Evaporating fuel control system

• US 5,524,595 A
• Filed: 07/07/1995
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Ito, Takenori
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, CARL STUART
• Application Number:
  US08/499,688
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 123/518, 123/519, 123/520, 123/516, 123/198 D, 123/521, 123/494
• US Class Current: 123/520
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2441 characterised by the learning conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2474 Characteristics of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits

Abstract

An evaporating fuel control system includes a fuel tank, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure in an upper space of the tank, a learning discrimination element for discriminating as to whether a zero point correction of the pressure sensor is once performed or not at all, a learning condition determination element for determining as to whether or not a learning condition is established in the case where the pressure of the tank is near the atmospheric pressure while a vehicle is normally running under the condition that the zero point correction is not performed at all, an air pressure return element for causing the upper space in the fuel tank forcibly to be a negative pressure by a negative pressure during a purging and for thereafter opening the fuel tank to the air, a zero point set element for setting an output value of the pressure sensor to the zero point after a predetermined time after opening the tank to the atmosphere, and correction means for correcting the output value of the pressure sensor by the zero point, thereby rapidly and certainly causing the fuel tank to be the atmospheric pressure at an initial correction or at the second time correction so as to improve an accuracy of the zero point correction of the pressure sensor.

Claims

1. An evaporating fuel control system mounted on a motor vehicle having, a fuel tank, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure in an upper space of the fuel tank, a canister for soaking an evaporated fuel occurring in the fuel tank, purge means for purging the evaporated fuel to an engine intake system while an engine is driving;

comprising

learning discrimination means for discriminating whether a zero-point correction of the pressure sensor is performed at least one time or not;

learning condition determining means for determining an establishment of a learning condition when the pressure is near an atmospheric pressure and when said vehicle is normally running after starting said engine during a purge when the zero-point correction of the pressure sensor is inoperative at least one time;

air pressure returning means for causing the upper space of the fuel tank to be a negative pressure during said purge and for opening the negative pressure to an atmospheric pressure;

zero point setting means for deciding a zero point of an output value of the pressure sensor after a predetermined time while opening to the air; and

correction means for correcting the output value of the pressure sensor in dependency on the zero point so as to improve a detection accuracy.

2. The evaporated fuel processing control means according to claim 1;

comprising

air pressure returning means for first causing the fuel tank to be a negative pressure by opening a pressure control valve installed in an evaporation pipe connecting the fuel tank with the canister while opening a purge control valve installed in a purge pipe connecting the canister with an intake system and for second introducing an atmospheric air from the canister to the fuel tank by fully closing the purge control valve, thereby returning the pressure in the tank to substantially the air pressure after the predetermined time.

3. An evaporating fuel control means mounted on a vehicle having, a fuel tank, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure in an upper space of the fuel tank, a canister for soaking an evaporated fuel occurring in the fuel tank, purge means for purging the evaporated fuel to an engine intake system while an engine is driving;

comprising

learning discrimination means for discriminating whether a zero point correction of the pressure sensor is twice after an initial correction is performed or not;

learning condition determination means for determining an establishment of a learning condition when the fuel tank satisfies a condition to be a negative pressure by repeating a plurality of processing to be negative pressure within a predetermined time in the case of the correction after two times;

air pressure returning means for opening the upper space of the fuel tank to the air when the learning condition is established;

zero point setting means for renewing a previous zero point by the output value of the pressure sensor after a predetermined time when opening said upper space to the air; and

correction means for correcting the output value of the pressure sensor by a renewed zero point so as to improve a detection accuracy.

4. The evaporated fuel processing control means according to claim 3;

comprising

at least air pressure returning means for first causing the fuel tank to be a negative pressure by opening a pressure control valve installed in an evaporation pipe connecting the fuel tank with the canister under a condition of opening a purge control valve installed in a purge pipe connecting the canister with an intake system and for second introducing said atmospheric air from the canister to the fuel tank by fully closing the purge control valve, thereby returning the pressure in the tank to the atmospheric pressure after the predetermined time.