Fuel safety control apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,841,440 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southern Taiwan University
• Original Assignee: Southern Taiwan University
• Inventors: Liu, Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth; Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/079,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090038872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 180/274, 180/277, 180/282, 180/284
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 33/08 returning to the fuel tank
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0023 Valves in the fuel supply and return system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0041 Means for damping pressure pulsations equalisation of pulses in positive displacement pumps F04B1/00; devices for damping fluid pulsations in pipes F16L55/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0052 Details on the fuel return circuit; Arrangement of pressure regulators

Abstract

A fuel safety control device includes a fuel pump disposed in a fuel tank and coupled to a vehicle engine with a fuel piping system, a fuel system safety controller coupled to the fuel pump for controlling the driving direction of the fuel pump, and an impact detector coupled to the fuel system safety controller for supplying an impact signal to the fuel system safety controller and to reverse the driving direction of the fuel pump, and to draw the fuel from the fuel piping system back to the fuel tank when receiving an impact signal, in order to prevent the impact firing from being occurred. A transformer circuit may be coupled to the fuel pump for increasing the driving speed of the fuel pump when required.

Claims

1. A fuel safety control apparatus comprising:

a fuel tank including a chamber formed therein for receiving a fuel therein,

a fuel pump disposed in said chamber of said fuel tank and coupled to a vehicle engine with a fuel piping system for pumping the fuel to the vehicle engine,

a fuel system safety controller coupled to said fuel pump for controlling and changing a driving direction of said fuel pump, and

an impact detector coupled to said fuel system safety controller for selectively supplying an impact signal to said fuel system safety controller and to reverse the driving direction of said fuel pump, and to draw the fuel from said fuel piping system back to said fuel tank when a vehicle impact is occurred.

2. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fuel pump includes a housing having a compartment formed therein, and having an inlet port communicating with said compartment of said housing for allowing the fuel in said chamber of said fuel tank to be drawn into said compartment of said housing, an impeller rotatably disposed in said compartment of said housing for pumping the fuel into and out of said housing, and said housing includes an outlet port coupled to the vehicle engine with said fuel piping system.

3. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing includes a first opening formed therein and communicating with said compartment of said housing, and said fuel piping system includes a first pipe coupled to said outlet port of said housing and coupled to the vehicle engine, and includes a manifold coupled between said first pipe and said first opening of said housing for allowing the fuel to be selectively drawn back from said first pipe into said compartment of said housing.

4. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said fuel piping system includes a second pipe coupled to the vehicle engine and having a free end engaged into said chamber of said fuel tank for selectively supplying the fuel back into said chamber of said fuel tank.

5. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said housing includes a second opening formed therein and communicating with said compartment of said housing, and said fuel piping system includes a third pipe coupled between said second pipe and said second opening of said housing for allowing the fuel to be drawn back from said second pipe into said compartment of said housing.

6. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing includes a valve seat formed therein and communicating with said compartment of said housing and said first and said second openings of said housing, and a valve member for selectively engaging with said valve seat and for selectively blocking and closing said first and said second openings of said housing.

7. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fuel piping system includes a check valve engaged in said free end of said second pipe for selectively blocking and closing said free end of said second pipe and for preventing the fuel from flowing back into said second pipe from said chamber of said fuel tank.

8. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fuel piping system includes a pressure regulator coupled between the vehicle engine and said second pipe for controlling the fuel to flow into said second pipe.

9. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pressure regulator includes a casing having a space formed therein, said first pipe and said second pipe are coupled to said space of said casing for allowing the fuel to selectively flow from said first pipe to said second pipe, a valve piece, and a pressure regulator controller for actuating said valve piece to control the fuel to flow from said first pipe to said second pipe.

10. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said pressure regulator includes a flexible membrane disposed in said casing, said valve piece is attached to said flexible membrane for selectively blocking said second pipe.

11. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said pressure regulator includes a spring member disposed in said casing and engaged with said flexible membrane for forcing said valve piece to engage with said second pipe.

12. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said pressure regulator controller includes a core disposed in said casing and aligned with said valve piece, and a coil engaged around said core for actuating said core to attract and to move said valve piece relative to said second pipe.

13. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein a relay is coupled between said pressure regulator controller and said fuel system safety controller for controlling said pressure regulator controller to actuate said valve piece.

14. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing includes a check valve engaged in said outlet port of said housing for selectively blocking and closing said outlet port of said housing.

15. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a relay is coupled between said fuel system safety controller and said fuel pump for controlling the driving direction of said fuel pump.

16. The fuel safety control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fuel system safety controller includes a transformer circuit coupled to said fuel pump for selectively supplying an increased power to said fuel pump, and a relay coupled to said transformer circuit for selectively switching off said transformer circuit.