# US 10,864,817 B2 · Onboard refueling vapor recovery system and automobile having same

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- Number: US 10,864,817 B2
- Document ID: US10864817B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/751,874
- Filed: 2016-06-07
- Published: 2018-08-23
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-20
- Assignees: Zhejiang Geely Automobile Research Institute Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Zhejiang Geely Automobile Research Institute Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yongxin Fang; Changluo Li; Shibin Xie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864817B2

## CPC

- B60K 15/03504: {adapted to avoid loss of fuel or fuel vapour, e.g. with vapour recovery systems}
- B60K 15/035: characterised by venting means
- B60K 15/04: Tank inlets (B60K15/077 takes precedence)
- F02M 25/08: adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir {(electrical control of purge system F02D41/003)}
- 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 25/0854: {Details of the absorption canister}
- F02M 25/0872: {Details of the fuel vapour pipes or conduits}
- F02M 25/089: {Layout of the fuel vapour installation}
- B60K 15/03519: {Valve arrangements in the vent line}
- B60K 2015/03514: {with vapor recovery means}
- B60K 2015/048: {Arrangements for sealing the fuel inlet during filling}
- F02M 2025/0845: {Electromagnetic valves}
- F02M 2025/0881: {with means to heat or cool the canister}
- 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

## Abstract

An onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) system includes a main canister, a spare canister, a hydrocarbon sensor, a grade rollover valve (GRV), a fill limit vent valve (FLVV) and a fuel vapor pipe. The GRV and the FLVV are disposed at top portion of the fuel tank, with sides of the GRV and the FLVV hermetically connected with the fuel tank and a gas inlet end of the fuel vapor pipe. The main canister and the spare canister hermetically connect with a gas outlet end of the fuel vapor pipe. The main canister communicates with an intake manifold. The hydrocarbon sensor is disposed in the main canister and electrically connected with a vehicle control unit. The hydrocarbon sensor detects hydrocarbon concentration in the main canister and transmits the detection result to the vehicle control unit. The present invention also provides an automobile having the ORVR system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An onboard refueling vapor recovery system, wherein the onboard refueling vapor recovery system comprises a main canister and a spare canister which are filled with activated carbon, a hydrocarbon sensor, a grade rollover valve, a fill limit vent valve, and a fuel vapor pipe, the grade rollover valve and the fill limit vent valve are disposed at a top portion of a fuel tank, with opposite sides of the grade rollover valve and the fill limit vent valve respectively and hermetically connected with the fuel tank and a gas inlet end of the fuel vapor pipe, the main canister and the spare canister are respectively and hermetically connected with a gas outlet end of the fuel vapor pipe, the main canister is communicated with an intake manifold of an engine, the hydrocarbon sensor is disposed in the main canister, the hydrocarbon sensor is electrically connected with a vehicle control unit, the hydrocarbon sensor detects the concentration of hydrocarbon in the main canister and transmits the detection result to the vehicle control unit;
wherein the fuel vapor pipe comprises a first gas inlet, a second gas inlet, a first gas outlet, and a second gas outlet, the first gas inlet is hermetically connected with one side of the grade rollover valve, and the second gas inlet is hermetically connected with one side of the fill limit vent valve, the first gas outlet is communicated with the main canister, and the second gas outlet is communicated with the spare canister.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 1, the main canister has a main canister gas inlet, and the main canister gas inlet is hermetically connected with the first gas outlet, a portion of the main canister which is away from the main canister gas inlet has a desorption gas inlet, the desorption gas inlet is connected with the intake manifold so that the main canister is communicated with the intake manifold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 2, wherein the spare canister has a spare canister gas inlet, the spare canister gas inlet is hermetically connected with the second gas outlet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 3, wherein the main canister has a main canister vent, and the spare canister has a spare canister vent, the main canister vent is disposed on the main canister at a portion away from the main canister gas inlet, the pare canister vent is disposed on the spare canister at a portion away from the spare canister gas inlet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 1, wherein the onboard refueling vapor recovery system further comprises a solenoid valve controller, the solenoid valve controller comprises a solenoid valve, the solenoid valve is disposed between the spare canister and the second gas outlet, the spare canister communicates with the fuel vapor pipe when the solenoid valve is opened, the communication between the spare canister and the fuel vapor pipe is disconnected when the solenoid valve is closed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 5, wherein the solenoid valve controller further comprises a solenoid valve switch, the solenoid valve switch is electrically connected with the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve switch is switched on and switched off to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve switch is electrically connected with the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit controls the switch on and the switch off of the solenoid valve switch to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 6, wherein the solenoid valve controller further comprises a cap status sensor, the cap status sensor is disposed at a refueling port of a vehicle body, the cap status sensor is electrically connected to the vehicle control unit and the vehicle control unit receives signals sending from the cap status sensor to control the switch on and the switch off of the solenoid valve switch so as to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 1, wherein the onboard refueling vapor recovery system further comprises a one-way valve, the one-way valve is disposed between the main canister and the spare canister and a communication between the main canister and the spare canister is controlled by opening and closing the one-way valve.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 6, wherein the solenoid valve is opened when the hydrocarbon sensor detects the hydrocarbon concentration in the main canister exceeds a specified value and the hydrocarbon concentration could not be restored to a normal level by a desorption process, and a refueling cap of the fuel tank is opened for refueling.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

An automobile, comprising the onboard refueling vapor recovery system of claim 1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The automobile of claim 10, the main canister has a main canister gas inlet, and the main canister gas inlet is hermetically connected with the first gas outlet, a portion of the main canister which is away from the main canister gas inlet has a desorption gas inlet, the desorption gas inlet is connected with the intake manifold so that the main canister is communicated with the intake manifold.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The automobile of claim 11, wherein the spare canister has a spare canister gas inlet, the spare canister gas inlet is hermetically connected with the second gas outlet.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The automobile of claim 12, wherein the main canister has a main canister vent, and the spare canister has a spare canister vent, the main canister vent is disposed on the main canister at a portion away from the main canister gas inlet, the pare canister vent is disposed on the spare canister at a portion away from the spare canister gas inlet.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The automobile of claim 10, wherein the onboard refueling vapor recovery system further comprises a solenoid valve controller, the solenoid valve controller comprises a solenoid valve, the solenoid valve is disposed between the spare canister and the second gas outlet, the spare canister communicates with the fuel vapor pipe when the solenoid valve is opened, the communication between the spare canister and the fuel vapor pipe is disconnected when the solenoid valve is closed.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The automobile of claim 14, wherein the solenoid valve controller further comprises a solenoid valve switch, the solenoid valve switch is electrically connected with the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve switch is switched on and switched off to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve, the solenoid valve switch is electrically connected with the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit controls the switch on and the switch off of the solenoid valve switch to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The automobile of claim 15, wherein the solenoid valve controller further comprises a cap status sensor, the cap status sensor is disposed at a refueling port of a vehicle body, the cap status sensor is electrically connected to the vehicle control unit and the vehicle control unit receives signals sending from the cap status sensor to control the switch on and the switch off of the solenoid valve switch so as to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The automobile of claim 16, wherein the solenoid valve is opened when the hydrocarbon sensor detects the hydrocarbon concentration in the main canister exceeds a specified value and the hydrocarbon concentration could not be restored to a normal level by a desorption process, and a refueling cap of the fuel tank is opened for refueling.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The automobile of claim 10, wherein the onboard refueling vapor recovery system further comprises a one-way valve, the one-way valve is disposed between the main canister and the spare canister and a communication between the main canister and the spare canister is controlled by opening and closing the one-way valve.