# US 10,767,580 B2 · Method for checking a pressure measurement in a fuel tank

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,767,580 B2
- Document ID: US10767580B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/311,920
- Filed: 2017-06-30
- Published: 2019-06-13
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-30
- Assignees: Continental Automotive France; Continental Automotive GmbH
- Applicants: Continental Automotive France; Continental Automotive GmbH
- Inventors: Aurélien Groussard; Thierry Collet
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767580B2

## CPC

- F02D 41/0032: {Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions}
- B60K 15/03519: {Valve arrangements in the vent line}
- F02D 33/003: {Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus (control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845); Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge}
- F02D 41/22: Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions {(in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809)}
- F02M 25/0836: {Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold}
- F02M 37/0082: {Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters (electrical pumps submerged in fuel tanks F02M37/10, jet pumps F02M37/025)}
- B60K 2015/03197: {Systems for exchanging data}
- B60K 2015/0321: {characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof}
- B60K 2015/03514: {with vapor recovery means}
- B60K 2015/03571: {Venting during driving}
- B60K 2015/03585: {by gas pressure}
- B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles
- F02D 29/02: peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
- F02D 41/003: {Adding fuel vapours, e.g. drawn from engine fuel reservoir}
- F02D 2041/223: {Diagnosis of fuel pressure sensors}
- F02D 2200/0602: Fuel pressure
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- 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
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

A method for checking a measurement of pressure in a fuel tank, implemented in a vehicle having a fuel tank and a fuel vapor breather circuit including: a filter, a tank isolation valve interposed between the tank and the filter, and a purge line, connected to the filter, downstream thereof, a pressure sensor, and a purge valve. The method includes, when the purge valve is closed: measuring a value of the pressure in the tank when the isolation valve is closed, then measuring a temporal extreme value for the pressure in the purge line following an opening of the isolation valve, and determining, from the measured values, that there is an anomaly in the measured pressure in the tank.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for checking a measurement of pressure in a fuel tank, the method being implemented in a vehicle comprising a fuel tank comprising a pressure sensor and a tank fuel vapor breather circuit comprising:
a fuel vapor filter,
a fuel tank isolation valve interposed between the fuel tank and the filter, and
a fuel vapor purge line, connected to the filter, downstream thereof, and comprising a sensor of pressure in the purge line, and a purge valve designed to selectively allow or prevent circulation of fluid in the purge line,
the method comprising, when the purge valve is closed, of:
measuring a value of a pressure in the fuel tank when the tank isolation valve is closed,
measuring a temporal extreme value for the pressure in the purge line following an opening of the isolation valve, and
determining, from the two pressure values measured, the presence of an anomaly in the measured value for the pressure in the fuel tank.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The checking method as claimed in claim 1, in which the determining step involves comparing the temporal extreme value for the pressure in the purge line against a reference extreme value corresponding to the same value for the fuel tank pressure before the opening of the valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The checking method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a preliminary step of establishing a relationship between the temporal extreme value for the pressure in the purge line after the opening of the tank isolation valve and the pressure in the tank before the opening of the valve.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The checking method as claimed in claim 3, in which the relationship is established by interpolation from a collection of recorded temporal extreme values for the pressure in the purge line after the opening of the isolation valve for different values of the pressure in the tank before the opening of the valve.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The checking method as claimed in claim 4, in which the relationship is established from at least ten readings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The checking method as claimed in claim 1, in which, if a difference between the temporal extreme value for the pressure measured in the purge line and a reference extreme value for the same pressure in the fuel tank before the opening of the valve exceeds a determined tolerance threshold, then the pressure value measured in the fuel tank is determined as exhibiting an anomaly.

### Claim 7

A non-transitory computer program product, including code instructions for implementing a method comprising:
operating a pressure sensor so as to measure a value of a pressure in a fuel tank when a fuel tank isolation valve and a fuel vapor purge line purge valve are closed,
when the purge line is placed in fluidic communication with the fuel tank by the opening of the fuel tank isolation valve, operating a sensor of pressure in the purge line so as to measure a temporal extreme value for the pressure in the purge line,
comparing said measurements against a reference, and
on the basis of the result of said comparison, determining whether the value for the pressure measured in the fuel tank { }exhibits an anomaly, when implemented by a processor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A device for checking the measurement of pressure in a fuel tank, the checking device comprising at least one checker communicating with a sensor of pressure in the fuel tank and with a sensor of pressure in a fuel vapor purge line, wherein the checker is designed to implement the method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A motor vehicle comprising:
a combustion engine,
a fuel tank comprising a pressure sensor,
a fuel vapor breather circuit comprising:
a fuel vapor filter,
a fuel tank isolation valve interposed between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor filter,
a fuel vapor purge line, connected to the fuel vapor filter, downstream thereof, and comprising a sensor of pressure in the purge line, and a purge valve designed to selectively allow or prevent circulation of fluid in the purge line, and
a checking device as claimed in claim 8.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The checking method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a preliminary step of establishing a relationship between the temporal extreme value for the pressure in the purge line after the opening of the tank isolation valve and the pressure in the tank before the opening of the valve.