JP2009006749A - Fuel oil supply amount determination system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for determining an amount of fuel oil supplied into a fuel tank mounted to a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: A control part 52 of an ECU50 obtains a necessary supply amount of oil for indicating that a liquid level sensor 30 can detect a liquid level 20 of the fuel depending on the fuel oil amount to a fuel tank 10 based on an inclination angle obtained by an output of an inclination sensor 60 when the liquid sensor 30 provided at the fuel tank 10 does not detect the liquid level 20 of the fuel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel supply amount determination system that determines the amount of fuel to be supplied to a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle.

  The fuel tank of a vehicle is usually provided with a fuel sensor that detects the amount of fuel in the fuel tank. Normally, the fuel sensor detects the amount of fuel using the output from the liquid level sensor that detects the liquid level of the fuel. For example, a general fuel sensor includes a float that floats on the fuel level, and detects the amount of fuel in the fuel tank by detecting the upper and lower widths of the float according to the upper and lower sides of the fuel level. Therefore, for example, when the fuel tank is inclined due to the inclination of the vehicle, or the liquid level of the fuel in the fuel tank is changed due to the vehicle traveling at a high speed, the detected value of the fuel sensor and the actual fuel tank There may be an error between the amount of fuel contained.

  As a technique for more accurately obtaining the remaining fuel value in the fuel tank, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a first acceleration sensor that measures the acceleration of a vehicle based on a displacement amount of a movable body that is affected by gravity, and a wheel rotation amount. A second acceleration sensor for measuring the acceleration of the vehicle from the change in the vehicle, and calculating the tilt angle of the vehicle based on the difference in vehicle acceleration measured by the first acceleration sensor and the second acceleration sensor. A technique for correcting the remaining fuel value measured from the liquid level position in the fuel tank based on the tilt angle is disclosed.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, in the technique for correcting the remaining fuel value detected by the fuel sensor provided in the fuel tank, the correction value obtained based on the vehicle inclination angle and the vehicle speed are used. The detected value is corrected using the correction coefficient.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-47958 JP 2005-274437 A

  When a fuel sensor including a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level of the fuel is provided in the fuel tank of the vehicle, for example, when the fuel tank is inclined due to the inclination of the vehicle, the liquid level sensor is not fueled even if the fuel is in the fuel tank. The liquid level may not be detected. For example, referring to FIG. 3, when a float that floats on the liquid level 20 of the fuel in the fuel tank 10 is used as the liquid level sensor 30, if the fuel tank 10 is inclined, fuel is contained in the fuel tank 10. Nevertheless, the fuel level 20 may not touch the level sensor 30 in some cases.

  When the fuel level is not detected by the liquid level sensor of the fuel sensor, it is necessary to indicate how much fuel can be supplied to the fuel tank so that the level sensor can detect the fuel level. It may be desirable to determine the amount. For example, in vehicle control, generally, when the liquid level sensor does not detect the fuel level, it is determined that there is no fuel in the fuel tank, that is, the vehicle is out of gas. Control that does not allow is performed. If the vehicle cannot be started as a result of such control, the minimum amount of fuel required for starting the vehicle can be obtained when the required amount of fuel for causing the liquid level sensor to detect the fuel level can be obtained. Can inform users. Obtaining the required amount of fuel as described above is useful when, for example, the vehicle cannot be started as a result of the control as described above at a location away from the fuel station.

  The amount of fuel required to cause the liquid level sensor to detect the fuel level varies depending on the shape of the fuel tank, the inclination state of the vehicle, and the like. However, even if a technique for correcting the detected value of the remaining amount of fuel is used, as in the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, at least how much fuel is required to cause the liquid level sensor to detect the liquid level of the fuel. It is difficult to ask if it should be refueled.

  A fuel supply amount determination system according to the present invention is a fuel supply amount determination system for determining the amount of fuel to be supplied to a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle, a sensor provided in the fuel tank, A liquid level sensor for detecting the level of the fuel of the vehicle, and when the liquid level of the fuel is not detected by the liquid level sensor, the output of the inclination angle sensor provided in the vehicle is used to determine the level of the vehicle. And a control unit that obtains a required amount of fuel that represents whether the liquid level sensor can detect the liquid level of the fuel if at least how much fuel is supplied to the fuel tank based on an inclination angle. It is characterized by.

  In the fuel supply amount determination system according to the present invention, the fuel supply amount determination system further includes a storage unit that stores the vehicle inclination angle and the required fuel supply amount in association with each other, and the control unit outputs an output of the inclination angle sensor from the storage unit. It is preferable to acquire the required amount of oil supply associated with the vehicle inclination angle obtained using.

  In the fuel supply amount determination system according to the present invention, the inclination angle of the vehicle determined by the control unit is an angle representing an inclination in a direction in which the mounting position of the liquid level sensor in the fuel tank is higher in the gravity direction. In the storage unit, it is preferable that the larger required oil supply amount is stored in association with a larger inclination angle of the vehicle.

  In the fuel supply amount determination system according to one aspect of the present invention, the inclination angle of the vehicle is an inclination angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle or an inclination angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

  Further, in the fuel supply amount determination system according to another aspect of the present invention, the storage unit includes a set of a tilt angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and a tilt angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the required fuel supply amount. Are stored in association with each other, and the control unit obtains an inclination angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and an inclination angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and obtains the obtained inclination angle in the front-rear direction and the inclination angle in the left-right direction. The required amount of oil corresponding to the set is acquired from the storage unit.

  According to the present invention, the amount of fuel to be supplied to a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle can be determined appropriately.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a fuel supply amount determination system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fuel refueling amount determination system shown in FIG. 1 is a system mounted on a vehicle, and includes a liquid level sensor 30, a fuel remaining amount detection unit 40, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 50, an inclination sensor provided in the fuel tank 10. 60 and a display device 70.

  The liquid level sensor 30 is a sensor that detects the liquid level 20 of the fuel in the fuel tank 10. The liquid level sensor 30 may be configured to detect the fuel level 20 using, for example, a float that floats on the fuel level 20. The remaining fuel amount detection unit 40 detects the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 10 based on the upper and lower levels of the liquid level detected by the liquid level sensor 30. The remaining fuel amount detection unit 40 can be realized by, for example, a measuring device that is mechanically connected to the liquid level sensor 30 and converts the vertical movement width of the liquid level sensor 30 into an electrical signal. The remaining fuel amount detection unit 40 passes a signal representing the detected remaining fuel amount to the ECU 50. When the liquid level of the fuel is not detected by the liquid level sensor 30, the remaining fuel level detection unit 40 passes a signal indicating that the remaining fuel level is 0 to the ECU 50.

  The remaining fuel amount detection unit 40 may pass a signal indicating whether or not the remaining fuel amount has been detected to the ECU 50 instead of passing a signal indicating the detected remaining fuel amount to the ECU 50. For example, a signal indicating the value of a flag set to 0 when the fuel level 20 is not detected by the liquid level sensor 30 and 1 when the remaining fuel level can be detected from the value detected by the liquid level sensor 30. May be passed to the ECU 50. In this case, the remaining fuel amount detection unit 40 includes a calculation unit (not shown) that processes a signal representing the detected remaining fuel amount, and this calculation unit generates a signal to be passed to the ECU 50 using the detected remaining fuel amount. To do. This calculation unit can be realized by a general microcomputer or the like.

  The ECU 50 is a control device that is mounted on the vehicle and performs various controls relating to the operation of the vehicle. The ECU 50 can be realized by a general microcomputer or the like. Part of the function of the ECU 50 functions as a control unit and a storage unit of the fuel supply amount determination system of the present embodiment.

  The ECU 50 includes a control unit 52 and a storage unit 54. Based on the signal received from the fuel remaining amount detection unit 40 and the output from the inclination sensor 60, the control unit 52 determines at least how much fuel when the liquid level sensor 30 does not detect the fuel level. When the fuel tank 10 is refueled, the required oil amount indicating whether the liquid level sensor 30 can detect the fuel level is obtained. Details of the process in which the controller 52 determines the required amount of oil supply will be described later. The control unit 52 performs a process of causing the display device 70 to display the required required amount of oil supply.

  The storage unit 54 is a storage device that stores a program describing a procedure of processing performed by the control unit 52 and information such as numerical values necessary for processing performed by the control unit 52. The storage unit 54 stores, for example, a required oil amount map that associates the vehicle inclination angle with the required oil amount.

  The tilt sensor 60 is a sensor provided in the vehicle and is a sensor for detecting the tilt of the vehicle. As the inclination sensor 60, an inclination angle sensor that outputs the detected inclination angle may be used, or an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration may be used.

  The display device 70 may be a general display device mounted on a vehicle. For example, a display device such as a liquid crystal screen of a car navigation system mounted on a vehicle can be used as the display device 70 of the present embodiment.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of the fuel supply amount determination process performed by the control unit 52. For example, when the control unit 52 receives an instruction from the user to determine the fuel supply amount via an input unit (not shown), the control unit 52 starts the processing of the procedure illustrated in FIG. Further, for example, when an ignition signal (not shown) indicating that the user has turned on the ignition is received, the processing of the procedure illustrated in FIG. 2 may be started.

  Referring to FIG. 2, when the process is started, first, in step S <b> 10, the control unit 52 uses the signal acquired from the fuel remaining amount detection unit 40 to cause the liquid level sensor 30 to liquidate the fuel in the fuel tank 10. It is determined whether the surface 20 is detected. For example, the control unit 52 determines that the liquid level of the fuel is detected when the signal acquired from the remaining fuel amount detection unit 40 is a signal representing the remaining fuel amount greater than 0, and represents the remaining fuel amount 0. If it is a signal, it is determined that the fuel level is not detected. Further, for example, the fuel remaining amount detection unit 40 is set to 0 when the liquid level sensor 30 does not detect the fuel level, and to 1 when the remaining fuel level can be detected from the value detected by the liquid level sensor 30. When the signal representing the value of the flag to be set is passed to the ECU 50, the control unit 52 determines that the fuel level is detected when the signal acquired from the fuel remaining amount detection unit 40 represents 1, and the fuel is detected. When the signal acquired from the remaining amount detection unit 40 indicates 0, it is determined that the fuel level is not detected. If it is determined in step S10 that the fuel level is detected, the process returns to the determination in step S10 again. If it is determined in step S10 that the fuel level is not detected, the process proceeds to step S20.

  In step S <b> 20, the control unit 52 uses the output from the tilt sensor 60 to obtain the tilt angle of the vehicle. When a sensor that outputs a tilt angle as a detected value is used as the tilt sensor 60, the control unit 52 can set the output from the tilt sensor 60 as the tilt angle of the vehicle in step S20. When an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration is used as the inclination sensor 60, the control unit 52 acquires an output value representing the acceleration from the inclination sensor 60, and estimates the value of the inclination angle of the vehicle using the acquired acceleration value. Can do.

  In step S20, as shown in FIG. 3, an angle θ representing an inclination in a direction in which the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 in the fuel tank 10 is higher in the direction of gravity (the direction of the arrow G) is obtained as the inclination angle of the vehicle. . The angle φ representing the inclination in the direction opposite to the direction of the angle θ shown in FIG. 3, that is, the direction in which the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 in the fuel tank 10 is further lowered in the direction of gravity is obtained from the output of the inclination sensor 60. In this case, the control unit 52 obtains the inclination angle of the vehicle as a negative value (−φ).

  Further, the vehicle inclination angle obtained in step S20 is the vehicle front-rear or left-right inclination angle. It is determined in advance based on the shape of the fuel tank 10 and the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 which angle of inclination of the vehicle is to be obtained. For example, when a certain amount of fuel is present in the fuel tank 10, the inclination angle in the direction in which the liquid level of the fuel near the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 changes more greatly in accordance with the change in the inclination of the vehicle. Is preferably obtained. For example, in the shape of the fuel tank 10, the size in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is larger than the size in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 is behind the front of the vehicle. If it is close and near the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle, it is preferable to obtain the inclination angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in step S20. Further, for example, in the shape of the fuel tank 10, even when the size in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is larger than the size in the left-right direction of the vehicle, the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 is in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. When the vehicle is near the center and closer to the right side than the left side of the vehicle, it is preferable to obtain the inclination angle of the vehicle in the left-right direction.

  Next, in step S30, the control unit 52 uses the vehicle inclination angle obtained in step S20 to supply at least how much fuel to the fuel tank 10, and the liquid level sensor 30 causes the liquid level 20 of the fuel. The required amount of oil representing whether or not can be detected is obtained.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a specific processing procedure in step S30. Referring to FIG. 4, when the process of step S30 (FIG. 2) is started, in step S32, control unit 52 determines whether or not the vehicle inclination angle obtained in step S20 of FIG. Determine. If the inclination angle of the vehicle is 0 ° or more, the process proceeds to step S34. In step S <b> 34, the control unit 52 refers to the storage unit 54, and obtains the required amount of fuel that is associated with the vehicle inclination angle obtained in step S <b> 20.

  The storage unit 54 stores in advance a required oil amount map that associates the vehicle inclination angle with the required oil amount. FIG. 5 shows an example of the required oil supply amount map stored in the storage unit 54. In the table illustrated in FIG. 5, a larger required oil supply amount is associated with a larger inclination angle. After step S34, the process for obtaining the required amount of oil (step S30 in FIG. 2) ends.

  If it is determined in step S32 that the vehicle inclination angle is less than 0 °, the process proceeds to step S36, and the control unit 52 sets a preset reference value as the required amount of fuel. For example, when the vehicle is not tilted, the reference value is an amount that clearly indicates that the liquid level sensor 30 can detect the liquid level of the fuel if at least the fuel of the reference value is supplied to the fuel tank 10. For example, it is set to about 10 l). Therefore, this reference value may be the same value as the required oil amount associated with the tilt angle of 0 ° in the required oil amount map illustrated in FIG. Further, when the vehicle inclination angle is less than 0 °, the vehicle is inclined in a direction in which the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 in the fuel tank 10 is further downward in the direction of gravity, and therefore there is no vehicle inclination. The liquid level sensor 30 can detect the fuel level 20 even when a smaller amount of fuel is supplied. Therefore, the reference value used in step S36 may be set to a value smaller than the required oil amount associated with the vehicle inclination angle 0 ° in the required oil amount map. After step S36, the process for obtaining the required amount of oil (step S30 in FIG. 2) ends.

  Referring to FIG. 2 again, when the process of step S30 ends, in step S40, the control unit 52 performs a process of causing the display device 70 to display the required amount of fuel obtained in step S30. After step S40, the fuel supply amount determination process ends.

  In the embodiment described above, the required oil supply amount map stored in the storage unit 54 associates the required oil supply amount with a positive inclination angle as illustrated in FIG. In another example, in the required oil amount map stored in the storage unit 54, the required oil amount may be stored in association with both the positive and negative inclination angles. In this case, in the process for obtaining the required oil supply amount (step S30 in FIG. 2), instead of performing the process described with reference to FIG. 4, the obtained inclination is obtained from the required oil supply amount map stored in the storage unit 54. Obtain the required amount of oil associated with the corner. That is, in this case, the case of the inclination angle positive / negative as exemplified in FIG. 4 is not performed (step S32). In this case, also in the required oil amount map stored in the storage unit 54, a larger required oil amount can be stored in association with a larger inclination angle. In addition, for example, when the liquid level sensor 30 is attached near the center in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the fuel tank 10, a change in the required amount of oil according to a change in the positive angle of the inclination angle and a negative direction of the inclination angle When the change in the required oil amount corresponding to the change in is symmetric, in the required oil amount map stored in the storage unit 54, the same value as the required oil amount associated with the positive inclination angle May be stored in association with a negative inclination angle having a corresponding absolute value.

  As described above, in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, the required amount of oil supply is obtained based on the inclination angle in either the front-rear direction or the left-right direction of the vehicle. In another embodiment, in step S20 of FIG. 2, the front-rear direction tilt angle and the left-right direction tilt angle of the vehicle may be obtained, and the required oil supply amount may be obtained based on both. Also in the present embodiment, when obtaining the vehicle front-rear direction tilt angle and the left-right direction tilt angle, as described with reference to FIG. 3, the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 in the fuel tank 10 is higher in the gravity direction. The inclination in the direction (angle θ direction) is positive, and the inclination in the direction in which the mounting position of the liquid level sensor 30 is further downward in the gravity direction (angle φ direction) is determined as negative. In the present embodiment, in step S30 in FIG. 2, the required amount of oil is obtained according to the procedure illustrated in FIG. 6 instead of the procedure illustrated in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 6, in step S <b> 33, the control unit 52 determines whether or not the vehicle front-rear direction tilt angle is 0 ° or more and the vehicle left-right direction tilt angle is 0 ° or more. If both the front-rear direction and the left-right inclination angle of the vehicle are 0 ° or more, the process proceeds to step S34. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 54 stores a map that associates a set of the vehicle front-rear direction tilt angle and the left-right direction tilt angle with the required oil supply amount. FIG. 7 shows an example of a required oil supply amount map that associates a set of the inclination angle in the front-rear direction and the inclination angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle with the required oil supply amount. In the required oil supply amount map illustrated in FIG. 7, in a set of inclination angles including the same value as the vehicle front-rear direction inclination angle, a larger required oil supply amount is associated with a set including a larger left-right inclination angle, In a set of tilt angles including the same value as the tilt angle in the left-right direction, a larger required oil supply amount is associated with a set including a larger tilt angle in the front-rear direction. In step S34, the control unit 52 obtains the required amount of oil associated with the set of the vehicle front-rear direction tilt angle and the left-right direction tilt angle obtained in step S20 of FIG.

  If it is determined in step S33 of FIG. 6 that at least one of the vehicle front-rear direction and the left-right inclination angle is less than 0 °, the process proceeds to step S36, and the reference value set in advance is set as the required oil supply amount. To do. This reference value is the same value as the reference value used in step S36 described with reference to FIG.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment in which the vehicle front-rear direction and left-right direction inclination angles are obtained in step S20, in the required fuel amount map stored in the storage unit 54, at least one of the vehicle front-rear direction and left-right direction inclination angles is determined. As for a set having a negative value, the required amount of oil may be stored in association with each other in the same manner as a set having both positive and negative inclination angles in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. In this case, in the process of obtaining the required oil supply (step S30 in FIG. 2), instead of performing the process described with reference to FIG. 6, from the required oil supply map stored in the storage unit 54, the front-rear direction and Obtain the required amount of lubrication associated with the set of tilt angles in the left-right direction. That is, in this case, it is not determined whether or not both the front-rear and left-right inclination angles are positive as illustrated in FIG. 6 (step S33).

  In the embodiment described above, when the inclination in the direction of the angle φ shown in FIG. 3 is obtained in step S20 of FIG. 2, the inclination angle of the vehicle is obtained as a negative value. In another embodiment, when the inclination in the direction of the angle φ shown in FIG. 3 is obtained in step S20 of FIG. 2, the value of the vehicle inclination angle is not obtained without obtaining the value of the vehicle inclination angle. May be stored in the storage unit 54. In the present embodiment, when the processing described with reference to FIG. 4 is performed, whether or not the vehicle inclination angle is obtained using the information stored in the storage unit 54 instead of the determination in step S32 of FIG. If determined, the process proceeds to step S34, and if not determined, the process proceeds to step S36. Further, in this embodiment, when both the front-rear and left-right inclination angles of the vehicle are obtained in step S20 of FIG. 2 and the process described with reference to FIG. 6 is performed in step S30, the process of step S33 of FIG. Instead of the determination, it is determined whether or not both the front-rear and left-right inclination angles of the vehicle have been obtained. If so, the process proceeds to step S34, and at least one of the front-rear and left-right inclination angles is determined. If not, the process proceeds to step S36.

  In still another embodiment, when the inclination in the direction of the angle φ shown in FIG. 3 is obtained in step S20 of FIG. 2, the inclination angle of the vehicle may be set to 0 °. In this embodiment, in the process of FIG. 4 or FIG. 6, the determination in step S32 or step S33 is not performed, and the inclination angle obtained in step S20 of FIG. 2 is associated with the map stored in the storage unit 54. The required amount of oil supply is acquired (step S34).

It is a figure which shows the example of a structure of the fuel supply amount determination system in one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the procedure of the fuel supply amount judgment process performed in one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the state of a fuel tank in case there exists inclination of a vehicle. It is a flowchart which shows the example of a part of procedure of the fuel supply amount judgment process performed in one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the map which matches the inclination-angle of a vehicle, and required oil supply amount used for the process in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of a part of procedure of the fuel supply amount judgment process performed in one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the map used by the process in one Embodiment of this invention which matches the front-rear direction inclination angle of a vehicle, and the set of the inclination angle of a left-right direction, and required oil supply amount.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fuel tank, 20 Liquid level, 30 Liquid level sensor, 40 Fuel remaining amount detection part, 50 ECU, 52 Control part, 54 Memory | storage part, 60 Inclination sensor, 70 Display apparatus.

Claims (5)

A fuel refueling amount determination system for obtaining an amount of fuel to be refueled in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle,
A liquid level sensor for detecting a liquid level of the fuel in the fuel tank, the sensor being provided in the fuel tank;
When the liquid level of the fuel is not detected by the liquid level sensor, at least how much fuel is based on the inclination angle of the vehicle obtained using the output of the inclination angle sensor provided in the vehicle. If the fuel tank is refueled, the liquid level sensor can detect the liquid level of the fuel.
A fuel refueling amount determination system comprising: In the fuel supply amount judgment system according to claim 1,
A storage unit that stores the inclination angle of the vehicle and the required amount of oil in association with each other;
The said control part acquires the said required oil supply quantity matched with the inclination-angle of the said vehicle calculated | required using the output of the said inclination-angle sensor from the said memory | storage part, The fuel supply amount judgment system characterized by the above-mentioned. The fuel supply amount determination system according to claim 2,
The inclination angle of the vehicle required by the control unit is an angle representing an inclination in a direction in which the mounting position of the liquid level sensor in the fuel tank is further upward in the direction of gravity,
In the storage unit, a larger required oil supply amount is stored in association with a larger inclination angle of the vehicle. In the fuel supply amount judgment system according to claim 2 or 3,
The fuel supply amount determination system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle inclination angle is an inclination angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle or an inclination angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle. In the fuel supply amount judgment system according to claim 2 or 3,
In the storage unit, a set of an inclination angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and an inclination angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the required oil supply amount are stored in association with each other,
The control unit obtains an inclination angle in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and an inclination angle in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the required oil supply amount associated with the obtained set of the inclination angle in the front-rear direction and the inclination angle in the left-right direction Is obtained from the storage unit.

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