IP Library Granted Patent US 9,488,145
Granted Patent B2
US 9,488,145 · App. 14/654,205 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Vehicular liquid containment system and method for verifying integrity of same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,488,145
App. No.
14/654,205
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicular liquid containment system including a tank, a pump arranged to pump a liquid from the tank to a vehicular system via a feed line, a pressure sensor arranged to detect a pressure in a vapor dome inside the tank, and a sprayer arranged within a branch of the feed line, the outlet of the sprayer being arranged inside the tank.

Claims (17)

1. A vehicular fuel containment system comprising:

a tank;

a pump arranged to pump a fuel from the tank to a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine via a feed line;

a pressure sensor arranged to detect a pressure in a vapor dome inside the tank; and

a sprayer arranged within a branch of the feed line, an outlet of the sprayer being arranged inside the tank.

2. The vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 1 , further comprising a valve operatively arranged between the pump and the sprayer.

3. The vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 2 , wherein the valve is a normally-closed valve, adapted to be opened by occurrence of a predetermined minimum pressure at an inlet side.

4. The vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 2 , wherein the valve is a normally-closed valve, adapted to be opened by external actuation.

5. The vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 2 , wherein the valve and the pressure sensor are operatively controlled by an electronic control unit, directly or indirectly.

6. The vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 5 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to relay a leak detection signal to an On-Board Diagnostics system.

7. The vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the sprayer is arranged above a maximum fill level of the tank.

8. A vehicle comprising the vehicular fuel containment system according to claim 1 .

9. A method to verify integrity of a vehicular liquid containment system, the system comprising a tank, a pump, a pressure sensor, and a sprayer, the pump arranged to pump a fuel from the tank to a vehicular system via a feed line, the pressure sensor arranged to detect a pressure in a vapor dome inside the tank, the sprayer arranged within a branch of the feed line, an outlet of the sprayer being arranged inside the tank, the method comprising:

operating the pump to activate the sprayer;

monitoring pressure sensed by the pressure sensor subsequent to the activation of the sprayer; and

determining whether the monitored pressure deviates from a predetermined pressure evolution based on one or more measurements.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program comprising a code configured to cause a processor to carry out the method of claim 9 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: INERGY AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS RESEARCH
To: PLASTIC OMNIUM ADVANCED INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
Reel/Frame 046550/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2015
From: BUTLER, JOSH; HILL, DAVID; CRIEL, BJORN
To: INERGY AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS RESEARCH (SOCIETE ANONYME)
Reel/Frame 036494/0875 →