Evaporated fuel treatment device of internal combustion engine

• US 7,043,972 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kidokoro, Toru, Matsubara, Takuji, Hyodo, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US10/700,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20040089062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 731/16, 731/172, 731/173, 731/181, 731/19.R, 73/40, 73/497, 731/12, 731/15
• US Class Current: 73/114.39
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0818 having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space

Abstract

Disclosed is an evaporated fuel treatment device that includes a sealing valve installed between a fuel tank and a canister, a pump module pressure sensor for detecting the pressure on the canister side pressure, and a tank internal pressure sensor for detecting a tank internal pressure. Upon detection of a significant difference between the canister side pressure and tank internal pressure, the device concludes that no open failure exists in the sealing valve.

Claims

1. An evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine that uses a canister to absorb evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank for evaporated fuel treatment purposes, said device comprising:

a sealing valve for controlling the continuity between said fuel tank and said canister;

a differential pressure generation condition judgment means for judging whether a differential pressure generation condition is established, said condition being established when the sealing valve is expected to be closed and differential pressure is expected to be generated between both sides of the sealing valve;

a differential pressure detection means for detecting the difference between a canister side pressure which exists in a canister side area of the sealing valve and a tank internal pressure when said differential pressure generation condition is established; and

an open failure normality judgment means for judging that no open failure exists in said sealing valve when said differential pressure detection means detects a differential pressure higher than a judgment value.

2. An evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine that uses a canister to absorb evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank for evaporated fuel treatment purposes, said device comprising:

a sealing valve for controlling the continuity between said fuel tank and said canister;

a differential pressure generation condition judgment means for judging whether a differential pressure generation condition is established, said condition being established when the sealing valve is expected to be closed and differential pressure is expected to be generated between both sides of the sealing valve;

a condition establishment differential pressure detection means for detecting the difference between a canister side pressure and a tank internal pressure when said differential pressure generation condition is established; and

an open failure abnormality judgment means for judging that an open failure exists in said sealing valve when said condition establishment differential pressure detection means does not detect a differential pressure greater than a judgment value.

3. The evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said differential pressure generation condition judgment means makes a judgment that said differential pressure generation condition is established when a predetermined period of time elapses after said sealing valve closes and the internal combustion engine comes to a stop, said predetermined period of time being set as one necessary for generating significant change in said tank internal pressure.

4. The evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said differential pressure generation condition judgment means makes a judgment that said differential pressure generation condition is established when a predetermined ambient temperature change occurs after said sealing valve closes and the internal combustion engine comes to a stop, said predetermined ambient temperature change being set as one necessary for generating significant change in said tank internal pressure.

5. The evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said differential pressure generation condition judgment means makes a judgment that said differential pressure generation condition is established when a predetermined fuel temperature change occurs after said sealing valve closes and the internal combustion engine comes to a stop, said predetermined fuel temperature change being set as one necessary for generating significant change in said tank internal pressure.

6. The evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said differential pressure generation condition judgment means makes a judgment that said differential pressure generation condition is established when the atmospheric pressure is significantly changed after said canister is relieved to atmosphere, said sealing valve closes, and the internal combustion engine comes to a stop.

7. The evaporated fuel treatment device for internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said differential pressure generation condition judgment means makes a judgment that said differential pressure generation condition is established when a predetermined change occurs in the difference between a fuel temperature and the ambient temperature after said sealing valve closes with the internal combustion engine brought to a stop, said predetermined change being set as one necessary for generating significant change in said tank internal pressure.