Bi-fuel and dual-fuel automotive combustible gas detection apparatus and method

• US 8,788,181 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Solutions International, Inc. (Weichai Power Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: AGA Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Stuart, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROY, PUNAM P
• Application Number:
  US12/982,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20120167677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 701/108, 701/109, 123/406.3, 123/406.15, 702/193
• US Class Current: 701/108
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/002 by using thermal means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/20 using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting a combustible fuel leakage into the cabin of a bi-fuel or dual-fuel vehicle. The apparatus comprises a box affixed inside the cabin of a bi-fuel vehicle which alerts a driver to the presence of a combustible fuel inside the cabin using an audible alarm and flashing lights, and which then either disables the vehicle or switches the fuel powering the vehicle'"'"'s engine to gasoline. Certain embodiments of the present invention include substitute means of generating and transmitting alerts to drivers, as well as of manipulating vehicle function.

Claims

1. A bi-fuel vehicle combustible gas detection device comprising:

a housing defining a hollow recess between 0.1 liters in volume and 5 liters in volume;

one or more combustible gas detector(s) affixed to the housing capable of detecting elevated levels of one or more combustible gas(es) from the group consisting of natural gas, isobutene, propane, benzene, acetylene, nitrous oxide, methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen;

wherein the gas detector(s) comprise one or more of a laser gas detector and a thermal conductivity sensor;

wherein the detectors are configured to measure levels of the combustible gas(es);

one or more LED(s) affixed to one or more of the housing and combustible gas detector configured to flash in response to the measured levels of the combustible gas(es) exceeding a predetermined threshold;

one or more loudspeakers configured to emit a repeating audible frequency in response to the measured levels of the combustible gas(es) exceeding a predetermined threshold;

a control unit configured to send an electronic signal via a signal bearing medium to one or more electromechanical shut-off valves configured to physically close a fuel line bearing a combustible gas in response to receiving the electronic signal; and

wherein the control unit is in logical communication with the bi-fuel vehicle vis-à

-vis one of an OBDII port and CAN data bus;

wherein the control unit is configured to activate a check engine light on the dashboard of the bi-fuel vehicle in response to measured levels of the combustible gas(es) exceeding a secondary threshold but not exceeding the predetermined threshold.