DIAGNOSTIC METHOD AND DEVICE FOR A PURGE VALVE OF A HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20130041539A1
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Collet, Thierry
• Granted Patent: US 8,958,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/221 relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/08 adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir electrical control of purge system F02D41/003
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0827 by monitoring engine running conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A method for detecting the blockage of the purge valve (4) of a vapor filter (3) for a hybrid fuel drive vehicle including at least one internal combustion engine (1) and one electric generator/motor, includes a step of making the electric motor drive the internal combustion engine (1) so as to keep the internal combustion engine (1) at a constant speed, during a start-up phase or a phase preliminary to stopping, and at least one sequence of the following steps during this time that the internal combustion engine is kept at a constant speed: a step of opening the purge valve (4); a step of measuring at least one operating parameter of the electric motor; a step of comparing the values of the measured parameter before and after opening the purge valve (4) and of determining whether the variation in the parameter is above a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the blockage of the purge valve (4) of a gasoline vapor filter (3) for a hybrid drive vehicle comprising at least one internal combustion engine (1) and one electric generator/motor,

characterized in that the method comprises a step of making the electric motor drive the internal combustion engine (1) so as to keep said internal combustion engine (1) at a constant speed, during a start-up phase or a phase preliminary to stopping,

and at least one sequence of the following steps during this time that the internal combustion engine is kept at a constant speed:

a step of changing the state of the purge valve (4),

a step of measuring at least one operating parameter of the electric motor,

a step of comparing the values of the measured parameter before and after the change of state of the purge valve (4) and of determining whether the variation in said parameter is above a predetermined threshold.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a repeat of the steps as described above so as to obtain a measurement that is statistically significant.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the electric generator/motor operating parameter is a parameter indicative of torque.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the internal combustion engine (1) is operated without fuel injection during the step in which the internal combustion engine (1) is held at a constant non-idling speed.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the electric generator/motor operating parameter is a parameter indicative of torque.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the internal combustion engine (1) is operated without fuel injection during the step in which the internal combustion engine (1) is held at a constant non-idling speed.

9. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the internal combustion engine (1) is operated without fuel injection during the step in which the internal combustion engine (1) is held at a constant non-idling speed.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the internal combustion engine (1) is operated without fuel injection during the step in which the internal combustion engine (1) is held at a constant non-idling speed.

5. A device for detecting the blockage of the purge valve (4) of a gasoline vapor filter (3) of a vehicle internal combustion engine (1),

characterized in that said device comprises:

means for making an electric generator/motor drive the internal combustion engine (1) at a constant non-idling speed during a start-up phase or a phase preliminary to stopping,

means for measuring at least one operating parameter of the electric generator/motor (1),

means of comparing the values of the measured parameter before and after a change in state of the purge valve (4) and of determining whether the variation in said parameter is above a predetermined threshold.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the means of measuring at least one operating parameter of the electric generator/motor comprise an electric generator/motor torque sensor.