Patent · US Expired

Fuel storage apparatus and abnormality diagnostic method

US6446614B1 · kind B1 · utility

18Cited by
4References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 3, 2000
Grant dateSep 10, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 16, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02M25/0809
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A fuel tank is divided into a fuel chamber and an air chamber by a bladder diaphragm. Under a condition that both the amount of intake air Ga and the engine revolution speed NE of an internal combustion engine are kept at constant values, a vapor concentration correction factor FGPG during a fuel injection duration TAU is calculated based on a change in the air-fuel ratio detected when gas is purged from the air chamber toward an intake passage of the engine. Based on the vapor concentration correction factor FGPG, it is determined whether there is fuel leakage from the fuel chamber to the air chamber. With this determination technique, a fluctuation in the air-fuel ratio is not caused by a situation where the engine is in a transitional state, during fuel leakage detection, so that the vapor concentration correction factor FGPG assumes a proper value corresponding to the vapor concentration in the air chamber. Therefore, a false determination regarding the presence/absence of fuel leakage from the fuel chamber to the air chamber is prevented.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.