Single stop shopping and fueling facility

Abstract

The system described provides a single stop shopping facility that is capable of providing not only various goods and services to a consumer, but also dispensing various types of fuel to meet the needs of different types of vehicles. The various types of fuel supported may include liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), compressed natural gas (“CNG”), hydrogen, electricity, fuel cells, bioalcohol fuels including ethanol, methanol, and butonal, biogas, biodiesel, or biomass fuels, as well as more traditional fuel types, such as gasoline and diesel fuel.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A facility for vending vehicle fuel comprising:
 a building for providing consumer services comprising at least fuel for passenger vehicles, the building having an arcuate outer wall having at least a substantial portion which is at a constant radial distance from a central vertical axis;   a concentric ring surrounding the building, the concentric ring configured to rotate about the building with respect to the central vertical axis of the building;   a plurality of customer stations located on the concentric ring, the plurality of customer stations each comprising a customer interface terminal and a vehicle parking space that is configured and dimensioned to accommodate a vehicle;   an access ramp providing vehicular access to the concentric ring;   an exit ramp providing vehicular egress from the circular ring that is spaced apart from the access ramp; and   a plurality of fueling stations, each of the plurality of fueling stations located at each of the plurality of customer stations.   
     
     
         2 . The facility of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of fueling stations is configured to provided a plurality of fuel types. 
     
     
         3 . The facility of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of fuel types comprise: liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, hydrogen, electricity, bioalcohol, biogas, biodiesel, and biomass. 
     
     
         4 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fueling stations comprise a hose or a cable that originates in the building and are configured to rotate with the concentric ring around the central vertical axis of the building. 
     
     
         5 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fueling stations is located in a roof area of the concentric ring. 
     
     
         6 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fueling stations is located in a floor area of the concentric ring. 
     
     
         7 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicles comprise passenger vehicles. 
     
     
         8 . The facility of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicles comprise service vehicles. 
     
     
         9 . A facility for vending vehicle fuel comprising:
 a building for providing consumer services comprising at least fuel for passenger vehicles, the building having an arcuate outer wall having at least a substantial portion which is at a constant radial distance from a central vertical axis;   a concentric ring surrounding the building, the concentric ring configured to rotate about the building with respect to the central vertical axis of the building;   a plurality of customer stations located on the concentric ring, the plurality of customer stations each comprising a customer interface terminal and a vehicle parking space that is configured and dimensioned to accommodate a vehicle;   an access ramp providing vehicular access to the concentric ring;   an exit ramp providing vehicular egress from the circular ring that is spaced apart from the access ramp; and   a plurality of fueling stations, each of the plurality of fueling stations located at each of the plurality of customer stations and each being capable of delivering liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas.   
     
     
         10 . The facility of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a natural gas input; 
 a processing facility for converting the natural gas into liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas; 
 a storage facility for storing the liquefied natural gas and the compressed natural gas; and 
 a distribution manifold for distributing the liquefied natural gas and the compressed natural gas to the plurality of fueling stations. 
 
     
     
         11 . The facility of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an input manifold for receiving liquefied natural gas; 
 a processing facility for converting the liquefied natural gas into compressed natural gas; 
 a storage facility for storing both the liquefied natural gas and the compressed natural gas; and 
 a distribution manifold for distributing the liquefied natural gas and the compressed natural gas to the plurality of fueling stations 
 
     
     
         12 . The facility of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an input manifold for receiving both liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas; 
 a storage facility for storing both the liquefied natural gas and the compressed natural gas; and 
 a distribution manifold for distributing the liquefied natural gas and the compressed natural gas to the plurality of fueling stations 
 
     
     
         13 . The facility of  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of fueling stations is located in a roof area of the concentric ring. 
     
     
         14 . The facility of  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of fueling stations is located in a floor area of the concentric ring. 
     
     
         15 . The facility of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicles comprise passenger vehicles. 
     
     
         16 . The facility of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicles comprise service vehicles.