Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Field of the invention:
[0001] The present invention relates to a system for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle.

Background of the invention:
[0002] IN 2019031364 AA describes a fueling method which comprises the steps of dispensing an initial quantity of fuel to a fuel tank, waiting for a predetermined settling period for the fuel dispensed to the fuel tank to homogenize and settle, after the predetermined settling period has elapsed, taking a fuel quantity reading using a fuel gauge associated with the fuel tank, calculating a differential volume of fuel between the fuel gauge reading and a desired final fuel quantity, and dispensing to the fuel tank a volume of fuel substantially equivalent to the differential volume using a dispensing apparatus including a fuel volume meter.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings:
[0003] An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings:
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle.

Detailed description of the embodiments:
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system 100 for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle. The system 100 comprises a smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 in flow communication with an inlet 120 of a fuel tank and adapted to receive fuel therein from the inlet 120 of the fuel tank. The smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 comprises a fuel inlet flow path 130, a fuel outlet flow path 140, and a calibrated storage chamber 150 in flow communication with the fuel inlet flow path 130 and the fuel outlet flow path 140 respectively. The calibrated storage chamber 150 is adapted to receive a calibrated quantity of fuel from the inlet 120 of a fuel tank via the fuel inlet flow path 130 and discharge fuel to the fuel outlet flow path 140. A valve assembly 155 comprises a first valve 160 and a second valve 165 that are coupled to one another. The valve assembly 155 is adapted reciprocate within the calibrated storage chamber 150 to facilitate controlling a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150. A spring member 170 is positioned within the calibrated storage chamber 150. A first end 175 of the spring member 170 is positioned against an end of the calibrated storage chamber 150. An opposite second end 180 of the spring member 170 is positioned against an end of the first valve 160 to facilitate restoring the valve assembly 155 to its original position.

[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system 100 for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle. The system 100 for analyzing the quantity of fuel that is supplied to the fuel tank of the vehicle comprises a smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 in flow communication with an inlet 120 of a fuel tank and adapted to receive fuel therein from the inlet 120 of the fuel tank. More specifically, the fuel that is injected from a fuel gun of a fuel pump is supplied to the smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 via the fuel tank of the vehicle. The smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 comprises a fuel inlet flow path 130 that is in flow communication with the inlet 120 of a fuel tank and receives fuel from the inlet 120 of the fuel tank. The smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 comprises a fuel outlet flow path 140 that is in flow communication with the fuel inlet flow path 130 and discharges fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, a calibrated storage chamber 150 is in flow communication with the fuel inlet flow path 130 as well as the fuel outlet flow path 140 and receives fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130. Therein, the fuel that is received by the calibrated storage chamber 150 from the fuel inlet flow path 130 is discharged to the fuel outlet flow path 140. More specifically, the calibrated storage chamber 150 is adapted to receive a calibrated quantity of fuel from the inlet 120 of a fuel tank via the fuel inlet flow path 130. Therein, the fuel that is received within the calibrated storage chamber 150 is discharged to the fuel outlet flow path 140.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, a valve assembly 155 comprises a first valve 160 and a second valve 165 that are coupled to one another and constitute an integral assembly. The valve assembly 155 is adapted to reciprocate within the calibrated storage chamber 150 to facilitate controlling a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150. In its equilibrium position, the second valve 165 is positioned on the fuel outlet flow path 140 and prevents the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 and through the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150. In an exemplary embodiment, a spring member 170 is positioned within the calibrated storage chamber 150. A first end 175 of the spring member 170 is positioned against an end of the calibrated storage chamber 150. An opposite second end 180 of the spring member 170 is positioned against an end of the first valve 160 to facilitate restoring the valve assembly 155 to its original position where the first valve 160 closes the fuel outlet flow path 140 after the first valve 160 translates from its equilibrium position to where the first valve 160 opens the fuel outlet flow path 140 against a resistive force of its spring member 170.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the first valve 160 is positioned against the fuel outlet flow path 140. Therefore, the closure of the fuel outlet flow path 140 by means of the first valve 160 facilitates a calibrated quantity of fuel to be channeled from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the calibrated storage chamber 150 and be filled within the calibrated storage chamber 150. Once the calibrated storage chamber 150 is completely filled with fuel that is channeled from the fuel inlet flow path 130, the engine control unit 177 determines if the calibrated storage chamber 150 is filled with fuel. Once the engine control unit 177 determines that the calibrated storage chamber 150 is completely filled with fuel, the engine control unit 177 transmits a signal to the valve actuator 125 to actuate the first valve 160 thereby opening the fuel outlet flow path 140. Therein, the valve actuator 125 actuates the first valve 160 such that the first valve 160 is adapted to be displaced away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against a resistive force of its spring member 170. More specifically, the valve actuator 125 actuates the first valve 160 such that the first valve 160 is adapted to be displaced away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against a resistive force of its spring member 170 when the calibrated quantity of fuel in the calibrated storage chamber 150 is equal to a calibrated quantity of fuel that is delivered from a fuel pump of a fuel filling station. If the quantity of fuel in the calibrated storage chamber 150 is less than the calibrated quantity of fuel that is delivered from a fuel pump of a fuel filling station or if the calibrated storage chamber 150 is partially filled with fuel, the valve actuator 125 does not actuate the first valve 160 to be displaced away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against the resistive force of its spring member 170 thereby sealing the fuel outlet flow path 140 completely.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, after the valve actuator 125 actuates the first valve 160 such that the first valve 160 is adapted to be displaced away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against a resistive force of its spring member 170, the first valve 160 is adapted to be displaced towards the fuel outlet flow path 140 due to a restoring force of its spring member 170. The displacement of the first valve 160 towards the fuel outlet flow path 140 due to the restoring force of its spring member 170 closes the fuel outlet flow path 140 and prevents further fuel from flowing from the calibrated storage chamber 150 through the fuel outlet flow path 140 after the required quantity of fuel is delivered from the fuel pump to the calibrated storage chamber 150. Therefore, if the dispensed quantity of fuel as per the fuel that is indicated to be delivered from the fuel gauge of the fuel filling station to the calibrated storage chamber 150 does not equal the quantity of fuel that is actually filled in the calibrated storage chamber 150, the valve actuator 125 does not actuate the first valve 160 to be displaced away from the fue0l outlet flow path 140 against the resistive force of its spring member 170 thereby sealing the fuel outlet flow path 140 completely.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, a valve actuator 125 is coupled to the valve assembly 155. More specifically, the valve actuator 125 is adapted to actuate the valve assembly 155 and reciprocate the valve assembly 155 within the calibrated storage chamber 150. The displacement of the valve assembly 155 away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against the resistive force of its spring member 170 opens the fuel outlet flow path 140, thereby permitting the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150. Similarly, the displacement of the valve assembly 155 towards the fuel outlet flow path 140 due to the restoring force of its spring member 170 closes the fuel outlet flow path 140, thereby preventing the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150. Therefore, the actuation of the valve assembly 155 within the calibrated storage chamber 150 facilitates controlling the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, an engine control unit 177 is in electronic communication with the valve actuator 125. The engine control unit 177 is adapted to transmit a signal to the valve actuator 125 to actuate the valve assembly 155 to facilitate reciprocating the valve assembly 155 within the calibrated storage chamber 150 thereby controlling the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path 130 to the fuel outlet flow path 140 via the calibrated storage chamber 150 respectively. An ASIC 179 is in electronic communication with the engine control unit 177, the ASIC 179 adapted to transmit a trigger signal to the engine control unit 177 that is indicative of a quantity of fuel that exists within the calibrated storage chamber 150. In an exemplary embodiment, a fuel level sensor 163 is in electronic communication with the ASIC 179 and determines a quantity of fuel that is present within the smart fuel quantity analyzer 110. More specifically, the fuel level sensor 163 is adapted to transmit a trigger signal to the ASIC 179 when the calibrated quantity of fuel that is present within the calibrated storage chamber 150 has been attained within the calibrated storage chamber 150. If the calibrated storage chamber 150 is partially fuel, there is no trigger signal that will be transmitted from the fuel level sensor 163 to the ASIC 179 that is indicative that the calibrated storage chamber 150 is filled to capacity.

[0012] A working of the smart fuel quantity analyzer 110 is described as an example. When a regulated quantity of fuel is delivered from a fuel pump of a fuel filling station, the fuel is supplied to the calibrated storage chamber 150. During this period, the first valve 160 is positioned against the fuel outlet flow path 140 thereby preventing the fuel that flows into the calibrated storage chamber 150 from the fuel pump from being delivered through the fuel outlet flow path 140. After the regulated quantity of fuel is delivered from the fuel pump of the fuel filling station to the calibrated storage chamber 150, the fuel level sensor 163 senses if the quantity of fuel that is depicted to be delivered from the fuel pump via a fuel gauge of the fuel filling station is equal to an actual quantity of fuel that is received within the calibrated storage chamber 150. An electronic signal depicting the actual quantity of fuel that is present in the calibrated storage chamber 150 is transmitted from the fuel level sensor 163 to the ASIC 179. The ASIC 179 therein determines the actual quantity of fuel that is received within the calibrated storage chamber 150 from the electronic signal that is received from the fuel level sensor 163. The ASIC 179 therein transmits an electronic signal to the ECU 177 that is indicative of the actual quantity of the fuel that is present in the calibrated storage chamber 150. If the ECU 177 determines that the actual quantity of the fuel that is present in the calibrated storage chamber 150 is lesser than the quantity of fuel that is depicted to be delivered from the fuel pump via the fuel gauge of the fuel filling station, the ECU 177 does not transmit any signal to the valve actuator 125 to actuate the first valve 160 away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against the resistive force of its spring member 170. However, if the ECU 177 determines that the actual quantity of the fuel that is present in the calibrated storage chamber 150 is equal to or greater than the quantity of fuel that is depicted to be delivered from the fuel pump via the fuel gauge of the fuel filling station, the ECU 177 transmits a signal to the valve actuator 125 to actuate the first valve 160 away from the fuel outlet flow path 140 against the resistive force of its spring member 170. The fuel from the calibrated storage chamber 150 is now permitted to flow into the fuel tank of the vehicle, and the process continues until the require quantity of fuel is delivered from the fuel pump of the fuel filling station to the fuel tank of the vehicle. After the required quantity of fuel is delivered from the fuel pump of the fuel filling station to the fuel tank of the vehicle, the actuation of the valve assembly 155 by the ECU 177 is terminated. The termination of actuation of the valve assembly 155 by the ECU 177 causes the first valve 160 to be displaced towards the fuel outlet flow path 140 due to the restoring force of its spring member 170. The first valve 160 is therein positioned on the fuel outlet flow path 140 thereby preventing any further flow of fuel from the calibrated storage chamber 150 to the fuel tank via the fuel outlet supply path 140.

[0013] It should be understood that the embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.

, Claims:We claim:

1. A system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle, the system (100) comprising:
a smart fuel quantity analyzer (110) in flow communication with an inlet (120) of a fuel tank and adapted to receive fuel therein from the inlet (120) of the fuel tank, the smart fuel quantity analyzer (110) comprising:
a fuel inlet flow path (130), a fuel outlet flow path (140), and a calibrated storage chamber (150) in flow communication with the fuel inlet flow path (130) and the fuel outlet flow path (140), the calibrated storage chamber (150) adapted to receive a calibrated quantity of fuel from the inlet (120) of said fuel tank via the fuel inlet flow path (130) and discharge fuel to the fuel outlet flow path (140);
a valve assembly (155) comprising a first valve (160) and a second valve (165) that are coupled to one another, said valve assembly (155) adapted reciprocate within the calibrated storage chamber (150) to facilitate controlling a flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path (130) to the fuel outlet flow path (140) via the calibrated storage chamber (150); and
a spring member (170) positioned within the calibrated storage chamber (150), a first end (175) of the spring member (170) positioned against an end of the calibrated storage chamber (150), an opposite second end (180) of the spring member (170) positioned against an end of the second valve (165) to facilitate restoring the valve assembly (155) to its original position.

2. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 1, wherein said first valve (160) is positioned against the fuel outlet flow path (140) thereby closing the fuel outlet flow path (140) to facilitate a calibrated quantity of fuel to be channeled from the fuel inlet flow path (130) to the calibrated storage chamber (150).

3. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 2, wherein said first valve (160) is adapted to be displaced away from the fuel outlet flow path (140) against a resistive force of said spring member (170) when the calibrated quantity of fuel in said calibrated storage chamber (150) is equal to a calibrated quantity of fuel that is delivered from a fuel pump of a fuel filling station.

4. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 3, wherein said first valve (160) is adapted to be displaced towards the fuel outlet flow path (140) due to a restoring force of said spring member (170) thereby closing the fuel outlet flow path (140) and preventing further fuel from flowing from the calibrated storage chamber (150) to the fuel outlet flow path (140) after a required quantity of fuel is delivered from said fuel pump to the calibrated storage chamber (150).

5. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 4, further comprising a valve actuator (125) coupled to said valve assembly (155) and adapted to reciprocate said valve assembly (155) within the calibrated storage chamber (150) to facilitate controlling the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path (130) to the fuel outlet flow path (140) via the calibrated storage chamber (150).

6. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 5, further comprising an engine control unit (177) in electronic communication with said valve actuator (125), the engine control unit (177) adapted to transmit a signal to said valve actuator (125) to actuate said valve assembly (155) to facilitate reciprocating said valve assembly (155) within the calibrated storage chamber (150) to facilitate controlling the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet flow path (130) to the fuel outlet flow path (140) via the calibrated storage chamber (150).

7. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 6, further comprising an ASIC (179) in electronic communication with the engine control unit (177), the ASIC (179) adapted to transmit a trigger signal to the engine control unit (177) that is indicative of a quantity of fuel that exists within the calibrated storage chamber (150).

8. The system (100) for analyzing a quantity of fuel that is supplied to a fuel tank of a vehicle in accordance with Claim 7, further comprising a fuel level sensor (163) in electronic communication with the ASIC (179), said fuel level sensor (163) adapted to transmit a trigger signal to the ASIC (179) when the calibrated quantity of fuel in the calibrated storage chamber (150) is attained within the calibrated storage chamber (150).