# US 10,371,587 B2 · Gas filling system and vehicle

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- Number: US 10,371,587 B2
- Document ID: US10371587B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/389,883
- Filed: 2013-04-26
- Published: 2015-12-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-26
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Kenji Komiya; Kousei Yoshida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371587B2

## CPC

- G01K 15/005: {Calibration}
- B60K 15/03006: {Gas tanks (B60K15/07 takes precedence)}
- F17C 5/007: {for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles (filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00)}
- F17C 5/06: for filling with compressed gases
- F17C 13/025: {having the pressure as the parameter}
- F17C 13/026: {having the temperature as the parameter}
- H01M 8/04208: {Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs}
- H01M 8/04373: {of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners}
- B60K 2015/03013: {Control systems for LPG tanks}
- B60K 2015/03019: {Filling of gas tanks}
- B60K 2015/03315: {for hydrogen}
- F17C 2201/0104: cylindrical
- F17C 2201/056: Small (<1 m3)
- F17C 2203/0604: Liners
- F17C 2203/0619: with two layers
- F17C 2203/0639: Steels
- F17C 2203/0663: in form of fibers or filaments
- F17C 2205/0142: bundled in parallel
- F17C 2205/0305: Bosses, e.g. boss collars
- F17C 2205/0326: electrically actuated
- F17C 2205/0335: Check-valves or non-return valves
- F17C 2205/0385: in blocks or units
- F17C 2205/0391: inside the pressure vessel
- F17C 2205/0394: in direct contact with the pressure vessel
- F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen
- F17C 2221/033: Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
- F17C 2221/035: Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
- F17C 2223/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2223/0153: Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
- F17C 2223/0161: cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
- F17C 2223/033: Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
- F17C 2223/035: High pressure (>10 bar)
- F17C 2223/036: Very high pressure (>80 bar)
- F17C 2225/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2225/036: Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
- F17C 2250/032: using computers
- F17C 2250/034: using wireless transmissions
- F17C 2250/043: Pressure
- F17C 2250/0439: Temperature
- F17C 2250/0491: Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
- F17C 2250/0621: Volume
- F17C 2250/0636: Flow or movement of content
- F17C 2250/0694: with calculations
- F17C 2260/023: Avoiding overheating
- F17C 2265/065: for refuelling vehicle fuel tanks
- F17C 2270/0139: Fuel stations
- F17C 2270/0168: by vehicles
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

The gas filling system includes: a vehicle that includes a tank and a first communication instrument; and a gas station that includes a second communication instrument. The vehicle includes: a first temperature sensor that acquires temperature information of the gas stored in the tank; a second temperature sensor that acquires temperature information outside the tank; and a controller. The controller permits transmission of the temperature information of the first temperature sensor to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of a difference between an indicated value of the first temperature sensor and an indicated value of the second temperature sensor is smaller than or equal to a predetermined value, and prohibits transmission of the temperature information of the first temperature sensor to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas filling system comprising:
a vehicle that includes a tank, a receptacle, and a first communication instrument, the tank being able to contain high-pressure gas and being constituted by single or multiple tanks; and
a gas station that includes a nozzle, a controller that is configured to control spray of the nozzle and a second communication instrument that receives a signal that is transmitted from the first communication instrument, and that feeds the gas to the tank, wherein
the vehicle includes
a first temperature sensor that acquires temperature information of the gas stored in a body portion of the tank;
a second temperature sensor that acquires temperature information outside the body portion of the tank; and
a controller that includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a determination unit, the controller is configured to:
calculate a difference between an indicated value of the first temperature sensor and an indicated value of the second temperature sensor;
determine whether the absolute value of the difference is larger than a predetermined value;
permit transmission of the temperature information, acquired by the first temperature sensor, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is smaller than or equal to the predetermined value and the determination unit permits the gas station to carry out communication fueling,
wherein carrying out communication fueling means the controller in the vehicle and the controller in the station start the process of charging the high pressure gas to the tank through the nozzle and the receptacle while carrying communication via the communication instrument of the vehicle and the communication instrument in the station,
wherein the determination unit prohibits transmission of the temperature information, acquired by the first temperature sensor, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference between the indicated value of the first temperature sensor and the indicated value of the second temperature sensor is larger than the predetermined value, and
wherein the second temperature sensor is provided at a position in a valve connected to one end of the body portion of the one of the tanks, where the second temperature sensor is outside a passage in the valve through which the gas flows.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas filling system according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor is an ambient temperature sensor for acquiring temperature information of an ambient temperature.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gas filling system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to
estimate a drift amount of the first temperature sensor on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value;
correct the temperature information of the first temperature sensor by using the estimated drift amount; and
permit transmission of the corrected temperature information, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument even when the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value.

### Claim 4

A gas filling system comprising:
a vehicle that includes a receptacle, multiple tanks and a first communication instrument, the multiple tanks being able to contain high-pressure gas and including a first tank and a second tank; and
a gas station that includes a nozzle, a controller that is configured to control spray of the nozzle and a second communication instrument that receives a signal that is transmitted from the first communication instrument, and that feeds the gas to the multiple tanks, wherein
the vehicle includes
a first temperature sensor that acquires temperature information of the gas stored in a body portion of the first tank;
a second temperature sensor that acquires temperature information of the gas stored in a body portion of the second tank; and
a controller that includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a determination unit, the controller is configured to:
calculate a difference between an indicated value of the first temperature sensor and an indicated value of the second temperature sensor;
determine whether the absolute value of the difference is larger than a predetermined value;
estimate a drift amount of the first temperature sensor on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value;
correct the temperature information of the first temperature sensor by using the estimated drift amount;
permit transmission of the temperature information, acquired by the first temperature sensor, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is smaller than or equal to the predetermined value and the determination unit permits the gas station to carry out communication fueling,
wherein carrying out communication fueling means the controller in the vehicle and the controller in the station start the process of charging the high pressure gas to the tank through the nozzle and the receptacle while carrying out communication via the communication instrument of the vehicle and the communication instrument in the station,
wherein the determination unit prohibits transmission of the temperature information, acquired by the first temperature sensor, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value, and
wherein the determination unit permits transmission of the corrected temperature information, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument even when the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value.

### Claim 5

A vehicle comprising:
a first communication instrument;
a receptacle;
a tank that is able to contain high-pressure gas that is supplied from a gas station including a nozzle, a controller that is configured to control spray of the nozzle and a second communication instrument that receives a signal from the first communication instrument, the tank being constituted by single or multiple tanks;
a first temperature sensor that acquires temperature information of the gas stored in a body portion of the tank;
a second temperature sensor that acquires temperature information outside the body portion of the tank;
a controller that includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a determination unit, the controller is configured to:
calculate a difference between an indicated value of the first temperature sensor and an indicated value of the second temperature sensor;
determine whether the absolute value of the difference is larger than a predetermined value;
permit transmission of the temperature information, acquired by the first temperature sensor, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is smaller than or equal to the predetermined value and the determination unit permits the gas station to carry out communication fueling, and
wherein carrying out communication fueling means the controller in the vehicle and the controller in the station start the process of charging the high pressure gas to the tank through the nozzle and the receptacle while carrying out communication via the communication instrument of the vehicle and the communication instrument in the station,
wherein the determination unit prohibits transmission of the temperature information, acquired by the first temperature sensor, from the first communication instrument to the second communication instrument on the condition that the absolute value of the difference is larger than the predetermined value, and
wherein the second temperature sensor is provided at a position in a valve connected to one end of the body portion of the one of the tanks, where the second temperature sensor is outside a passage in the valve through which the gas flows.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The gas filling system according to claim 1, wherein, prior to the temperature acquisition of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, an elapsed time from an operation stop of the vehicle to a start-up of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined time.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The gas filling system according to claim 4, wherein, prior to the temperature acquisition of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, an elapsed time from an operation stop of the vehicle to a start-up of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined time.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein, prior to the temperature acquisition of the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, an elapsed time from an operation stop of the vehicle to a start-up of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The gas filling system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further
configured to calculate the difference between the indicated value of the first temperature sensor and the indicated value of the second temperature sensor in a case where an elapsed time from an operation stop of the vehicle to a start-up of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined time.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The gas filling system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further
configured to calculate the difference between the indicated value of the first temperature sensor and the indicated value of the second temperature sensor in a case where an elapsed time from an operation stop of the vehicle to a start-up of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined time.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The gas filling system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is further
configured to calculate the difference between the indicated value of the first temperature sensor and the indicated value of the second temperature sensor in a case where an elapsed time from an operation stop of the vehicle to a start-up of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined time.