Fuel property detection device for construction machine and construction machine provided therewith

• US 8,656,765 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Kita, Tomotaka, Ueda, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Kirkland, III, Freddie
• Application Number:
  US13/505,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20120222473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 731/143.8, 731/145.5
• US Class Current: 73/114.38
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/087 with determination of densities, viscosities, composition, concentration or mixture ratios of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/04 peculiar to engines driving pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 33/003 Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845; Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0082 Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters electrical pumps submerged in fuel tanks F02M37/10, jet pumps F02M37/025
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2829 Mixtures of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A device detecting a property of fuel in a course of a pipeline, while improving accuracy and stability of the fuel property detection. The device includes a sub-tank provided in the course of a fuel pipeline connecting a fuel tank and an engine, and a sensor capable of detecting the property of fuel inside the sub-tank. The sub-tank includes a fuel inlet for introducing therethrough fuel from the fuel tank, and a fuel outlet for sending out therethrough the fuel toward the engine.

Claims

1. A fuel property detection device for a construction machine, which is designed to detect a property of fuel to be supplied to an engine from a fuel tank for storing fuel, comprising:

a sub-tank provided in the course of a fuel supply pipeline connecting the engine and the fuel tank, and capable of storing a given amount of fuel; and

a sensor provided to the sub-tank and capable of detecting the property of fuel within the sub-tank,

wherein the sub-tank has a fuel inlet for introducing therethrough fuel from the fuel tank, and a fuel outlet for sending out therethrough the fuel toward the engine,

wherein the sub-tank has a sidewall formed over an entire circumference about an axis along an up-down direction,

wherein the fuel inlet and fuel outlet of the sub-tank are provided in the sidewall of the sub-tank at approximately the same position in the circumferential direction of the sidewall and in such a manner that the fuel inlet is disposed below the fuel outlet, and

wherein the sensor is provided to a lower portion of the sub-tank.

2. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel inlet of the sub-tank is disposed at a position closer to the sensor than the fuel outlet.

3. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1,

wherein the fuel inlet is capable of introducing fuel to the sub-tank in a lateral direction, and the fuel outlet is capable of leading fuel out of the sub-tank in a lateral direction, and

wherein the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet of the sub-tank are arranged one above the other in side-by-side relation on a same plane along an up-down direction.

4. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel outlet of the sub-tank is disposed in an uppermost portion of the sidewall of the sub-tank.

5. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the sub-tank has a top wall closing an upper opening of the sidewall, and a bottom wall closing a lower opening of the sidewall.

6. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor is provided to the bottom wall of the sub-tank.

7. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor, the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet are arranged on a same plane.

8. The fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising an inlet pipe connected to the fuel inlet of the sub-tank and connectable to the fuel tank, and an outlet pipe connected to the fuel outlet of the sub-tank and connectable to the engine, and wherein a flow passage cross-sectional area of the sub-tank perpendicular to a flow direction of the fuel is greater than each of respective flow passage cross-sectional areas of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

9. A construction machine comprising:

the fuel property detection device for a construction machine according to claim 8;

a fuel tank connected to the inlet pipe of the fuel property detection device; and

an engine connected to the outlet pipe of the fuel property detection device.