Fuel tank system

• US 9,556,827 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Iwaya, Norifumi, Wakamatsu, Atsushi, Sano, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): MOULIS, THOMAS N
• Application Number:
  US14/468,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20150059870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 123/516, 123518-520
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0076 Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6881 Automotive

Abstract

A first pressure sensor capable of detecting pressure in a narrow pressure range with a high accuracy to detect internal pressure in the fuel tank is arranged in the fuel tank, and a second pressure sensor that is capable of detecting pressure in a wide pressure range with a low accuracy with respect to the first pressure sensor, and is capable of detecting internal pressure of the fuel tank, is arranged in vapor piping between the fuel tank and a tank blocking valve. When a filler lid switch is operated to release internal pressure of the fuel tank, the first pressure sensor detects internal pressure of the fuel tank so that an operation of the tank blocking valve is controlled on the basis of the detection result, and then a filler lid is opened when the internal pressure of the fuel tank becomes the atmospheric pressure.

Claims

1. A fuel tank system comprising:

a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle;

a first pressure detector arranged in the fuel tank to detect pressure in the fuel tank;

a second pressure detector arranged in a position different from the position of the first pressure detector to detect pressure in the fuel tank; and

an abnormality determination part that determines abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector on the basis of a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector.

2. The fuel tank system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a canister that absorbs a fuel evaporative emission released from the fuel tank;

piping that connects the canister and the fuel tank; and

a blocking valve that is provided in the piping to block the fuel tank,

wherein the second pressure detector is arranged in the piping between the fuel tank and the blocking valve.

3. The fuel tank system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a filler lid that is provided in the vehicle and closes a filling opening of the fuel tank;

a filler lid opening control part that controls opening of the filler lid; and

an operation control part that controls an operation of the blocking valve,

wherein the filler lid opening control part opens the filler lid on the basis of a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector when the filling opening of the fuel tank is opened, and the operation control part controls the operation of the blocking valve on the basis of a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector when the pressure in the fuel tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure.

4. The fuel tank system according to claim 1, wherein the second pressure detector is a sensor capable of detecting pressure in a wider range than the first pressure detector, and the first pressure detector is a sensor capable of detecting pressure more finely than the second pressure detector.

5. The fuel tank system according to claim 2, wherein the second pressure detector is a sensor capable of detecting pressure in a wider range than the first pressure detector, and the first pressure detector is a sensor capable of detecting pressure more finely than the second pressure detector.

6. The fuel tank system according to claim 3, wherein the second pressure detector is a sensor capable of detecting pressure in a wider range than the first pressure detector, and the first pressure detector is a sensor capable of detecting pressure more finely than the second pressure detector.

7. The fuel tank system according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality determination part determines that there is abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector in a case where a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector are compared, and an error between the detection results is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

8. The fuel tank system according to claim 2, wherein the abnormality determination part determines that there is abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector in a case where a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector are compared, and an error between the detection results is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

9. The fuel tank system according to claim 3, wherein the abnormality determination part determines that there is abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector in a case where a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector are compared, and an error between the detection results is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

10. The fuel tank system according to claim 4, wherein the abnormality determination part determines that there is abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector in a case where a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector are compared, and an error between the detection results is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

11. The fuel tank system according to claim 5, wherein the abnormality determination part determines that there is abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector in a case where a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector are compared, and an error between the detection results is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

12. The fuel tank system according to claim 6, wherein the abnormality determination part determines that there is abnormality in the first pressure detector or the second pressure detector in a case where a detection result obtained by the first pressure detector and a detection result obtained by the second pressure detector are compared, and an error between the detection results is equal to or more than a predetermined value.