Fuel sending unit for fuel-type detection
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorHeraldo F. Stefanon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and device are disclosed for fuel-detection by a fuel sending unit by placing a fuel sending unit in a first position from a second position, and releasing the fuel sending unit from the first position such that a buoyancy characteristic of a fuel sending unit float prompts the fuel sending unit to the second position. A rate-of-travel of the fuel sending unit is sensed from the first position to the second position to produce fluid travel data, wherein the rate-of-travel being affected by a fuel density. Fluid-type identification data may be generated based on the fluid travel data.
Claims20
A method for fuel-type detection comprising:
- placing a fuel sending unit in a first position from a second position, the second position indicating a fuel level;
- releasing the fuel sending unit from the first position such that a buoyancy characteristic of a fuel sending unit float prompts the fuel sending unit to the second position;
- sensing a rate-of-travel of the fuel sending unit from the first position to the second position to produce fluid travel data, wherein the rate-of-travel being affected by a fuel density;
- and
- generating fluid-type identification data based on the fluid travel data.
A method for fuel-type detection for a vehicle engine comprising:
- sensing a trigger event for the fuel-type detection;
- placing, in response to the trigger event, a fuel sending unit in a first position from a second position, the second position indicating a fuel level of a fuel of a plurality of fuels;
- releasing the fuel sending unit from the first position such that a buoyancy characteristic of a fuel sending unit float prompts the fuel sending unit to the second position;
- sensing a rate-of-travel of the fuel sending unit from the first position to the second position to produce fluid travel data, wherein the rate-of-travel is affected by a fuel density of the fuel;
- generating fluid-type data of the fuel based on the fluid travel data;
- and
- selecting a base map setting for a vehicle power train based on the fluid-type data.
A fuel sending unit for fuel-type detection comprising:
- a fuel sending unit arm operable to be coupled at a first end to pivot between a first position and a second position;
- a fuel sending unit float coupled to a second end of the fuel sending arm for indicating a fuel level, the fuel sending unit float having a buoyancy characteristic to prompt the fuel sending unit arm to the second position;
- a servomechanism coupled to the fuel sending unit arm, wherein the servomechanism is operable, in response to a command, to:
- place the fuel sending unit arm in the first position;
- and
- release the fuel sending unit arm from the first position such that the buoyancy characteristic of the fuel sending unit float prompts the fuel sending unit to the second position;
- and
- a variable resistor coupled for varying a resistance value relating to a position of the fuel sending unit arm via the fuel sending unit float, wherein the variable resistor is communicatively coupled to a terminal, the terminal for sensing the resistance value over time to produce rate-of-travel data relating to movement of the fuel sending unit arm from the first position to the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.