System and method of preventing inadvertent check engine telltale

• US 9,067,489 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Rovik, Christopher Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/555,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20120319830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/053 with hinged connection to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0546 Arrangements for checking the position of the inlet cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling

Abstract

A system for preventing the illumination of a vehicle check engine light by notifying the driver that the fuel door is not closed. The system includes an interference member, a sensor for detecting the position of a fuel door, and a processor to communicate a detectable signal to the driver. The interference member prevents the fuel door from closing if the fuel cap is not properly seated in the fuel injection port, and the sensor detects the position of the door. The sensor can communicate the position of the door to the processor which in turn can send a detectable signal to the driver that the fuel door is ajar and the fuel cap is loose. Furthermore, in vehicles equipped with power slide doors, the processor can also disable the operation of the power slide door to prevent the power slide door from colliding with the fuel door.

Claims

1. A system for use in a vehicle having a driver, an engine, an ignition switch, a check engine light and a fuel injection port housing, the fuel injection port housing having a fuel door and a fuel injection port, the system configured to prevent the check engine light from illuminating every time a fuel cap is not fully seated in the fuel injection port, the system comprising:

an interference member disposed within the fuel injection port housing, the interference member having a contact surface displaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of the fuel door, the predetermined distance equal to the distance from the inner surface of the fuel door and an outer surface of the fuel cap when the fuel door is closed and the fuel cap is fully seated within the fuel injection port, the interference member preventing a closure of the fuel door every time the fuel cap is not fully seated in the fuel injection port;

a single sensor, the single sensor detecting if the fuel door is open and communicating a position of the open fuel door;

a processor in communication with the single sensor, the processor processing the communication from the single sensor, and issuing a detectable signal based on only the communication from the single sensor while the engine is operating, the detectable signal indicating to the driver to check the fuel cap so as to prevent the check engine light from illuminating when the fuel cap is not fully seated within the fuel injection port.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the single sensor is disposed within the fuel injection port housing.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ignition switch is configured to actuate the processor.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the detectable signal indicates to check the fuel cap to see if the fuel cap is tightened within the fuel injection port.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the detectable signal is a textual display.

6. A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the detectable signal is a pre-recorded verbal warning.

7. A method of preventing a vehicle check engine light from activating due to gasoline fumes escaping from when a fuel cap is not fully seated within a fuel injection port while the vehicle engine is operating, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an ignition switch, and a fuel injection port housing, the fuel injection port housing having a fuel door and the fuel injection port;

providing an interference member having a contact surface displaced a predetermined distance from an inner surface of the fuel door, the predetermined distance equal to the distance from the inner surface of the fuel door and an outer surface of the fuel cap when the fuel door is closed and the fuel cap is fully seated within the fuel injection port, placing the interference member in the fuel injection port housing, the interference member preventing the fuel door from closing when the fuel cap is not fully seated within the fuel injection port by having the interference member come into contact with the outer surface of the fuel cap;

providing a single sensor configured to detect when the fuel door is open; and

sending a detectable signal to a driver based only on the single sensor detecting that the fuel door is open while the ignition switch is on and the vehicle engine is operating, the detectable signal warning the driver to check the fuel cap so as to prevent the check engine light from activating.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the interference member is a pad fixed to the inner surface of the fuel door, the pad configured to prevent the fuel door from closing if the fuel cap is not fully seated within the fuel injection port.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the detectable signal is a textual display notifying the driver that the fuel door is open and to check the fuel cap to see if the fuel cap is not fully seated within the injection port.

10. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the detectable signal is a prerecorded voice warning the driver that the fuel door is open and the fuel cap is not fully seated.

11. A method as set forth in claim 7, further including the step of providing a power sliding door on the vehicle, and wherein the single sensor is in communication with the power sliding door and is configured to disable the power sliding door when the fuel door is open.