OPERATING FLUID CONTAINER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20190047406A1
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Published: 02/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Company KG (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Company KG (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: WOLF, Hartmut, OSSEGE, Theodor
• Granted Patent: US 10,994,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03 Fuel tanks chassis frame comprising fluid storage compartment B62D21/16 ; Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank F02M37/0076
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03504 adapted to avoid loss of fuel or fuel vapour, e.g. with vapour recovery systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03519 Valve arrangements in the vent line
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03203 during refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03368 for preventing overfilling of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03514 with vapor recovery means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/301 for position or displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/4045 Electro-magnetic valves, i.e. solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level

Abstract

The present invention discloses an operating fluid container for a motor vehicle, wherein the operating fluid container comprises a fill level sensor, a tank control device and an electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable actuator; the tank control device is connected to the actuator by means of a first data exchange connection and to the fill level sensor by means of a second data exchange connection; the fill level sensor is designed to transmit data representing a fill level of the operating fluid container to the tank control device via the second data exchange connection; the tank control device is designed to transmit a filling stop signal to the actuator via the first data exchange connection upon receiving data which represent a predetermined fill level of the operating fluid container; and the actuator initiates the termination of a filling procedure of the operating fluid container upon receiving the filling stop signal.

Claims

1. An operating fluid container for a motor vehicle comprising:

a fill level sensor;

a tank control device; and

an electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable actuator by means of which the termination of a filling procedure of the operating fluid container can be initiated;

wherein the tank control device is connected to the actuator by means of a first data exchange connection and to the fill level sensor by means of a second data exchange connection;

the fill level sensor is configured to transmit data representing a fill level of the operating fluid container to the tank control device via the second data exchange connection;

the tank control device is designed to transmit a filling stop signal to the actuator via the first data exchange connection upon receiving data which represent a predetermined fill level of the operating fluid container; and

the actuator initiates the termination of a filling procedure of the operating fluid container upon receiving the filling stop signal.

2. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein the tank control device is connected to a filling device by means of a third data exchange connection;

and the tank control device is configured to transmit the filling stop signal to the filling device via the third data exchange connection upon receiving data which represent the predetermined fill level of the operating fluid container.

3. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein the tank control device is configured to receive data representing an inclination of the operating fluid container in addition to the data transmitted by the fill level sensor;

and the tank control device is configured to identify an actual fill level of the operating fluid container by means of the data representing the fill level and the data representing the inclination of the operating fluid container.

4. The operating fluid container of claim 3 further comprising an inclination sensor determining the inclination of the operating fluid container, wherein the inclination sensor is connected to the tank control device via the second data exchange connection and/or a fourth data exchange connection, via which data identified by the inclination sensor and representing the inclination of the operating fluid container can be transmitted to the tank control device.

5. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the at least one actuator is configured as a service and/or refueling vent valve arranged in and/or on the operating fluid container;

the service and/or refueling vent valve is electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable between an open position and a closed position;

the operating fluid container is fluidically connected to a vent line by means of the service and/or refueling vent valve in the open position; and

the operating fluid container is fluidically separated from the vent line by means of the service and/or refueling vent valve in the closed position.

6. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the at least one actuator is configured as a non-return valve arranged in and/or on a filler pipe leading into the operating fluid container;

the non-return valve is electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable between an open position and a closed position;

the operating fluid container is fluidically connected to the filler pipe by means of the non-return valve in the open position;

the operating fluid container is fluidically separated from the filler pipe by means of the non-return valve in the closed position; and

a clear width of the filler pipe is reduced by means of the non-return valve.

7. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the at least one actuator is configured as an interfering body arranged in a filler pipe leading into the operating fluid container;

the interfering body is electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable between an open position and an interfering position;

the clear width of the filler pipe is not reduced by means of the interfering body in the open position; and

the clear width of the filler pipe is reduced by means of the interfering body in the interfering position projecting into the filler pipe.

8. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the at least one actuator is configured as a cutoff valve arranged between the operating fluid container and an active carbon filter;

the cutoff valve is electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable between an open position and a closed position;

the operating fluid container is fluidically connected to the active carbon filter by means of the cutoff valve in the open position; and

the operating fluid container is fluidically separated from the active carbon filter by means of the cutoff valve in the closed position.

9. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the at least one actuator is configured as a cutoff valve arranged between an active carbon filter and the atmosphere;

the cutoff valve is electrically and/or electromagnetically actuable between an open position and a closed position;

the operating fluid container is fluidically connected to the atmosphere via the active carbon filter and via the cutoff valve in the open position; and

the operating fluid container and the active carbon filter are fluidically separated from the atmosphere by means of the cutoff valve in the closed position.

10. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the at least one actuator is configured as an electromagnet arranged in a filler neck of a filler pipe leading into the operating fluid container;

the electromagnet is actuable between an active state and a passive state;

the electromagnet in the active state generates a magnetic field; and

the electromagnet in the passive state does not generate a magnetic field.

11. The operating fluid container of claim 1, wherein

the tank control device has a specified fill level signal input line via which data representing a specified fill level can be transmitted to the tank control device;

and

the tank control device is configured to issue the filling stop signal in such a way that the fill level of the operating fluid container corresponds to the specified fill level after the termination of the filling procedure.

12. The operating fluid container of claim 11, wherein

the tank control device has a price signal input line, via which price information of operating fluid to be dispensed into the operating fluid container can be transmitted;

and

the tank control device is configured to issue the filling stop signal by taking into account the price information and the specified fill level in such a way that, after the termination of the filling procedure, a price of the operating fluid dispensed into the operating fluid container corresponds to a flat currency amount.

13. A method for filling the operating fluid container of claim 1 by means of a filling device comprising:

transmitting a venting signal to at least the service and/or refueling vent valve by means of the tank control device;

identifying the fill level of the operating fluid container by means of the fill level sensor; and

issuing a filling stop signal to at least one actuator when the fill level of the operating fluid container has reached a specified fill level, wherein the specified fill level is lower than a maximum fill level of the operating fluid container.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

establishing a data exchange connection between the tank control device and the filling device;

transmitting a filling start signal from the tank control device to the filling device via the data exchange connection when the venting signal is transmitted to the service and/or refueling vent valve, whereupon the filling device starts with the delivery of operating fluid into the operating fluid container; and

transmitting a second filling stop signal from the tank control device to the filling device via the data exchange connection when the filling stop signal is transmitted to at least one of the actuators, whereupon the filling device terminates the delivery of the operating fluid.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a further filling start signal is transmitted from the tank control device to the filling device after the second filling stop signal has been transmitted from the tank control device to the filling device, so that a further filling of the operating fluid container by the filling device takes place until an automatic shut-off of the filling procedure is implemented by the filling device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the filling stop signal is issued to the service and/or vent valve when the fill level of the operating fluid container has reached the specified fill level and a currency amount of the operating fluid quantity delivered by the filling device corresponds to a flat currency amount.

17. The method as of claim 13, further comprising:

establishing a data exchange connection between the tank control device and the filling device;

transmitting a filling start signal from the tank control device to the filling device via the data exchange connection when the venting signal is transmitted to the service and/or refueling vent valve, whereupon the filling device starts with the delivery of operating fluid into the operating fluid container; and

transmitting a ventilation stop signal to the service and/or refueling vent valve by means of the tank control device so that venting of the operating fluid container is stopped, and simultaneously transmitting a signal from the tank control device to the filling device by means of which a reduction in a delivery rate of the filling device is initiated.