Fuel vapor treatment system

• US 6,834,535 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamashita, Yasuhiro, Kano, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, Eric S.
• Application Number:
  US10/242,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 73/40, 73/46, 73/47, 73/497, 731/16, 731/172, 731/173, 731/181
• US Class Current: 73/49.7
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0845 Electromagnetic valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0818 having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space

Abstract

A pressure-changing device of a leak check system for a fuel vapor treatment system has a pressure chamber formed in a peripheral space of a communicating path connecting a pump with an electromagnetic valve, the pressure chamber being deviated from flow delivered by the pump. The electromagnetic valve is opened to connect the communicating path with a canister. Then, a purge valve is closed and the pump is turned on to change pressure in a fuel vapor path. A pressure sensor attached on a side wall of the pressure chamber detects pressure in the communicating path to determine pressure in the fuel vapor path. The leak check system judges existence of leak in the fuel vapor treatment system from pressure in the fuel vapor path.

Claims

1. A pressure-changing device for a leak check system to check for leaks in a fuel vapor treatment system, which adsorbs fuel vapor forming in a fuel tank by adsorbent in an adsorption vessel and discharges the adsorbed fuel vapor into a suction pipe, by changing pressure in a fuel vapor path through which fuel vapor passes in the fuel vapor treatment system, the pressure-changing device comprising:

a pump that changes pressure in the fuel vapor path;

an electromagnetic valve that is disposed between the fuel vapor path and the pump and provides a communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump and a communication between the fuel vapor path and the atmosphere;

a pressure sensor that is disposed in a communicating path through which the pump communicates with the electro-magnetic valve and detects pressure in the communicating path; and

a restrictor path that as a restrictor and branches from the communicating path, the restrictor path continuously communicating the communicating path with the absorbent vessel.

2. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the pump, the electromagnetic valve and the pressure sensor are disposed in an air-tight housing.

3. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is disposed in a place where a pressure detection part of the pressure sensor receives pressure in the communicating path in a direction between a horizontal direction and a vertically down-to-up direction.

4. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is disposed in a place where a pressure detection part of the pressure sensor faces between a direction of a flow passing through the communicating path and a direction perpendicular to the direction of the flow.

5. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the communicating path is formed with a pressure chamber that is formed in a space deviated from a flow passing through the communicating path and communicates with the communicating path, the pressure chamber housing the pressure sensor.

6. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is an absolute pressure sensor.

9. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, further comprising a leak checking means for performing a leak check of the fuel treatment system by comparing a pressure in the communicating path with a threshold pressure value in a state in which the electromagnetic valve provides the communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump, the fuel vapor path communicates with the pump alone, and the pump changes pressure in the fuel vapor path.

10. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the leak check system is a pressure type leak check system and the electro-magnetic valve cuts off the communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump when the pump is not operated.

11. The pressure-changing device as in claim 1, wherein the adsorption vessel is disposed between the fuel tank and the electromagnetic valve.

7. A pressure-changing device for a leak check system to check for leaks in a fuel vapor treatment system, which adsorbs fuel vapor forming in a fuel tank by adsorbent in an adsorption vessel and discharges the adsorbed fuel vapor into a suction pipe, by changing pressure in a fuel vapor path through which fuel vapor passes in the fuel vapor treatment system, the pressure-changing device comprising:

a pump that changes pressure in the fuel vapor path;

an electromagnetic valve that is disposed between the fuel vapor path and the pump and provides a communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump and a communication between the fuel vapor path and the atmosphere;

a pressure sensor that is disposed in a communicating path through which the pump communicates with the electro-magnetic valve and detects pressure in the communicating path;

a restrictor path that as a restrictor and branches from the communicating path; and

a calibration means for performing a calibration of the pressure-changing device by memorizing a pressure in the communicating path as a reference pressure in a state in which the electromagnetic valve cuts off the communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump and the pump changes pressure in the communicating path.

8. The pressure-changing device as in claim 7, further comprising a leak checking means for performing a leak check of the fuel treatment system by comparing a pressure in the communicating path with a threshold pressure determined by the reference pressure in a state in which the electromagnetic valve provides the communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump, the fuel vapor path communicates with the pump alone, and the pump changes pressure in the fuel vapor path.

12. A pressure-changing device for a leak check system to check for leaks in a fuel vapor treatment system, which adsorbs fuel vapor forming in a fuel tank by adsorbent in an adsorption vessel and discharges the adsorbed fuel vapor into a suction pipe, by changing pressure in a fuel vapor path through which fuel vapor passes in the fuel vapor treatment system, the pressure-changing device comprising:

a pump that changes pressure in the fuel vapor path;

an electromagnetic valve that is disposed between the fuel vapor path and the pump and provides a communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump and a communication between the fuel vapor path and the atmosphere; and

a pressure sensor that is disposed in a communicating path through which the pump communicates with the electro-magnetic valve and detects pressure in the communicating path;

wherein the communicating path is formed with a pressure chamber that is formed in a space deviated from a flow passing through the communicating path and communicates with the communicating path, the pressure chamber housing the pressure sensor, and

wherein a pressure detection part of the pressure sensor is directed horizontally and receives pressure in the press chamber horizontally, and wherein pressure in the pressure chamber equals pressure in the communicating path.

13. A pressure-changing device for a leak check system to check for leaks in a fuel vapor treatment system, which adsorbs fuel vapor forming in a fuel tank by adsorbent in an adsorotion vessel and discharges the adsorbed fuel vapor into a suction pipe, by changing pressure in a fuel vapor path through which fuel vapor passes in the fuel vapor treatment system, the pressure-changing device comprising:

a pump that changes pressure in the fuel vapor path;

an electromagnetic valve that is disposed between the fuel vapor path and the pump and provides a communication between the fuel vapor path and the pump and a communication between the fuel vapor path and the atmosphere; and

a pressure sensor that is disposed in a communicating path through which the pump communicates with the electro-magnetic valve and detects pressure in the communicating path;

wherein the communicating path is formed with a pressure chamber that is formed in a space deviated from a flow passing throuah the communicating path and communicates with the communicating path, the pressure chamber housing the pressure sensor, and

wherein the pressure sensor is disposed on an upper wall of the pressure chamber and a pressure detection part of the pressure sensor is directed vertically downward to receive pressure in the pressure chamber in a vertically down-to-up direction.