Method and apparatus for determining gasoline characteristics by using ultrasonic wave

• US 6,250,137 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Saitou, Hiroaki, Takahashi, Toshimitsu, Kondo, Takuya, Ishikiriyama, Mamoru, Okazaki, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US09/464,385
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 73/614.5, 73/614.9, 73/617.9, 73/645.3, 735/79, 735/96, 735/97, 735/99, 736/02
• US Class Current: 73/64.53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02433 Gases in liquids, e.g. bubbles, foams
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02818 Density, viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02881 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/024 by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/326 compensating for temperature variations

Abstract

The present invention relates to the measurement of gasoline volatility characteristics, and is directed in particular to the provision of an ultrasonic-type gasoline characteristic determination method and apparatus capable of determining the volatility characteristics with good accuracy by measuring the velocity of an ultrasonic wave in a gasoline containing alcohol or other additives and by compensating for deviations from a reference temperature, and a method for determining gasoline volatility characteristics by using an ultrasonic wave is provided, comprising the steps of transmitting an ultrasonic wave into a gasoline being measured, measuring the velocity of the ultrasonic wave in the gasoline, and determining the volatility characteristics of the gasoline from the velocity.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic-type gasoline characteristic determination apparatus for determining gasoline volatility characteristics by using an ultrasonic wave having a measured velocity, comprising:

a transducer for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave in a gasoline;

distance varying means for correcting the distance between the transmission and reception of said ultrasonic wave on the basis of the temperature of said gasoline; and

means for determining the volatility characteristics of the gasoline from the measured velocity of said ultrasonic wave.

2. An ultrasonic-type gasoline characteristic determination apparatus according to claim 1, including a first reflecting plate constructed from a low thermal expansion member and a second reflecting plate constructed from a high thermal expansion member, for reflecting ultrasonic waves transmitted from an ultrasonic wave transmitter, ultrasonic wave receiving means for receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from said first reflecting plate and said second reflecting plate, means for detecting the propagation times of the waves reflected from said first reflecting plate and said second reflecting plate, and thereby obtaining velocity temperature-compensated ultrasonic wave against a reference temperature, and means for detecting the volatility characteristics of said gasoline from said temperature-compensated ultrasonic wave velocity.