a problem is likely to occur, according to the fuel filling nozzle 1 of this embodiment, the intermediate pipe portion 12 of the discharge pipe 3 is formed of a flexible metal tube 30, and the discharge pipe 3 is configured to be bendable, so that by bending and extending the flexible metal tube 30, it is possible to orient the nozzle body 2 with the nozzle tip opening of the discharge pipe 3 relative to the nozzle body 2 in a desired direction while keeping the attitude of the nozzle body 2 the same, or to adjust the attitude of the nozzle body 2 with respect to the discharge pipe 3 to a desired attitude while keeping the orientation of the nozzle tip opening of the discharge pipe 3 the same.

[0034] As a result, with the refueling nozzle 1 of this embodiment, the insertion posture and depth of the discharge pipe 3 relative to the fuel filling port can be adjusted for various types of vehicles which have different orientations of the fuel filling port and different structures and extension states of the inlet pipe connecting the fuel filling port and the tank body, and the posture of the nozzle body 2 relative to the discharge pipe 3 can be adjusted so that the operating lever 4 and the nozzle body grip portion 5 are easy to grip, and the stable posture of the refueling nozzle 1 can improve the workability of the refueling operation.

[0035] A retaining coil spring 35 is wound around the outer periphery of the flexible metal tube 30 of the discharge pipe 3 with a gap δ. Therefore, even when the fuel filler nozzle 1 is hung on the fuel filler port during refueling, only the series of projections and recesses of the bellows of the flexible metal tube 30 catch on the opening edge of the fuel filler port, and the fuel filler nozzle 1 is not hung on the fuel filler port. Instead, the retaining coil spring 35 always catches on the opening edge of the fuel filler port, and the fuel filler nozzle 1 is hung on the fuel filler port. In addition, the retaining coil spring 35 is wound around the outer periphery of the rigid metal tube 32 of the discharge pipe 3 and secured tightly.

[0036] This structure places no load on the flexible metal tube 30 even when the fuel nozzle 1 is hung on the fuel supply port, so that the durability of the flexible metal tube 30 of the discharge pipe 3 can be extended and the fuel nozzle 1 is stably supported when hung on the fuel supply port.

[0037] Furthermore, even when the discharge pipe 3 is bent, the anti-slip coil spring 35 is wound around the flexible metal tube 30, so that the reaction force generated when the anti-slip coil spring 35 is bent does not concentrate bending at only certain uneven parts of the bellows of the flexible metal tube 30, thereby extending the durability of the flexible metal tube 30 of the discharge pipe 3.

[0038] The liquid supply nozzle according to the present disclosure is not limited to the specific configuration of the fuel supply nozzle 1 of the embodiment described above, and as long as the discharge pipe is formed of a flexible pipe that can be bent and the outer peripheral surface of the discharge pipe is wound with an anti-slip spring for holding the liquid supply nozzle at the fuel supply port of the target to be supplied with liquid, the specific configurations and shapes of the other components, including the nozzle body, can be modified in various ways. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 refueling nozzle, 2 Nozzle body, 3 discharge pipe, 4 Operating lever, 5 Nozzle body gripping part, 6 Lever guard, 7 Liquid level detection port, 11 Tip pipe part, 12 Intermediate pipe section, 13 Base end pipe portion, 20 Negative pressure compensating tube, 21 Liquid level detection port components, 22 Pipe inner extension part, 24 Compensation passage portion of nozzle body, 30 Flexible metal pipe, 31 Fixing bracket, 32 rigid metal tube, 33 step part, 35 Anti-slip coil spring, 36 Large diameter part, 37 Small diameter section.

Claims

1. A liquid supply nozzle which opens and closes a valve provided in a liquid passage in a nozzle body in response to operation of an operating lever, and discharges fuel from a discharge pipe connected to the nozzle body and communicating with a liquid passage downstream of the valve, The discharge pipe is configured as a bendable flexible pipe, A spring for preventing the liquid supply nozzle from coming off is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the discharge pipe to hold the liquid supply nozzle in the fuel supply port of the liquid supply target, The discharge pipe is A base end pipe portion connected to the nozzle body; A tip pipe portion which serves as a fuel discharge end; an intermediate pipe portion connecting the base end pipe portion and the tip end pipe portion; It is composed of The base end pipe portion and the tip end pipe portion are made of rigid pipes, The intermediate pipe portion is made of a flexible pipe, a fixing member provided at an end of the base end pipe section and an end of the tip end pipe section, the fixing member having a diameter larger than a diameter of the base end pipe section and a diameter of the tip end pipe section, housing the end of the intermediate pipe section therein, and fixing the end of the base end pipe section and the end of the tip end pipe section to the end of the intermediate pipe section; Fluid supply nozzle.

2. The retaining spring is fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the base end pipe portion and extends through the intermediate pipe portion. The retaining spring is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate pipe portion with a radial gap therebetween, the discharge pipe includes a step portion formed between an end of the base end pipe portion and the fixing member, and between an end of the tip end pipe portion and the fixing member, The retaining spring has a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and the diameter of the small diameter portion is smaller than the diameter of the fixing member. The liquid supply nozzle according to claim 1 .

3. A liquid supply nozzle as described in claim 2, wherein the pitch of the large diameter portion of the anti-pullout spring is longer than the pitch of the flexible pipe of the intermediate pipe portion.

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