Method for preventing water intrusion in vehicle systems

• US 9,487,061 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yukiyo, Shimizu, Kazuaki, Hanaya, Kazuhiko, Watanabe, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laguarda, Gonzalo
• Application Number:
  US13/736,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20140194046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00821 the components being ventilating, air admitting or air distributing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/10 for carrying boats for carrying sailboards B60R9/08, B63B32/80; equipment forming part of or attachable to vessels facilitating transport over land, e.g. wheel units, towing units, B63C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/088 Water, snow or ice proofing; Separation or drainage of water, snow or ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/14 Tractor-trailer backing connections

Abstract

A method for controlling a vehicle system includes receiving, at a control system, a request to open an ambient air inlet valve of a vehicle component, wherein the ambient air inlet valve is operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal that is transmitted to the ambient air inlet valve from the control system. The method also includes determining whether a towing condition is present, determining whether at least one submergence risk criterion is present, and transmitting the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if the towing condition is not present or the at least one submergence risk criterion is not present.

Claims

1. A method for preventing water intrusion into an ambient air intake valve of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, at a control system, a request to open the ambient air inlet valve of an evaporative emissions system, wherein the ambient air inlet valve is operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal requesting air intake that is transmitted to the ambient air inlet valve from the control system;

when there is indication that the vehicle is towing a trailer with a trailer wiring sensor or by comparing at least one engine operating parameter to a threshold value, determining whether a submergence risk criteria is present, the submergence risk criteria comprising one or more of;

sensing with a speed sensor a vehicle speed lower than a threshold vehicle speed;

sensing with an inclination sensor an inclination angle of the vehicle greater than a threshold inclination;

determining that the vehicle is in a reverse driving mode with a transmission sensor;

transmitting the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if one or more of the submergence risk criteria is not present; and

blocking the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if one or more of the submergence risk criteria are present.

2. An apparatus for preventing water intrusion into an ambient air intake valve of a vehicle, comprising:

an evaporative emissions system having the ambient air inlet valve operable to move from a closed position to an open position in response to an open signal requesting intake of air and a closed signal; and

a control system that is operable to;

receive a request from the evaporative emissions system to open the ambient air inlet valve, when there is indication that the vehicle is towing a trailer with a trailer wiring sensor or by comparing at least one engine operating parameter to a threshold value, determine whether a submergence risk criteria is present, the submergence risk criteria comprising one or more of;

vehicle speed below a threshold speed with a speed sensor;

an inclination angle of the vehicle greater than a threshold inclination with an inclination sensor; and

driving in a reverse driving mode with a transmission sensor;

transmit the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air inlet valve, if one or more of the submergence risk criteria is not present; and

block the open signal to the ambient air inlet valve, in response to the request to open the ambient air net valve, if one or more of the submergence risk criteria are present.