JP2008529911A - Fuel system and method for controlling filling of a fuel tank - Google Patents

Abstract

  The present invention relates to a vehicle fuel system having a fuel tank and managed by a processor. The processor is connected to a transmitter capable of communicating at least one information stored thereon to the receiver. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank that forms part of a fuel system managed by a processor. The processor communicates at least one information to the receiver via the transmitter, which acts directly on the control system of the tank filling station to enable or prevent the filling operation.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel system and to a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank.

  When filling a vehicle's fuel tank, various happenings can occur, such as injecting different types of fuel, flooding the fuel tank, removing the fuel cap, or forgetting to tighten the fuel cap. Injury or dirty.

  Several different systems have been developed in recent years to prevent users from suffering from these several annoyances.

  Thus, incorporating a database and a wireless transmitter into the vehicle to communicate with a receiver in a gas station for the purpose of automatically filling the fuel (fuel type, automatic receipt, etc.) Known from International Publication Nos. WO99 / 53409 and WO00 / 55752. However, such systems have the disadvantage of being relatively expensive due to the addition of a radio transmitter and database.

  Radio transmitters can be connected to vehicles to allow fuel payments at gas stations, to perform automated diagnostic tests while refueling, and to send bills for vehicle renting, etc. Connecting to already installed processors is also known, in particular from US Pat. Nos. 5,995,898 and 6,112,152.

  Finally, using BLUETOOTH® technology to communicate information from a processor mounted on a vehicle to a personal computer of an automobile repair shop, such as the police, is more particularly disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,408,232. The BLUETOOTH® technology is an inexpensive standard communication system via radio waves between electronic devices having specific chips.

  The basic object of the present invention is to control the filling of fluids (fuels, oils, additives) used in engine circuits, and preferably a transmitter / receiver using standard BLUETOOTH® technology In particular, the use of a so-called “smart” fuel system processor to control the filling of such fluids via the.

  For this purpose, the present invention is a vehicle fuel system having a fuel tank and managed by a processor, the processor being capable of transmitting at least one information stored therein to a receiver. The present invention relates to a vehicular fuel system characterized by being connected to a machine.

  The fuel system according to the invention is suitable for any internal combustion engine supplied with volatile liquid fuel or heavy liquid fuel. As used herein, a fuel system is an assembly of components configured to be incorporated into a prime mover vehicle, where the prime mover vehicle is, for example, an automobile, truck, motorcycle, river ship, marine ship, or airplane. . These components generally comprise a device connected to a fuel reservoir (tank, canister, etc.) and a fuel supply to the engine.

  It should be understood that the term “fuel” means a hydrocarbon suitable for supply to an internal combustion engine. The term “liquid hydrocarbon” refers to a hydrocarbon that is in a liquid state in the fuel tank of the fuel system under normal engine operating conditions.

The term “volatile liquid hydrocarbon” means a liquid hydrocarbon (as defined above) having a saturated vapor pressure greater than 1 bar (10 ⁵ Pa) at 293 K (20 ° C.). A volatile liquid hydrocarbon commonly used to supply an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is a volatile liquid hydrocarbon sold commercially as “gasoline” for a spark ignition internal combustion engine.

The term “heavy liquid hydrocarbon” should be understood to mean a liquid hydrocarbon having a saturated vapor pressure of less than 1 bar (10 ⁵ Pa) at 293 K (20 ° C.). The heavy liquid hydrocarbons commonly used to supply the internal combustion engines of motor vehicles are heavy fuels sold commercially as “diesel” or “light oil” for compression ignition internal combustion engines that operate according to the diesel cycle. It is a liquid hydrocarbon.

  The components of the fuel system according to the present invention are made of materials that are compatible with each of the liquid hydrocarbons that are susceptible to handling. This material must be chemically inert to both volatile and heavy liquid hydrocarbons at standard operating pressures and temperatures. The material may be plastic or metal. The components of the fuel system according to the invention may also be hybrid, i.e. have metal parts and plastic parts.

  Within the scope of the present invention, thermoplastics give good results, especially for weight, strength, chemical resistance and easy handling, especially when the components of the fuel system have complex shapes.

  The term “processor”, for the purposes of the present invention, is any computer capable of at least partially managing the fuel system, in particular managing fuel storage (fuel tank filling, ventilation, metering, etc.) It should be understood to mean any computer capable of managing the supply of fuel to the engine. This processor typically records or manages data about the fuel level in the fuel tank via a fuel gauge, the temperature and pressure outside and inside the fuel tank, the instantaneous consumption of the engine, the tank flaps that can be controlled. Data relating to the position of the engine, the open and closed positions of the valves that can be controlled, the state of the internal combustion engine (operation, stop, load, etc.), vehicle speed, etc. are recorded or managed. In order to do this, the processor is connected to a sensor corresponding to the above-mentioned content, for example a level gauge, a temperature measuring instrument, a pressure measuring instrument, etc.

  Preferably, the processor used for the purposes of the present invention is a fuel system specific, ie dedicated processor, this processor is generally referred to as FSCU (Fuel System Control Unit). The processor used by the FSCU for the purposes of the present invention is the vehicle's central processor (CPU: central processing unit) or any other onboard processor, for example an engine commonly referred to as an ECU (engine control unit). Distinguish from the processor that manages the operation of In this case, in particular, the FSCU may be able to perform effective control of the fuel pump or other devices that depend on the fuel system, such as an OBD system (vehicle diagnostic device or vehicle leak detection system). Generally, it has means for communicating with the CPU and / or ECU.

  In the fuel system according to the invention, the processor is “connected” to the transmitter, which can communicate at least one information, ie data, that it stores. This means that the processor communicates data to the transmitter via a suitable communication support, which may be an electrical signal such as a PWM, CAN, LIN, FlexRay system.

  An advantage of the present invention is that once the data is communicated to the transmitter, the transmitter effectively communicates the data to a receiver that is compatible with it, which receiver understands and uses the data. Connected to a processor capable of communication via the communication support described above.

  Any type of transmitter is suitable for this purpose. Since the transmitter and receiver are generally on separate supports, it is advantageous for the transmitter and receiver to communicate via radio waves. Preferably, the transmitter used for the purposes of the present invention transmits radio waves, particularly radio waves in the short wavelength range. Particularly preferably, this transmitter uses BLUETOOTH® technology operating in the frequency range of 2.40-2.48 GHz. The reason is that such systems are inexpensive and simple and are adopted in a standard way by many manufacturers of electrical and telephone equipment.

  The fuel system according to the present invention comprises at least one additive tank in addition to the fuel tank, in particular for the purpose of reducing particulate emissions and certain pollutant gas (NOx, CO, etc.) emissions in diesel engines. Good. Advantageously, the present invention applies to a fuel system having at least one additive tank, which additive is injected into the exhaust gas for the purpose of reducing NOx emissions or for diesel engines The metal salt or the like directly mixed with the fuel for the purpose of facilitating the regeneration of the particulate filter, and the operation of the additive tank, i.e. the metering and storage of the additive, is also the above-mentioned processor (the central processor of the fuel system) or It is managed by an independent processor that can communicate with the fuel system processor via LIN or the like. In this case, it is advantageous that the transmitter connected to the processor can also transmit data relating to the operation of this additive tank.

  The present invention also relates to a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank that forms part of the fuel system described above, whereby the processor is in a direct and positive manner with the control system of a tank filling station (eg, a gas station). Communicate, preferably by a transmitter / receiver built into each of both systems. In other words, the information described above includes at least one data that can effectively control the filling of the fuel tank. The term “control” means that filling is permitted or denied depending on the value of this data.

  To this end, the present invention thus relates to a method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank that forms part of a fuel system managed by a processor, wherein the processor enables or prevents a filling operation or filling operation. In order to do this, it is characterized in that at least one piece of information directly acting on the control system between the tank and the gas station is communicated to the receiver via the transmitter.

  Information sent from the processor to the control system of the gas station via a mutually compatible transmitter / receiver, preferably of the BLUETOOTH® type, is fixed data (operational information) introduced into the processor at the design stage. Continuous / independent), for example, the type of fuel, the current balance of the user's bank account, etc. It is advantageous that the control system can prevent filling, especially when the wrong type of fuel is selected in the case of manual filling.

  As an alternative or in addition, this data may be variable data, for example the maximum filling level of the tank, so that when this maximum filling level is reached, the pump can be prevented from being delivered, Furthermore, it prevents any overfilling that is possible with current manual pumps. More preferably, in this case, the information includes a comparison of the maximum fill level of the fuel tank and the value read by the fuel tank gauge. Utilizing such information to regenerate the same maximum fill level of the tank repeatedly simplifies the valve system used in current tanks in terms of managing pressure / depressurization in the tank.

  Finally, in the case of automatic (robot-controlled) filling, the information allows the vehicle type (and in particular the model and its dimensions), the position of the tank flap of the vehicle or the tank filling nozzle to be correctly positioned relative to the robot Any other information to be included may be included.

  For the purposes of the present invention, the maximum amount of information that is already available to the processor of the fuel system and that can be introduced to the processor for a given purpose (eg fuel type) and information that can improve the control of the filling operation. It is advantageous to use.

  In one particular advantageous variant, the actual data of the fuel system can also be introduced into the processor, which does not have anything to do with the system, During and after, it has the purpose of facilitating the life of the user. Thus, for example, as proposed in the prior art for independent support / transmitters, information related to vehicle operation (to manage it on a PC), users for automatic payments It is also possible to install in a direct communication processor with a bank account. In addition, the processor may record data relating to the identification of the user, the travel distance of the rental vehicle or the company vehicle, and data communication to the gas station via the transmitter / receiver system described above. In this case, the control system of the gas station may be in communication with an information network that can transmit this information to interested parties / businesses.

  Finally, the overall management of the fluid levels of other tanks present on the vehicle, e.g. oil level, cooling water level, window washer fluid level, is incorporated into the processor and information about them is also transmitted to the user via the transmitter described above, It is also possible to ensure transmission to a gas station receiver or another receiver mounted on a vehicle, for example.

  Thus, according to a variant, the transmitter connected to the processor of the fuel system sends at least one information (data) to a visual or audible display device located in the passenger compartment in the case of automatic filling. Send and send near fuel tank flap in case of manual filling. Information includes, for example, fuel tank fill level since last fill, mileage, and / or average fuel consumption, proper locking / unlocking of the system at the end / start of filling, etc.

  For possible display types, reference should be made to French Patent No. 07.073838 in the name of the present applicant, which describes an information system for actively communicating information to the user. The present invention relates to a filling bowl for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle.

  The invention also relates to a filling bowl for a motor vehicle having a receiver, which is for coded information in the form of waves and connected to a device for displaying such coded information. It continues from what has been described above. The term “fill bowl” should be understood to mean the entire system formed by the nozzle head, the fuel tank flap and the space located between these two components.

  According to this aspect of the invention, at least one piece of information communicated by a processor via a transmitter, preferably a wireless transmitter, most preferably a transmitter integrated in a BLUETOOTH® chip, Displayed in this bowl by a matching display device / receiver pair.

  The bowl further has other accessory functions of informative and / or comfortable nature, such as sound communication through the bowl during use of the mobile phone, sound through the filling bowl, etc. Broadcast (radio / music), additional illumination of the filling bowl, integration of information.

  With respect to sound communication through the bowl during use of the mobile phone, this sound communication may be made via a loudspeaker installed in the filling bowl or on the fuel tank flap.

  By sound broadcasting (radio / music) through the filling bowl, it is possible to listen to the sound broadcasting continuously between when the vehicle is inside and when it is outside.

  Regarding the integration of information, the integrated information is visual information (alarm) or audio information regarding the level in the fuel tank existing in the vehicle (engine oil, cooling water, window washer fluid, etc.).

Claims (10)

A vehicle fuel system having a fuel tank and managed by a processor,
The fuel system for a vehicle, wherein the processor is connected to a transmitter capable of communicating at least one information stored therein to a receiver.   The vehicular fuel system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter uses BLUETOOTH® technology.   Further comprising at least one separate tank, the operation of which is managed by a processor of the vehicle fuel system or by an independent processor that can communicate with the processor of the vehicle fuel system. The vehicle fuel system according to 1 or 2. A method for controlling the filling of a fuel tank that forms part of a fuel system managed by a processor, comprising:
The processor communicates at least one information to a receiver via a transmitter;
The method, wherein the receiver acts directly on the control system of the tank filling station to enable or prevent the filling operation.   The method of claim 4, wherein the information includes a type of fuel used in the vehicle.   The method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the information comprises a comparison between a maximum filling level of the fuel tank and a value read by a fuel gauge of the fuel tank. The tank filling station is an automatic filling station including a robot,
The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the information includes data relating to a position of a nozzle for filling the fuel tank relative to the robot.   8. The processor of any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the processor records data relating to fuel levels in one or more tanks mounted on the vehicle and communicates the data via the transmitter. The method described in 1.   The transmitter communicates at least one information stored in the processor to a receiver, the receiver being located in the passenger compartment or in proximity to the fuel tank flap of the vehicle The method according to claim 4, wherein the method is connected to A fuel container for a vehicle,
A fuel container comprising a receiver for receiving coded information in the form of a wave, the receiver being connected to a device for displaying the coded information.