Pressure tapping device and motor vehicle having a pressure tapping device, and pressure tapping method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10322705-B2
Application number	US-201715723527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2017
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a pressure tapping device for a motor vehicle where a portion of the pressure energy generated at the fuel storage reservoir is transmitted to a working medium, physically separate from the fuel via the pressure tapping device. The pressure tapping device is fluidically coupled to a pressure actuator and enables the pressure operation via transmission of the pressure energy and adjustment of valves diverting flow from the fuel storage reservoir to the engine intake through the pressure tapping device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a fuel storage reservoir connected to the internal combustion engine by a fuel line, fuel stored in the fuel storage reservoir at a storage pressure greater than an ambient pressure;
a pressure tapping device comprising a pressure transmitter, which comprises a first cylinder with a first piston and a second cylinder with a second piston having a fluid-carrying connection to the first cylinder, the pressure tapping device including a fluid-carrying connection to the fuel line and configured to transmit a proportion of pressure energy of a fuel to a working medium, physically separate from the fuel, wherein the pressure tapping device comprises an admission line with an admission line pressure control valve and a discharge line with a discharge line valve, wherein a working pressure of the pressure tapping device is measured by a manometer coupled to the admission line pressure control valve; and
a controller storing non-transitory instructions executable to open the admission line pressure control valve and close the discharge line valve to supply fuel from the fuel line to the first cylinder via the admission line, the controller is also in electronic communication with the manometer measuring the working pressure and the instructions are executable to adjust a position of the admission line pressure control valve based on output from the manometer.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the admission line and the discharge line are coupled to the fuel line.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a transmission fluid is located between the first piston and the second piston, wherein the admission line and the discharge line have the fluid-carrying connection to the first cylinder.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein pressure from the first cylinder is transferred to the working medium via the pressure tapping device, the working medium fluidly coupled to a pressure actuator and wherein a pressure of the working medium is transmitted to the pressure actuator via the fluidic coupling.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pressure actuator is a brake booster.

6. A method for a pressure tapping device comprising a first cylinder having a first piston and a second cylinder having a second piston, wherein the pressure tapping device comprises an admission line with an admission line pressure control valve and a discharge line with a discharge line valve, wherein a working pressure of the pressure tapping device is measured by a manometer coupled to the admission line pressure control valve, wherein the admission line and the discharge line are coupled to a fuel line coupling an engine to a fuel storage reservoir, the method comprising:
supplying fuel to one or more cylinders of the engine via the fuel line coupled to the fuel storage reservoir;
adjust a position of the admission line pressure control valve based on output from the manometer; and
transferring pressure from the fuel storage reservoir to a brake booster actuator via the pressure tapping device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein transferring pressure from the fuel storage reservoir to the brake booster actuator via the pressure tapping device comprises transferring pressure from the fuel storage reservoir to a pressure-actuated brake booster via the pressure tapping device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein transferring pressure from the fuel storage reservoir to the brake booster actuator via the pressure tapping device comprises opening the admission line pressure control valve positioned in the admission line fluidically coupling the fuel storage reservoir to the pressure tapping device, thereby supplying fuel from the fuel storage reservoir to the first cylinder of the pressure tapping device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein transferring pressure from the fuel storage reservoir to the brake booster actuator via the pressure tapping device further comprises pressurizing a working fluid of the pressure tapping device via a transmission fluid coupled between the first cylinder and the second cylinder of the pressure tapping device, the working fluid housed in the second cylinder and fluidically coupled to the brake booster actuator.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising depressurizing the working fluid by opening a discharge line valve positioned in the discharge line fluidically coupled to the first cylinder, thereby flowing fuel from the first cylinder to the fuel line, where the fuel is gaseous fuel.

11. A system, comprising:
a pressure tapping device coupled between a gaseous fuel tank and a gaseous fuel rail, the pressure tapping device comprising a first cylinder having a first piston and a second cylinder having a second piston, the first piston and the second piston fluidically coupled via hydraulic fluid;
a brake booster fluidically coupled to the second cylinder; and
a controller storing instructions executable to:
responsive to detecting actuation of a brake pedal, open an admission line pressure control valve to supply gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel tank to the first cylinder, the gaseous fuel in the first cylinder actuating the first piston, thus transmitting pressure from the gaseous fuel to the brake booster via the hydraulic fluid and the second piston; and
responsive to detecting release of the brake pedal, open a discharge line valve to supply the gaseous fuel in the first cylinder to the gaseous fuel rail.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the gaseous fuel tank is configured to store gaseous fuel at a first pressure, and wherein the gaseous fuel rail is maintained at a second pressure, lower than the first pressure.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein when the brake pedal is actuated, the instructions are executable to adjust a position of the admission line pressure control valve based on feedback from a pressure sensor coupled to the second piston.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are executable to detect actuation of the brake pedal based on output from a brake sensor exceeding a threshold value.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the instructions are executable to detect release of the brake pedal based on the output from the brake sensor subsequently decreasing.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are executable to close the admission line pressure control valve responsive to a pressure of the second cylinder as detected by the pressure sensor reaching a threshold pressure.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Wirth Martin
• Berkemeier Oliver

Classifications

• B60T13/57 Primary

  characterised by constructional features of control valves · CPC title

• F02M35/10229 Primary

  the intake system acting as a vacuum or overpressure source for auxiliary devices, e.g. brake systems; Vacuum chambers (air storage chamber F02B21/00) · CPC title

• F02D9/02

  concerning induction conduits (throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08) · CPC title

• F02D2200/0406

  Intake manifold pressure · CPC title

• B60T17/02

  Arrangements of pumps or compressors, or control devices therefor · CPC title