Fuel dispenser sump

A sump for a fuel dispenser which allows wiring to pass from beneath the ground vertically upwards through the footprint of the fuel dispenser without compromising a wall of the sump and without providing access to the ground positioned beneath the footprint of the fuel dispenser for a fluid contained within the fuel dispenser, including fuel leaks from the piping contained within the dispenser. In an exemplary embodiment, a sump frame is provided which mates with an open upper portion of the sump which provides access to the sump. The portion of the frame extending over the opening to the sump is generally open, allowing passage of fluids from within the fuel dispenser to the sump. The sump frame further includes a conduit entry frame adapter which extends beyond the perimeter of the sump, but which is positioned within the footprint of the fuel dispenser. A wiring conduit is formed in the conduit entry frame adapter so that wiring may be passed from beneath the footprint of the fuel dispenser vertically upward into the fuel dispenser, without compromising a wall forming the sump. Fluid within the fuel dispenser will fall downwardly either into the sump opening or into contact with the conduit entry frame adapter. In one exemplary embodiment, the conduit entry frame adapter is sloped downwardly toward the sump opening so that fluid contacting the conduit entry frame adapter will flow via gravity into the sump.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sump for collecting leakage from fluid piping components within a fuel dispenser. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sump assembly for a fuel dispenser which allows wiring to pass from beneath the pavement of a fueling station, vertically upwards through the footprint of the fuel dispenser without compromising a wall forming the containment area of the sump and without providing access to the soil positioned beneath the footprint of the fuel dispenser for fluid contained within the fuel dispenser, including fuel leaks from the piping contained within the dispenser.

2. Description of the Art

Automotive fueling stations typically include one or more underground storage tanks which store the various fuel products dispensed by the fueling station. Each underground storage tank is connected to one or more fuel dispensers via one or more underground fuel delivery lines. As the fuel delivery line enters the area beneath the footprint of the above ground fuel dispenser, it traverses a vertical wall of a fluid sump positioned beneath the fuel dispenser and extends vertically into the fuel dispenser where it is fluidly connected to a dispenser nozzle. The sump is positioned underground beneath the footprint of the fuel dispenser to collect any fuel leaks from the piping which conveys fuel from the underground fuel delivery line to the dispenser nozzle.

Existing fuel dispenser designs further include electrical conduit which transports wiring underground to a position beneath the footprint of the fuel dispenser and thereafter travels vertically upward into the fuel dispenser. In certain prior designs, such wiring would traverse a vertical wall of the sump to achieve a position below the footprint of the fuel dispenser and would thereafter travel vertically upward into the above ground fuel dispenser. To position the wiring through a vertical wall of the sump, a conduit was formed in the sump wall to accommodate passage of the wiring therethrough. Such a conduit through the vertical wall of the sump creates a leak point for fuel collected in the sump to access the soil surrounding the sump. Furthermore, such a wiring conduit may allow for the passage of ground water into the sump.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a sump assembly for a fuel dispenser which allows wiring to pass from beneath the ground vertically upwards through the footprint of the fuel dispenser without compromising a wall of the containment area of the sump and without providing access to the soil positioned beneath the fuel dispenser for a fluid contained within the fuel dispenser, including fuel leaks from the piping or dispenser hydraulic system contained within the dispenser. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a sump frame which mates with an open upper portion of the sump opening which provides access to the sump. The portion of the sump frame extending over the opening to the sump is generally open, allowing passage of fluids from within the fuel dispenser to the sump. The sump frame further includes a conduit entry frame adapter which extends beyond the perimeter of the sump opening, but which is positioned within the footprint of the fuel dispenser. A wiring conduit is formed in the conduit entry frame adapter so that wiring may be passed from beneath the footprint of the fuel dispenser vertically upward into the fuel dispenser, without compromising a wall forming the sump. Fluid within the fuel dispenser will fall downwardly either into the sump opening or into contact with the conduit entry frame adapter. In one exemplary embodiment, the conduit entry frame adapter is sloped downwardly toward the sump opening so that fluid contacting the conduit entry frame adapter will flow via gravity into the sump.

The invention, in one form thereof, provides a fuel dispenser assembly including a fuel dispenser having a fuel dispenser housing including at least one substantially vertical wall defining a fuel dispenser footprint and a nozzle. A fuel delivery line is connected to the nozzle via a quantity of piping contained within the fuel dispenser housing, the fuel dispenser further includes a sump assembly including a sump having at least one sump wall defining a sump cavity and a sump frame removeably securable to the sump, the sump frame including conduit entry frame adapter extending beyond an exterior of the sump wall, the conduit entry frame adapter positioned within the footprint of the fuel dispenser, the footprint of the fuel dispenser positioned atop the sump assembly so that the footprint of the fuel dispenser is substantially coextensive with the sump assembly so that a fluid spill or splash within the fuel dispenser housing will flow via gravity into the sump assembly. Electrical conduit for conveying power and communication lines between the fuel dispenser and a remote location is positioned through an opening formed in the conduit entry frame adapter to allow the wire to enter the fuel dispenser housing through the footprint of the fuel dispenser without compromising the sump wall of the sump.

The invention, in another form thereof, includes a sump frame coupled to the sump wall, the sump frame having a sump frame opening aligned with the sump opening, so that the sump frame opening provides access to the cavity of the sump. In this form of the invention, the conduit entry frame adapter forms a part of the sump frame and extends beyond the exterior of the sump wall when the sump frame is coupled to the sump wall. In an embodiment of the invention, the conduit entry frame adapter angles downwardly into the cavity of the sump assembly to facilitate a gravity flow of fluid from within the fuel dispenser housing to the sump cavity.

The invention, in a further form thereof, provides a sump assembly for a fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser having a housing including at least one substantially vertical wall defining a fuel dispenser footprint, the sump assembly including a sump having at least one sump wall defining a sump cavity and a sump frame removeably securable to the sump, the sump frame defining a dispenser perimeter that is coextensive with the substantially vertical wall of the fuel dispenser footprint, the sump frame further defining a sump perimeter that is coextensive with a portion of the sump wall defining the sump opening of the sump. The sump frame includes a conduit entry frame adapter spanning the dispenser perimeter of the sump frame and the sump perimeter of the sump frame, so that the sump assembly is alignable with the footprint of the fuel dispenser with the footprint of the fuel dispenser substantially coextensive with the sump assembly so that a fluid spill or a splash within the fuel dispenser housing will flow via gravity into the sump cavity.

The invention, in still another form thereof, comprises a method of containing fluid leaks occurring within a fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser having a housing including at least one substantially vertical wall defining a fuel dispenser footprint, the method including the steps of: providing a sump frame including a dispenser perimeter that is coextensive with the substantially vertical wall of the fuel dispenser, a sump perimeter and a conduit entry frame adapter; securing the sump frame to a sump having a sump wall defining a sump cavity, the sump perimeter of the sump frame coextensive with the portion of the sump wall defining a sump opening of the sump, the conduit entry frame adapter spanning the dispenser perimeter of the sump frame and the sump perimeter of the sump frame; aligning the sump perimeter of the sump frame with the sump opening of the sump; and aligning the footprint of the fuel dispenser with the dispenser perimeter of the sump frame so that the footprint of the fuel dispenser is substantially coextensive with a sump assembly formed by the sump and the sump frame so that a fluid spill or splash within the fuel dispenser housing will flow via gravity into the sump cavity.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a fuel dispensing station including fuel dispenser10positioned atop pavement12. Positioned below pavement12is underground storage tank14. Fill access16allows underground storage tank14to be filled by a tanker truck. Fuel delivery line18fluidly connects underground storage tank14with fuel dispenser10. Fuel dispenser10includes internal piping to convey fuel from fuel delivery line18to dispenser nozzle20. As shown inFIG. 1, fuel delivery line18traverses side wall22of sump24as it travels beneath the footprint of fuel dispenser10. Seal26prevents leakage between sump24and the surrounding soil. Elbow28diverts fuel delivery line18from a generally horizontal path to a vertical path upward into fuel dispenser10. Internal piping connects riser pipe48to dispenser nozzle20.

Sump24is positioned below fuel dispenser10such that fluid contained within fuel dispenser10, including fuel leaks from the piping contained within the dispenser will flow through sump opening30and be collected within sump24. As illustrated inFIGS. 1,2and4, sump24includes a plurality of sump side walls22preferably integral with sump bottom wall50. Sump side walls22and sump bottom wall50cooperate to define sump cavity52, which defines the containment area of the sump assembly. Sump cavity52is positioned to capture leaks occurring within the footprint of fuel dispenser10which is defined by the perimeter of dispenser walls40.

The sump assembly of the present disclosure includes sump24and sump frame32. As illustrated in greater detail inFIG. 2, sump frame32is connected to sump side wall22about sump opening30. Sump frame32includes conduit entry frame adapter34which extends generally horizontally from sump frame32. Sump frame32, including conduit entry frame adapter34is illustrated in detail inFIGS. 3,3a,3b,3cand3d.FIG. 4illustrates sump frame32detached from sump24.

As illustrated, sump frame32includes flange36extending about its periphery. Sump frame32further includes upwardly extending member38. As illustrated inFIG. 2, upwardly extending member38fits closely within dispenser wall40of fuel dispenser10. Sump frame32further includes downwardly extending member42which mates with side wall22of sump24. In the illustrated embodiment, downwardly extending member42is shown positioned within sump24. In alternative embodiments, downwardly extending member42may be positioned outside of sump24. As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, sump opening30coincides with the majority of the footprint of fuel dispenser10. Based on this construction, fluid within fuel dispenser10, including fuel leaks from the piping contained within the dispenser, will be captured by sump24. A small portion of the footprint of fuel dispenser10is not positioned over sump opening30. This portion of the footprint of fuel dispenser10is positioned over conduit entry frame adapter34, so that the sump assembly formed by sump24and sump frame32is coextensive with the footprint of fuel dispenser10.

As illustrated inFIG. 3c, conduit entry frame adapter34forms an angle α with downwardly extending member42. Downwardly extending member42is generally vertically oriented. In one exemplary embodiment, the angle α is 93°. In this configuration, conduit entry frame adapter34slopes downwardly toward sump opening30, which facilitates the flow of fluid which reaches conduit entry frame adapter34into sump opening30. Stated another way, any fluid within fuel dispenser10which does not flow downwardly directly through sump opening30will contact conduit entry frame adapter34and flow, via gravity, into sump opening30. As shown inFIG. 2, conduit entry frame adapter34includes seal44through which wiring conduit46is positioned. Wiring conduit46may be utilized for delivering wire45for conveying electrical energy to a pump and/or any other electrically powered components disposed within fuel dispenser10. Wire45may also be utilized to convey communications to/from a remote location, including credit card information. While seal44may form a leak point in the construct of the current invention, it, advantageously, is not positioned within a side wall (22) of sump24. Therefore, there exists a greatly reduced chance of leakage through wiring conduit46into the soil surrounding sump24because conduit entry frame adapter34is not utilized to retain fluid collected in sump24, unlike side walls22of sump24.

As described above, sump frame32includes upwardly extending member38which defines a dispenser perimeter of sump frame32that is coextensive with dispenser walls40which define the footprint of fuel dispenser10. As further illustrated in the figures and described above, sump frame32includes downwardly extending member42which defines a sump perimeter of sump frame32that is coextensive with side wall22of sump24. Conduit entry frame adapter34spans upwardly extending member38and downwardly extending member42at a location where the sump perimeter of sump frame32does not extend to the footprint of fuel dispenser10. This structure allows the entire footprint of dispenser10to be positioned over the sump assembly formed by sump frame32and sump24. Because sump opening30is smaller than the footprint of dispenser10, conduit entry frame adapter34provides an access for wire45to enter dispenser10from below, without comprising sump side walls22. Owing to the two-piece design of the sump assembly of the present invention, any sump having an opening sized greater than the sump perimeter of sump frame32is useable with sump frame32to provide vertical access from beneath the footprint of dispenser10without comprising a side wall of the sump. In an embodiment of the present disclosure a sump having an opening sized between the sump perimeter and the dispenser perimeter of sump frame32is utilized. Preferably, a sump useable in a sump assembly of the present invention will have a sump opening sized to match the sump perimeter of the sump frame of the present invention at all locations of the sump frame with the exception of the location of the conduit entry frame adapter. At the location of the conduit entry frame adapter, the sump opening can be sized between the sump perimeter of the sump frame and the dispenser perimeter of the sump frame.

The sump frame of the present invention is further useable with a pre-existing sump. Specifically, a sump frame of the present invention can be sized to have an inner perimeter corresponding to the opening to a pre-existing sump and an outer perimeter sized to correspond to the footprint of a dispenser to be positioned over the pre-existing sump. With this in mind, a dispenser can be removed and replaced with a new dispenser without regard to the footprint of the dispenser matching the opening to the pre-existing sump.

FIG. 4illustrates sump frame32prior to its securement to sump24. Referring toFIG. 3, sump frame32may be secured to sump24by passing one or more fasteners through apertures33in downwardly extending member42of sump frame32and securing the fastener(s) into corresponding apertures in sump24. Similarly, sump frame32may be secured to fuel dispenser10by passing one or more fasteners through apertures35(FIG. 3) in flange36of sump frame32and securing the fastener (s) into corresponding apertures in fuel dispenser10.

FIG. 4further illustrates conduit entry frame adapter34before it is drilled to form the opening for wiring conduit46. While conduit entry frame adapter34is illustrated as forming a part of sump frame32, conduit entry frame adapter34may be integrally formed with a sump side wall22.