EP1582498B1 - Installation de réservoir avec limiteur de remplissage - Google Patents

Installation de réservoir avec limiteur de remplissage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1582498B1
EP1582498B1 EP05075751.7A EP05075751A EP1582498B1 EP 1582498 B1 EP1582498 B1 EP 1582498B1 EP 05075751 A EP05075751 A EP 05075751A EP 1582498 B1 EP1582498 B1 EP 1582498B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
float
liquid
tank
respect
tank installation
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP05075751.7A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP1582498A1 (fr
Inventor
Ben Li
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication of EP1582498A1 publication Critical patent/EP1582498A1/fr
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
    • B67D7/06—Details or accessories
    • B67D7/36—Arrangements of flow- or pressure-control valves
    • B67D7/362—Arrangements of flow- or pressure-control valves combined with over-fill preventing means
    • B67D7/365—Arrangements of flow- or pressure-control valves combined with over-fill preventing means using floats

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a tank installation comprising a liquid storage tank and a fill limiter fitted to said liquid storage tank according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • French Patent Application FR 2 476 790 discloses an example of a fill limiter fitted to a liquid storage tank.
  • the fill limiter comprises a hollow body having an inlet and an outlet.
  • a valve mechanism is at least partially incorporated into the body and is operable between an open state, in which liquid may pass through the body via the inlet and the outlet, and a closed state in which the valve mechanism blocks the outlet.
  • the valve mechanism is coupled to a float which is moveable with respect to the body. The position of the float with respect to the body determines the state of the valve mechanism.
  • a problem with the fill limiter of FR 2 476 790 is that it is only suitable for use in a vertical orientation, i.e. where the direction of movement of the float with respect to the body is generally vertical. Accordingly, in a tank installation in which the fill limiter of FR 2 476 790 is fitted to a liquid storage tank, this liquid storage tank will have an inlet that is generally horizontally disposed.
  • FR 935 735 discloses a tank installation comprising a liquid storage tank and a fill limiter fitted to said liquid storage tank according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • a first aspect of the invention provides a tank installation as claimed in claim 1.
  • the at least one liquid engaging side surface comprises at least two liquid engaging surface portions that are generally obliquely disposed with respect to one another.
  • the at least one liquid engaging side surface may be generally planar or generally curved.
  • the float includes a liquid engaging portion comprising a generally planar end surface that is substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the direction of movement of the float, and the at least one liquid engaging side surface.
  • the liquid engaging portion is generally frustum-shaped, e.g. frusto-conical or frusto-pyramidal.
  • the fill limiter is particularly suited for use in applications where the tank, being for example a domestic or commercial liquid fuel tank, has an inlet comprising an aperture in a wall of the tank for receiving the nozzle of a liquid dispensing apparatus, carried by, for example, a fuel tanker vehicle.
  • a portion of the body of the fill limiter may be shaped and dimensioned to be fitted in said inlet such that liquid which flows, during use, into said tank passes through the body.
  • said body portion is shaped and dimensioned to receive the nozzle of the liquid dispensing apparatus.
  • the fill limiter is particularly suited for use in applications where the tank inlet is disposed, during use, obliquely with respect to horizontal.
  • the float is movable in an axial direction.
  • the axial direction is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the fill limiter.
  • the valve mechanism may include a blocking element located in the body, the position of the blocking element determining whether the valve mechanism adopts the open state or the closed state, and wherein the blocking element is coupled to the float and is movable, in said axial direction, within the body in response to movement of the float.
  • the float is formed at least partially from a material, preferably a thermoplastic material, that includes an anti-static agent.
  • the float may be carried by a rod or other member, such that the location of the float on the rod with respect to the body is adjustable.
  • the rod or other member couples or connects the float to the body.
  • the side surface is inclined at an angle of between 20° and 70 with respect to the direction of movement of the float.
  • the side surface is typically inclined at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the direction of movement of the float.
  • a fill limiter also known as an overfill device of a tank installation comprising a liquid storage tank, especially, but not exclusively, a liquid fuel, for example oil or LPG (liquid petroleum gas), storage tank.
  • a liquid fuel for example oil or LPG (liquid petroleum gas), storage tank.
  • LPG liquid petroleum gas
  • the fill limiter 10 which may for example be generally similar to the fill limiter described in FR 2 476 790 , comprises a hollow body 12 having an inlet 14 an outlet 16.
  • the body 12 is conveniently open-ended at one end to provide the inlet 14.
  • the outlet 16 is formed in a side wall 18 of the body and is thus generally perpendicularly disposed with respect to the inlet 14.
  • the outlet 16 takes the form of a plurality of apertures, spaced-apart around the periphery of the body 12.
  • a flange 20 is preferably provided around the external periphery of the body at a location between the inlet 14 and outlet 16.
  • the flange 20 preferably carries one or more spikes 22, spaced-apart around the periphery of the body 12 and facing generally towards the inlet 14.
  • a valve mechanism 24 is at least partially incorporated into the body 12.
  • the valve mechanism 24 comprises a blocking element 26 and means for actuating the blocking element 26 between an open state, in which liquid may pass into the body 12 via the inlet 14 and may exit the body 12 via the outlet 16, and a closed state, in which the blocking element 26 blocks, or substantially blocks, the outlet 16 (with respect to the inlet 14) so that liquid is substantially prevented from passing therethrough.
  • the blocking element 26 is typically slidable within the body 12.
  • the actuating means comprises a float 28 which is moveable with respect to the body 12 and which is coupled to the blocking element 26, conveniently by a rod 30 or other member.
  • the internal surface (not shown) of the body 12 is shaped to define a valve seat (not shown) and the blocking element 26 is correspondingly shaped so that, when in the blocking state, it is seated in the valve seat thereby preventing liquid from passing from the inlet 14 to the outlet 16.
  • the arrangement is such that, in a normal use orientation where the inlet is located above the outlet 16, the blocking element 26 may adopt the open state when under the influence of gravity alone.
  • the fill limiter 10 is fitted to a liquid storage tank (not shown), typically a liquid fuel storage tank, so that at least the outlet 16 and the float 28 are located within the tank.
  • the tank has a mouth or inlet that is shaped and dimensioned to receive the nozzle of a liquid dispensing device (not shown), for example the nozzle on the end of a hose of a fuel tanker (not shown).
  • fill limiter 10 When fitted to the tank, fill limiter 10 is positioned so that the inlet 14 is generally in register with the mouth or inlet (not shown) of the tank. In the illustrated embodiment, at least part of the portion of the body 12 between the flange 20 and the inlet 14 is located in, or passes through, the tank inlet. The flange 20, or at least the spikes 22 when present, engages with the internal surface of the tank. The arrangement is such that the fill limiter 10 allows the nozzle to be inserted into the tank inlet as normal. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle, when inserted into the tank inlet, is also located in the body 12 of the fill limiter 10, i.e.
  • the body 12 in the present example the portion between the flange 20 and the inlet 14
  • the body 12 is shaped an dimensioned to receive the nozzle.
  • liquid (not shown) fed into the tank passes through the body 12 when the valve mechanism is open.
  • the float 28 is located within the tank and is suspended below the body 12, carried by the rod 30.
  • the arrangement is such that, when the tank is not nearly full, the float 28 does not come into contact with the contents of the tank, i.e. the float 28 is suspended above the contents of the tank, and the blocking member 26 adopts the open state under gravity.
  • the surface of the liquid within the tank rises vertically and engages with the float 28.
  • the liquid surface exerts pressure on the float 28 thereby actuating the float 28 towards the body 12.
  • the rod 30 is also actuated in a direction towards the body 12.
  • Movement of the float 28, and therefore of the rod 30, towards the body 12 causes, either directly or indirectly, the blocking element 26 to adopt the closed state. This may be achieved by direct action of the rod 30 on the blocking element 26 or, preferably, indirectly using the pressure of the incoming liquid (as is described in FR 2 476 790 ).
  • the float 28 moves in an axial direction A1 which, conveniently, is along the longitudinal axis of the rod 30 and which direction may be said to be the longitudinal axis of the fill limiter 10.
  • the blocking element 26 also moves, or slides, in said axial direction in response to movement of the float 28.
  • the float 28 has at least one liquid engaging side surface.
  • the portion of the float 28 for engagement with the liquid contents of the tank i.e. the in-use bottom portion 32 of the float 28 (typically the portion of the float 28 that is distal the body 12), is shaped to provide at least two liquid engaging surface portions that are generally obliquely disposed with respect to one another.
  • the liquid engaging surface portions may be generally planar or generally curved.
  • the bottom portion 32 of the float 28 is generally frustum-shaped, e.g.
  • the float 128 has an alternatively shaped liquid engaging, or bottom, portion 132 which has a generally planar bottom surface 133 and a generally curved or rounded side surface 135.
  • the liquid engaging, or bottom, portion 32, 132 of the float 28, 128 comprises a generally flat or planar bottom surface 33, 133 (i.e. the surface distal the body 12) that is generally perpendicularly disposed with respect to the direction of movement of the float 28, 128 (which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod 30), and one or more side surfaces 35, 135 that are generally obliquely disposed with respect to the respective bottom surface 33, 133 (and therefore with respect to the direction of movement of the float 28, 128).
  • the bottom portion may be generally rounded, e.g. generally hemispherical, in shape, or generally conical or pyramidal in shape. It is not essential to have a planar bottom surface.
  • the rising liquid surface first engages with the side surface 35, 135. Because the side surface 35, 135 is generally inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the float 28, 128, at least some of the thrust generated by the rising liquid level serves to actuate the float 28, 128 towards the body 12.
  • the fill limiter 10 is used with the liquid storage tank of a tank installation where the inlet is not horizontally disposed and where, when fitted, the longitudinal axis of the limiter 10 is not vertically disposed.
  • the angle of inclination of the side surface 35, 135 may be, for example between 20° and 70° and preferably approximately 45° with respect to the direction of movement of the float 28, 128.
  • the longitudinal axis of the fill limiter 10 is disposed at between 0° and 50°, but preferably between 0° and 40° with respect to the vertical.
  • the location of the float 28, 128 on the rod 30 is adjustable, by any suitable means (e.g. one or more releasable bolts or clips 40), so that the spacing between the float 28, 128 and the body may be varied. This allows a user to adjust the fill level of the tank in which the limiter 10 is installed. For example, locating the float 28, 128 as far away as possible from the body 12 causes the valve mechanism to close at a lower fill level than if the float 28, 128 is located relatively close to the body 12.
  • any suitable means e.g. one or more releasable bolts or clips 40
  • the float 28, 128 is formed from a material, typically plastics, that floats on the, or each, liquid with which it is intended to be used. It is also preferred that the float 28, 128, or at least its outer surface, is formed from a thermoplastic material, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene. This prevents liquid from being absorbed into the float 28, 128 (liquid absorption tends to increase the weight of the float 28, 128 and thereby impede the operation of the fill limiter 10).
  • a thermoplastic material e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene
  • the float 28, 128, or at least its outer surface is formed from a material with anti-static properties, or to which a conventional anti-static agent has been added. This reduces the risk of electrical discharges within the tank which is particularly advantageous in cases where the liquid is flammable.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Level Indicators Using A Float (AREA)

Claims (13)

  1. Installation de réservoir comportant un réservoir de stockage de liquide et un limiteur de remplissage (10) installé sur ledit réservoir de stockage de liquide, le limiteur de remplissage comportant un corps (12), un mécanisme à soupape (24) situé au moins partiellement dans le corps, et un moyen servant à actionner le mécanisme à soupape entre un état ouvert et un état fermé, le moyen d'actionnement comprenant un flotteur (28) mobile par rapport au corps dans une direction sensiblement parallèle par rapport à, ou le long de, l'axe longitudinal du limiteur de remplissage, le flotteur comprenant au moins une surface latérale en contact avec le liquide (35, 135) qui est disposée de manière oblique par rapport à la direction de mouvement du flotteur, caractérisée en ce que le limiteur de remplissage est installé sur ledit réservoir de stockage de liquide de telle sorte que ledit axe longitudinal est disposé de manière oblique par rapport à la verticale et ladite au moins une surface latérale en contact avec le liquide est orientée pour faire face au niveau de surface du liquide contenu, lors de l'utilisation, dans ledit réservoir de stockage de liquide.
  2. Installation de réservoir selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle ladite au moins une surface latérale en contact avec le liquide comporte au moins deux parties de surface en contact avec le liquide qui sont disposées de manière généralement oblique l'une par rapport à l'autre.
  3. Installation de réservoir selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans laquelle ladite au moins une surface latérale en contact avec le liquide est généralement plane ou généralement courbe.
  4. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le flotteur comprend une partie en contact avec le liquide comportant une surface d'extrémité généralement plane qui est disposée de manière sensiblement perpendiculaire par rapport à la direction de mouvement du flotteur, et ladite au moins une surface latérale en contact avec le liquide.
  5. Installation de réservoir selon la revendication 4, dans laquelle ladite partie en contact avec le liquide est généralement de forme tronconique.
  6. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le réservoir a une entrée comportant une ouverture dans une paroi du réservoir, une partie du corps ayant une forme et des dimensions à des fins d'installation dans ladite entrée de telle sorte que le liquide qui s'écoule, lors de l'utilisation, jusque dans le réservoir passe au travers du corps.
  7. Installation de réservoir selon la revendication 6, dans laquelle ladite partie de corps a une forme et des dimensions à des fins de réception d'une buse d'un appareil de distribution de liquide.
  8. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle ledit flotteur est mobile dans une direction axiale.
  9. Installation de réservoir selon la revendication 8, dans laquelle ledit mécanisme à soupape comprend un élément de blocage situé dans le corps, la position de l'élément de blocage déterminant si le mécanisme à soupape adopte l'état ouvert ou l'état fermé, et dans laquelle l'élément de blocage est accouplé au flotteur et est mobile, dans ladite direction axiale, à l'intérieur du corps en réponse au mouvement du flotteur.
  10. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le flotteur est formé au moins partiellement à partir d'un matériau, de préférence un matériau thermoplastique, qui comprend un agent antistatique.
  11. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle ladite surface latérale est inclinée selon un angle compris entre 20° et 70° par rapport à la direction de mouvement du flotteur.
  12. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 précédentes, dans laquelle ladite surface latérale est inclinée selon un angle d'approximativement 45° par rapport à la direction de mouvement du flotteur.
  13. Installation de réservoir selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle ledit axe longitudinal est disposé entre 0° et 50°, et de préférence entre 0° et 40° par rapport à la verticale.
EP05075751.7A 2004-04-02 2005-03-31 Installation de réservoir avec limiteur de remplissage Active EP1582498B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0407571 2004-04-02
GB0407571A GB0407571D0 (en) 2004-04-02 2004-04-02 Fill limiter for a liquid storage tank

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1582498A1 EP1582498A1 (fr) 2005-10-05
EP1582498B1 true EP1582498B1 (fr) 2017-01-25

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05075751.7A Active EP1582498B1 (fr) 2004-04-02 2005-03-31 Installation de réservoir avec limiteur de remplissage

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EP (1) EP1582498B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB0407571D0 (fr)

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR935735A (fr) * 1946-11-05 1948-06-29 S A T A M Sa Appareillages Mec Perfectionnement à la vidange d'un récipient

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3099297A (en) * 1960-11-17 1963-07-30 Fmc Corp Fluid handling apparatus
DE1140419B (de) * 1961-08-07 1962-11-29 Rudolf Braun Schwimmerbetaetigtes Fuellventil zur Sicherung von Fluessigkeitsbehaeltern gegen ein UEberlaufen beim Einfuellen
FR2476790A1 (fr) * 1980-02-21 1981-08-28 Lafon Georges Limiteur de remplissage pour cuves de stockage de fluide
JPS631880A (ja) * 1986-06-19 1988-01-06 Ikeuchi:Kk 貯液タンク
US6729367B2 (en) * 2002-08-13 2004-05-04 Michael Leroy Peterson Overflow prevention system and method using laminar-to-turbulent flow transition

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR935735A (fr) * 1946-11-05 1948-06-29 S A T A M Sa Appareillages Mec Perfectionnement à la vidange d'un récipient

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1582498A1 (fr) 2005-10-05
GB0407571D0 (en) 2004-05-05

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