Patent ID: 7715169
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: B60K,F17C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A gas inlet receptacle for an on board high pressure fuel gas tank engageable with a refueling nozzle directing gas flow to the tank for electrically isolating a vehicle's high pressure fuel gas receiving system from the vehicle's body and the vehicle's fuel tank; the receptacle comprising: a) a first flange collar exterior to the vehicle body having a cylindrical section extending intrinsically from the first flange collar through an opening in the vehicle body toward the vehicle interior, the cylindrical section adapted such that the cylindrical section is not in contact either with the vehicle body or a second flange into which the cylindrical section is coaxially inserted and such that the cylindrical section terminates before an end of a second cylindrical section of the second flange; b) the second flange interior to the vehicle body, concentrically aligned with the cylindrical section of the first flange, having a second cylindrical section intrinsically extending toward the vehicle interior, and adapted, on the exterior facing side, to receive the cylindrical section extending from the first flange such that a portion of the first flange cylindrical section is within an interior section of the second cylindrical section, and adapted, on the interior facing side, to connect with a fuel conduit to the vehicle storage tank or tanks; c) an electrically insulating gasket exterior to the vehicle body surrounding the opening in the vehicle body and disposed between the first flange collar of and the vehicle body; d) a plurality of electrically neutral fasteners disposed around the flange collar penetrating through the flange collar, the gasket, the vehicle body, and the second flange to secure the receptacle to the body; e) an electrically insulating o-ring disposed within a groove in the second cylindrical section extending from the second flange at a location before a terminal end of the second cylindrical section and located at the terminal end of the cylindrical section of the first flange that extends into the second flange cylindrical section; and f) extending from the interior of the receptacle, a conduit from the terminal end of the second cylindrical section of the second flange for directing gas flow introduced from the nozzle to the cylindrical section of the first flange to the vehicle storage tank or tanks; whereby the flow path of fuel from the nozzle to the conduit for the vehicle tank is electrically insulated from the vehicle body and vehicle tank when the nozzle is engaged with the receptacle.