Fuel tank structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783043-B2
Application number	US-201615170305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

There is provided a fuel tank structure, the fuel tank structure including (1) a bag-shaped member that partitions a space within a fuel tank into a first space at an outer side and a second space at an inner side, (2) a first pressure sensor that senses pressure of the first space, (3) a second pressure sensor that senses pressure of the second space, (4) a pump that reduces pressure of the first space, and (5) a control section that, in a case in which the pressure of the first space is higher than a first threshold value, judges that a hole has formed in the fuel tank, and, in a case in which the pressure of the second space is lower than a second threshold value, judges that a hole has formed in the bag-shaped member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel tank structure comprising:
a fuel tank that is installed in an automobile and that is configured to accommodate fuel;
a bag-shaped member that is fixed to a ceiling portion of an interior of the fuel tank, and that partitions a space within the fuel tank into a first space at an outer side of the bag-shaped member and a second space at an inner side of the bag-shaped member, and that, by inflating or contracting in accordance with a height of a liquid surface of fuel accommodated in the fuel tank, maintains a state of contact with the fuel;
a first pressure sensor that senses a pressure of the first space;
a second pressure sensor that senses a pressure of the second space;
a pump that reduces the pressure of the first space; and
an electronic control unit that operates the pump, and acquires the pressure of the first space sensed by the first pressure sensor and the pressure of the second space sensed by the second pressure sensor after a predetermined time has elapsed from operation of the pump, and, in a case in which the pressure of the first space is higher than a first threshold value, judges that a hole has formed in the fuel tank, and, in a case in which the pressure of the second space is lower than a second threshold value, judges that a hole has formed in the bag-shaped member.

2. The fuel tank structure of claim 1 , further comprising a warning device that warns a vehicle occupant that the hole has formed in at least one of the fuel tank and the bag-shaped member,
wherein, in a case in which the pressure of the first space is higher than the first threshold value, the electronic control unit causes the warning device to warn the vehicle occupant that the hole has formed in the fuel tank, and, in a case in which the pressure of the second space is lower than the second threshold value, the electronic control unit causes the warning device to warn the vehicle occupant that the hole has formed in the bag-shaped member.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Aso Shuichi

Classifications

• B60Y2306/15

  Failure diagnostics · CPC title

• G01M3/04

  by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point · CPC title

• B60K15/03 Primary

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• B60K2015/03085

  using inflatable bags or bladders in the tanks · CPC title

• B60K15/03006

  Gas tanks (B60K15/07 takes precedence) · CPC title