Systems and methods for capless refueling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025188895-A1
Application number	US-202318533959-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2023
Priority date	Dec 8, 2023
Publication date	Jun 12, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for capless refueling system of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include diagnosing a door seal of a capless unit of the capless refueling system. The diagnosing includes determining a condition of the door seal in response to a leak being present in an evaporative emissions system.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
diagnosing a door seal of a capless unit of a capless refueling system by generating vacuum in the capless refueling system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the vacuum in the capless refueling system includes fluidly coupling the capless refueling system to an intake manifold of an engine.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnosing comprises determining the door seal passes in response to only one inflection point being sensed during the diagnosing, wherein the only one inflection point is based on a pressure of the capless refueling system sensed by a fuel tank pressure transducer (FTPT).

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the diagnosing comprises determining the door seal does not pass in response to a plurality of inflection points being sensed during the diagnosing.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating vacuum in the capless refueling system includes opening flappers in the capless unit.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnosing is initiated in response to a leak being present in an evaporative emissions system.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising indicating the leak is not due to a degraded door seal in response to the diagnostic being passed.

8 . A capless refueling system for a vehicle, comprising:
a capless unit having flappers and configured to receive a nozzle of a fuel dispensing device; and a controller comprising computer-readable instructions that when executed enable the controller to:
detect a presence of a leak in an evaporative emissions system of the vehicle; and
perform a diagnostic of a door seal of the capless unit via generating vacuum in the capless unit.

9 . The capless refueling system of claim 8 , wherein the evaporative emissions system comprises a fuel tank pressure transducer (FTPT) configured to sense a pressure of the evaporative emissions system.

10 . The capless refueling system of claim 9 , wherein the door seal passes the diagnostic in response to only one pressure inflection point being sensed during the diagnostic.

11 . The capless refueling system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions enable the controller to indicate the leak is not due to the door seal.

12 . The capless refueling system of claim 9 , wherein the door seal does not pass the diagnostic in response to a plurality of pressure inflection points being sensed during the diagnostic.

13 . The capless refueling system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions enable the controller to indicate the leak is due to the door seal and requesting cleaning or replacement of the door seal.

14 . The capless refueling system of claim 8 , wherein the evaporative emissions system is sealed from atmosphere and fluidly coupled to an intake manifold of an engine of the vehicle during the diagnostic.

15 . The capless refueling system of claim 8 , wherein the flappers actuate in the presence of vacuum.

16 . A method, comprising:
responsive to a leak detected in an evaporative emissions system of an engine;
sealing the evaporative emissions system from atmosphere;
generating vacuum in the evaporative emissions system and the a capless refueling system comprising a capless unit;
monitoring a pressure of the evaporative emissions system; and
determining a condition of a door seal of the capless unit based on a number of pressure inflection points detected.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the condition of the door seal comprises determining the door seal is degraded in response to the number of pressure inflection points detected being greater than one.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the condition of the door seal comprises determining the door seal is not degraded in response to the number of pressure inflection points detected being equal to one.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the engine is on during the diagnostic.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising requesting maintenance of the door seal in response to determining the condition of the door seal to be degraded.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dudar Aed

Classifications

• F02D41/003

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

• F02B77/08

  Safety, indicating, or supervising devices (thermal insulation F02B77/11; monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00) · CPC title

• F02M37/0011 Primary

  Constructional details; Manufacturing or assembly of elements of fuel systems; Materials therefor · CPC title

• F02M25/0809 Primary

  Judging failure of purge control system · CPC title

• B60K2015/0451

  Sealing means in the closure cap · CPC title