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WO2004011364A1 - Appareil de distribution de petrole/gaz - Google Patents

Appareil de distribution de petrole/gaz Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2004011364A1
WO2004011364A1 PCT/GB2003/003368 GB0303368W WO2004011364A1 WO 2004011364 A1 WO2004011364 A1 WO 2004011364A1 GB 0303368 W GB0303368 W GB 0303368W WO 2004011364 A1 WO2004011364 A1 WO 2004011364A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
customer
oil
gas
dispensing
customer terminal
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2003/003368
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Malachy Molloy
Original Assignee
Malachy Molloy
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Malachy Molloy filed Critical Malachy Molloy
Priority to AU2003255746A priority Critical patent/AU2003255746A1/en
Publication of WO2004011364A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004011364A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
    • B67D7/06—Details or accessories
    • B67D7/08—Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred
    • B67D7/30—Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred with means for predetermining quantity of liquid to be transferred
    • B67D7/305—Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred with means for predetermining quantity of liquid to be transferred in function of money to be spent therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
    • B67D7/06—Details or accessories
    • B67D7/32—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
    • B67D7/34—Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
    • B67D7/344—Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid by checking a correct coupling or coded information
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F13/00—Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs
    • G07F13/02—Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs by volume
    • G07F13/025—Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs by volume wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing combustible fluids to domestic users and in particular to an apparatus for dispensing oil/gas.
  • oil fired systems the oil is stored adjacent to residential dwellings in tanks ranging in size from approximately nine hundred litres to two thousand three hundred litres. These tanks are periodically filled from larger tanks which are transported on various customised vehicles. Bulk delivery of oil involves a substantial cost to the end user and this cost can fluctuate considerably in response to the fluctuation of oil prices around the world.
  • the oil delivery companies find that a great deal of expense is incurred in an effort to recover payment for the delivered oil as a consequence of the financial burden placed on customers by the bulk delivery system. This generally involves the oil supplier's account manager calling a number of times with the customers who are experiencing financial difficulties.
  • Gas heating systems are effected by directly piping centrally stored gas to the household of customers who are metered and invoiced for their gas consumption on a periodic basis.
  • This system has the same fundamental problem associated with the bulk delivery of oil, namely financial burden due to one off billing for high volumes of gas resulting in difficulty for the gas supplier in recovering funds owed.
  • the present invention provides an apparatus for dispensing combustible fluids such as oil/gas to customers comprising a main storage tank and at least one customer's tank In fluid communication via pipes extending therebetween, a dispensing means mounted intermediate the main storage tank and the customer's tank and a customer terminal in operable communication with the dispensing means, the customer terminal being operable on receipt of required customer information to activate the dispensing means to deliver a quantity of oil/gas to the customer's tank.
  • the required customer information may include customer's identification, quantities of oil/gas to be purchased and the payment method therefor.
  • the customer terminal comprises input means and a microcontroller in communication therewith for receiving information from the input means and transmitting information back to the input means
  • the input means has identification means selected from a group consisting of a magnetic-stripe card reader and a chip and pin card reader.
  • the input means further comprises a keypad and a visual display unit
  • the input means further comprises a coin/note receiving and reading device.
  • the microcontroller has a control program stored thereon for providing output signals in response to information received from the input means.
  • the control program transmits information to the V.D.U. in response to receiving information from the input means.
  • the main storage tank is connected to a plurality of customers' tanks by a network of underground pipes extending between the main storage tank and customers' tanks.
  • the dispensing means comprises a pump and a plurality of valves located in the pipes.
  • the pump is located on an outlet from the main storage tank.
  • a valve is located at or adjacent each customer's tank.
  • the pump and valves are controllable by the microcontroller.
  • the pump and valves are operable via the control program stored on the microcontroller in response to customer identification and confirmation of payment being received by the program.
  • the microcontroller is in communication with a secondary control system which is configured to monitor and dispense fuel.
  • a single customer terminal is provided for a plurality of dwellings.
  • a customer terminal is provided in each dwelling.
  • the apparatus comprises a card carrying encoded information including identity of a customer, their address and a personal identification number (P.I.N.) associated with the card for accessing the customer terminal.
  • P.I.N. personal identification number
  • the encoded information also includes electronic funds pre-paid onto the card.
  • the or each customers' tanks and the main tank have monitoring means such as sensors preventing inadvertent overfilling or emptying of the tanks.
  • the apparatus includes a remotely monitorable security system which alerts a system operator in the event that anyone interferes with the tanks, the dispensing means the pipes or the or each customer terminal.
  • a method of dispensing oil/gas from the apparatus comprising the steps of receiving and validating identification means from a customer, receiving a purchase order from a customer including mode of payment, validating payment and dispensing the paid-for volume of oil/gas to the identified customer.
  • the customer terminal is in electrical communication with the dispensing means.
  • the main storage tank is located underground in the locality of the customers' tank.
  • the main storage tank is capable of holding between fifty and seventy thousand litres of oil.
  • the volume of the main storage tank is dependent upon the number of dwellings it serves.
  • the information transmitted to the V.D.U. by the microcontroller is in the form of menus such as mode of payment or quantity of oil/gas required from which a selction is made.
  • the customer's tanks are located in a secure area and may be underground or overground.
  • valves are accessible for maintenance.
  • the customer terminal is provided in a form similar to currently available cash dispensing machines and is located in a housing/apartment development to serve a predetermined number of dwellings.
  • the customer terminal is in a secure building adjacent to the main storage tank.
  • a single card can be used in order to gain entry to the building and to operate the customer terminal.
  • the respective customer terminal may be accessed remotely by a customer via the Internet.
  • the customer can access the customer terminal by logging on to an associated website and inputting security details.
  • details of the amount of oil/gas and credit card/debit card details may be inserted.
  • the oil/gas supplier provides a website for the public to access via modem/broadband/ISDN connections and the microcontroller of the customer terminal administers the oil/gas supplier's website.
  • a separate microcontroller in communication with the microcontroller of the customer terminal administers the oil/gas supplier's website.
  • the present invention also provides a method of dispensing oil/gas from the apparatus described above comprising the steps oft- receiving and validating identity information from a customer; receiving a purchase order from a customer including mode of payment; validating payment; and dispensing the paid-for volume of oil/gas to the identified customer.
  • the method includes the steps of a customer inserting identify information, such as a card carrying a magnetic stripe into a magnetic stripe reading device, the customer inserting a P.I.N. number and inputting the amount of oil/gas needed and selecting proceed once the transaction is approved.
  • identify information such as a card carrying a magnetic stripe into a magnetic stripe reading device
  • P.I.N. number the customer inserting a P.I.N. number and inputting the amount of oil/gas needed and selecting proceed once the transaction is approved.
  • the magnetic stripe on the card includes information in relation to the balance of the customer's account with the card issuing authority.
  • the method comprises the steps of inserting the card and P.I.N. number identifying the customer and using a coin/note receiving and reading device for entering payment for the amount of oil/gas requested.
  • the method comprises the steps of inserting the card and P.I.N. number identifying the customer, the customer selecting payment via credit card from a menu on a V.D.U., the magnetic-stripe reader being used to read a credit card swiped therethrough, whereby the control programme on the controller transmits the information on the credit card to the relevant banking authority via a modem or some similar connection in order to check the credit facility as a valid mode of payment for the oil/gas and in response to receiving authorisation and dispensing the oil/gas.
  • the identification means is also capable of reading chip and pin cards, commonly referred to as smart cards.
  • the cards are prepaid cards and the control program is capable of debiting the cost of the fuel ordered and dispensed as part of the transaction.
  • the storage tank, the or each customer's tank and the valves have status indicators which are monitored by the control program.
  • EFTPOS Electronic Funds Transfer Point of Sale
  • a communication method to obtain authorisation of payment is selected from a group comprising PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), Paknet (Vodafone Radio Data Network), leased line (x25) and BT Dial Plus.
  • PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
  • ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
  • Paknet Voice over IP
  • leased line x25
  • BT Dial Plus BT Dial Plus
  • the microcontroller of the customer terminal is in communication with a secondary control system for controlling and monitoring fuel distribution.
  • the secondary control system is capable of activiating the pump and valves in response to a signal from the microcontroller.
  • the microcontroller only signals the secondary control system to dispense fuel when customer and payment validation and authorisation have been received by the microcontroller.
  • the secondary control system utilises Programmable Logic Control (P.L.C.) technology.
  • P.L.C. Programmable Logic Control
  • the secondary control system utilises Personal Computer (P.O.) technology.
  • P.O. Personal Computer
  • the secondary control system comprises a plurality of sensors/indicators located in any one of or any combination of the tanks, pipes, pump and valves of the apparatus and the secondary control system has means for monitoring these devices in order to determine their status.
  • the secondary control system comprises shut-off valves located in the apparatus which are activatable in response to a fuel leak or damage to any part of the apparatus.
  • flow meters are disposed in one or any combination of the main tank, the or each customer's tank and the pipes.
  • the identification means is capable of reading cards of the type incorporating biometric sensors.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises a main storage tank 2 in the locality of a number of customers' tanks 3 being connected by a network of pipes 4 extending therebetween.
  • a customer terminal 5 is in operable communication with dispensing apparatus comprising a pump 6 and a plurality of valves 7.
  • One valve 7 is located adjacent to each customer's tank 3. Further valves 7 are provided within the network of underground pipes at strategic locations such as T-joints.
  • the customer terminal 5 has input apparatus including a magnetic tape reader 8, a keypad 9 and a V.D.U. 10 in communication with a microcontroller 12.
  • Each customer terminal 5 also has a coin/note receiving and reading apparatus 11 also in communication with the microcontroller 12.
  • the customer terminal 5 has a two-way communication channel 14 for transmitting and receiving electrical signals via a modem 15 or some similar interface device.
  • a remote user may access the customer terminal 5 using a remote workstation 16 in electrical communication with the modem 15.
  • a customer swipes a card carrying a magnetic strip through magnetic tape reader 8 and the microcontroller 12 requests a P.I.N. number via a V.D.U. 10 in response to receiving information from the magnetic strip.
  • the customer enters their P.I.N. number and the microcontroller 12 validates the P.I.N. number.
  • the microcontroller 12 presents the customer with a number of menus via the V.D.U.
  • the microcontroller 12 confirms that the method of payment is valid and subsequently signals the pump 6 and the relevant valves 7 in order to pump the oil/gas to the identified customer via the network of pipes 4.
  • the microcontoller 12 When a customer selects payment via cash the microcontoller 12 sends information to the V.D.U. 10 requesting the customer to insert notes/coins into the reading apparatus 11 for receiving coins and notes. If a customer selects payment via a credit card, the microcontroller 12 sends information to the V.D.U. 10 requesting the customer to swipe their credit card through the magnetic tape reader 8. The microcontroller 12 transmits the information received from the credit card via a modem 15 to the relevant banking authority to confirm sufficient credit is available to proceed prior to signalling the pump 6 and valves 7 to deliver oil/gas.
  • the microcontroller 12 turns on the pump and opens a sequence of valves 7 allowing oil/gas to flow from the main storage tank 2 to the identified customer's tank 3.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mathematical Physics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Loading And Unloading Of Fuel Tanks Or Ships (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un appareil (1) conçu pour distribuer des fluides combustibles tels que du pétrole/gaz à des utilisateurs. Cet appareil comprend un réservoir de stockage principal (2) et au moins un réservoir de client (3) qui sont en communication fluidique par l'intermédiaire de conduites (4) situées entre eux. Un système de distribution (6, 7) est monté entre le réservoir de stockage principal (2) et le réservoir de client (3) et un terminal client (5) est en communication fonctionnelle avec ce système de distribution (6, 7). Ce terminal client (5) entre en fonctionnement dès réception d'informations nécessaires pour activer le système de distribution (6, 7) afin de distribuer une certaine quantité de pétrole/gaz au réservoir de client (3).
PCT/GB2003/003368 2002-07-30 2003-07-30 Appareil de distribution de petrole/gaz WO2004011364A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2003255746A AU2003255746A1 (en) 2002-07-30 2003-07-30 Apparatus for dispensing oil/gas

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0217585.9 2002-07-30
GB0217585A GB0217585D0 (en) 2002-07-30 2002-07-30 Apparatus for dispensing oil

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004011364A1 true WO2004011364A1 (fr) 2004-02-05

Family

ID=9941339

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2003/003368 WO2004011364A1 (fr) 2002-07-30 2003-07-30 Appareil de distribution de petrole/gaz

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2003255746A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB0217585D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2004011364A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE202012105033U1 (de) * 2012-12-21 2014-03-31 AHE GmbH & Co. KG Vorrichtung zur Authentifizierung von Personen an einer Befüllstelle, insbesondere der Zapfsäule einer Tankstelle
EP3395755A1 (fr) * 2017-04-24 2018-10-31 Brenntag UK Limited Procédé et appareil de distribution de fluides
CN109074241A (zh) * 2016-03-21 2018-12-21 恩威罗菲特国际股份有限公司 液化石油气供应方法及系统

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3931497A (en) * 1973-10-19 1976-01-06 Docutel Corporation Automated fuel dispenser
US4777354A (en) * 1986-01-27 1988-10-11 Barry Thomas System for controlling the supply of utility services to consumers
WO1996003721A1 (fr) * 1994-07-27 1996-02-08 Magyar Gázméro^' Technika Kft. Appareil doseur et distributeur de gaz
GB2313945A (en) * 1996-05-10 1997-12-10 Schlumberger Ind Ltd Fluid flow control device

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3931497A (en) * 1973-10-19 1976-01-06 Docutel Corporation Automated fuel dispenser
US4777354A (en) * 1986-01-27 1988-10-11 Barry Thomas System for controlling the supply of utility services to consumers
WO1996003721A1 (fr) * 1994-07-27 1996-02-08 Magyar Gázméro^' Technika Kft. Appareil doseur et distributeur de gaz
GB2313945A (en) * 1996-05-10 1997-12-10 Schlumberger Ind Ltd Fluid flow control device

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE202012105033U1 (de) * 2012-12-21 2014-03-31 AHE GmbH & Co. KG Vorrichtung zur Authentifizierung von Personen an einer Befüllstelle, insbesondere der Zapfsäule einer Tankstelle
WO2014094739A1 (fr) 2012-12-21 2014-06-26 AHE GmbH & Co. KG Dispositif pour authentifier des personnes à une station de remplissage, en particulier à la pompe à essence d'une station-service
CN109074241A (zh) * 2016-03-21 2018-12-21 恩威罗菲特国际股份有限公司 液化石油气供应方法及系统
EP3395755A1 (fr) * 2017-04-24 2018-10-31 Brenntag UK Limited Procédé et appareil de distribution de fluides

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2003255746A1 (en) 2004-02-16
GB0217585D0 (en) 2002-09-11

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