Fuel vapor recovery apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9284923-B2
Application number	US-201314050111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2013
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A fuel vapor recovery apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle having a fuel tank has an adsorbent canister capable of adsorbing and desorbing fuel vapor vaporized in the fuel tank, a vapor path providing communication between the fuel tank and the adsorbent canister, a purge path providing communication between the adsorbent canister and an intake path of an internal combustion engine, a purge valve configured to open and close the purge path, a blocking valve configured to open and close the vapor path and having a valve body, and a regulator for controlling the purge valve and the blocking valve. The fuel tank is sealed when the blocking valve is closed. The fuel tank is configured to be depressurized by opening the blocking valve. The blocking valve is composed of a motor valve that has a driving motor and can adjust an opening amount by controlling a stroke of the valve body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel vapor recovery apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a fuel tank, the fuel vapor recovery apparatus comprising:
a pressure detector configured to detect an inner pressure of the fuel tank;
an adsorbent canister capable of adsorbing and desorbing fuel vapor vaporized in the fuel tank;
a vapor path providing communication between the fuel tank and the adsorbent canister;
a purge path providing communication between the adsorbent canister and an intake path of the internal combustion engine;
a purge valve configured to open and close the purge path;
a blocking valve configured to open and close the vapor path and having a valve body; and
a regulator for controlling the purge valve and the blocking valve, wherein the regulator is configured to receive a pressure reading from the pressure detector;
wherein the fuel tank is sealed when the blocking valve is closed;
wherein the fuel tank is configured to be depressurized by opening the blocking valve;
wherein the blocking valve comprises a motor valve that has a driving motor and wherein the regulator is configured to adjust an opening amount of the blocking valve by controlling the driving motor to adjust a stroke of the valve body; and
wherein the regulator is configured to store a position of the valve body when an initial decrease in the inner pressure of the fuel tank is detected by the pressure detector as a valve opening start position each time the internal combustion engine is started and to base subsequent adjustment of the opening amount of the blocking valve on the valve opening start position.

2. The fuel vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the opening amount of the blocking valve based on a purge flow amount after storing the valve opening start position.

3. The fuel vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the opening amount of the blocking valve depending on the inner pressure of the fuel tank detected by the pressure detector after storing the valve opening start position.

4. The fuel vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an air-fuel ratio detector configured to detect an air-fuel ratio in an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine;
wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the opening amount of the blocking valve depending on the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio detector after storing the valve opening start position.

5. The fuel vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a thermometer configured to detect a temperature of fuel or vapor in the fuel tank,
wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the opening amount of the blocking valve based on the temperature of fuel or vapor detected by the thermometer after storing the valve opening start position.

6. A fuel vapor recovery apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a fuel tank, the fuel vapor recovery apparatus comprising:
a pressure detector configured to detect an inner pressure of the fuel tank;
an adsorbent canister capable of adsorbing and desorbing fuel vapor vaporized in the fuel tank;
a vapor path providing communication between the fuel tank and the adsorbent canister;
a purge path providing communication between the adsorbent canister and an intake path of the internal combustion engine;
a purge valve configured to open and close the purge path;
a blocking valve configured to open and close the vapor path and having a valve body; and
a regulator for controlling the purge valve and the blocking valve, wherein the regulator is configured to receive a pressure reading from the pressure detector;
wherein the fuel tank is sealed when the blocking valve is closed;
wherein the fuel tank is configured to be depressurized by opening the blocking valve;
wherein the blocking valve comprises a motor valve that has a driving motor and wherein the regulator is configured to adjust an opening amount of the blocking valve by controlling the driving motor to adjust a stroke of the valve body; and
wherein the regulator is configured to:
move the valve body in a valve opening direction to purge the adsorbent canister when the inner pressure of the fuel tank is above a predetermined value; and
store a position of the valve body as a valve opening start position when the pressure detector detects a decrease in the inner pressure of the fuel tank as the valve body moves in the valve opening direction.

7. The fuel vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the regulator is configured to calculate a depressurization possible quantity after storing the valve opening start position, and to adjust the opening amount of the blocking valve based on the depressurizing possible quantity.

Assignees

• Aisan Ind

Inventors

• Kimoto Junya
• Murai Shinji
• Kitamura Sunao

Classifications

• 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

• F02M2025/0845

  Electromagnetic valves · CPC title