Method for releasing the pressure in a fuel system in a crash

• US 9,657,638 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research
• Original Assignee: Inergy Automotive Systems Research (Societe Anonyme) (Solvac SA)
• Inventors: Criel, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Long T
• Application Number:
  US14/410,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20150192064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 123529, 12333915, 123359, 123394, 12340613, 123690, 123479, 123630, 123198 D
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/035 characterised by venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03519 Valve arrangements in the vent line
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/082 relating to valves

Abstract

A method for controlling depressurization of a fuel system mounted on board of a vehicle including a vehicle impact sensor, the method including: detecting, using the vehicle impact sensor, whether an impact on the vehicle is present; and when the impact on the vehicle is detected, using a controller for generating at least one signal for controlling an opening of at least one valve disposed in the fuel system, to release internal pressure of the fuel system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling depressurization of a fuel system mounted on board of a vehicle, the vehicle including a fuel tank connected in a communicating manner to a canister, and a vehicle impact sensor, the method comprising:

detecting, using the vehicle impact sensor, whether an impact on the vehicle is present; and

once the impact on the vehicle is detected, opening a fuel tank isolation valve disposed in the fuel system, to release internal pressure of the fuel system;

wherein a controller generates a first signal to control opening of the fuel tank isolation valve, to allow fuel vapors within the fuel tank to flow towards the canister; and

wherein the fuel tank isolation valve is disposed in a first venting line through which the canister can communicate with the atmosphere.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fuel system further includes an intake manifold connected in a communicating manner to the canister, and wherein the controller generates a second signal to control opening of a purge valve, to allow fuel vapors stored in the canister to flow towards the intake manifold.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller generates a third signal to control an opening of an additional valve disposed in a third venting line through which the fuel tank can communicate with the canister.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least the fuel tank isolation valve is an electromagnetic valve.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle impact sensor is an airbag crash sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller generates at least one of the at least one signal and the first signal based on data obtained by at least one other sensor mounted on board of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is included in a Fuel System Control Unit.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is included in a central control unit.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for use in a fuel system, and including a set of computer executable instructions executable by a computer to implement the method according to claim 1.

10. A fuel system of a vehicle comprising:

a fuel tank connected in a communicating manner to a canister;

a fuel tank isolation valve and a first venting line through which the canister can communicate with the atmosphere;

a controller configured to generate at least one signal to control an opening of the fuel tank isolation valve disposed in the fuel system, to release internal pressure of the fuel system when an impact on the vehicle is detected by a vehicle impact sensor;

wherein once impact on the vehicle is detected, the controller is configured to open the fuel tank isolation valve by generating a first signal, to allow fuel vapors within the fuel tank to flow towards the canister; and

wherein the fuel tank isolation valve is disposed in the first venting line through which the canister can communicate with the atmosphere.

11. The fuel system according to claim 10, further comprising an intake manifold connected in a communicating manner to the canister via a purge valve, and wherein the controller is configured to generate a second signal to control opening of the purge valve, to allow fuel vapors stored in the canister to flow towards the intake manifold.

12. The fuel system according to claim 10, further comprising a third venting line through which the fuel tank can communicate with the canister and an additional valve disposed in the third venting line, wherein the controller is configured to generate a third signal to control an opening of the additional valve.

13. The fuel system according to claim 10, wherein at least the fuel tank isolation valve is an electromagnetic valve.

14. The fuel system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to generate at least one of the at least one signal and the first signal based on data obtained by at least one other sensor mounted on board the vehicle.

15. The fuel system according to claim 10, further comprising a fuel system control unit including the controller.

17. A vehicle comprising a fuel system comprising:

a fuel tank connected in a communicating manner to a canister;

a vehicle impact sensor;

wherein the fuel system is according to claim 10.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle impact sensor is an airbag crash sensor.

19. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein at least the fuel tank isolation valve is an electromagnetic valve.

20. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the controller is included in a central control unit of the vehicle.

21. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle.