Apparatus for the automatic fuelling of automotive vehicle

Claim 1

Apparatus for the automatic fueling of automotive vehicles, said apparatus comprising: a robot, a fueling nozzle carried by the robot, sensing and steering means operative to control movement of the robot and to move the fueling nozzle automatically from a rest position to a position adjacent a fuel inlet on a vehicle subsequent to said vehicle having been positioned in a predetermined position relative to said robot, a vehicle fuel inlet including a receiving plate having a hole into which the fueling nozzle can be inserted and including a fuel pipe, a pipe connector extending between said hole and the fuel pipe, and an aperture positioned between the receiving plate and the fuel pipe, the aperture including a normally closed, spring biased closure device that can be opened by pressing against the closure device to overcome the spring force, said robot communicating with a source of fuel to deliver fuel through the fueling nozzle down into the fuel pipe and therewith into the vehicle fuel-tank after connection between the fueling nozzle and the fuel inlet has been established, wherein the fueling nozzle includes a rigid, first tubular element movable by the robot towards the hole in the receiving plate, a flexible second tube displaceably arranged within the said rigid, first tubular element from a first terminal position in which an outer free end of the second tube is located within the first tubular element to a second terminal position in which the second tube projects from the first tubular element a distance such that said free end of the second tube is located slightly outwards of a free end of said first tubular element; and wherein the free end of the first tubular element is movable by the robot into position immediately adjacent the hole of said receiving plate and wherein the free end of the second tube is movable out of the first tubular element and into said pipe connector to communicate with the fuel tank of said vehicle, and to deliver fuel through the second tube and into the vehicle fuel tank; and wherein said robot is operable to withdraw said second tube from the fuel inlet upon completion of a fueling operation.