Portable fuel analyzer for analyzing the alcohol content of a mixed fuel

• US 6,566,892 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Rick, Desmier, Isabelle
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamdan, Wasseem H.
• Application Number:
  US09/862,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 324/721, 324/663, 324/672, 324/601, 324/608, 324/683, 324/674, 324/685, 324/639, 422/78, 422/52, 73/232, 205/780
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/221 by investigating the dielectric properties using microwaves G01N22/00; measuring loss factors or dielectric constants per se G01R27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2852 Alcohol in fuels

Abstract

A portable fuel analyzer includes a sensor, a processor and a display. The portable analyzer receives a fuel sample and the display identifies whether the vehicle fuel is tainted. The portable fuel analyzer is linked to an evaluation unit to determine a frequency measurement based upon signals from the sensor in the portable fuel analyzer. The evaluation unit provides a method of comparing the frequency from the vehicle fuel sensor with the frequency from the portable fuel analyzer. If the green LED is illuminated and the portable fuel analyzer indicates a different frequency than the vehicle fuel sensor, the vehicle fuel sensor is defective and should be replaced; If the green LED is illuminated and the portable fuel analyzer indicates the same frequency as the vehicle fuel sensor, a vehicle component other than the vehicle sensor is faulty; and, if the red LED is illuminated, the mixed fuel sample is tainted and a determination about the vehicle fuel sensor cannot be determined.

Claims

1. A portable fuel analyzer for a fuel mixture comprising:

a housing having an opening to a container;

a sensor communicating with said container such that a mixed fuel sample within said container operates as a dielectric for said sensor;

a processor communication with said sensor, said processor operable to determine as alcohol content of the mixed fuel sample in response to said sensor;

a connection for communication between said processor and an evaluation unit which operates to communicate with a vehicle processor;

a temperature sensor communicating with said container and said processor to sense a temperature of the mixed fuel sample; and

a display within said housing, said display communicating with said sensor and said processor to indicate a quality of the fuel mixture in response to a predetermined conductivity, wherein said display includes a first and a second indicator, said first indicator activatable in response to a valid fuel mixture quality, and said second indicator activatable in response to an invalid mixed fuel sample quality.

2. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a funnel adjacent said opening.

3. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a power source.

4. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a handle.

5. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said evaluation unit includes a multimeter.

6. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said first indicator activatable in response to said sensor sensing a conductivity below a first predetermined value, and said second indicator activatable in response to said sensor sensing a conductivity above a second predetermined value.

7. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second indicator is a Light Emitting Diode.

8. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor comprises an air:

fuel mixture processor.

9. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor comprises an injection processor.

10. The portable fuel analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor comprises an ignition processor.

11. A method of analyzing a mixed fuel sample comprising the steps of:

(1) removing a mixed fuel sample from a vehicle;

(2) containing the mixed fuel sample in a portable fuel analyzer;

(3) determining whether the mixed fuel sample is of acceptable quality wherein said display includes a first and a second indicator, said first indicator activatable in response to a valid fuel mixture quality, and said second indicator activatable in response to an invalid mixed fuel sample quality wherein said step (3) further includes;

3a. measuring a conductivity of the mixed fuel sample;

3b. activating a first indicator if said conductivity of said step 3a, is below a first predetermined value; and

3c. activating a second indicator if said conductivity of said step 3a, is above a second predetermined value;

(4) determining an alcohol content of the mixed fuel sample; and

(5) comparing the alcohol content determined in said step (4) with an alcohol content measure by a vehicle sensor.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further including the steps of:

4a. measuring a frequency indicated by the portable fuel analyzer; and

4b. comparing the frequency of said step 4b with a frequency measure by a vehicle sensor.

13. A method of analyzing a fuel mixture unit comprising the steps of:

(1) removing a mixed fuel sample from a vehicle;

(2) containing the mixed fuel sample in a portable fuel analyzer;

(3) determining whether the mixed fuel sample is of acceptable quality in response to a conductivity of the mixed fuel sample;

(4) activating a first indicator if said conductivity of said step (3) is below a first predetermined value;

(5) activating a second indicator if said conductivity of said step (3) is above a second predetermined value.

(6) measuring the capacitance of a capacitor sensor formed in which the mixed fuel sample is a dielectric for said capacitor sensor;

(7) determining an alcohol content of the mixed fuel sample in response to a frequency indicated by the capacitor sensor of said (6); and

(8) comparing the frequency of said step (7) with a frequency measure by a vehicle sensor.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said step (7) further includes:

7a. measuring a temperature of the mixed fuel sample; and

7b. adjusting said alcohol content of the mixed fuel sample in response to the temperature measured in said step 7a.