Fuel drip retention

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10189350-B2
Application number	US-201715407606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A fuel drip retention system includes a computer programmed to actuate one of a pump or a starter motor to generate a vacuum in an evaporation line between a fuel nozzle receiving port and a vapor canister. The vacuum is generated upon determining that fuel has stopped flowing into a fuel tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions such that the processor is programmed to:
actuate one of a pump or a starter motor to generate a vacuum in an evaporation line between a fuel nozzle receiving port and a vapor canister upon determining that fuel has stopped flowing into a fuel tank.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the fuel nozzle receiving port;
the vapor canister;
the fuel tank;
the evaporation line in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle receiving port, the vapor canister, and the fuel tank; and
a liquid trap disposed along the evaporation line between the fuel nozzle receiving port and the vapor canister.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the liquid trap includes a labyrinth seal.

4. The system of claim 2 , the liquid trap further comprising:
an ingress connected to a recirculation portion of the evaporation line;
a first egress connected to a tank connection portion of the evaporation line; and
a second egress opening.

5. The system of claim 4 , the liquid trap further comprising:
a serpentine channel including at least one high portion and at least one low portion;
wherein the ingress opening is located at one end of the serpentine channel, the second egress opening is located at an opposite end of the serpentine channel, and the first egress opening is located at the low portion closest to the ingress opening.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination that fuel has stopped flowing into the fuel tank is based at least on a message received from a fuel station pump.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination that fuel has stopped flowing into the fuel tank is based at least on pressure data from a fuel tank pressure transducer.

8. The system of claim 7 , the computer further programmed to:
determine that the fuel has stopped flowing based at least on a pressure increase and a subsequent pressure decrease of a threshold amount as detected by the fuel tank pressure transducer within a threshold amount of time.

9. The system of claim 7 , the computer further programmed to:
determine that the fuel has stopped flowing based at least on the fuel tank pressure transducer detecting that the pressure has fallen below a threshold value.

10. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
actuate a first valve disposed along an air intake line to a closed position;
actuate a second valve disposed along a vent line to an open position; and
actuate the pump, the pump disposed along the vent line.

11. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
actuate a first valve disposed along an air intake line to an open position;
actuate a second valve disposed along a vent line to a closed position; and
actuate the starter motor to cycle an engine without actuating spark plugs of the engine.

12. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
actuate the starter motor to cycle an engine without actuating spark plugs of the engine.

13. The system of claim 1 , the computer further programmed to:
determine that fuel flow into the fuel tank has begun; and
actuate an indicator light to an on state in response to determining that the fuel flow has begun.

14. The system of claim 13 , the computer further programed to:
after generating the vacuum in the evaporation line, actuate the indicator light to an off state.

15. A method comprising:
generating a vacuum in an evaporation line between a fuel nozzle receiving port and a vapor canister to draw fuel droplets from a fuel nozzle into a fuel system upon determining that fuel has stopped flowing into a fuel tank;
actuating a first valve disposed along an air intake line to a first position that is one of open or closed;
actuating a second valve disposed along a vent line to a second position that is closed if the first position is open and open if the first position is closed; and
performing one of (1) actuating a starter motor to cycle an engine without actuating spark plugs of the engine if the first position is open or (2) actuating a pump disposed along the vent line if the first position is closed.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
determining that fuel flow into the fuel tank has begun; and
actuating an indicator light to an on state in response to identifying the fuel flow has begun.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
after generating the vacuum in the evaporation line, actuating an indicator light to an off state.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dudar Aed M

Classifications

• B64D37/22

  facilitating emptying in any position of tank · CPC title

• F02M25/089

  Layout of the fuel vapour installation · CPC title

• B60K15/035 Primary

  characterised by venting means · CPC title

• B60K2015/03509

  with a droplet separator in the vent line · CPC title

• B60K2015/0321

  characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof · CPC title