Abnormality determining apparatus of fuel vapor processing system

Abstract

An abnormality determining apparatus of a fuel vapor processing system is provided. The system includes a canister for temporarily reserves fuel vapor generated within a fuel tank and a fuel vapor path for discharging the fuel vapor to an engine intake passage. When it is determined that there is a leak abnormality in the fuel vapor path, a pump is operated to discharge air from the fuel vapor path to the outside through the canister. When the pump is operated, a detector detects a pressure in the fuel vapor path as an actually measured pressure. A determining section determines whether there is a leak abnormality. The determining section sets a first determination pressure and a second determination pressure that is higher than the first determination pressure. The determining section determines that there is no leak abnormality either when a first condition is met or when a second condition is met. The first condition indicates that the actually measured pressure is less than or equal to the first determination pressure, and the second condition indicates that the actual measured pressure when changes due to the operation of the pump have subsided is less than or equal to the second determination pressure. The determining section determines that there is a leak abnormality when none of the first condition nor the second condition is met.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a structure of a fuel vapor processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a structure of a pump module in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure of the pump module;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing one example of a processing of a small amount leak determining process in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing one example of a relationship between a predetermined determination pressure and an actually measured pressure;

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing one example of changes of the actually measured pressure in the case that a temporary decrease of a pressure of a fuel vapor path is generated;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a specific processing procedure of a large amount leak determining process in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a relationship between a reference pressure and a stabilization determination pressure;

FIG. 9 is a view showing a relationship among a temperature of a fuel within a fuel tank, a remaining amount of the fuel, and an instantaneous determination pressure;

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing a relationship between a result of determination in the large amount leak determination and changes of the actually measured pressure;

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing one example of a relationship between a manner for setting each of the determination pressures in the large amount leak determination and the changes of the actually measured pressure;

FIG. 12 is a timing chart showing another example of the relationship between a manner for setting each of the determination pressures in the large amount leak determination and changes of the actually measured pressure;

FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing one example of changes of the actually measured pressure in the case that the temporary decrease of the pressure of the fuel vapor path is generated;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a specific processing procedure of a large amount leak determination process in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a view showing a relationship among a temperature of a fuel within the fuel tank, a remaining amount of the fuel, and a predetermined time;

FIG. 16 is a timing chart showing one example of a relationship between a manner for setting a predetermined time and changes of an actually measured pressure in the large amount leak determination in accordance with the second embodiment; and

FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing another example of the relationship between a manner for setting the predetermined time and the changes of the actually measured pressure in the large amount leak determination.

Claims

1. An abnormality determining apparatus of a fuel vapor processing system, wherein the system includes a canister for temporarily reserves fuel vapor generated within a fuel tank and a fuel vapor path for discharging the fuel vapor to an engine intake passage, the abnormality determining apparatus comprising: a pump, wherein, when it is determined that there is a leak abnormality in the fuel vapor path, the pump is operated to discharge air from the fuel vapor path to the outside through the canister;a detector that, when the pump is operated, detects a pressure in the fuel vapor path as an actually measured pressure; anda determining section that determines whether there is a leak abnormality,wherein the determining section sets a first determination pressure and a second determination pressure that is higher than the first determination pressure, andwherein the determining section determines that there is no leak abnormality either when a first condition is met or when a second condition is met, the first condition indicating that the actually measured pressure is less than or equal to the first determination pressure, and the second condition indicating that the actual measured pressure when changes due to the operation of the pump have subsided is less than or equal to the second determination pressure, andwherein the determining section determines that there is a leak abnormality when none of the first condition nor the second condition is met.

2. The abnormality determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the higher the concentration of the fuel vapor within the fuel tank at the time of starting of the operation of the pump, the lower the first determination value the determination portion sets.

3. The abnormality determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the higher the temperature of the fuel within the fuel tank, the lower the first determination value the determination portion sets.

4. The abnormality determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the smaller the amount of the remaining fuel within the fuel tank, the lower the first determination pressure the determination portion sets.

5. An abnormality determining apparatus of a fuel vapor processing system, wherein the system includes a canister for temporarily reserves fuel vapor generated within a fuel tank and a fuel vapor path for discharging the fuel vapor to an engine intake passage, the abnormality determining apparatus comprising: a pump, wherein, when it is determined that there is a leak abnormality in the fuel vapor path, the pump is operated to discharge air from the fuel vapor path to the outside through the canister;a detector that, when the pump is operated, detects a pressure in the fuel vapor path as an actually measured pressure;a determining section that determines whether there is a leak abnormality, wherein the determining section determines that there is no leak abnormality when the measured pressure falls to or below a predetermined pressure; andan inhibiting section that inhibits the execution of the leak abnormality determination for a predetermined period after the operation of the pump is started.

6. The abnormality determining apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the higher the concentration of the fuel vapor within the fuel tank at the time of starting of the operation of the pump, the longer the predetermined period the inhibiting section sets.

7. The abnormality determining apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the higher the temperature of the fuel within the fuel tank, the longer the predetermined period the inhibiting section sets.

8. The abnormality determining apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, the smaller the amount of the remaining fuel within the fuel tank, the longer the predetermined period the inhibiting section sets.