Vehicle gaseous fuel supply system

• US 6,568,375 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keihin Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Keihin Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Youji, Ishikawa, Kazuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salser, Douglas A.
• Application Number:
  US10/007,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 123/527, 123/529
• US Class Current: 123/527
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/00 Engines characterised by operating on gaseous fuels; Plants including such engines engines characterised by the gas-air charge being ignited by compression ignition of an additional fuel F02B7/06; engines convertible from gas to other fuel consumption F02B69/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/027 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or volume flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0215 Mixtures of gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Biogas; Mine gas; Landfill gas
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0224 Secondary gaseous fuel storages
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0233 Details of actuators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0239 Pressure or flow regulators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0242 Shut-off valves; Check valves; Safety valves; Pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0245 High pressure fuel supply systems; Rails; Pumps; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A vehicle gaseous fuel supply system includes a high pressure filter, a primary pressure-reducing valve, a solenoid cut-off valve, safety means, and a secondary pressure-reducing valve. A regulator is formed by disposing the high pressure filter, the solenoid cut-off valve, and the primary pressure-reducing valve on a common regulator body that has a passage providing a connection between the high pressure filter and the solenoid cut-off valve, a passage providing a connection between the solenoid cut-off valve and the primary pressure-reducing valve, and an exit passage having one end connected to the primary pressure-reducing valve. Between the safety means and the secondary pressure-reducing valve which are connected to the other end of the exit passage, at least the secondary pressure-reducing valve has its valve housing formed as a body separate from the regulator body. As a result, the dimensions of the regulator formed by integrating a plurality of components can be reduced thereby lessening restrictions on the layout, and the arrangement of passages in the regulator body can be simplified thereby making the machining easy and achieving a reduction in cost.

Claims

1. A vehicle gaseous fuel supply system comprising:

a high pressure filter that removes impurities from a high pressure gaseous fuel supplied from a tank;

a primary pressure-reducing valve that reduces the pressure of the gaseous fuel from which impurities have been removed by the high pressure filter;

a solenoid cut-off valve disposed between the high pressure filter and the primary pressure-reducing valve;

safety means that operates in response to the output pressure of the primary pressure-reducing valve becoming equal to or exceeding a set pressure; and

a secondary pressure-reducing valve that further reduces the pressure of the gaseous fuel whose pressure has been reduced by the primary pressure-reducing valve and supplies it to an injector of an engine;

wherein the high pressure filter, the solenoid cut-off valve, and the primary pressure-reducing valve are disposed on a common regulator body to form a regulator, the regulator body having a passage providing a connection between the high pressure filter and the solenoid cut-off valve, a passage providing a connection between the solenoid cut-off valve and the primary pressure-reducing valve, and an exit passage having one end connected to the primary pressure-reducing valve; and

wherein, between the safety means and the secondary pressure-reducing valve which are connected to the other end of the exit passage, at least the secondary pressure-reducing valve has a valve housing formed as a body separate from the regulator body.

2. The vehicle gaseous fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein a mounting face for providing said other end of the exit passage with an opening is provided on the outer face of the regulator body, and bodies each having a low pressure passage and equipped with the safety means of different types operating in response to the pressure of the low pressure passage are selectively mounted in a detachable manner on the mounting face so that the low pressure passage communicates with said other end of the exit passage.

3. The vehicle gaseous fuel supply system according to claim 2, wherein the plural types of safety means are a pressure switch that determines the cut-off timing of the solenoid cut-off valve and a relief valve.