# US 11,027,606 B2 · Fuel system for a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,606 B2 - Document ID: US11027606B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/696,731 - Filed: 2019-11-26 - Published: 2020-03-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-05 - Assignees: Oshkosh Corporation - Applicants: Oshkosh Corporation - Inventors: Grant D. Wildgrube; Clint D. Glunz; Shashank Bhatia; Bryan S. Datema - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027606B2 ## CPC - B60K 15/013: {of gas conduits} - F02M 21/0212: {comprising at least 3 C-Atoms, e.g. liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], propane or butane} - F02M 21/0221: {Fuel storage reservoirs, e.g. cryogenic tanks} - F02M 21/0239: {Pressure or flow regulators therefor} - Y02T 10/30: Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A vehicle includes an engine, a tank configured to provide a supply flow of natural gas, a valve controllable to provide a regulated flow of natural gas to the engine by modulating the supply flow of natural gas, a first conduit extending between the tank and the valve such that the supply flow of natural gas is received by the valve from the tank, and a second conduit extending between the valve and the engine such that the regulated flow of natural gas is provided from the valve to the engine. The regulated flow of natural gas is not diverted from the second conduit at any point along a length of the second conduit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: an engine; and a natural gas system including: a tank configured to provide a supply flow of natural gas; a regulator valve controllable to provide a regulated flow of natural gas to the engine by modulating the supply flow of natural gas; a first conduit extending between the tank and the regulator valve such that the supply flow of natural gas is received by the regulator valve from the tank; a second conduit extending between the regulator valve and the engine such that the regulated flow of natural gas is provided from the regulator valve to the engine, wherein the regulated flow of natural gas is not diverted from the second conduit at any point along a length of the second conduit; a shutoff valve positioned along the second conduit, the shutoff valve controllable to selectively disengage the engine from the natural gas system; and a controller having programmed instructions to control the shutoff valve; and a user access panel located on an external surface of the vehicle, wherein the user access panel comprises a manual shutoff valve selectively engageable to block the supply flow of natural gas provided by the tank and a pressure gage corresponding to a pressure of the first conduit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the shutoff valve is a normally closed solenoid valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the natural gas system includes (i) a first sensor positioned to acquire first data regarding a current characteristic of the regulated flow of natural gas and (ii) a second sensor positioned to acquire second data regarding a requested throttle input associated with the engine, and wherein the controller has programmed instructions to: monitor the current characteristic of the regulated flow of natural gas; determine a target characteristic for the regulated flow of natural gas based on the second data; and selectively engage the regulator valve based on the current characteristic and the target characteristic to modulate the supply flow of natural gas such that the engine receives the regulated flow of natural gas at the target characteristic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the current characteristic is at least one of a current flow rate or a current pressure of the regulated flow of natural gas, and wherein the target characteristic is at least one of a target flow rate or a target pressure for the regulated flow of natural gas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the regulator valve includes a solenoid positioned to engage a movable valve element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5, wherein a characteristic of the regulated flow of natural gas varies based on a position of the movable valve element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the regulator valve comprises a spool valve, and wherein the movable valve element comprises a spool. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first conduit defines a high pressure flow path that extends between the tank and the regulator valve, and wherein the second conduit defines a low pressure flow path that extends between the regulator valve and the engine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first conduit extends directly between the tank and the regulator valve. ### Claim 10 A natural gas system for a vehicle, the natural gas system comprising: a tank configured to provide a supply flow of natural gas; a regulator valve controllable to provide a regulated flow of natural gas to an engine by modulating the supply flow of natural gas; a first conduit extending between the tank and the regulator valve such that the supply flow of natural gas is received by the regulator valve from the tank; a second conduit configured to extend from the regulator valve to the engine such that the regulated flow of natural gas is provided from the regulator valve to the engine, wherein the regulated flow of natural gas is not diverted from the second conduit at any point along a length of the second conduit; a shutoff valve positioned along the second conduit, the shutoff valve controllable to selectively disengage the engine from the natural gas system; a controller having programmed instructions to control the shutoff valve; and a user access panel located on an external surface of the vehicle, wherein the user access panel comprises a manual shutoff valve selectively engageable to block the supply flow of natural gas provided by the tank and a pressure gage corresponding to a pressure of the first conduit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The natural gas system of claim 10, further comprising: a first sensor positioned to acquire first data regarding a current characteristic of the regulated flow of natural gas; a second sensor configured to acquire second data regarding a requested throttle input associated with the engine; and a controller having programmed instructions to control the regulator valve based on the first data and the second data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The natural gas system of claim 11, wherein the controller has programmed instructions to: monitor the current characteristic of the regulated flow of natural gas; determine a target characteristic for the regulated flow of natural gas based on the second data; and selectively engage the regulator valve based on the current characteristic and the target characteristic to modulate the supply flow of natural gas such that the engine receives the regulated flow of natural gas at the target characteristic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The natural gas system of claim 12, wherein the current characteristic is at least one of a current flow rate or a current pressure of the regulated flow of natural gas, and wherein the target characteristic is at least one of a target flow rate or a target pressure for the regulated flow of natural gas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The natural gas system of claim 10, wherein the first conduit extends directly between the tank and the regulator valve. ### Claim 15 A vehicle comprising: an engine; and a natural gas system including: a tank configured to provide a supply flow of natural gas; a regulator controllable to provide a regulated flow of natural gas to the engine by modulating the supply flow of natural gas; a first conduit extending between the tank and the regulator such that the supply flow of natural gas is received by the regulator from the tank; a second conduit extending between the regulator and the engine such that the regulated flow of natural gas is provided from the regulator to the engine; a shutoff valve positioned along the second conduit, the shutoff valve controllable with a controller to selectively disengage the engine from the natural gas system; a manual shutoff valve selectively engageable to block the supply flow of natural gas provided by the tank; and a user access panel located on an external surface of the vehicle, wherein the user access panel comprises the manual shutoff valve and a pressure gage corresponding to a pressure of the first conduit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the regulated flow of natural gas is not diverted from the second conduit at any point along a length of the second conduit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a pressure transducer positioned to acquire pressure data regarding the current pressure of the regulated flow of natural gas. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the manual shutoff valve is positioned such that an operator standing alongside the vehicle can isolate the tank by engaging the manual shutoff valve.