Methods and systems for fuel system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12169158-B2
Application number	US-202217658397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2022
Priority date	Apr 7, 2022
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel system. In one example, a method includes adjusting a threshold of a diagnostic based on a distance between a fuel tank and a ground surface. The distance is inferred based on a vehicle weight.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a vehicle comprising a fuel tank;
a vehicle weight sensor for obtaining a vehicle weight;
an ambient air temperature sensor for obtaining an ambient air temperature;
a ground surface temperature sensor for obtaining a ground surface temperature; and
a controller comprising computer-readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory thereof that when executed cause the controller to:
adjust a threshold pressure and a threshold vacuum of a fuel system leak diagnostic based on the vehicle weight and the ground surface temperature,
maintaining the threshold pressure and the threshold vacuum based on the vehicle weight being less than the threshold weight or the ground surface temperature being within a threshold difference of the ambient air temperature.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle weight is based on a cargo load, a cabin load, and a trailer load, and wherein the trailer load is estimated based on a load sensor coupled to a hitch.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further enable the controller to maintain the threshold pressure and the threshold vacuum in response to the ground surface temperature being within a threshold difference of an ambient air temperature independent of the vehicle weight.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further enable the controller to adjust the threshold pressure and the threshold vacuum prior to and during the fuel system leak diagnostic.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ground surface temperature is measured via a rear camera of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ground surface temperature is estimated based on a ground surface material, the ground surface material determined based on a ground surface imaging provided via a rear camera of the vehicle, wherein the ground surface temperature sensor comprises the rear camera.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions enable the controller to increase the threshold pressure in response to the vehicle weight increasing.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions enable the controller to decrease the threshold vacuum in response to the vehicle weight increasing.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions enable the controller to maintain the threshold pressure and the threshold vacuum in response to the vehicle weight being less than a threshold weight independent of the ground surface temperature.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle weight is proportional to a distance between the vehicle and a ground surface, and wherein the instructions enable the controller to adjust the threshold pressure and the threshold vacuum based on the distance and the ground surface temperature being greater than a threshold, wherein the threshold is based on a difference between the ground surface temperature and an ambient air temperature.

11. A method for a fuel system leak diagnostic, the method comprising:
obtaining a vehicle weight based on an input from a first sensor;
obtaining a ground surface temperature based on an input from a second sensor;
obtaining an ambient air temperature based on an input from a third sensor;
compensating for an effect of the ground surface temperature on the fuel system leak diagnostic by adjusting a threshold pressure and a threshold vacuum based on the vehicle weight and the ground surface temperature;
maintaining the threshold pressure and the threshold vacuum based on the vehicle weight being less than a threshold weight or the ground surface temperature being within a threshold difference of the ambient air temperature;
performing the fuel system leak diagnostic by:
measuring a pressure in the fuel system during a first time period and comparing the pressure with the adjusted threshold pressure; and
measuring a vacuum in the fuel system after the first time period has elapsed, and comparing the vacuum with the adjusted threshold vacuum; and
based on a result of the fuel system leak diagnostic, opening a valve and/or performing one or more of: adjusting a maximum engine load to reduce fuel consumption, adjusting a commanded A/F ratio, and operating the vehicle in battery-only mode during certain conditions.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting occurs prior to and during the fuel system leak diagnostic.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising increasing the threshold pressure and decreasing the threshold vacuum in response to the vehicle weight being greater than the threshold weight and the ground surface temperature being greater than the ambient air temperature by at least the threshold difference.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ground surface temperature is based on at least a ground surface material.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising indicating a result of the fuel system leak diagnostic based on a comparison of a sensed pressure to the adjusted threshold pressure of a sensed vacuum to the adjusted threshold vacuum.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dudar Aed

Classifications

• F02D2041/225

  Leakage detection · CPC title

• F02M2700/05

  Miscellaneous constructional elements; Leakage detection · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• G01G19/08

  for incorporation in vehicles · CPC title

• G01K3/005

  Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature (fire detection G08B17/00) · CPC title