Fuel supply apparatus having abnormality detecting function
First Claim
1. A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the apparatus comprising:
- calculation means for calculating a reference number of rotations of the fuel pump which changes as a function of a drive state of the internal combustion engine;
detection means for detecting an actual number of rotations of the fuel pump; and
abnormality determination means for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system of the internal combustion engine based on the said reference number of rotations of the fuel pump and the said actual number of rotations of the fuel pump.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Electric current to a fuel pump in an engine fuel supply system is controlled so that a deviation in the number of pump rotations between a predetermined reference number of rotations of the fuel pump and an actual number of rotations thereof is within a predetermined range. When the deviation exceeds a predetermined range, it is determined that the fuel supply system is abnormal and at this time the operation of the fuel pump is limited. In this manner, the electric power consumed by the fuel pump is reduced because excess fuel is not circulated in the fuel supply system, thus accomplishing an improved reliability.
22 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the apparatus comprising:
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calculation means for calculating a reference number of rotations of the fuel pump which changes as a function of a drive state of the internal combustion engine; detection means for detecting an actual number of rotations of the fuel pump; and abnormality determination means for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system of the internal combustion engine based on the said reference number of rotations of the fuel pump and the said actual number of rotations of the fuel pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for calculating a variation in a reference number of rotations of the fuel pump as a function of a drive state of the internal combustion engine; second means for calculating a variation in an actual number of rotations of the fuel pump; and abnormality determination means for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system of the internal combustion engine based on the said variation in the reference number of rotations of the fuel pump and the said variation in the actual number of rotations of the fuel pump. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for calculating a variation in a number of rotations of the fuel pump which supplies fuel to the fuel supply system of the internal combustion engine and controls a pressure of the fuel; and abnormality determination means for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system based on the variation in the number of rotations of the fuel pump calculated by the first means being outside predetermined upper and lower limits of variation to be expected during normal engine operations. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A fuel supply method for use with an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the method comprising:
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generating a reference value related to fuel pump rotation and which reference value changes as a function of a drive state of the internal combustion engine; detecting an actual number of fuel pump rotations; and determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system of the internal combustion engine based on the said reference value and the said actual fuel pump rotations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A fuel supply method for use with an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the method comprising:
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generating a variation reference value in a reference number of fuel pump rotations as a function of a drive state of the internal combustion engine; detecting an actual variation value in the number of fuel pump rotations; and determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system of the internal combustion engine based on the said variation reference value and the said actual variation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A fuel supply method for use with an internal combustion engine having a fuel pump and a fuel supply system, the method comprising:
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detecting a variation in number of fuel pump rotations and controlling fuel pressure of the fuel based thereon; and determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the fuel supply system based on the detected variation in the number of fuel pump rotations being outside predetermined upper and lower limits of variation to be expected during normal engine operations. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification