Volume And Price Patents (Class 235/94A)
-
Patent number: 6119110Abstract: Measuring device, particularly for fuel pumps in service stations, comprising a pulser equipped with a microprocessor unit and an electronic head equipped with a microprocessor unit, in which device the pulser and the electronic head are connected and mutually communicate information and data correlated to the supply; the information and the data are encrypted by means of an algorithm loaded in said microprocessor units and are sent to the electronic head from the pulser together with the measurement values of each supply, in order to allow the verification and the validation of the transmitted data.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1997Date of Patent: September 12, 2000Assignee: Logitron S.R.L.Inventor: Giovanni Carapelli
-
Patent number: 5731981Abstract: The system controls the dispensing of beverages in a bar. The system has individual manually actuated beverage dispensers equipped with electrically controlled flow valve devices which meter and dispense variable amounts of beverages upon command by a user. The system is provided with a key pad offering a selection of beverage mixes. A control device is connected to the beverage dispensers and the key pad for recording use of the beverage dispensers by the user, and for causing the flow valve devices of the dispensers used to make up a beverage mix selected on the key pad to dispense the amounts of beverage prescribed for the selected beverage mix. The controller provides for a controlled use of the beverage dispensers for preparing a beverage mix selected on the key pad in addition to a direct manual use of the beverage dispensers by the user.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1992Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Azbar, Inc.Inventor: Gilbert Simard
-
Patent number: 5602745Abstract: A fuel dispenser for installation in a service station equipped with a dispenser control console includes a housing, a pump to pump fuel through the housing, a fuel flow meter in the housing, a switch actuable to indicate fuel is to be pumped through the housing, a display on the housing to display the amount of fuel pumped through the housing, and a dispenser control. The dispenser control includes a plurality of microcontroller nodes and a communications bus connecting the microcontroller nodes. A first node is associated with the switch, pump and fuel flow meter, a second node is associated with the display, and a third node is associated with a data link to the dispenser control console.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1995Date of Patent: February 11, 1997Assignee: Gilbarco Inc.Inventors: Hans B. Atchley, John J. Ronchetti, Sr.
-
Patent number: 5557084Abstract: An apparatus the dispensing a liquid fuel and measuring the amount dispensed according to a temperature-corrected volumetric measure includes a housing having a fuel-handling compartment and an electronics compartment and a barrier between the fuel handling compartment and the electronics compartment, a plurality of fuel passageways through the fuel-handling compartment, each passageway having a flow meter to measure the volume of fuel flowing through the passageway and a thermometric probe adapted to read the temperature of fuel flowing through the passageway, each of the meters being connected by a first electrical circuit to pass an electrical signal representative of the volumetric flow through its respective passageway onto the first circuit, each of the probes being connected by a second electric circuit to pass an electrical signal representative of the temperature of the probe onto the second circuit, the second circuit having one intrinsically safe passage through the barrier, and electronics in theType: GrantFiled: July 22, 1994Date of Patent: September 17, 1996Assignee: Gilbarco Inc.Inventors: Howard M. Myers, Charles W. VonCannon
-
Patent number: 5125533Abstract: The present invention is a variable blending dispenser for fluids, particularly for fuel dispensers. The dispenser controls variable valves according to volumetric data observed by flow meters on input lines to the dispenser, by calculating measuring error as the difference between desired blend ratio and the observed blend ratio calculated from volumes of blend components dispensed. The dispenser successively corrects the settings of the valves after dispensing predetermined volumes, the corrections determined by a volume based PID error function so that the total amount of each blend component is separately and accurately measured while providing the desired blend ratio.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1991Date of Patent: June 30, 1992Assignee: Tokheim CorporationInventors: Donald K. Gayer, Ronald H. Barbee
-
Patent number: 5038971Abstract: The present invention is a variable blending dispenser for fluids, particularly for fuel dispensers. The dispenser controls variable valves according to volumetric data observed by flow meters on input lines to the dispenser, by calculating measuring error as the difference between desired blend ratio and the observed blend ratio calculated from volumes of blend components dispensed. The dispenser successively corrects the settings of the valves after dispensing predetermined volumes, the corrections determined by a volume based PID error function so that the total amount of each blend component is separately and accurately measured while providing the desired blend ratio.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1989Date of Patent: August 13, 1991Assignee: Tokheim CorporationInventors: Donald K. Gayer, Ronald H. Barbee
-
Patent number: 4978029Abstract: A dispenser for delivering different grades of gasoline through a single nozzle at each fueling position, includes a pair of hoses connected to the nozzle, one of which hoses is used for selectively delivering high octane gasoline, and the other of which hoses is for selectively delivering either low octane or mid octane gasoline through the nozzle, whereby a control system is programmed for monitoring the dispensing of low octane gasoline relative to the dispensing of mid octane gasoline, for injecting a sufficient quantity of high octane gasoline through the nozzle at the initiator of a mid octane dispensing cycle for compensating for low octane fuel remaining in the other hose from an immediately prior low octane dispensing cycle relative to a mid octane dispensing cycle.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1989Date of Patent: December 18, 1990Assignee: Gilbarco Inc.Inventors: Roger W. Furrow, Harold R. Young
-
Patent number: 4418273Abstract: A conversion mechanism for selective conversion of a conventional mechanical fuel pump computer to selectively extend the unit volume price range of the computer while maintaining the rotational speed of the right hand cost and volume counter wheels of the computer within acceptable limits and mathematical correspondence of the volume counter readout with the cost counter readout and the established unit volume price. The conversion mechanism comprises cost and volume drive ratio selector mechanisms and one or more sets of single transfer, double transfer and quadruple transfer right hand cost counter wheels and a decimal point selector mechanism for shifting the decimal point of the unit volume price setting and/or cost counter readout.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1982Date of Patent: November 29, 1983Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.Inventor: Raymond H. Devanney
-
Patent number: 4417134Abstract: A conversion mechanism for selective conversion of a conventional mechanical fuel pump computer to selectively extend the unit volume price range of the computer while maintaining the rotational speed of the right hand cost counter wheels of the computer within acceptable limits. The conversion mechanism comprises a cost drive ratio selector mechanism and one or more sets of substitute single transfer and double transfer right hand cost counter wheels and provides for selectively and successively shifting the decimal point of the unit volume price range and cost counter readout and for establishing a cost counter drive ratio for each of the substitute right hand cost counter wheels.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1982Date of Patent: November 22, 1983Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.Inventor: Ronald M. Garland
-
Patent number: 4319128Abstract: Microprocessor controlled flow metering apparatus employs mechanically coupled registers driven by a positive displacement or other flow meter to display fluid volume dispensed during a monitored transaction--and as a cumulative total over time. User adjustable electrical switch decades electrically enter computational scale factor variables such as price per gallon and tax rate.The stored program controlled microprocessor computes all desired output variables (fuel cost, tax)--and outputs the variables in predesignated fields onto a printed ticket (invoice) while controlling printer carriage movement and solenoid actuation. In accordance with varying aspects of the invention, mechanical and software security is provided to ensure proper correlation between customer fluid (e.g., fuel) receipt and billing.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1980Date of Patent: March 9, 1982Assignee: Lockheed Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: John Dow, Jr., William A. Oetting, Richard J. Yessian, Thomas J. Brady
-
Patent number: 4292506Abstract: Means for converting a fuel pump computer from a maximum unit volume price of 99 and 9/10 cents established by a conventional mechanical variator of the computer to a higher maximum unit volume price of either $1.49 and 9/10 cents or $1.99 and 9/10 cents and employing a selective adder mechanism installed in a mechanical register of the computer for manually selectively adding either $0.50 or $1.00 to a base unit volume price established by the variator.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 1979Date of Patent: September 29, 1981Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.Inventor: Raymond H. Devanney
-
Patent number: 4132887Abstract: A fuel pump register with pairs of oppositely facing volume and cost counters, conventional reset means for resetting the counter wheels to zero between fluid deliveries, the volume counters being indexed in a conventional manner for registering the volume amount of fuel delivered, and the cost counters being indexed by a pair of electrical stepping motors with one stepping motor connected for indexing the lowest order counter wheels of both cost counters and the second stepping motor connected for indexing the second lowest order cost counter wheels of both cost counters, the remaining higher order counter wheels of both cost counters being indexed via transfer pinions in a conventional manner.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1977Date of Patent: January 2, 1979Assignee: Veeder Industries Inc.Inventor: Donald W. Fleischer
-
Patent number: 4100400Abstract: Price encoder for delivering pulses corresponding to the price of gasoline or other liquid petroleum products dispensed by a pump. The encoder is removably mounted on the existing mechanical price computer in the pump and includes an input gear for engaging a drive gear on the computer. A pulse generator coupled to the input gear provides pulses at a higher rate than required for the output, and this pulse rate is reduced by a counter to provide a desired number of pulses per unit price. The counter is reset in response to the application of operating power to eliminate errors which might otherwise arise when the pump is reset.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1976Date of Patent: July 11, 1978Assignee: RF Products Corp.Inventors: John A. Callahan, Allan S. Ottenstein
-
Patent number: 4097724Abstract: An apparatus and method for vending liquid fuel of the type wherein an electrically driven pump is controllably energized in response to a counter adding a credit unit as electrically signalled by a money acceptor. The counter subtracts credit units in response to a primary dispensing switch which is operatively responsive to the dispensing of fuel. In accordance with the present invention, a fail-safe circuit is provided which is electrically connected with the counter, acceptor and primary switch and which is operable for selectively disabling the pump from delivering fuel. A secondary dispensing switch is provided which is operatively responsive to dispensing of fuel and which cooperates with the fail-safe circuit in monitoring the normal sequence of vending steps and responding to abnormality in such normal sequence of steps by precluding delivery of pumped fuel.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1977Date of Patent: June 27, 1978Assignee: Quick Fill, Inc.Inventor: Ronald E. Roberson
-
Patent number: 3965337Abstract: Draft beer monitoring apparatus in which the amount of beer dispensed is indicated in terms of the sales price, the indicator being controlled by a pair of pulsers operating at different rates associated with the dispensing of a glass or a pitcher of beer. The glass-rate pulser is actuated upon the operation of a switch when the dispensing tap is initially opened. If the tap remains open for a period of time greater than that required to fill a glass, a timer automatically actuates the pitcher-rate pulser instead of the glass-rate pulser.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1975Date of Patent: June 22, 1976Assignee: Ark, Inc.Inventor: Loring E. Young
-
Patent number: 3962568Abstract: This disclosure is directed to an attachment for a limited range gasoline pump. Many gasoline pumps are limited in price range to $9.99. The apparatus comprises an attachment wherein the number one is located on the face of the pump to extend its range to $19.99, and a flag bearing a dollar sign is placed over the number one. The flag remains in position if the sale is $9.99 or less. If that value is exceeded, the flag is moved to the left to expose the one, keeping the dollar sign correctly located. Movement is controlled by a cam attached to the rotating number wheel which displays the dollar value. This wheel is mounted on a cross shaft. The attachment cooperates with the cross shaft to respond to movement thereof to provide a reset motion when the gasoline pump is reset to zero.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1975Date of Patent: June 8, 1976Inventor: Francis M. Lathrop, II
-
Patent number: 3951307Abstract: The fuel dispensing arrangement includes a fuel dispensing nozzle, a fuel pump for pumping fuel to the fuel dispensing nozzle, an electric pump motor operative when energized by pump motor current for driving the fuel pump, a price calculator and indicator arrangement for calculating and indicating the price of the fuel pumped through the nozzle, a resetting arrangement which can be driven to effect resetting of the price calculator and indicator arrangement, and an electric control motor operative for driving the resetting arrangement. A source of electrical energy is connected to the pump motor by way of a pump motor current path for the flow of pump motor current. The operation of the control motor is controlled in dependence upon the flow of pump motor current.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 1974Date of Patent: April 20, 1976Assignee: Kienzle Apparate GmbHInventors: Felix Muller, Dietmar Hummel, Bernhard Muller