# US 9,518,677 B2 · Method and system for adjusting a fuel tank isolation valve

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- Number: US 9,518,677 B2
- Document ID: US9518677B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/496,707
- Filed: 2014-09-25
- Published: 2015-05-07
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-06
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Aed M. Dudar; Dennis Seung-Man Yang; Robert Roy Jentz; Robert Ognjanovski, Jr.; Brian Thomas Aitken
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518677B2

## CPC

- F16K 37/0041: {for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence)}
- F02M 25/0818: {having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space}
- 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}
- F02D 41/0032: {Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions}
- F02M 2025/0845: {Electromagnetic valves}
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- 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)

## Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting and diagnosing a position of a fuel tank isolation valve (FTIV) of a fuel system. In one example, a method comprises adjusting a FTIV of a fuel system by sending an electrical pulse to the FTIV; and comparing a current draw of the FTIV to a known current draw profile to verify the position of the FTIV. In this way, the position of the FTIV may be diagnosed, thereby resulting in increased accuracy of subsequent valve control.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
adjusting a fuel tank isolation valve (FTIV) of a fuel system by sending electrical pulses to the FTIV;
counting each of the electrical pulses to track a position of the FTIV; and
using a canister temperature to verify the position of the FTIV when the position of the FTIV is unknown or invalid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein using the canister temperature to verify the position of the FTIV comprises indicating the FTIV is open responsive to the canister temperature increasing above a threshold within a duration and indicating the FTIV is closed otherwise.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein using the canister temperature to verify the position of the FTIV comprises applying a vacuum to the engine fuel system and verifying the position of the FTIV based on changes to the canister temperature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein applying the vacuum includes operating a vacuum pump of an evaporative leak check module positioned in the engine fuel system.

### Claim 5

A fuel system, comprising:
an engine;
a fuel tank;
a canister for storing fuel vapors;
a fuel tank isolation valve (FTIV) coupled in a vapor line between the fuel tank and the canister, the FTIV held in both opened and closed positions without any applied current;
a controller with computer readable instructions for diagnosing a position of the FTIV and subsequently adjusting the FTIV based on the diagnosed position and engine operating conditions; and
a temperature sensor coupled to the canister, and wherein diagnosing the position of the FTIV includes setting a known position of the FTIV as an open position when a temperature of the canister increases above a threshold temperature within a time duration.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein diagnosing the position of the FTIV comprises comparing a current draw of the FTIV to known current draw profiles to determine if the FTIV is open, closed, or degraded.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein diagnosing the position of the FTIV includes setting a known position of the FTIV as a closed position when one or more of a pressure of the fuel tank increases above a threshold pressure or decreases below a vacuum threshold pressure.