Apparatus and method for gauging the amount of fuel in a vehicle fuel tank subject to tilt

• US 5,072,615 A
• Filed: 12/17/1990
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Nawrocki, Ryszard
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US07/628,749
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 73/290 R, 73/291 V, 73/305, 73/308, 340/440, 340/450, 340/450.2, 33/366, 33/390
• US Class Current: 73/291
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/18 by using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level

Abstract

A vehicle fuel tank gauging apparatus is disclosed comprising sensor means for measuring the amount of fuel in the tank, electronic memory means for storing a signal indicative of the amount, inclinometer means for detecting whether the vehicle is level, and a microprocessor which allow the fuel amount signal to be transmitted to a fuel gauge when the vehicle is level within a predetermined tolerance. The fuel level information is stored in the memory of the microprocessor and displayed on the fuel gauge only when the vehicle attains the next level condition. Thus, the fuel gauge reading is not effected by vehicle tilt or acceleration. Alternatively, the degree to which the vehicle is askew to the reference plane is measured, and a correction factor corresponding to the degree of tilt is applied to the fuel amount signal to calculate a corrected fuel amount signal.

Claims

1. Apparatus for gauging an amount of liquid fuel remaining in a vehicle fuel tank, said apparatus being capable of differentiating between a level condition wherein the fuel tank is substantially parallel to a reference plane and an unlevel condition wherein the fuel tank is momentarily askew to such reference plane as during acceleration or cornering, the apparatus comprising:

sensor means for measuring the amount of fuel in the tank and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such amount;

inclinometer means for detecting the condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane and for generating a digital output signal indicative of the degree to which the fuel tank is askew to said reference plane;

electronic memory means for storing the signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the tank;

a microprocessor for accepting the signals from the sensor means and from the inclinometer means and for resetting the electronic memory means while the vehicle is in motion with a corrected signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, said corrected signal calculated by applying a correction factor corresponding to the degree to which the fuel tank is askew to the reference plane to the signal received from the sensor means; and

a fuel gauge operatively coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the amount of fuel in the tank as stored in the electronic memory means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor resets the electronic memory means only if the signal from the inclinometer means indicates a level fuel tank condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said reference plane is horizontal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said inclinometer means includes means for generating a single output signal indicative of the level condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for generating a single output signal includes means for producing a digital output signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said inclinometer means includes means for generating a first output signal indicative of the level condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane and a second output signal indicative of the unlevel condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for generating a first output signal indicative of the level condition and a second output signal indicative of the unlevel condition includes means for producing digital output signals.

8. Apparatus for gauging an amount of liquid fuel remaining in a vehicle fuel tank, said apparatus being capable of differentiating between a level condition wherein the fuel surface is substantially parallel to a reference plane and an unlevel condition wherein the fuel surface is momentarily askew to such reference plane as during acceleration or cornering, the apparatus comprising:

sensor means for measuring the amount of fuel in the tank and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such amount;

inclinometer means for detecting the condition of the fuel surface relative to said reference plane and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such condition;

electronic memory means for storing the signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the tank;

a microprocessor for accepting the signals from the sensor means and from the inclinometer means and for resetting the electronic memory means while the vehicle is in motion with a corrected signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, said corrected signal calculated by applying a correction factor corresponding to the degree to which the fuel surface is askew to the reference plane to the signal received from the sensor means; and

a fuel gauge operatively coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the amount of fuel in the tank as stored in the electronic memory means.

9. Apparatus for gauging an amount of liquid fuel remaining in a vehicle fuel tank, said apparatus being capable of differentiating between a level condition wherein the fuel tank is substantially parallel to a reference plane and an unlevel condition wherein the fuel tank is momentarily askew to such reference plane as during acceleration or cornering, the apparatus comprising:

sensor means for measuring the amount of fuel in the tank and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such amount;

inclinometer means for detecting the condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such condition;

an accelerometer for detecting the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle and for generating an output signal indicative of such acceleration or deceleration;

electronic memory means for storing the signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the tank;

a microprocessor for accepting the signals from the sensor means, from the inclinometer means, and from the accelerometer, and for resetting the electronic memory means while the vehicle is in motion with a corrected signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, said corrected signal calculated by applying a correction factor corresponding to the degree to which the fuel tank is askew to the reference plane to the signal received from the sensor means only if the signal from the accelerometer indicates substantially no acceleration or deceleration; and

a fuel gauge operatively coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the amount of fuel in the tank as stored in the electronic memory means.

10. Apparatus for gauging an amount of liquid fuel remaining in an automobile gasoline tank, said apparatus being capable of differentiating between a level condition wherein the gasoline tank is substantially parallel to a reference plane and an unlevel condition wherein the gasoline tank is momentarily askew to such reference plane as during acceleration or cornering, the apparatus comprising:

sensor means for measuring the amount of fuel in the automobile gasoline tank and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such amount;

inclinometer means for detecting the condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane and for generating a digital output signal indicative of such condition;

electronic memory means for storing a signal indicative of the amount of fuel remaining in the automobile gasoline tank;

a microprocessor for accepting the signals from the sensor means and from the inclinometer means and for resetting the electronic memory means while the vehicle is in motion with a corrected signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the automobile gasoline tank, said corrected signal calculated by applying a correction factor corresponding to the degree to which the automobile gasoline tank is askew to the reference plane to the signal received from the sensor means; and

a fuel gauge operatively coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the amount of fuel in the automobile gasoline tank as stored in the electronic memory means.

11. A method of gauging an amount of liquid fuel remaining in a vehicle fuel tank wherein said fuel alternates between a level condition wherein the fuel tank is substantially parallel to a reference plane and an unlevel condition wherein the fuel tank is momentarily askew to such reference plane as during acceleration or cornering, the method comprising:

(1) detecting the condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane;

(2) generating an output signal indicative of such condition;

(3) measuring the amount of fuel in the tank;

(4) generating an output signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank;

(5) applying a correction factor to the signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank to calculate a corrected signal while the vehicle is in motion, said correction factor corresponding to the degree to which the fuel tank is askew to the reference plane;

(6) storing the corrected signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank in an electronic memory;

(7) displaying the value stored in the electronic memory; and

(8) repeating steps (1) through (7).

12. Apparatus for gauging an amount of liquid fuel remaining in a vehicle fuel tank, said apparatus being capable of differentiating between a level condition wherein the fuel tank is substantially parallel to a reference plane and an unlevel condition wherein the fuel tank is momentarily askew to such reference plane as during acceleration or cornering, the apparatus comprising:

sensor means for measuring the amount of fuel in the tank and for generating an analog output signal indicative of such amount;

inclinometer means for detecting the condition of the fuel tank relative to said reference plane and for generating an analog output signal indicative of the degree to which the fuel tank is askew to said reference plane;

electronic memory means for storing the signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the tank;

a microprocessor for accepting the signals from the sensor means and from the inclinometer means and for resetting the electronic memory means while the vehicle is in motion with a corrected signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the fuel tank, said corrected signal calculated by applying a correction factor corresponding to the degree to which the fuel tank is askew to the reference plane to the signal received from the sensor means; and

a fuel gauge operatively coupled to said microprocessor for displaying the amount of fuel in the tank as stored in the electronic memory means.