Patent Publication Number: US-6334457-B1

Title: Collapsing hose management system and method for gasoline dispensing unit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on provisional application Ser. No. 60/122,356 filed on Mar. 2, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to retail gasoline dispensing units and, more particularly, to such a unit including a hose management system to control and assist in the use of the fuel dispensing hose. 
     A gasoline dispensing unit includes at least one dispensing hose which is connected at one end to a conduit in the interior of the unit which conduit is connected to an underground storage tank for the gasoline. A portion of the hose extends out from the dispensing unit, and a nozzle is provided on the other end of the hose for dispensing the gasoline into vehicles. However, the hose often is difficult to maneuver and becomes tangled. This creates significant problems, especially in connection with self-service stations, and the like. 
     Therefore what is needed is a hose for a gasoline dispensing unit which is easy to manage and does not tangle. 
     SUMMARY 
     To this end, an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a hose management system according to which two pulleys are respectively mounted for rotation to at least one pair of telescoping members. A hose extends around the pulleys, so that movement of the hose causes the pulleys move relative to each other, and the telescoping member to extend and retract in response to the movement of the pulleys. 
     Since the hose does not become tangled and can be easily pulled from, and retracted into, the housing, it is easy to manage and is especially useful in self-service filling stations and the like. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fuel dispensing unit incorporating a hose management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the hose management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4 — 4  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 2 but depicting the system of FIG. 1 in a different operational position. 
     FIG. 6 is a view, similar to FIG. 2 but depicting an alternate embodiment of the system of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In FIG. 1, the reference numeral  10  designates a fuel dispensing unit such as the type utilized in gasoline service stations, and the like. The unit  10  includes a hydraulics cabinet  12  having a base portion  12   a  adapted to rest on the ground and containing the various hydraulic connections required for the dispensing of fuel. An interface cabinet  14  extends between the main housing  12  and an electronics housing  16  for housing various electronic components and wiring. A sales display unit  18  is mounted on the front panel of electronics housing  16  and is adapted to display information regarding the customer transaction such as price, amount of fuel and cost per unit of fuel, or other customer-related messages. Since all of the above is conventional, it will not be described in any further detail. 
     An auxiliary housing  20  extends adjacent the cabinets  12  and  14  and rests on a base  20   a  which has an inlet  22  for receiving a source of pressurized air for reasons to be described. It is understood that the cabinets  12  and  14  and the housings  16  and  20  can be bolted together and the bases  12   a  and  20   a  secured to the ground in any known manner. 
     A portion of a hose  24  extends from the cabinet and is connected at one end to a nozzle  26  which is mounted in a boot  28  during non-use. The remaining portion of the hose  24  is supported in the cabinet  20  and can be pulled from the cabinet, in a manner to be described. 
     A management system for the hose  24  is shown in general by the reference numeral  30  in FIG.  2  and is disposed in the interior of the housing  20 . The system  30  includes a pair of telescoping guides  32  and  34  disposed in a spaced, parallel relation and connected, at their ends to end caps  36   a  and  36   b,  respectively. The guide  32  is formed by two telescoping members  32   a  and  32   b,  and the guide  34  is formed by two telescoping members  34   a  and  34   b.  The telescoping members  32   a,    32   b  and  34   a,    34   b  are in the form of pneumatic cylinder-piston devices with the members  32   a  and  34   a  serving as cylinders and the members  32   b  and  34   b  serving as pistons. An air hose  38  is provided that extends from the air inlet  22  (FIG. 1) for introducing air into the member  32   a  to provide energy to extend the member  32   b  in a conventional manner. Although not shown in the drawing an air hose similar to the air hose  38  also extends from the air inlet  22  for introducing air into the member  34   a  to extend the member  34   b.    
     Two pulleys  40  and  42  are rotatably mounted about shafts  44  and  46  which extend through the respective end portions of the guides  32  and  34  and project from the guides a relative short distance for reasons to be described. 
     A pair of support spacers  50   a  and  50   b  extend between the guides  32  and  34  just inside the pulleys  40  and  42  respectively to support the guides in their spaced relationship and add rigidity to the frame formed by the guides and the end caps  36   a  and  36   b.    
     The frame formed by the guides  32  and  34  and the end caps  36   a  and  36   b  moves in the cabinet  20  during operation. To this end, and with reference to FIG. 3, a pair of guide members  52  and  54  are provided to each side of the pulley  40  and have slots  52   a  and  54   a,  respectively, formed therein which receive the respective projecting end portions of the shaft  44 . Thus, the guide members  52  and  54  permit movement of the pulley  40  in a vertical direction as shown in FIG. 2, and restrain movement in any other direction. Similarly, and as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of guide members  56  and  58  are provided to each side of the pulley  42  and have slots  56   a  and  58   a,  respectively formed therein which receive the respective projecting end portions of the shaft  46 . Thus, the guide members  56  and  58  permit movement of the pulley  42  in a vertical direction as shown in FIG. 2, and restrain movement in any other direction. The telescoping members  32   a,    32   b  and  34   a,    34   b,  are adapted to extend and retract in response to the pulleys  40  and  42  moving away from, and towards, each other when the hose  14  is pulled from and inserted into, the housing  20 , respectively under conditions to be described. 
     Referring again to FIG. 2, one end  24   a  of the hose  24  is adapted for connection to a conduit (not shown) that extends into the housing  20  which conduit, in turn, is connected to an underground storage tank for the fuel. The hose  24  extends from the latter conduit, around the pulley  40 , between the guides  32  and  34  and around the pulley  42  before exiting the housing  20  through an opening  20   a  formed in a side wall of the housing. The other end of the hose  24  is connected to the nozzle  26  (FIG. 1) for dispensing fuel into the tanks of vehicles parked adjacent the dispenser unit  10 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, when the nozzle  26  is not in use it rests in the boot  28  and the system  30  is an a rest position as shown in FIG.  2 . The operation of the system  30  is initiated when a customer or attendant grabs the nozzle  26  and pulls the hose  24  towards a vehicle parked adjacent the dispenser unit  10 . This pulling causes the pulley  42  to move upwardly in a vertical direction in the housing  20  and the guides  32  and  34  to retract to reduce their respective lengths until the latter pulley reaches a position just below the opening  20   a  in the cabinet  20  as shown in FIG.  5 . During this movement, a length of the hose  24  is pulled through the opening  20   a  to allow the nozzle to be moved to, or at least towards, the vehicle. 
     If an additional length of the hose  24  is needed by the customer or operator to reach the vehicle, the hose is pulled further which cause the guide members  32  and  34  to retract further and the pulley  40  to move downwardly until it reaches a position slightly above the position of the pulley  42  as shown in FIG.  5 . During this latter movement, the pulley  42  establishes a fulcrum point and the guides  32  and  34  in effect, act as pivotal lever arms. This movement enables an additional length of the hose  24  to be pulled through the opening  20   a  to allow the nozzle  26  to be moved to the vehicle. In this position, the guide members are at their maximum contraction. 
     After refueling of the vehicle is complete and the customer relaxes the tension on the hose  24  prior to returning the nozzle  26  to the boot  28 , the pulley  42  moves downwardly in a vertical direction, by gravity. When the nozzle  26  is then returned to the boot  28 , a signal is sent to the above-mentioned air source, and air is introduced into the hose  38 , and the hose associated with the guide  34  to extend the members  32   b  and  34   a  relative to the members  32   a  and  34   a.  This, in turn, causes expansion of the guides  32  and  34  forcing the pulley  40  upwardly, and the pulley  42  downwardly, in the cabinet  20  until they reach the rest position of FIG. 2 after which the introduction of air into the members  32   a  and  34   a  is terminated. This movement takes up the amount of hose  24  that was previously withdrawn from the cabinet  20 , as described above 
     Therefore, as a result of this movement of the system  30  in the cabinet  20  along with the telescoping movement of the guides  32  and  34 , the hose  24  easy to manage and use and minimizes any tangling or jamming of the hose. 
     According to the embodiment of FIG. 6 a system  30 ′ is provided which, other than the exceptions noted below, has identical components which are given the same reference numerals. Although the system  30 ′ includes two guide members  32  and  34  that are identical to the guide members of the present invention, there is no air hose  38  and no air is introduced into the members  32   a  and  34   a  to expand the members  32   b  and  34   b,  respectively. 
     Rather, a bracket  60  is mounted to a side wall of the cabinet  20  opposite the wall through which the opening extends, in any conventional manner, and a reel  62  is rotatably mounted to the bracket  60 , also in any conventional manner. One end of a cord  64  is connected to the reel  62 , some of the cord is wrapped around the reel  62 , and other end of the cord is connected to the end cap  36   a.  The reel  62  is spring loaded and, as such, exerts an upwardly directed tension on the cord  64  which, in turn, exerts a upwardly-directed pulling force on the pulley  40 . Since the reel  62  is conventional, it will not be described in any further detail. 
     As in the previous embodiment, when the nozzle  26  is not in use it rests in the boot  28  and the system  30 ′ is an a rest position as shown in FIG. 2 with the reel  62  exerting an upwardly directed force on the pulley  40 , via the cord  64 . The operation of the system  30 ′ is initiated when a customer or attendant grabs the nozzle  26  and pulls the hose  24  towards a vehicle parked adjacent the dispenser unit  10 . This pulls the pulley  42  upwardly in a vertical direction in the housing  20  and causes the guides  32  and  34  to retract to reduce their respective lengths until the pulley  42  reaches a position just below the opening  20   a  in the cabinet  20  as in the previous embodiment. During this movement, a length of the hose  24  is pulled through the opening  20   a  to allow the nozzle to be moved to, or at least towards, the vehicle. 
     If an additional length of the hose  24  is needed by the customer or operator to reach the vehicle, the hose is pulled further which cause the guide members  32  and  34  to retract further and the pulley  40  to move downwardly against the force applied by the reel  62 , until it reaches the same position as shown in FIG. 5 in connection with the previous embodiment. During this latter movement, the pulley  42  establishes a fulcrum point and the guides  32  and  34  in effect, act as pivotal lever arms. This movement enables an additional length of the hose  24  to be pulled through the opening  20   a  to allow the nozzle  26  to be moved to the vehicle. 
     After refueling of the vehicle is complete and the customer relaxes the tension on the hose  24  prior to returning the nozzle  26  to the boot  28 , the pulley  42  moves downwardly in a vertical direction, by gravity and the spring tension provided by the reel  62  forces the pulley  40  upwardly to extend the members  32 b and  34 a relative to the members  32   a  and  34   a.  This, in turn, forces the pulley  42  downwardly and the spring tension on the reel  62  is calibrated so that the pulleys  40  and  42  come to the rest position of FIG.  2 . This movement takes up the amount of hose  24  that was previously withdrawn from the cabinet  20 , as described above2. A 
     Therefore, the embodiment of FIG. 6 enjoys the same advantages as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. 
     It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, only one set of telescoping members can be provided rather than the two sets described in the example above. Also, spatial references, such as “upper”, “lower”, “side”, “vertical”, “upward”, “downward”, etc. are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the specific orientation or location of the structure described above. 
     Since other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.