Electrically controlled fuel system module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954894-B2
Application number	US-201916527788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Sep 24, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A fuel tank system constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure includes a fuel tank and an evaporative emissions control system. The evaporative emissions control system is configured to recapture and recycle emitted fuel vapor. The evaporative emissions control system includes a liquid trap, a first device, a second device, a control module and a G-sensor. The first device is configured to selectively open and close a first vent. The second device is configured to selectively open and close a second vent. The control module regulates operation of the first and second devices to provide over-pressure and vacuum relief for the fuel tank. The G-sensor provides a signal to the control module based on a measured acceleration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel tank system comprising:
a fuel tank;
a purge canister; and
an evaporative emissions control system configured to recapture and recycle emitted fuel vapor, the evaporative emissions control system comprising:
a control module;
a manifold assembly having a first and a second solenoid;
a first roll over valve pick up tube disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly connected to the manifold assembly;
a second roll over valve pick up tube disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly connected to the manifold assembly; and
wherein the control module is configured to regulate operation of the first and second solenoids to selectively open and close pathways in the manifold assembly to control flow of fuel vapor between the fuel tank to the purge canister to provide over-pressure and vacuum relief for the fuel tank, wherein the control module communicates a signal to the first solenoid to open and close the first solenoid to adjust the rate of pressure rise in the fuel tank during refueling.

2. The fuel tank system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fuel line vent vapor (FLVV) pick-up tube disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly connected to the manifold assembly.

3. The fuel tank system of claim 2 , further comprising a float level sensor assembly disposed in the fuel tank and configured to provide a signal to the control module indicative of a fuel level state.

4. The fuel tank system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first vent valve disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly connected to the manifold assembly; and
a second vent valve disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly connected to the manifold assembly.

5. The fuel tank system of claim 4 , further comprising a liquid trap.

6. The fuel tank system of claim 5 wherein the liquid trap further comprises a venturi jet that is configured to drain liquid from the liquid trap by way of a vacuum.

7. The fuel tank system of claim 5 wherein one of the first and the second vent valves further comprises a liquid vapor discriminator.

8. The fuel tank system of claim 7 wherein one of the first and second vent valves comprises a solenoid activated vent valve.

9. The fuel tank system of claim 8 wherein the solenoid activated vent valve further comprises a vent valve body that defines a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening communicates with a canister and wherein the second opening communicates with the manifold assembly.

10. The fuel tank system of claim 9 wherein the solenoid activated vent valve further includes a biasing member that biases a spring plate toward a seal.

11. The fuel tank system of claim 10 wherein the spring plate further comprises an overmolded diaphragm.

12. A fuel tank system comprising:
a fuel tank having a fuel pump that pumps fuel; and
an evaporative emissions control system configured to recapture and recycle emitted fuel vapor, the evaporative emissions control system comprising:
a liquid trap;
a first device configured to selectively open and close a first vent;
a second device configured to selectively open and close a second vent;
a let pump driven by the fuel pump and activated by a let pump solenoid;
a control module that regulates operation of the first and second devices and the let pump solenoid to provide over-pressure and vacuum relief for the fuel tank; and
a G-sensor that provides a signal to the control module based on a measured acceleration, and wherein the control module regulates operation of the first and second devices based on the signal from the G-sensor.

13. The fuel tank system of claim 12 wherein the liquid trap signals the control module to actuate a jet pump solenoid to turn on the jet pump when the liquid trap fills to a predetermined point and run for a specific period of time.

14. The fuel tank system of claim 13 , further comprising a liquid trap level sensor that measures liquid level in the liquid level trap.

15. The fuel tank system of claim 12 , further comprising a fuel level sensor, wherein the fuel level sensor indicates fuel level thereat, and wherein the first and second devices close based on the fuel level reaching a threshold, and wherein the first device is selectively opened and closed to adjust the rate of pressure rise within the fuel tank.

16. The fuel tank system of claim 15 wherein the first device comprises a first solenoid and the second device comprises a second solenoid.

17. An evaporative emissions control system configured to recapture and recycle emitted fuel vapor on a vehicle fuel tank, the evaporative emissions control system comprising:
a manifold assembly having a first and a second solenoid;
a first vent tube disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly coupled to the manifold assembly;
a second vent tube disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly coupled to the manifold assembly;
a fuel line vent vapor (FLVV) pick-up tube disposed in the fuel tank and fluidly coupled to the manifold assembly; and
a control module that regulates operation of the first and second solenoids based on operating conditions to selectively open and close pathways in the manifold assembly between the fuel tank and a purge canister in order to provide over-pressure and vacuum relief for the fuel tank.

18. The evaporative emissions control system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a mechanical grade shut-off disposed in the manifold assembly between the first and second solenoid and configured to close during one of a roll-over or vehicle event.

19. The evaporative emissions control system of claim 18 wherein the control module actuates the first solenoid to close the FLVV pick-up tube during refueling when a full fill level is attained.

20. The evaporative emissions control system of claim 18 wherein the control module actuates the first solenoid to close the FLVV pick-up tube and actuates the second solenoid to close flow from the manifold to a vehicle engine during an on-board diagnostics leak check.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Mills Vaughn K
• Memmer Matthew
• Moy Curtis T
• Ambrose Steven
• Trapp Russell
• Benjey Robert P
• Franklin Max Russell
• Brauning Kenneth
• Patil Santosh Balasaheb
• Gawale Atish Dinkar
• Sharma Santosh Kumar
• Barve Hrushikesh Arun
• Bhurke Pritam
• Pifer Daniel L

Classifications

• F02M25/089

  Layout of the fuel vapour installation · CPC title

• F02M25/0836 Primary

  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

• F02D41/004

  Control of the valve or purge actuator, e.g. duty cycle, closed loop control of position · CPC title

• F02D41/003 Primary

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

• F02M2025/0863

  with means dealing with condensed fuel or water, e.g. having a liquid trap · CPC title