JP7443775B2 - fuel tank equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fuel tank device.

Conventionally, in a fuel tank provided in a vehicle, a fuel tank device using a fuel pump (hereinafter referred to as an in-tank pump) provided within the fuel tank is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the fuel tank device of Patent Document 1, an in-tank pump sucks up fuel in a fuel tank, and the sucked-up fuel is supplied to a fuel injection device of an engine via a fuel supply path.

Furthermore, a fuel tank device in which an engine is provided with a high-pressure pump (hereinafter referred to as a supply pump) is conventionally known (for example, see Patent Document 2). In the fuel tank device of Patent Document 2, the supply pump sucks up fuel from the fuel tank, increases the pressure of the fuel, and supplies the fuel to the fuel injection device of the engine.

On the other hand, there is known a fuel tank device using an in-tank pump, in which a reservoir cup is provided in the tank, and the fuel in the reservoir cup is sucked up and supplied to the engine (for example, see Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-214891 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-281252 Patent No. 5896129

The fuel tank device of Patent Document 1 prevents air from entering the fuel supply path by driving the in-tank pump only when the in-tank pump can suck fuel. Further, in the fuel tank device of Patent Document 3, when a supply pump like the fuel tank device of Patent Document 2 is used, the supply pump supplies the fuel in the reservoir cup to the engine, while the in-tank pump supplies the fuel to the fuel tank device. Supply the fuel inside to the reservoir cup.

However, in such a fuel tank device, when the fuel supplied from the reservoir cup to the engine by the supply pump increases with the in-tank pump stopped as in the fuel tank device of Patent Document 1, the fuel level in the reservoir cup increases. decreases. When the fuel level in the reservoir cup decreases, the supply pump cannot supply the fuel necessary for engine operation from the reservoir cup to the engine side. As a result, the engine may stop.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel tank device that can prevent the engine from stopping due to a shortage of fuel supplied to the engine from the reservoir cup, and can suppress air intrusion into the fuel.

A fuel tank device according to the present invention includes a fuel tank, a reservoir cup, a first pump, a second pump, a pump control section, an exhaust purification device, and a regeneration control section. A fuel tank is installed in a vehicle equipped with an engine. A reservoir cup is provided within the fuel tank. The first pump supplies fuel in the reservoir cup to the engine side. The second pump supplies fuel in the fuel tank into the reservoir cup. The pump control section stops driving the second pump when the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined value. The exhaust purification device is provided in the exhaust path of the engine. The regeneration control unit instructs regeneration control to raise the temperature or regenerate the exhaust gas purification device by increasing the amount of fuel injected into the engine. The pump control section prohibits the second pump from being stopped or causes it to operate intermittently when the regeneration control section issues a regeneration control instruction.

According to this fuel tank device, the pump control section stops driving the second pump when the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank becomes equal to or less than the first predetermined value. Thereby, it is possible to suppress air mixing in the fuel supplied to the supply pump. On the other hand, when the regeneration control section is regenerating the exhaust gas purification device, the pump control section can suppress the stoppage of driving the second pump. That is, when the exhaust gas purification device is being regenerated, the regeneration control section increases the fuel injection amount of the engine, so that the amount of fuel that the supply pump supplies from the reservoir cup to the engine side increases. As a result, when the in-tank pump is stopped, the fuel level in the reservoir cup decreases. The pump control unit suppresses a drop in the fuel liquid level in the reservoir cup by suppressing stopping of driving of the second pump when the regeneration control unit instructs the exhaust gas purification device to regenerate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the supply pump from being unable to supply fuel necessary for engine operation from the reservoir cup to the engine side. As a result, it is possible to provide a fuel tank device that can prevent the engine from stopping due to a shortage of fuel supplied to the engine from the reservoir cup, and can suppress air intrusion into the fuel.

The regeneration control section may include a regeneration request section that requests regeneration control based on the state of the exhaust purification device, and a regeneration execution section that performs regeneration control based on the request from the regeneration request section. When the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit, the pump control unit may prohibit stopping the driving of the second pump or may cause the second pump to operate intermittently .

According to this configuration, the pump control unit suppresses stopping of driving of the second pump when regeneration control is actually performed. As a result, the pump control unit does not suppress the stoppage of the drive of the second pump until the regeneration control is actually performed. Therefore, the opportunity for the pump control unit to suppress the stoppage of driving the second pump is reduced. As a result, air mixing in the fuel supplied to the supply pump can be suppressed.

The regeneration control section may include a regeneration request section that requests regeneration control based on the state of the exhaust purification device, and a regeneration execution section that performs regeneration control based on the request from the regeneration request section. When regeneration is requested by the regeneration requesting section, the pump control section may prohibit stopping the driving of the second pump or may cause the second pump to operate intermittently .

According to this configuration, the pump control unit suppresses stopping of driving the second pump when there is a request for regeneration. Thereby, the pump control unit suppresses the stoppage of driving the second pump if there is a request for regeneration even if regeneration is not actually being performed. Therefore, the pump control section can suppress a drop in the fuel level in the reservoir cup due to the regeneration control.

The pump control unit stops the second pump when the vehicle is idling, and prohibits the second pump from stopping when the vehicle is idling while the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit , or , may be operated intermittently .

According to this configuration, the pump control unit stops the second pump when the vehicle is stopped in an idling state in which the fuel supplied to the engine by the supply pump is stable. On the other hand, when the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution section, the second pump is not stopped. This can prevent the supply pump from being unable to supply the fuel necessary for engine operation from the reservoir cup to the engine side when the regeneration control is performed even when the vehicle is idling.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fuel tank device that can prevent the engine from stopping due to a shortage of fuel supplied to the engine from the reservoir cup, and can suppress air intrusion into the fuel.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a fuel tank device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the in-tank pump according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing processing performed by a control unit and a playback control unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart showing processing performed by a control unit and a reproduction control unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

<First embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel tank device 1 includes a fuel tank 2, a reservoir cup 4, a supply pump (an example of a first pump) 6, an in-tank pump (an example of a second pump) 8, and a pump control system. 10, an exhaust purification device 30, and a regeneration control section 32.

The fuel tank 2 is provided in a vehicle equipped with an engine 12. The fuel tank 2 is connected to the engine 12 via a fuel supply path 14 . The fuel tank 2 stores fuel to be supplied to the engine 12. In this embodiment, the fuel tank 2 has a main fuel tank chamber 2a and a sub fuel tank chamber 2b, and a saddle integrally formed by connecting the upper parts of the main fuel tank chamber 2a and the sub fuel tank chamber 2b. This is a type fuel tank 2. In such a saddle-shaped fuel tank 2, for example, when the vehicle is a four-wheel drive vehicle or a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the propeller shaft that transmits driving force to the rear wheels is located between the main fuel tank chamber 2a and the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b. It is provided between the propeller shaft and the fuel tank 2 to prevent interference between the propeller shaft and the fuel tank 2.

Reservoir cup 4 is provided within fuel tank 2 . In this embodiment, the reservoir cup 4 is provided in the main fuel tank chamber 2a. The reservoir cup 4 temporarily stores the fuel supplied from the main fuel tank chamber 2a and the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b. By providing such a reservoir cup 4, fuel can be stably supplied to the fuel supply path 14 even when the vehicle is turning or traveling on a slope.

Supply pump 6 is attached to engine 12 . The supply pump 6 is driven by a cam of the engine 12, increases the pressure of fuel, and supplies the fuel to the fuel injection device 16 of the engine 12. In this embodiment, the engine 12 is a diesel engine, and includes a common rail 16a that stores pressurized fuel and a fuel injection valve 16b. Furthermore, the supply pump 6 sucks up the fuel in the reservoir cup 4 through the fuel supply path 14 and the fuel filter 14a provided on the fuel supply path 14, and supplies it to the engine 12 side. Further, the supply pump 6 is connected to a return pipe 18, and returns surplus fuel when pressurizing the fuel to the reservoir cup 4 and the main fuel tank chamber 2a. The return pipe 18 is provided with a thermovalve 18a, which returns the fuel to the reservoir cup 4 when the temperature of the fuel is low. On the other hand, if the temperature of the fuel is high, the fuel is returned to the main fuel tank chamber 2a.

In-tank pump 8 supplies fuel in fuel tank 2 into reservoir cup 4 . In-tank pump 8 sucks up fuel in reservoir cup 4 via in-tank pump filter 8a and supplies it to regulator 8b. In the regulator 8b, part of the fuel is sucked up from the supply pump 6, and the rest flows to the filling jet 8c and the suction jet 8d. In-tank pump 8 is electrically connected to pump control section 10 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the filling jet 8c has a throttle 8f and a discharge port 8g. The fuel flowing into the regulator 8b is throttled by the throttle 8f, and the pressure downstream of the throttle 8f is reduced. A passage 8e connected to the main fuel tank chamber 2a is connected downstream of the throttle 8f. The fuel in the main fuel tank chamber 2a is sucked into the fuel whose pressure has decreased downstream of the throttle 8f, and is supplied to the reservoir cup 4 via the discharge port 8g.

Moreover, the suction jet 8d has a throttle 8h and a discharge port 8i. The fuel flowing into the regulator 8b is throttled by the throttle 8h, and the pressure downstream of the throttle 8h is reduced. A transfer passage (hereinafter referred to as a suction passage) 20 (see FIG. 1) connected to the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b is connected downstream of the throttle 8h. The fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b is sucked into the fuel whose pressure has decreased downstream of the throttle 8h, and is supplied to the reservoir cup 4 via the discharge port 8i.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exhaust gas purification device 30 is provided in the exhaust path 30a and purifies the exhaust gas of the engine 12. In this embodiment, the exhaust purification device 30 includes an oxidation catalyst 30b, a diesel particulate filter 30c, and a NOx storage catalyst 30d. The oxidation catalyst 30b is a catalyst that is disposed on the engine 12 side of the exhaust path 30a and purifies the exhaust gas of the engine 12. The diesel particulate filter 30c is arranged downstream of the oxidation catalyst 30b and collects diesel particulates contained in the exhaust gas. The NOx storage catalyst 30d is arranged downstream of the diesel particulate filter 30c and adsorbs NOx contained in the exhaust gas.

In the exhaust gas purification device 30 having such a configuration, in order to regenerate the catalyst of the exhaust gas purification device 30, the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 is increased to enrich the engine 12 and operate the engine 12, thereby enriching the exhaust air-fuel ratio. When the exhaust air-fuel ratio is enriched, the exhaust gas temperature increases, and the temperature of the oxidation catalyst 30b increases. When the temperature of the oxidation catalyst 30b increases, the exhaust gas purification device 30 can be maintained at a high temperature. In this way, by keeping the exhaust gas purification device 30 at a high temperature, the temperature of the diesel particulate filter 30c is increased, and the soot deposited on the diesel particulate filter 30c is burned, thereby regenerating the exhaust gas purification device 30. Further, the exhaust purification device 30 regenerates the exhaust gas purification device 30 by enriching the exhaust air-fuel ratio to decompose the adsorbed NOx and release the stored sulfur content (hereinafter referred to as S purge). . Note that such regeneration of the exhaust gas purification device 30 is performed when the exhaust gas purification device 30 is at a predetermined temperature W2 (for example, about 700° C.) or higher. In addition, for example, in a selective reduction catalyst such as a urea SCR catalyst, in order to fully demonstrate the function of the catalyst, the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 may be increased to raise the exhaust temperature to raise the temperature of the catalyst. , is handled as one type of playback control in this embodiment.

The pump control unit 10 is a functional configuration realized by software stored in an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22. ECU 22 is electrically connected to various devices such as supply pump 6, in-tank pump 8, and fuel injection valve 16b. The ECU 22 is actually constituted by a microcomputer including an arithmetic unit, a memory, an input/output buffer, and the like. The ECU 22 controls each device so that the fuel tank device 1 is in a desired operating state based on signals from each sensor and various devices, as well as maps and programs stored in memory.

The regeneration control unit 32 instructs the exhaust purification device 30 to regenerate by increasing the amount of fuel injected into the engine 12. The playback control section 32 includes a playback request section 32a and a playback implementation section 32b. The regeneration requesting unit 32a requests regeneration control based on the state of the exhaust gas purification device 30. The reproduction execution unit 32b performs reproduction control based on a request from the reproduction requesting unit 32a. Like the pump control unit 10, the regeneration control unit 32 is a functional configuration realized by software stored in an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22. The ECU 22 instructs the regeneration of the catalyst of the exhaust purification device 30 based on signals from each sensor and various devices, as well as maps and programs stored in memory. Specifically, the ECU 22 sends an instruction from the regeneration control unit 32 to the fuel injection device 16 of the engine 12 to instruct regeneration of the catalyst of the exhaust purification device 30 by increasing the fuel injection amount.

Next, the control procedure performed by the pump control section 10 and the regeneration control section 32 will be explained using the flowchart of FIG. 3. The pump control unit 10 and the regeneration control unit 32 start the control procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 when an ignition switch (not shown) is turned on.

The pump control unit 10 determines whether the vehicle is idling or not (S1). Here, idling means that the vehicle is stopped and the engine 12 is in an idling state. In such a state, the engine 12 is not subjected to any load due to the running of the vehicle, so that the engine 12 is operated stably. That is, the amount of fuel that the supply pump 6 supplies from the reservoir cup 4 to the engine 12 side is stabilized. Furthermore, since the vehicle is stopped, the level of fuel in the fuel tank 2 is stabilized. That is, the amount of fuel that in-tank pump 8 supplies from fuel tank 2 to reservoir cup 4 is stabilized. If the pump control unit 10 determines that the vehicle is idling (S1 Yes), the process proceeds to S2. On the other hand, if the pump control unit 10 determines that the vehicle is not idling (S1 No), it returns the process to before S1 and puts the fuel tank device 1 into a desired operating state (hereinafter referred to as normal operation) that matches the load of the engine 12. Each device is controlled so that the

In S2, the regeneration control unit 32 issues a regeneration instruction by increasing the fuel injection amount of the engine 12. More specifically, the regeneration requesting unit 32a of the regeneration control unit 32 detects the state of the exhaust purification device 30 from the accumulated operating time of the engine 12, etc., and requests the regeneration execution unit 32b to control the regeneration of the exhaust purification device 30. It is determined whether or not (S2). When the reproduction requesting unit 32a determines that reproduction control is requested (S2 Yes), the process proceeds to S3. In S3, it is determined whether or not playback control has been performed. That is, in order to perform regeneration control that regenerates the exhaust gas purification device 30, the exhaust gas purification device 30 needs to be at a certain high temperature. Therefore, if the exhaust gas purification device 30 is not warmed up, the exhaust gas purification device 30 cannot be regenerated. Therefore, if the temperature of the exhaust purification device 30 is higher than the predetermined temperature W2, the regeneration control section 32 controls the regeneration execution section 32b to increase the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 and perform regeneration control of the exhaust purification device 30. (S3 Yes). On the other hand, if the temperature of the exhaust purification device 30 is lower than the predetermined temperature, the regeneration control unit 32 determines that the regeneration execution unit 32b is not performing regeneration control (S3 No), and advances the process to S4.

In S4, the pump control unit 10 determines whether a condition for prohibiting stop control to stop the in-tank pump 8 is not satisfied. Here, the condition for prohibiting the stop control is, for example, when the voltage of the battery mounted on the vehicle is equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage. In such a case, the driving force of the in-tank pump 8 decreases. When the driving force of the in-tank pump 8 decreases, the negative pressure of the suction jet 8d decreases, and the amount of fuel transferred through the suction passage 20 decreases. As a result, the amount of fuel supplied from the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b to the reservoir cup 4 is reduced. Moreover, the negative pressure of the filling jet 8c also decreases, and the amount of fuel supplied from the main fuel tank chamber 2a to the reservoir cup 4 decreases. In addition, stop control is also prohibited when it is not possible to correctly determine whether the vehicle is idling or not due to a malfunction in the vehicle's vehicle speed sensor, wheel rotation speed sensor, or accelerator position sensor. Further, even if the engine 12 is in idle operation, if the rotation speed of the engine 12 is higher than a predetermined rotation speed, stop control is prohibited. In such a case, more fuel is supplied from the reservoir cup 4 to the engine side by the supply pump 6, and the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4 tends to drop.

Further, the conditions for prohibiting the stop control include a case where the outside temperature W is less than the predetermined temperature W1. That is, when the outside temperature W is less than the predetermined temperature W1, the viscosity of the fuel increases, and the resistance when the fuel passes through the filling jet 8c, the suction jet 8d, and the suction passage 20 increases. As a result, the pumping capacity of the in-tank pump 8 is reduced. In such a state, it is preferable not to stop the in-tank pump 8. That is, the pump control unit 10 stops the in-tank pump 8 if the outside temperature W is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature W1. Furthermore, the pump control unit 10 may prohibit stop control when the fuel temperature is low even when the outside temperature W is high. The temperature of the fuel may be obtained by providing a temperature sensor in the fuel tank 2 or the fuel supply path 14.

If the pump control unit 10 determines that the conditions for prohibiting the stop control to stop the in-tank pump 8 are not satisfied (S4 Yes), the process proceeds to S5. In S5, the pump control unit 10 detects the remaining fuel amount FL in the fuel tank 2, and advances the process to S6. The remaining fuel amount FL can be detected by, for example, a fuel level sensor (not shown). On the other hand, if the pump control unit 10 determines that the conditions for prohibiting the stop control to stop the in-tank pump 8 are satisfied (S4 No), the process returns to before S1. That is, the pump control unit 10 does not perform the stop control of the in-tank pump 8 while the condition for prohibiting the stop control is satisfied.

In S6, the pump control unit 10 determines whether the remaining fuel amount FL is less than or equal to the first predetermined value FL1 and greater than or equal to the second predetermined value FL2. That is, the pump control unit 10 determines whether the remaining fuel amount FL is within the predetermined range FLw. The first predetermined value FL1 is the remaining fuel amount FL at which it is expected that there is sufficient fuel in the reservoir cup 4. In this embodiment, the first predetermined value FL1 is set to the remaining fuel amount FL such that the liquid level of the fuel in the main fuel tank chamber 2a is higher than the upper end of the in-tank pump 8. On the other hand, even if there is sufficient fuel in the main fuel tank chamber 2a, there may be cases where there is not enough fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b. When the remaining fuel amount FL is the first predetermined value FL1, there is a possibility that the fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b becomes less than that in the main fuel tank chamber 2a. In such a case, there is a risk that air may be mixed into the fuel supplied from the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b to the reservoir cup 4 via the suction jet 8d. That is, the first predetermined value FL1 is a value that changes depending on the shape of the fuel tank 2. In the present embodiment, the first predetermined value FL1 is, for example, a value equal to or more than half of the fuel that can be stored in the fuel tank 2.

Further, the second predetermined value FL2 is a value smaller than the first predetermined value FL1, and when the in-tank pump 8 is stopped, there is a risk that the supply pump 6 will run out of fuel to be supplied from the reservoir cup 4 to the engine 12 side. This is the resulting remaining fuel amount FL. In this embodiment, the second predetermined value FL2 is set to the remaining fuel amount FL at which the liquid level in the reservoir cup 4 is predicted to be lower than the discharge port 8g of the filling jet 8c or the discharge port 8i of the suction jet 8d. Ru. This is because when the in-tank pump 8 is stopped, fuel is sucked up by the supply pump 6 from the discharge ports 8g and 8i, but the liquid level in the reservoir cup 4 is lower than the discharge ports 8g and 8i. This is because if it is low, the supply pump 6 will suck up air along with the fuel. In the present embodiment, the second predetermined value FL2 is, for example, a value that is one-fifth or less of the fuel that can be stored in the fuel tank 2. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is less than or equal to the first predetermined value FL1 and within a predetermined range FLw that is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value FL2 (S6 Yes), the process proceeds to S7.

In S7, the pump control unit 10 determines whether the remaining fuel amount FL is greater than or equal to the third predetermined value FL3. Here, the third predetermined value FL3 is the remaining fuel amount FL at which there is a risk that the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4 will drop too much when the in-tank pump 8 is stopped. If the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4 drops too much, there is a risk that the supply pump 6 will run out of fuel to supply from the reservoir cup 4 to the engine 12 side, and there is a risk that air will be mixed into the fuel sucked by the supply pump 6. That is, the third predetermined value FL3 is a value that changes depending on the pumping capacity of the supply pump 6 and the capacity of the reservoir cup 4. Further, the third predetermined value FL3 is a value larger than the second predetermined value FL2 and smaller than the first predetermined value FL1. In the present embodiment, the third predetermined value FL3 is, for example, a value that is one-fourth or less of the fuel that can be stored in the fuel tank 2. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value FL3 (S7 Yes), the process proceeds to S8.

In S8, the pump control unit 10 determines whether or not the drive time (predetermined period) Td of the in-tank pump 8 has elapsed for a second predetermined time T2. Here, the second predetermined time T2 is a time period during which sufficient fuel is supplied to the reservoir cup 4 from the main fuel tank chamber 2a and the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b by driving the in-tank pump 8. That is, the second predetermined time T2 is a time that changes depending on the pumping capacities of the in-tank pump 8 and the supply pump 6, and the capacity of the reservoir cup 4. If the pump control unit 10 determines that the drive time Td of the in-tank pump 8 has not passed the second predetermined time T2 (S11 No), the pump control unit 10 returns the process to before S10 and determines that the drive time Td of the in-tank pump 8 has not elapsed. The in-tank pump 8 is driven until the second predetermined time T2 has elapsed. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the drive time Td of the in-tank pump 8 has passed the second predetermined time T2, the pump control unit 10 returns the process to before S1.

The pump control unit 10 stops the in-tank pump 8 in S9, and advances the process to S10. In S10, the pump control unit 10 determines whether the stop time (predetermined time) Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has passed the first predetermined time T1. The first predetermined time T1 is a time period during which the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4 does not drop too much even if the in-tank pump 8 is stopped while there is sufficient fuel in the reservoir cup 4. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has passed the first predetermined time T1 (S10 Yes), the process proceeds to S11, the in-tank pump 8 is driven (S11), and the process is continued. Return to before S1.

If the pump control unit 10 determines in S6 that the remaining fuel amount FL is not within the predetermined range FLw (S6 No), the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S12. In S12, the pump control unit 10 determines whether the remaining fuel amount FL is less than the second predetermined value FL2. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is less than the second predetermined value FL2 (S12 Yes), the process proceeds to S13. In S13, stopping of the in-tank pump 8 is prohibited and the process returns to before S1. By prohibiting the stoppage of the in-tank pump 8 in this way, the pump control unit 10 prevents the fuel in the reservoir cup 4 from running out, and prevents the supply pump 6 from supplying fuel to the engine 12 side. prevent it from stopping. On the other hand, if the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is not less than the second predetermined value FL2 (S12 No), that is, if the remaining fuel amount FL is greater than the first predetermined value FL1, the pump control unit 10 executes the process in S1. Go back. That is, the pump control unit 10 controls the in-tank pump 8 in the normal operating state and again determines whether or not to stop the in-tank pump 8.

In S7, if the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is less than the third predetermined value FL3 (S7 No), the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S14. In S14, similarly to S8, the pump control unit 10 determines whether or not the drive time (predetermined period) Td of the in-tank pump 8 has elapsed for the second predetermined time T2. If the pump control unit 10 determines that the in-tank pump 8 has not been driven for the second predetermined time T2 (S14 No), it returns the process to before S1. If the pump control unit 10 determines that the in-tank pump 8 has been driven for the second predetermined time T2 (S14 Yes), the process proceeds to S15. In S15, the pump control unit 10 stops the in-tank pump 8, and advances the process to S16. In S16, the pump control unit 10 determines whether or not the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has passed the third predetermined time T3. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has passed the third predetermined time T3 (S16 Yes), the process proceeds to S17. In S17, the pump control unit 10 drives the in-tank pump 8. After driving the in-tank pump 8 in S15, the pump control unit 10 returns the process to before S1.

Here, the third predetermined time T3 is shorter than the first predetermined time T1. That is, the pump control unit 10 shortens the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 as the remaining fuel amount FL decreases. Thereby, the pump control unit 10 suppresses a decrease in the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4. That is, when the remaining fuel amount FL is less than the third predetermined value FL3, when the in-tank pump 8 stops, the supply pump 6 supplies the fuel in the reservoir cup 4 to the engine side, thereby reducing the fuel liquid in the reservoir cup 4. There is a risk that the surface may drop excessively. More specifically, when the height of the fuel liquid level in the fuel tank 2 (in this embodiment, the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b) becomes lower than the height of the fuel liquid level in the reservoir cup 4, the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4 In addition to being carried away by the supply pump 6, the fuel flows out into the fuel tank 2 through the suction passage 20 by the siphon principle. At this time, when the remaining fuel amount FL is small (for example, the remaining fuel amount FL is less than the third predetermined value FL3), compared to when the remaining fuel amount FL is large (for example, the remaining fuel amount FL is more than the third predetermined value FL3). The fuel in the reservoir cup 4 then flows out into the fuel tank 2 through the suction passage 20 until the fuel level in the reservoir cup 4 reaches a lower level. As a result, the time it takes for the liquid level in the reservoir cup 4 to drop excessively when the fuel level is less than the third predetermined value FL3 is the same as the time it takes for the liquid level in the reservoir cup 4 to drop excessively when the remaining fuel amount FL is at or above the third predetermined value FL3. It's relatively short. By setting the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 to the third predetermined time T3, which is shorter than the first predetermined time T1, the pump control unit 10 prevents the supply pump 6 from reducing the fuel in the reservoir cup 4 too much. In this way, an excessive drop in the liquid level in the reservoir cup 4 is suppressed.

If the pump control unit 10 determines in S10 that the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has not passed the first predetermined time T1 (S10 No), a condition for prohibiting the stop control to stop the in-tank pump 8 is established. It is determined whether or not (S18). When the pump control unit 10 determines that the condition for prohibiting stop control is not satisfied (S18 Yes), the process proceeds to S19. In S19, it is determined whether the remaining fuel amount FL is greater than or equal to a third predetermined value FL3 (S19). If the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is not equal to or greater than the third predetermined value FL3 (S19 No), the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S20. In S20, it is determined whether the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has elapsed for a third predetermined time T3. When the pump control unit 10 determines that the third predetermined time T3 has not elapsed (S20 No), the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S16. Further, if the third predetermined time T3 has elapsed (S20 Yes), the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S17 and drives the in-tank pump 8.

That is, if the remaining fuel amount FL decreases to less than the third predetermined value FL3 while the in-tank pump 8 is stopped for the first predetermined time T1, the pump control unit 10 sets the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 to the first predetermined time Ts. 3. Switch to predetermined time T3. Furthermore, if the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 when the remaining fuel amount FL decreases to less than the third predetermined value FL3 has elapsed for a third predetermined time T3, the pump control unit 10 stops the in-tank pump 8. drive

On the other hand, if the pump control unit 10 determines that the condition for prohibiting the stop control that stops the in-tank pump 8 is satisfied (S18 No), the process returns to before S1. Further, if the pump control unit 10 determines that the remaining fuel amount FL is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value FL3 (S19 Yes), the pump control unit 10 returns the process to before S10 and continues stopping the in-tank pump 8.

Furthermore, when the pump control unit 10 determines that the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 has not elapsed after the third predetermined time T3 (S16 No), the process proceeds to S21. In S21, the pump control unit 10 determines whether a condition for prohibiting stop control to stop the in-tank pump 8 is not satisfied. If the pump control unit 10 determines that the condition for prohibiting stop control is not satisfied (S21 Yes), the pump control unit 10 returns the process to before S16 and stops the in-tank pump 8 until the third predetermined time T3 has elapsed. do. If the pump control unit 10 determines in S21 that the condition for prohibiting the stop control that stops the in-tank pump 8 is satisfied (S21 No), it returns the process to before S1.

When the pump control unit 10 determines in S3 that the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit 32b (S3 Yes), the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S13. In S13, stopping of the in-tank pump 8 is prohibited. That is, the pump control unit 10 does not prohibit stopping the in-tank pump 8 until regeneration control is actually implemented. When regeneration control is performed in S3, the pump control unit 10 advances the process to S4. In S4, the pump control unit 10 prohibits stopping the in-tank pump 8, and returns the process to before S1. The pump control unit 10 stops the in-tank pump 8 when the vehicle is idling (S1 Yes), but when the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit 32b (S3 Yes), the pump control unit 10 stops the in-tank pump 8. Stopping of the in-tank pump 8 is prohibited (S13). Therefore, in the state where the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit 32b, the pump control unit 10 is in a state where stopping the in-tank pump 8 is prohibited even if the vehicle is stopped at idle (S1). becomes.

As explained above, according to the fuel tank device 1 of the present invention, the regeneration control unit 32 stops the in-tank pump 8 when the regeneration control for actually regenerating the exhaust gas purification device 30 is actually performed. Can be prohibited. As a result, stopping of the in-tank pump 8 is prohibited when the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 is actually increasing, and when the exhaust purification device 30 is not regenerated and the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 is not increasing. Since the in-tank pump 8 can be stopped, the frequency of stopping the in-tank pump 8 increases. Therefore, air mixing in the fuel supplied to the supply pump 6 can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to provide the fuel tank device 1 that can prevent the engine 12 from stopping due to a shortage of fuel supplied from the reservoir cup 4 to the engine 12, and can suppress the mixing of air into the fuel.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using the flowchart of FIG. 4. Note that the fuel tank device 201 of the second embodiment has the same configuration as the fuel tank device 1 of the first embodiment, but differs in the processing performed by the pump control section 10 and the regeneration control section 32. Therefore, in the explanation of the fuel tank device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, only the different parts of the processing performed by the pump control section 10 and the regeneration control section 32 will be explained.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the regeneration control unit 32 issues a regeneration instruction by increasing the fuel injection amount of the engine 12. The pump control unit 10 prohibits the in-tank pump 8 from stopping when the regeneration control unit 32 issues a regeneration instruction. More specifically, the playback requesting unit 32a determines whether playback control is requested (S202), and if playback control is requested (S202 Yes), instructs the playback execution unit 32b to perform playback. At this time, the pump control unit 10 prohibits the in-tank pump 8 from stopping (S221). That is, the pump control unit 10 prohibits the in-tank pump 8 from stopping when regeneration control is requested by the regeneration requesting unit 32a.

When the regeneration control of the exhaust gas purification device 30 becomes possible, the regeneration execution unit 32b increases the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 and performs the regeneration control (S222). On the other hand, if playback control is not requested (S202 No), the playback requesting unit 32a advances the process to S203.

In other respects, the processing in S201 in the second embodiment is the same as the processing in S1 in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. Further, the processing from S203 to S220 in the second embodiment is the same as the processing from S4 to S21 in the first embodiment, so the explanation will be omitted.

As explained above, according to the fuel tank device 201 of the present invention, when the regeneration control unit 32 requests regeneration control to regenerate the exhaust gas purification device 30, stopping the in-tank pump 8 can be prohibited. As a result, the pump control unit 10 prohibits stopping the drive of the in-tank pump 8 if there is a request for regeneration even if regeneration is not actually performed. Therefore, the pump control unit 10 can ensure a sufficient amount of fuel in the reservoir cup 4 before regeneration control is performed. As a result, it is possible to provide the fuel tank device 201 that can prevent the engine 12 from stopping due to a shortage of fuel supplied from the reservoir cup 4 to the engine 12, and can suppress the mixing of air into the fuel.

<Other embodiments>
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. In particular, the plurality of modifications described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

(a) In this embodiment, the engine 12 has been described using a diesel engine as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The engine 12 may be a direct injection gasoline engine having the supply pump 6. If the engine 12 is a gasoline engine, a gasoline particulate filter or an HC storage catalyst may be provided. Even with such an exhaust purification device 30, by keeping the exhaust purification device 30 at a high temperature, it is possible to burn the soot deposited on the gasoline particulate filter and decompose the HC stored in the HC storage catalyst. Then, the exhaust gas purification device 30 is regenerated.

(b) In the above embodiment, the fuel tank 2 having the main fuel tank chamber 2a and the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The fuel tank 2 may be a fuel tank 2 having only a main fuel tank chamber 2a. In this case, the suction jet 8d and the suction passage 20 are unnecessary.

(c) In the above embodiment, the fuel tank 2 was explained as an example of a saddle-shaped fuel tank 2 that was integrally formed by connecting the upper parts of the main fuel tank chamber 2a and the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b. but not limited to. The main fuel tank chamber 2a and the auxiliary fuel tank chamber 2b may be provided separately.

(d) In the above embodiment, the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 is the first predetermined time T1 when the remaining fuel amount FL is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value FL3, and the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 is the first predetermined time T1 when the remaining fuel amount FL is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value FL3. Although an example has been described in which the third predetermined time T3 is shorter than the predetermined time T1, the present invention is not limited to this. The stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 may be set according to the remaining fuel amount FL in the fuel tank. Note that the stop time Ts of the in-tank pump 8 may be set to be longer as the remaining fuel amount FL in the fuel tank is smaller. That is, the smaller the remaining fuel amount FL in the fuel tank, the more air will be sucked in by the in-tank pump 8. Therefore, the in-tank pump 8 is stopped for a long time to prevent air from getting mixed into the fuel in the reservoir cup 4. You may.

(e) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the pump control unit 10 prohibits the in-tank pump 8 from stopping when a regeneration instruction is given, but the present invention is not limited to this. When the fuel injection amount of the engine 12 increases due to regeneration control, the pump control unit 10 only needs to suppress the drop in the liquid level in the reservoir cup 4, and may not prohibit the in-tank pump 8 from stopping, but may operate it intermittently. Stopping of the in-tank pump 8 may be suppressed.

1 201: Fuel tank device, 2: Fuel tank, 4: Reservoir cup 6: Supply pump, 8: In-tank pump, 10: Pump control section, 12: Engine 30: Exhaust purification device, 32: Regeneration control section FL: Fuel Remaining amount, FL1: first predetermined value

Claims (4)

A fuel tank installed in a vehicle equipped with an engine,
a reservoir cup provided within the fuel tank;
a first pump that supplies fuel in the reservoir cup to the engine side;
a second pump that supplies fuel in the fuel tank into the reservoir cup;
a pump control unit that stops driving the second pump when the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined value;
an exhaust purification device provided in the exhaust path of the engine;
a regeneration control unit that instructs regeneration control to raise the temperature or regenerate the exhaust purification device by increasing the amount of fuel injected into the engine;
Equipped with
The pump control unit prohibits stopping the drive of the second pump or causes the second pump to operate intermittently when the regeneration control unit instructs the regeneration control.
Fuel tank equipment. The regeneration control unit includes a regeneration request unit that requests the regeneration control based on a state of the exhaust purification device, and a regeneration execution unit that performs the regeneration control based on a request from the regeneration request unit. death,
The pump control unit prohibits stopping the drive of the second pump or causes the second pump to operate intermittently when the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit.
The fuel tank device according to claim 1. The regeneration control unit includes a regeneration request unit that requests regeneration control based on a state of the exhaust gas purification device, and a regeneration execution unit that performs the regeneration control based on a request from the regeneration request unit. ,
When the regeneration control is requested by the regeneration requesting unit, the pump control unit prohibits stopping the drive of the second pump or causes the second pump to operate intermittently .
The fuel tank device according to claim 1. The pump control section includes:
If the vehicle is idle, stopping the second pump;
When the vehicle comes to an idling stop while the regeneration control is being performed by the regeneration execution unit, stopping the second pump is prohibited or the second pump is caused to operate intermittently ;
The fuel tank device according to claim 2 or 3.