DE19839049A1 - Device for automatic tank-filling of cars with fuel of variable quality has end deflector with unit to open/close tank flap at end of telescopic flexible arm plus seal-gripping, filling and valve units - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for automatic tank-filling of cars with fuel of variable quality has an end deflector (1) forming a component part of an outrigger of a tank robot. The end deflector has the following subassemblies: - a tank flap unit (2) to open and close the tank flap of a car with a sucker (4) located at the free end of a telescopic flexible flap arm (3); - a tank seal-gripping unit (5) with a rotatable tank lock head (6) that can be displaced axially, a sensory mechanism (7) locating the tank seal and gripping tongs (8) for locking contact on the tank seal; - a filling pipe unit (9) with a central filling pipe (10), a rotating sleeve (11) encircling the filling pipe concentrically and a sliding sleeve (12) extending over the rotating sleeve forming a counter-bearing for the gripping tongs, spring-loaded and able to be displaced axially relative to the rotating sleeve; and - a tap valve unit (13) with an integrated rotating lead-through (14) to supply fuel to the filling pipe.

Description

The invention relates to a device for automatic Refueling motor vehicles with fuel under of different quality with a component of an extension gers of a tank robot forming end effector.

To make refueling more service-friendly, are around extensive efforts are underway to stop the refueling process tomato.

Automatic motor vehicle refueling systems and Betan kungsrobot are known in different versions. DE 39 30 981 A1 counts one method and one Device for the automatic refueling of motor vehicles state of the art. The refueling system points for each type of fuel in stock has a separate delivery unit on with a filling hose and connected nozzle pistol.  

A manipulator is used to refuel a motor vehicle the dispenser, the tap designed as a filling head pistol from its storage and leads it into the one openable filler neck of a Motor vehicle. After refueling the motor vehicle the manipulator brings the filling head to its storage return

There is a separate delivery unit for each fuel type required. This increases the plant engineering effort and the cost.

DE 42 42 243 also includes the prior art a tank robot that is housed within a tank island is brought. The tank robot can use its grippers pick up different nozzles and to the tank nozzle of a motor vehicle.

A hand is also known from DE 42 42 244 A1 Habitat device for the automatic refueling of motor vehicles around the fill pipe in the tank neck of the vehicle To be able to introduce, the handling device has one End effector to which a position detection device is supplied is assigned to a controller of the handling device connected. Before inserting the filling pipe into the The end effector is attached to the tank cap docks.

Furthermore, a betan belongs to DE 44 19 657 C1 Kungsaggregat to the state of the art with a fuel nozzle lenmodul and a connecting bell module. The Actuator supply unit is part of a refueling robot whose robot arm is arranged an end effector, which carries the refueling unit. The refueling unit be there is a nozzle holder for the holder a nozzle. The nozzle module and the connector  Bells module are relative to each other as well as relative Slidable to the end effector in the axial direction. In the Waiting position of the refueling unit and after completion The filling pipe stands with the fueling unit ner filling tube mouth in front of the filling tube closure flap and is sealed by this. Nozzle module and ver Binding bell module are spaced. In the refueling position butt joint bell module and nozzle module against each other. Here, the filling tube protrudes from the Stop bell module when the filler pipe ver front flap.

The decoupling nozzle valve module and connecting bell mo dul within the end effector designs the refueling aggregate more flexible. A practical realization could have not yet been achieved.

The invention is based on the prior art Task based on a constructively improved more flexible and efficient working end effector dock to the filler neck of a motor vehicle and to To refuel the motor vehicle.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in an end effector according to claim 1.

According to this, the end effector forming part of a boom of a tank robot has the following assemblies:

• - A tank flap unit for opening and closing the Fuel filler flap of a motor vehicle with one outdoors End of a telescopic flexible flap arm orderly sucker,  
• - a tank cap gripper unit with a rotatable one and axially displaceable fuel cap head, one the tank cap localizing sensors and Gripping pliers for locking contact on the tank ver Enough,
• a filling tube unit with a central filling tube, a rotating sleeve concentrically surrounding the filling tube and a spring-loaded axially displaceable to the rotating sleeve load, form an abutment for the gripping tongs the sliding sleeve that overlaps the rotating sleeve and
• - a nozzle unit with an integrated rotary bushing for supplying fuel to the filling pipe.

Advantageous further developments and refinements of the he basic idea according to the invention form the subject of dependent claims 2 to 5.

According to claim 2, the gripping tongs are radially articulated stored and axially relatively displaceable to the sliding sleeve.

The tank cap head is advantageously limited in space arranged articulated to the sliding sleeve (claim 3). By this characteristic is a particularly favorable positioning of the tank cap head relative to the tank cap Lich.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the flap arm formed by a spring tube and has ends a bellows-like sucker (claim 4). Either serve the spring tube as well as the bellows-like suction cup damage to the vehicle when opening and To avoid sleeping the fuel filler flap of a motor vehicle the. The sucker sticks through from a vacuum printer  generated vacuum on the tank flap, its bellows-like training an adjustment to under Different surface contours of the tank flaps enable light.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention a fuel line for various Otto fuels and a fuel line for diesel fuels up to Rotary union performed (claim 5). The rotary union are switching valves for blocking and switching the upstream of individual fuels. By just one Fuel line for various Otto fuels is a favorable design of the rotating union is possible. A loss of quality of the respective fuel is a residual amount remaining in the fuel line not to be feared because the fuels on the one hand from are the same type of fuel and the rest are the other amount is negligible and far below harmful limit values. The separation of the Otto Fuels from diesel fuels even before The rotating union enables the filling pipe to be emptied in the end effector, causing a mixing of the fuel species is avoided.

The invention is hereinafter with reference to the attached schematic not to scale drawing hand of a technically simple representation described in more detail, for example.

A component of a boom of a tank robot forming end effector 1 essentially comprises three function groups. A fuel filler flap unit 2 is used to open and close the fuel filler flap of a motor vehicle. In this case, a bellows-type suction device 4 is arranged on a free end of a telescopic flap arm 3 formed from a flexible spring tube.

Furthermore, the end effector 1 comprises a tank cap gripping unit 5 with a rotatable and axially displaceable tank cap head 6 . The tank cap gripping unit 5 also includes a sensor system 7 which calibrates the tank cap and gripping tongs 8 for locking the contact on the tank cap. The grippers on the front are spring-loaded and guided. They are moved by a drive and can grab and open a tank cap.

In addition, a filling tube unit 9 with a central filling tube 10 with gas recirculation belongs to the end effector 1 . The filler tube 10 is concentric of a rotating sleeve 11 and also includes a spring-loaded sliding sleeve 12 axially displaceable to the rotating sleeve 11 . The sliding sleeve 11 forms an abutment for the gripping tongs 8 , which are radially articulated and axially displaceable relative to the sliding sleeve 12 .

Fuel reaches the filling pipe 9 via a nozzle valve unit 13 with an integrated rotary union 14 . The nozzle unit 13 consists of a round body with valve technology, the rotary union with fuel lines 15 , 16 for supplying various fuels is connected. The nozzle valve unit also includes the necessary sensors for filling and switching off the fueling process.

A refueling process takes place as follows:
The fuel filler flap is opened by means of the fuel filler flap unit 2 , then the end effector 1 docks onto the fuel filler neck and the fuel filler cap is opened. Here, the filling pipe 10 moves into the tank neck and the motor vehicle is refueled. After completion of the tank operation and extension of the filling pipe 10 from the tank neck, the tank cap is rotatably closed by means of the tank cap gripper unit 5 and the end effector 1 docks off. Finally the fuel filler flap is closed.

After reaching the fuel filler flap opening position, the robot moves sensor-guided to the fuel filler flap of the motor vehicle and, at the same time, telescopically extends the flap arm 3 with the suction device 4 with a drive 17 . The suction device 4 grips the tank flap via vacuum and opens it.

The flap arm 3 then moves in and the robot moves to the fuel filler cap of the vehicle in a sensor-guided manner and docks.

When docking, the tank cap head 6 contacts the tank cap and can, if necessary, center due to a compensating unit on the tank cap. By a further defined feed movement and the support of the tank cap head 6 on the tank cap, the gripping tongs 8 are over the scenes 18 and Link spring 19 locked with the tank cap. There is then a frictional and positive connection for transmitting the opening and closing moments of the tank cap. After that, the drive is activated and the tank cap is opened in a rotary motion. A relative axial stroke of the tank cap is compensated and the gas extraction is switched on. Gas evacuation leads to a return of vapors released from the vehicle tank.

After the tank cap is opened, the filling tube 10 is moved into the tank neck by a further feed movement of the end effector 1 in the direction of the center of the tank cap. During this feed movement, the sliding sleeve 12 moves on the rotating sleeve 11 . Here at a return spring 20 is axially tensioned.

Now the actual refueling process takes place. The fuel escapes via a rotary union 14 into the nozzle unit 13 and through the fill pipe 10 into the motor vehicle tank.

After the fueling process has ended and the fuel supply line has been switched off, the robot moves back axially and the sliding sleeve 12 is brought into its starting position by the return spring 20 . Here, it undergoes a relative movement in the direction of the rotary sleeve 11 .

Due to this backward movement, the filling tube 10 extends out of the tank cap. This can now be closed by a rotational movement opposite to the opening direction. During this movement, the relative axial stroke of the tank cap is automatically compensated for by a relative displacement of the tank cap head 6 . Now the robot with its end effector 1 docks from the tank cap of the vehicle. In this case, the gripping tongs 8 in the tank cap head 6 are released via the links 18 and the link springs 19 and returned to their starting position via suitable return elements such as springs.

The robot travels with the flap arm 3 and the suction valve 4 to the open tank flap and closes it. The tank robot then takes its starting position.

Reference list

1

End effector

2nd

Tank flap unit

3rd

Flap arm

4th

Mammal

5

Tank cap gripping unit

6

Fuel cap head

7

Sensors

8th

Grippers

9

Filling tube unit

10th

Filling pipe

11

Rotating sleeve

12th

Sliding sleeve

13

Nozzle unit

14

Rotary union

15

Fuel line

16

Fuel line

17th

drive

18th

Backdrops

19th

Backdrop spring

20th

Return spring

Claims (5)

1. Device for the automatic refueling of motor vehicles with fuels of different quality with an integral part of a boom of a tank robot forming end effector ( 1 ), the end effector ( 1 ) having the following assemblies:

• - A fuel filler flap unit ( 2 ) for opening and closing the fuel filler flap of a motor vehicle with a suction device ( 4 ) arranged at the free end of a telescopic flexible flap arm ( 3 );
• - A tank cap gripping unit ( 5 ) with a rotatable and axially displaceable tank cap head ( 6 ), a sensor system ( 7 ) which locates the tank cap and gripping tongs ( 8 ) for locking contact on the tank cap;
• - A filler tube unit ( 9 ) with a central filler tube ( 10 ), a filler tube ( 10 ) concentrically encompassing rotating sleeve ( 11 ) and an axially displaceable to the rotating sleeve ( 11 ), spring-loaded, an abutment for the gripping tongs ( 8 ) bil denden, the rotating sleeve ( 11 ) overlapping sliding sleeve ( 12 ) and
• - A nozzle unit ( 13 ) with an integrated th rotary union ( 14 ) for supplying fuel to the filling pipe ( 10 ).

2. Device according to claim 1, in which the gripping pliers ( 8 ) are radially articulated and axially relatively displaceable relative to the sliding sleeve ( 12 ). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the tank cap head ( 6 ) is arranged in a limited space-articulated manner to the sliding sleeve ( 12 ). 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flap arm ( 3 ) is gebil det by a spring tube and has a bellows-like suction device ( 4 ) at the end. 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a fuel line ( 15 ) for various gasoline fuels and a fuel line ( 16 ) for diesel fuel are guided up to the rotary union ( 14 ).