Fuel tank system and control method of fuel tank system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10400689-B2
Application number	US-201715846685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Jan 11, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A fuel tank system includes a fuel tank, a canister, a first path, a pump, a switching device, a reference path, a first on-off valve, a second on-off valve, a third on-off valve, a pressure sensor, and a control device configured to control the pump, the switching device, the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, and the third on-off valve and determine a system state based on a pressure measured by the pressure sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel tank system comprising:
a fuel tank configured to store a fuel;
a canister configured to cause an evaporative fuel to adsorb or desorb using an adsorbent;
a first path configured to be connected to the canister and cause an inside of the canister to communicate with an atmosphere;
a pump configured to be disposed in a second path connected to the canister and apply a pressure to the canister;
a switching device configured to be selectively switched between an atmosphere communication state in which the canister communicates with the atmosphere using the first path and a pressure introduction state in which the pressure of the pump is applied to the canister using the second path and the pump;
a reference path configured to be connected to the canister and the pump, have a resistance portion having a locally high flow resistance, and cause an air to be introduced into the canister through the resistance portion by driving the pump when the switching device is switched to the atmosphere communication state;
a first on-off valve configured to be disposed in a vent line that causes the fuel tank and the canister to communicate with each other and open and close the vent line;
a second on-off valve configured to be disposed in the vent line at a position closer to the canister than the first on-off valve and open and close the vent line;
a third on-off valve configured to be disposed in a communication path that causes the vent line between the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve and the reference path to communicate with each other and open and close the communication path;
a pressure sensor disposed in the vent line between the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve or in the communication path closer to the vent line than the third on-off valve; and
a control device configured to control the pump, the switching device, the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, and the third on-off valve and determine a system state based on a pressure measured by the pressure sensor.

2. The fuel tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, and the third on-off valve are configured as an integrated valve that is integrated.

3. A control method of a fuel tank system including a fuel tank, a canister, a first path, a pump, a switching device, a reference path, a first on-off valve, a second on-off valve, a third on-off valve, a pressure sensor, and a control device, the fuel tank being configured to store a fuel, the canister being configured to cause an evaporative fuel to adsorb or desorb using an adsorbent, the first path being configured to be connected to the canister and cause an inside of the canister to communicate with an atmosphere, the pump being configured to be disposed in a second path connected to the canister and apply a pressure to the canister, the switching device being configured to be selectively switched between an atmosphere communication state in which the canister communicates with the atmosphere using the first path and a pressure introduction state in which the pressure of the pump is applied to the canister using the second path and the pump, the reference path being configured to be connected to the canister and the pump, have a resistance portion having a locally high flow resistance, and cause an air to be introduced into the canister through the resistance portion by driving the pump when the switching device is switched to the atmosphere communication state, the first on-off valve being configured to be disposed in a vent line that causes the fuel tank and the canister to communicate with each other and open and close the vent line, the second on-off valve being configured to be disposed in the vent line at a position closer to the canister than the first on-off valve and open and close the vent line, the third on-off valve being configured to be disposed in a communication path that causes the vent line between the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve and the reference path to communicate with each other and open and close the communication path, the pressure sensor being disposed in the vent line between the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve or in the communication path closer to the vent line than the third on-off valve, the control device being configured to control the pump, the switching device, the first on-off valve, the second on-off valve, and the third on-off valve and determine a system state based on a pressure measured by the pressure sensor, the control method comprising:
by the control device, measuring an internal pressure of the fuel tank using the pressure sensor by controlling the first on-off valve to be in an open state and controlling the second on-off valve and the third on-off valve to be in a closed state; and
by the control device, measuring an internal pressure of the canister using the pressure sensor by controlling the second on-off valve to be in an open state, controlling the first on-off valve to be in a closed state, controlling the switching device to be switched to the pressure introduction state, and controlling the pump to be driven.

4. The control method according to claim 3 , further comprising, by the control device, controlling opening and closing of the second on-off valve in a state in which the first on-off valve is open and the third on-off valve is closed at the time when the fuel tank is refueled and at the time when a vehicle on which the fuel tank system is provided is parked or traveling.

5. The control method according to claim 3 , further comprising, by the control device, controlling the pump to be driven by causing the switching device to enter the atmosphere communication state in a state in which the second on-off valve and the third on-off valve are closed, and determining failure in a case where a pressure change occurs at a predetermined time.

6. The control method according to claim 3 , further comprising, by the control device, controlling the switching device to enter the atmosphere communication state in a state in which the first on-off valve and the third on-off valve are closed and the second on-off valve is open, and determining failure in a case where there is no pressure change at a predetermined time.

7. The control method according to claim 3 , further comprising, by the control device, controlling the pump to be driven by causing the switching device to enter the pressure introduction state in a state in which the first on-off valve and the third on-off valve are closed and the second on-off valve is open, and determining failure in a case where a gradient of a pressure change at a predetermined time is smaller than a predetermined gradient.

8. The control method according to claim 3 , further comprising, by the control device, controlling the pump to be stopped by switching the switching device to the pressure introduction state in a state in which the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve are open, and determining failure in a case where there is no pressure change at a predetermined time.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iriyama Yojiro
• Kataoka Chiaki
• Shinagawa Masanobu

Classifications

• F02D41/003

  Adding fuel vapours, e.g. drawn from engine fuel reservoir · CPC title

• F02D2200/0602

  Fuel pressure · CPC title

• F02M25/089

  Layout of the fuel vapour installation · CPC title

• F02M25/0836

  Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold · CPC title

• F02M25/0854 Primary

  Details of the absorption canister · CPC title