Valve control system configured to control an opening and closing of a valve device

• US 10,457,267 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Onodera, Hirofumi, Namba, Kunio, Kato, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, Eric S.
• Application Number:
  US15/838,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20180170343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 7311438, 7311439
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/035 characterised by venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03026 comprising a valve
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0321 characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03585 by gas pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0546 Arrangements for checking the position of the inlet cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/225 Leakage detection
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0845 Electromagnetic valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0836 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 Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation

Abstract

A controller controls a valve device for opening and closing of a passage to control a flow of evaporative fuel evaporating and flowing from a fuel tank. The valve device includes a valve body housed in the passage to open and close the passage, a biasing member biasing the valve body to close the passage, and a driver driving the valve body to open the fuel passage. The controller includes a detector detecting load of the driver and a determiner to determine the position of the valve body. The determiner determines that the passage is open when a magnitude of the change of the driver load is equal to or greater than a threshold value. The controller accurately detects an open valve position without detecting an internal pressure change of the fuel tank.

Claims

1. A controller configured to control an opening and a closing of a valve device, the controller comprising:

a driver circuit configured to output a drive signal to a driver to control a driving of a valve body between a closed position, a closure release position, and an open position, and to release a closure of a valve passage by driving the valve body from the closure release position to the open position;

a detector configured to detect a load of the driver; and

a determiner configured to determine whether the closure of the valve passage is released;

wherein

the determiner determines that the closure of the passage is released when a magnitude of a change to the load of the driver is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein

the drive signal output by the driver circuit to the driver is an electric power, and wherein

the driver upon receiving the electric power generates a driving force, and wherein

the detector detects the load based on an electromotive force generated either by a drive voltage, a drive current, or a drive of the driver.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to receive an input from a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor detecting an internal pressure of a fuel tank, and wherein

the detection of the load by the detector and the determination by the determiner are performed when the controller detects a negative pressure value.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to receive an input from a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor detecting an internal pressure of a fuel tank, and wherein

the detection of the load by the detector and the determination by the determiner are performed when the controller detects that a change of an internal pressure of the fuel tank is within a preset range.

5. The controller of claim 4, wherein

the controller is further configured to control a leak detection device, the leak detection device configured to perform a leak detection process, and wherein

the detection of the load by the detector and the determination by the determiner are performed during the leak detection process.

6. A valve control system configured to control an opening and closing of a valve device, the system comprising:

a passage formation member defining a fuel passage for a flow of evaporative fuel from a fuel tank;

a valve body disposed within the passage and configured to move between a closed position, a closure release position, and an open position to control the flow of evaporative fuel through the passage;

a biasing member in connection with the valve body and configured to provide a biasing force to bias the valve body to the closed position;

a driver configured to output a driving force to drive the valve body between the closed position, the closure release position, and the open position, the driver further configured to release a closure of the valve passage by driving the valve body from the closure release position to the open position;

a driver circuit configured to output a drive signal to the driver for driving the valve body;

a detector configured to detect a load of the driver; and

a determiner configured to determine whether the closure of the valve passage is released, wherein

the driver releases the closure of the passage when the driving force to drive the valve body exceeds the biasing force, and wherein

the determiner determines that the closure of the passage is released when a magnitude of a change to the load of the driver is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

7. The valve control system of claim 6, wherein

an end of the biasing member is fixedly attached to the passage formation member.