IP Library Granted Patent US 10,668,807
Granted Patent B2
US 10,668,807 · App. 16/547,751 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Compressed natural gas fueling system with integrated fill receptacle

Inventors: Trevor Milton (Santa Clara, UT); Morgan Mackelprang (Cedar City, UT); Ralph Hilton (Saint George, UT); Isaac Sloan (Saint George, UT)
Assignee: worthington industries, inc.
B60K15/07B60K15/03006B60K15/063B60R9/06F17C1/005F17C5/06F17C13/084B60K2015/03019B60K2015/0638B60Y2200/148F17C2201/0109F17C2201/035F17C2201/054F17C2205/0107F17C2205/0111F17C2205/0142F17C2205/0146F17C2221/033F17C2223/0123F17C2223/036F17C2225/0123F17C2225/036F17C2250/043F17C2270/0171
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,668,807
App. No.
16/547,751
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A compressed natural gas fueling system includes a frame arrangement with at least one tank disposed therein and an inlet that can receive a compressed natural gas fueling nozzle to fill the at least one tank. The fueling system can be attached with and supported by frame rails behind a cabin of a vehicle such that the inlet is positioned above the frame rails.

Claims (35)

1. A fuel system, comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed behind a cabin of a vehicle;

a plurality of tanks disposed within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of tanks includes front and rear mounts at opposing ends, the front and rear mounts are attached to tank supports, and the tank supports are attached between corner brackets to provide mounting structures for the plurality of tanks;

a filter and a regulator are each mounted on or within the housing, wherein the filter is configured to filter gas from the plurality of tanks, the regulator is configured to be in fluid communication with the filter; and

a fill receptacle configured to be in fluid communication with the plurality of tanks, wherein the housing is further configured to be attached with and supported by frame rails of the vehicle such that the plurality of tanks and the fill receptacle are positioned above the frame rails, and the plurality of tanks are stacked on each other such that axes of the plurality of tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rails.

2. The fuel system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more valve assemblies that are operatively associated with each of the plurality of the tanks to provide fluid access to the plurality of the tanks via a piping.

3. The fuel system of claim 2 , the one or more valve assemblies are positioned above the frame rails.

4. The fuel system of claim 2 , the one or more valve assemblies are within the housing.

5. The fuel system of claim 1 , further comprising a manifold assembly in fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of tanks.

6. The fuel system of claim 5 , the manifold assembly is configured to be mounted on or within the housing.

7. The fuel system of claim 6 , the manifold assembly is positioned above the frame rails.

8. The fuel system of claim 1 , the manifold assembly includes at least one of the fill receptacle, a high pressure gauge, a low pressure gauge, or an outlet port.

9. The fuel system of claim 8 , wherein the outlet port is in fluid communication with an engine of the vehicle.

10. The fuel system of claim 1 , the filter filters the gas in the plurality of tanks prior to delivery to an engine of the vehicle.

11. The fuel system of claim 1 , the regulator controls a portion of flow of the gas delivered to an engine of the vehicle from the plurality of tanks.

12. A fuel system, comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed behind a cabin of a vehicle;

a plurality of tanks disposed within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of tanks includes front and rear mounts at opposing ends, the front and rear mounts are attached to tank supports, and the tank supports are attached between corner brackets to provide mounting structures for the plurality of tanks;

a filter and a regulator are each mounted on or within the housing, wherein the filter is configured to filter gas from the plurality of tanks, the regulator is configured to be in fluid communication with the filter;

a low pressure gauge and a high pressure gauge are each mounted on or within the housing, wherein the low pressure gauge and the high pressure gauge indicate pressures with the fuel system; and

a fill receptacle configured to be in fluid communication with the plurality of tanks, wherein the housing is further configured to be attached with and supported by frame rails of the vehicle such that the plurality of tanks and the fill receptacle are positioned above the frame rails, and the plurality of tanks are stacked on each other such that axes of the plurality of tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rails.

13. The fuel system of claim 12 , further comprising one or more outlet ports that empty each of the plurality of tanks when actuated.

14. The fuel system of claim 13 , the one or more outlet ports are mounted on or within the housing.

15. The fuel system of claim 12 , further comprising one or more valve assemblies that are operatively associated with each of the plurality of the tanks to provide fluid access to the plurality of the tanks via a piping.

16. The fuel system of claim 15 , the one or more valve assemblies are positioned above the frame rails.

17. The fuel system of claim 15 , the one or more valve assemblies are within the housing.

18. The fuel system of claim 12 , further comprising a manifold assembly mounted on or within the housing that is in fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of tanks.

19. The fuel system of claim 18 , the manifold assembly includes at least one of the fill receptacle, the high pressure gauge, the low pressure gauge, or an outlet port that is configured to the plurality of tanks when actuated.

20. A fuel system, comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed behind a cabin of a vehicle;

a plurality of tanks disposed within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of tanks includes front and rear mounts at opposing ends, the front and rear mounts are attached to tank supports, and the tank supports are attached between corner brackets to provide mounting structures for the plurality of tanks;

a filter and a regulator are each mounted on or within the housing, wherein the filter is configured to filter gas from the plurality of tanks, the regulator is configured to be in fluid communication with the filter;

a low pressure gauge and a high pressure gauge are each mounted on or within the housing, wherein the low pressure gauge and the high pressure gauge indicate pressures with the fuel system;

one or more outlet ports that are each mounted on or within the housing; and

a fill receptacle configured to be in fluid communication with the plurality of tanks, wherein the housing is further configured to be attached with and supported by frame rails of the vehicle such that the plurality of tanks and the fill receptacle are positioned above the frame rails, and the plurality of tanks are stacked on each other such that axes of the plurality of tanks are oriented generally perpendicular to the frame rails.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 18, 2024
From: WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: WORTHINGTON ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067165/0773 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2019
From: DHYBRID SYSTEMS, LLC
To: WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050130/0326 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2019
From: MILTON, TREVOR; MACKELPRANG, MORGAN; SLOAN, ISAAC; HILTON, RALPH
To: DHYBRID SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 051606/0138 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16154925 · Oct 9, 2018
Continuation 15256792 · Sep 6, 2016
Continuation 14076836 · Nov 11, 2013
Related Publication 20200001706A1 · Jan 2, 2020
Cited By (5)
US 12,325,269 US 12,337,821 US 12,381,274 US 12,643,386 US 12,668,135