Electric fuel pump uninterrupted power supply

• US 10,054,075 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Marrack, Andrew, Shafer, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mo, Xiao
• Application Number:
  US15/423,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20180223764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/22 Connectors or cables specially adapted for engine management applications
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2406 using essentially read only memories
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3082 Control of electrical fuel pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 39/02 Arrangements of fuel-injection apparatus to facilitate the driving of pumps; Arrangements of fuel-injection pumps; Pump drives

Abstract

A fuel system for a machine is disclosed. The fuel system may include a fuel pump, a pump motor configured to drive the fuel pump, and a pump controller. The pump controller may be operatively connected to the pump motor, a main battery bank of the machine via a power wire and a ground wire, and an engine controller of the machine via a communication wire. The pump controller may be configured to detect a failure of at least one of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire. The pump controller may also be configured to adjust a power output and an operation of the pump motor based on the detected failure of at least one of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire.

Claims

1. A fuel system for a machine, comprising:

a fuel pump;

a pump motor configured to drive the fuel pump; and

a pump controller operatively connected to the pump motor, a main battery bank of the machine via a power wire and a ground wire, and an engine controller of the machine via a communication wire, the pump controller configured to;

detect a failure of at least one of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire, and

adjust a power output and an operation of the pump motor based on the detected failure of at least one of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire.

2. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein, if the detected failure is associated with the communication wire, the pump controller is further configured to command a predetermined high power output to the pump motor, the predetermined high power output preprogrammed into a memory associated with the pump controller.

3. The fuel system of claim 2, wherein if the detected failure is associated with the communication wire, the pump controller is further configured to operate the pump motor in an open loop configuration in which the pump motor is set to a default speed preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller.

4. The fuel system of claim 3, wherein if the detected failure is associated with the communication wire, the pump controller is further configured to initiate a timer preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller, and shut down the pump motor upon expiration of the timer.

5. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a backup battery operatively connected to the pump controller, and wherein if the detected failure is associated with one of the power wire or the ground wire, the pump controller is further configured to engage the backup battery to supply power to the pump motor.

6. The fuel system of claim 5, wherein if the detected failure is associated with one of the power wire or the ground wire, the pump controller is further configured to command a predetermined low power output to the pump motor, the predetermined low power output preprogrammed into a memory associated with the pump controller.

7. The fuel system of claim 6, wherein if the detected failure is associated with one of the power wire or the ground wire, the pump controller is further configured to operate the pump motor in a closed loop configuration in which the engine controller is configured to receive feedback indicative of an actual fuel pressure and send signals to the pump controller to modify a speed of the pump motor based on the received feedback.

8. The fuel system of claim 7, wherein if the detected failure is associated with one of the power wire or the ground wire, the pump controller is further configured to send a signal to the engine controller indicative of a battery life of the backup battery.

9. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein if the detected failure is associated with each of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire, the pump controller is further configured to engage a backup battery to supply power to the pump motor, command a predetermined low power output to the pump motor, and operate the pump motor in an open loop configuration.

10. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the pump controller includes a safety shutdown switch in operative communication with an operator interface, the safety shutdown switch configured to shut down the pump motor upon receiving signals from the operator interface indicative of operator input.

11. A machine, comprising:

an engine;

an engine controller operatively connected to the engine;

a main battery bank operatively connected to the engine controller and operatively charged by the engine; and

a fuel system in operative communication with the engine, the fuel system including;

a backup battery,

a fuel pump operatively configured to deliver pressurized fuel to the engine,

a pump motor powered primarily by the main battery bank and configured to drive the fuel pump, and

a pump controller operatively connected to the backup battery, the pump motor, the engine controller via a communication wire, and the main battery bank via a power wire and a ground wire, the pump controller configured to;

detect a failure of at least one of the communication wire, the power wire and the ground wire,

engage the backup battery to supply power to the pump motor if the detected failure is associated with one of the power wire or the ground wire, and

selectively adjust a power output and an operation of the pump motor based on the detected failure of at least one of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire.

12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the pump controller is further configured to, if the detected failure is associated with the communication wire:

command a predetermined high power output to the pump motor, the predetermined high power output preprogrammed into a memory associated with the pump controller,

operate the pump motor in an open loop configuration in which the pump motor is set at a default speed preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller,

initiate a timer preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller, and

shut down the pump motor upon expiration of the timer.

13. The machine of claim 11, wherein the pump controller is further configured to, if the detected failure is associated with one of the power wire or the ground wire:

command a predetermined low power output to the pump motor, the predetermined low power output preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller,

operate the pump motor in a closed loop configuration in which the engine controller is configured to receive feedback indicative of an actual fuel pressure and send signals to the pump controller to modify a speed of the pump motor based on the received feedback, and

send signals to the engine controller indicative of a battery life of the backup battery, the engine controller operatively configured to notify an operator of the machine of the battery life via an operator interface.

14. The machine of claim 11, wherein the pump controller is further configured to, if the detected failure is associated with each of the communication wire, the power wire, and the ground wire:

engage the backup battery to supply power to the pump motor,

command a predetermined low power output to the pump motor,

operate the pump motor in an open loop configuration, and

send signals to the engine controller indicative of a battery life of the backup battery, the engine controller operatively configured to notify an operator of the machine of the battery life via an operator interface.

15. The machine of claim 11, further comprising an operator control operatively connected to the pump controller, the operator control configured to receive input from an operator of the machine to shut down the fuel pump and send signals indicative of the same to the pump controller, and wherein the pump controller is further configured to shut down the pump motor upon receiving the signals from the operator control.

16. The machine of claim 11, wherein the pump controller is further configured to recharge the backup battery using power supplied by the main battery bank.

17. The machine of claim 16, wherein the backup battery comprises a lithium-ion battery.

18. A method for controlling a fuel system of a machine in an event of a wiring harness failure, the fuel system including a backup battery, a fuel pump, a pump motor configured to drive the fuel pump, and a pump controller operatively connected to the backup battery, the pump motor, an engine controller of the machine via a communication wire, and a main battery bank of the machine via a power wire and a ground wire, the method being performed by at least one of the pump controller and the engine controller, and comprising:

detecting one or more of a communication wire failure, a power wire failure, a ground wire failure, and an all wires failure;

upon detection of the communication wire failure, commanding a predetermined high power output to the pump motor, the predetermined high power output preprogrammed into a memory associated with the pump controller;

upon detection of one of the communication wire failure or the all wires failure,

operating the pump motor in an open loop configuration in which the pump motor is set at a default speed preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller;

upon detection of the communication wire failure, initiating a timer preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller;

upon detection of the communication wire failure, shutting down the pump motor after expiration of a timer;

upon detection of one of the power wire failure, the ground wire failure, or the all wires failure, engaging the backup battery to supply power to the pump motor;

upon detection of one of the power wire failure, the ground wire failure, or the all wires failure, commanding a predetermined low power output to the pump motor, the predetermined low power output being less than the predetermined high power output and preprogrammed into the memory associated with the pump controller;

upon detection of one of the power wire failure or the ground wire failure, operating the pump motor in a closed loop configuration in which a speed of the pump motor is modified based on feedback indicative of an actual fuel pressure; and

upon detection of one of the power wire failure or the ground wire failure, notifying the operator of the machine of a battery life of the backup battery.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising shutting down the pump motor upon receiving signals from an operator control configured to receive input from the operator of the machine.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising commanding the predetermined high power output and operating the pump in the closed loop configuration during normal operation of the machine.