Failure diagnostic system for fuel vapor processing apparatus
First Claim
1. A failure diagnostic system for a fuel vapor processing apparatus which is disposed correspondingly to an engine mounted on a vehicle and wherein fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is trapped by a canister and the trapped fuel vapor is purged to an intake passage in the engine, wherein the fuel vapor processing apparatus comprises a processing flow path extending from the fuel tank to the intake passage and including the canister;
- and the failure diagnostic system comprises;
closure means for closing the processing flow path;
pressurizing means for pressurizing the interior of the processing flow path;
pressure reducing means for reducing the internal pressure of the processing flow path;
pressure detecting means for detecting an internal pressure of the processing flow path;
temperature detecting means for detecting an atmosphere temperature of the fuel tank;
first diagnostic means which, after stop of the engine, controls the closure means to close the processing flow path and which, when the atmosphere temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is lower than a predetermined value, controls the pressure reducing means to reduce the internal pressure of the processing flow path and checks air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means after the pressure reduction; and
second diagnostic means which, after stop of the engine, controls the closure means to close the processing flow path and which, when the atmosphere temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is higher than a predetermined value, controls the pressurizing means to pressurize the interior of the processing flow path and checks the air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means after the pressurization.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a failure diagnostic system for a fuel vapor processing apparatus, a processing flow path comprising a vapor line, a canister and a purge line is closed with a vapor control valve and a purge control valve. The interior of the processing flow path is reduced in pressure or pressurized by rotating an air pump of a pump module in a forward or reverse direction. An electronic control unit (ECU) closes the vapor control valve and the purge control valve to close the processing flow path after stop of the engine and, when the fuel temperature detected by a temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined value, reduces the internal pressure of the processing flow path through an air pump, then checks air-tightness of the interior of the processing flow path based on behavior of a vapor pressure detected by a pressure sensor. The ECU closes the processing flow path and, when the fuel temperature detected is not lower than the predetermined value, pressurizes the interior of the processing flow path through the air pump, then checks air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of a vapor pressure subsequently detected.
53 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A failure diagnostic system for a fuel vapor processing apparatus which is disposed correspondingly to an engine mounted on a vehicle and wherein fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is trapped by a canister and the trapped fuel vapor is purged to an intake passage in the engine,
wherein the fuel vapor processing apparatus comprises a processing flow path extending from the fuel tank to the intake passage and including the canister; - and
the failure diagnostic system comprises;
closure means for closing the processing flow path;
pressurizing means for pressurizing the interior of the processing flow path;
pressure reducing means for reducing the internal pressure of the processing flow path;
pressure detecting means for detecting an internal pressure of the processing flow path;
temperature detecting means for detecting an atmosphere temperature of the fuel tank;
first diagnostic means which, after stop of the engine, controls the closure means to close the processing flow path and which, when the atmosphere temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is lower than a predetermined value, controls the pressure reducing means to reduce the internal pressure of the processing flow path and checks air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means after the pressure reduction; and
second diagnostic means which, after stop of the engine, controls the closure means to close the processing flow path and which, when the atmosphere temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is higher than a predetermined value, controls the pressurizing means to pressurize the interior of the processing flow path and checks the air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of the pressure detected by the pressure detecting means after the pressurization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A failure diagnostic system for a fuel vapor processing apparatus which is disposed correspondingly to an engine mounted on a vehicle and wherein fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is trapped by a canister through a vapor line and the trapped fuel vapor is purged to an intake passage in the engine through a purge line,
wherein the fuel vapor processing apparatus comprises a processing flow path extending from the fuel tank to the intake passage and including the vapor line, the canister and the purge line; -
the failure diagnostic system comprises;
a vapor control valve disposed in the vapor line for closing the processing flow path and a purge control valve disposed in the purge line;
a single air pump for selectively pressurizing the interior of the processing flow path or reducing the internal pressure of the processing flow path;
a pressure sensor for detecting an internal pressure of the processing flow path;
a temperature sensor for detecting an atmosphere temperature of the fuel tank; and
an electronic control unit for checking air-tightness of the processing flow path; and
the electronic control unit, after stop of the engine, controls the vapor control valve and the purge control valve to close the processing flow path and, when the atmosphere temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined value, causes the air pump to rotate forward to suck in air, thereby reducing the internal pressure of the processing flow path, and checks air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor after the pressure reduction, and the electronic control unit, after stop of the engine, controls the vapor control valve and the purge control valve to close the processing flow path and, when the atmosphere temperature detected by the temperature sensor is not lower than the predetermined value, causes the air pump to rotate reversely to discharge air, thereby pressurizing the interior of the processing flow path, and checks air-tightness of the processing flow path based on behavior of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor after the pressurization. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A canister included in a fuel vapor processing apparatus for processing fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank and incorporating, in a casing, an adsorbent for adsorbing the fuel vapor,
wherein the canister comprises a diagnosing function part for the fuel vapor processing apparatus, the diagnosing function part being integrally mounted nearly centrally of the casing.
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15. A pump module connected to a fuel vapor processing apparatus which is disposed correspondingly to an engine mounted on a vehicle and wherein fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is trapped by a canister and a fuel component contained in the trapped fuel vapor is purged to an intake passage in the engine, the pump module being used for reducing the internal pressure of the fuel vapor processing apparatus and for diagnosing a failure of the fuel vapor processing apparatus based on behavior of the pressure detected at this time,
wherein the pump module comprises: -
a vacuum pump for developing a negative pressure in the fuel vapor processing apparatus;
a connection port connected to the fuel vapor processing apparatus;
an air port including a first end and a second end, the first end being opened to the atmosphere;
an orifice passage including a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the connection port, the second end being connected to the vacuum pump, with an orifice being provided in an intermediate position of the orifice passage to calculate a reference value in failure diagnosis;
a pressure detecting means for detecting an internal pressure of the fuel vapor processing apparatus and that of the orifice passage; and
a change-over valve for changing from a state of communication to a cut-off state or vice versa between the connection port and the air port; and
the orifice is disposed in a vertex direction in a mounted state of the pump module on the vehicle and is located at a higher position than an opening/closing portion of the change-over valve. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A pump module connected to a fuel vapor processing apparatus which is disposed correspondingly to an engine mounted on a vehicle and wherein fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank is trapped by a canister and a fuel component contained in the trapped fuel vapor is purged to an intake passage in the engine, the pump module being used for reducing the internal pressure of the fuel vapor processing apparatus and for diagnosing a failure of the fuel vapor processing apparatus based on behavior of the pressure detected at this time,
the pump module comprising: -
a case;
a vacuum pump installed in the case to develop a negative pressure in the fuel vapor processing apparatus;
a connection port formed in the case and connected to the fuel vapor processing apparatus;
an air port formed in the case and including a first end and a second end, the first end being opened to the atmosphere;
an orifice passage formed in the case and having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the connection port, the second end being connected to the vacuum pump, with an orifice being provided in an intermediate position of the orifice passage to calculate a reference value in diagnosis; and
a change-over valve for changing from a state of communication to a cut-off state or vice versa between the connection port and the air port, the change-over valve being mounted in the case while being rotated about an extension line extending in a movable direction of a valve body of the change-over valve, thereby disposing the orifice in a vertex direction and at a higher position than an opening/closing portion of the change-over valve.
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Specification