Fuel vapor handling apparatus and diagnostic apparatus thereof
First Claim
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1. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
- a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port; and
a controller that controls the purge pump to intermittently operate during a purge operation.
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Abstract
A fuel vapor handling apparatus supplies a purging air to a canister by using a purge pump and purges fuel desorbed from the canister into an intake pipe. A controller intermittently operates the purge so that the canister internal temperature recovers from a reduced level caused by the latent heat of vaporization of fuel during an operating period of the purge pump. Therefore, desorption of fuel from the canister during an operating period is facilitated. Since the actual operating time of the purge pump is reduced, the life of a motor that is a power unit of the purge pump becomes longer.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
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a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port; and
a controller that controls the purge pump to intermittently operate during a purge operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19)
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13. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
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a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port;
a metering valve whose degree of opening is variable and which adjusts an amount of flow of the purge pump; and
a controller that controls the metering valve to adjust the degree of opening of the metering valve.
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14. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
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a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port;
a heater that heats an interior of the canister; and
a controller that controls the purge pump and the heater, to operate the heater before starting operating the purge pump.
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15. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
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a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port;
a refueling detecting sensor that detects whether the fuel tank has been refueled; and
a controller that controls the purge pump, so that the purge pump operates when refueling is performed.
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16. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
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a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port;
a fuel vapor concentration sensor that is provided within a passage extending from the purge port to the intake pipe, and that detects a concentration of the fuel vapor in the passage; and
a controller that controls the purge pump, so that the purge pump operates if the concentration of the fuel vapor exceeds a pre-set purge starting concentration.
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17. A fuel vapor handling apparatus comprising:
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a canister that includes a container that contains an adsorbent that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank, the container having an atmospheric port that is open to an atmospheric pressure, a fuel vapor introducing port for connection to the fuel tank, and a purge port for connection to an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply air into the canister via the atmospheric port so as to purge a fuel desorbed from the adsorbent into the intake pipe via the purge port;
a fuel vapor concentration sensor that is provided within a passage extending from the purge port to the intake pipe and that detects a concentration of the fuel vapor in the passage; and
a controller that controls the purge pump, wherein the controller computes an amount of purged fuel based on an amount of flow of a purge and a result of detection by the fuel vapor concentration sensor, and is set so that the purge pump operates if the concentration of the fuel vapor exceeds a pre-set purge starting concentration.
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20. A canister purge system comprising:
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a canister that adsorbs a fuel vapor from a fuel tank of an internal combustion engine;
a vapor passage that connects a space formed above a fuel liquid surface in the fuel tank to the canister;
a purge passage that connects the canister and an engine intake passage;
an atmospheric port that places the canister and an atmosphere in communication with each other;
a purge pump coupled to the canister to supply a gas from the intake passage to the canister via the purge passage, the purge pump being operable independently of an operation of the engine; and
a purge pump controller that supplies the fuel vapor remaining in the engine intake passage into the canister by operating the purge pump after the engine stops. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification