Method for Preventing Water Intrusion in Vehicle Systems

• US 20140194046A1
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yukiyo, Shimizu, Kazuaki, Hanaya, Kazuhiko, Watanabe, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,487,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00821 the components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/10 for carrying boats for carrying sailboards B60R9/08, B63B32/80; equipment forming part of or attachable to vessels facilitating transport over land, e.g. wheel units, towing units, B63C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/088 Water, snow or ice proofing; Separation or drainage of water, snow or ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/14 Tractor-trailer backing connections

Abstract

A method for controlling a vehicle system includes receiving, at a control system, a request to open an ambient air inlet valve of a vehicle component, wherein the ambient air inlet valve is operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal that is transmitted to the ambient air inlet valve from the control system. The method also includes determining whether a towing condition is present, determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present, and transmitting the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if the towing condition is not present or the at least one submergence risk criterion is not present.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a vehicle system, comprising:

receiving, at a control system, a request to open an ambient air inlet valve of a vehicle component, wherein the ambient air inlet valve is operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal that is transmitted to the ambient air inlet valve from the control system;

determining whether a towing condition is present;

determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present; and

transmitting the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if the towing condition is not present or the at least one submergence risk criterion is not present.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

suppressing transmission of the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve if the towing condition is present and the at least one submergence risk criterion is present.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the towing condition is present includes determining whether a trailer wiring connection is active.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the towing condition is present includes comparing at least one engine operating parameter to a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present includes determining whether a current vehicle speed is lower than a threshold speed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present includes determining whether a current inclination angle of the vehicle is greater than a threshold inclination value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present includes determining whether a current vehicle speed is lower than a threshold speed and determining whether a current inclination angle of the vehicle is greater than a threshold inclination value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present includes determining whether the vehicle is in a reverse driving mode.

9. An apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle component having an ambient air inlet valve is operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal; and

a control system that is operable to;

receive a request to open the ambient air inlet valve,

determine whether a towing condition is present,

determine whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present, and

transmit the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if the towing condition is not present or the at least one submergence risk criterion is not present.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the control system is further operable to suppress transmission of the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve if the towing condition is present and the at least one submergence risk criterion is present.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control system determines whether the towing condition is present by determining whether a trailer wiring connection is active.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control system determines whether the towing condition is present includes comparing at least one engine operating parameter to a threshold value.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control system determines whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present by determining whether a current vehicle speed is lower than a threshold speed.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control system determines whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present by determining whether a current inclination angle of the vehicle is greater than a threshold inclination value.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control system determines whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present includes determining whether a current vehicle speed is lower than a threshold speed and determining whether a current inclination angle of the vehicle is greater than a threshold inclination value.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control system determines whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present includes determining whether the vehicle is in a reverse driving mode.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, at a control system, a request to open an ambient air inlet valve of a vehicle component, wherein the ambient air inlet valve is operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal that is transmitted to the ambient air inlet valve from the control system;

monitoring at least one vehicle operating characteristic that is related to a submergence risk; and

determining whether to transmit the open signal from the control system to the ambient air inlet valve based on the at least one vehicle operating characteristic.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one vehicle operating characteristic includes vehicle speed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one vehicle operating characteristic includes a current inclination angle of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one vehicle operating characteristic includes a reverse driving mode.