Handhabungsgeraet zum automatischen Betanken von Kraftfahrzeugen

Known handling units are designed as headers which travel on a gantry crane for the filling process. The filling nozzle and the filling tube are attached to the header, the filling tube is pulled out of the header for filling and inserted in the fuel tank filler neck. If the vehicle moves while the filling tube is approached and inserted, there is a risk that the filling tube no longer enters into the filler neck. In order to introduce the filling tube easily into the filler neck of the vehicle, the handling unit is fitted with a docking element to which a position detector is assigned; the position detector is connected to a control unit on the handling unit. Before inserting the filling tube into the filler neck, the docking element is docked onto the fuel tank cap. The docking element can be guided precisely to the tank cap and attached to it by means of the position detector. The handling unit is also suitable if there are relative movements between the vehicle and the unit while t he filling tube is approached.