Hydrogen fueling safety indicator
One or more indicators provide an indication of fueling status of a hydrogen powered vehicle. One or more sensors detect temperature and/or other characteristics of the fuel provided to the vehicle and provide an electrical signal to one or more of the indicators to permit an indication of fueling status. The indicators, which may be visual and/or audible, may be positioned on the fueling apparatus and on the vehicle in the vicinity of a fueling receptacle. The indicators may also be positioned elsewhere on the vehicle and may be separate from the vehicle such as on or around a fueling station and/or on separate computerized devices. Certain of the visual indicators may be positioned on a fueling hose and may include electrically energized paint and an illuminated sheath.
1 . Apparatus for providing hydrogen to a vehicle, comprising:
a hose that carries hydrogen from a pump to the vehicle;
a nozzle attached to an end of the hose and adapted to removably attach to a filling receptacle on the vehicle;
a handle, attached to the nozzle and adapted to permit movement by a user of the nozzle to permit removable attachment of the nozzle to the filling receptacle on the vehicle;
one or more temperature sensors disposed on one or more of the hose, handle, and the nozzle; and
wherein the hose has disposed thereon a visual indicator, that comprises one or more light emitting diodes, responsive to the one or more temperature sensors, and that provides a first visual textual indication, comprising one or more characters, indicating flow of hydrogen through the hose to the filling receptacle on the vehicle, and that provides a second visual textual indication, comprising one or more characters, when temperature of a surface of the handle is in a range to cause thermal injury to the user.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator comprises a sheath that encloses one or more portions of the hose and that includes the one or more light emitting diodes.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator causes at least one of the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication to flash.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator causes at least one of the first and the second visual textual indication to blink.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator causes the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication to be provided in sequence.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator causes illumination of at least one of the first and the second visual textual indication to be adjusted to cause the at least one of the first and the second visual textual indication to be changed from bright to dim.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more pressure sensors disposed on one or more of the hose, handle, and the nozzle, wherein the visual indicator disposed on the hose is responsive to the one or more pressure sensors to provide a third indication to the user when pressure of hydrogen in one or more of the hose, handle and nozzle is outside of a predetermined pressure range.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first visual textual indication of flow of hydrogen through the hose to the filling receptacle on the vehicle is provided upon a determination that flow of hydrogen through the hose is within predetermined operational boundaries.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the handle has disposed thereon a second visual indicator, responsive to the one or more temperature sensors, that provides a first indication of flow of hydrogen through the hose to the filling receptacle on the vehicle, and that provides a second indication to the user when temperature of a surface of the handle is in a range to cause thermal injury to the user.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first visual textual indication comprises a first color and the second visual indication comprises a change in color to a second color.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hose provides a third visual textual indication to indicate a completion of filling of the vehicle.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a humidity sensor positioned on one or more of the hose, nozzle and handle to sense humidity and wherein the visual indicator is responsive to the humidity sensor.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 further wherein at least one of the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication is additionally received from a sensor positioned on the vehicle.
14 . Apparatus for providing electrical energy to a vehicle, comprising:
a charging hose containing one or more cables to provide electrical energy from charging station to the vehicle;
a connector attached to an end of the charging hose and adapted to removably attach to a charging receptacle on the vehicle;
a handle, attached to the connector and adapted to permit movement by a user of the connector to permit removable attachment of the connector to the charging receptacle on the vehicle;
one or more temperature sensors disposed on one or more of the charging hose, handle, and the connector; and
wherein the charging hose has disposed thereon a visual indicator that comprises one or more light emitting diodes, the visual indicator responsive to the one or more temperature sensors, the visual indicator providing a first visual textual indication, comprising one or more characters, indicating charging of the vehicle, and providing a second visual textual indication, comprising one or more characters, when temperature of a surface of the handle is in a range to cause thermal injury to the user.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the visual indicator comprises a sheath that encloses one or more portions of the hose and that includes the one or more light emitting diodes.
16 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the visual indicator causes at least one of the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication to flash.
17 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the visual indicator causes at least one of the first and the second visual textual indication to blink.
18 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the visual indicator causes the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication to be provided in sequence.
19 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the visual indicator causes illumination of at least one of the first and the second visual textual indication to be adjusted to cause the at least one of the first and the second visual textual indication to be changed from bright to dim.
20 . The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first visual textual indication of charging of the vehicle by way of the hose and connector is provided upon a determination that charging of the vehicle is within predetermined operational boundaries.
21 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:
a transmitter, responsive to the one or more temperature sensors, to provide the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication to a vehicle communication unit disposed in the vehicle.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the vehicle communication unit:
provides at least one of the first visual textual indication and the second visual textual indication to a location that is separate from the vehicle.
23 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:
an audible indicator that is responsive to the one or more temperature sensors to provide a first audible indication to the user when temperature of a surface of the handle is in a range to cause thermal injury to the user.
24 . Apparatus for providing hydrogen to a vehicle, comprising:
a hose that carries hydrogen from a pump to the vehicle;
a nozzle attached to an end of the hose and adapted to removably attach to a filling receptacle on the vehicle;
a cuff positioned adjacent to the nozzle and disposed upon an outer surface of the hose;
a handle, attached to the nozzle and adapted to permit movement by a user of the nozzle to permit removable attachment of the nozzle to the filling receptacle on the vehicle;
one or more temperature sensors disposed on one or more of the hose, handle, the nozzle and cuff; and
wherein the cuff has disposed thereon a visual indicator, that comprises one or more light emitting diodes, responsive to the one or more temperature sensors, and that provides a first visual indication, indicating flow of hydrogen through the hose to the filling receptacle on the vehicle, and that provides a second visual indication when temperature of a surface of the handle is in a range to cause thermal injury to the user.
25 . The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the cuff is rotatably mounted.
26 . The apparatus of claim 24 wherein at least one of the first visual indication and the second visual indication comprises one or more characters.