Evaporative fuel treating device and method
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsSusumu Kojima, Hidefumi Aikawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A canister adsorbs evaporative fuel generated in a fuel tank. A purge gas circulation pump causes canister outlet gas to flow out from the canister. A high-concentration separation unit separates canister outlet gas into high-concentration treating gas and medium-concentration gas. A medium-concentration separation unit separates medium-concentration gas flowing out from the high-concentration unit into medium-concentration circulating gas and low-concentration canister inlet gas. Treating gas is introduced into the fuel tank. Circulating gas is caused to circulate upstream of the purge gas circulation pump. Canister inlet gas is caused to circulate upstream of the canister.
Claims56
An evaporative fuel treating device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a canister that adsorbs evaporative fuel generated in a fuel tank;
- a purge pump coupled to the canister, and that causes canister outlet gas to flow out from the canister;
- a separating unit that separates the canister outlet gas into treating gas containing a high concentration of evaporative fuel, circulating gas containing a medium concentration of evaporative fuel, and canister inlet gas containing a low concentration of evaporative fuel;
- a treating gas passage that introduces the treating gas from the separating unit into the fuel tank;
- a circulating gas passage that causes the circulating gas to circulate from the separating unit to a location upstream of the separating unit;
- and
- a canister inlet gas passage that causes the canister inlet gas to circulate from the separating unit to a location upstream of the canister.
An evaporative fuel treating device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a canister that adsorbs evaporative fuel generated in a fuel tank;
- canister outlet gas producing means for causing canister outlet gas to flow out from the canister;
- vapor concentrating means for separating the canister outlet gas into treating gas containing a high concentration of evaporative fuel, circulating gas containing a medium concentration of evaporative fuel, and canister inlet gas containing a low concentration of evaporative fuel;
- a treating gas passage that introduces the treating gas from the vapor concentrating means into the fuel tank;
- a circulating gas passage that causes the circulating gas to circulate to a location upstream of the vapor concentrating means;
- and
- a canister inlet gas passage that causes the canister inlet gas to circulate from the vapor concentrating means to a location upstream of the canister.
A method for treating evaporative fuel for an internal combustion engine, in which a canister adsorbs evaporative fuel generated in a fuel tank, the method comprising:
- causing canister outlet gas to flow out from the canister;
- separating the canister outlet gas with a separating unit into treating gas containing a high concentration of evaporative fuel, circulating gas containing a medium concentration of evaporative fuel, and canister inlet gas containing a low concentration of evaporative fuel;
- introducing the treating gas from the separating unit into the fuel tank;
- causing the circulating gas to circulate from the separating unit to a location upstream of the separating unit;
- and
- causing the canister inlet gas to circulate from the separating unit to a location upstream of the canister.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.