Fuel pump capacitance detection device, method and fuel pump controller including the device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for detecting the presence of a capacitor in a fuel pump. The device comprises: an information acquisition module for acquiring the fuel pump's supply voltage and output oil pressure; a current threshold determination module configured to determine a current threshold range for the fuel pump based on the fuel pump's supply voltage and output oil pressure; a current detection module for detecting an actual current value of the fuel pump; a comparator configured to compare the actual current value detected by the current detection module with a current threshold range determined by the current threshold determination module to determine whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range; and a determination module for determining the presence of a capacitor in the fuel pump based on the comparison result of the comparator. The present invention also relates to a fuel pump controller including the device and a method for detecting the presence of a capacitor in a fuel pump.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of fuel pumps, and more particularly to a device for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump, a fuel pump controller including the device, and a method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump. Background Art

[0002] The fuel pump is an important part of the vehicle's fuel supply system. Its function is to supply the fuel stored in the fuel tank to each cylinder of the engine through the injector, thereby providing power for the vehicle.

[0003] In order to stabilize the power supply voltage, a capacitor is installed in the fuel pump core. However, in some fuel pump cores controlled by a controller, a capacitor is not required.

[0004] During the manufacturing and assembly of fuel pumps, pump cores with capacitors and pump cores without capacitors may be mixed, resulting in undesirable performance of the incorrectly installed pump core when put into use. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to fill the market gap regarding the mixed use of different fuel pump cores (especially pump cores with capacitors and pump cores without capacitors) and proposes a device for detecting whether a capacitor is present in a fuel pump. Specifically, the device collects the actual current value in real time and compares it with a current mapping model in the fuel pump controller to determine whether a capacitor is present in the fuel pump. For example, if the actual current value exceeds a threshold for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that a capacitor is present in the fuel pump.

[0006] The detection device according to the present invention can pre-determine whether there is a capacitor inside the fuel pump through the internal algorithm of the fuel pump controller before the fuel pump is assembled and put into use, thereby avoiding the possibility of the pump core being installed incorrectly. In addition, this detection device does not require the use of additional detection equipment, saving costs.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for detecting whether a capacitor is present in a fuel pump, the device comprising:

[0008] An information acquisition module, used to obtain the supply voltage of the fuel pump and the output oil pressure of the fuel pump;

[0009] a current threshold determination module configured to determine a current threshold range of the fuel pump based on a supply voltage and an output oil pressure of the fuel pump;

[0010] Current detection module, used to detect the actual current value of the fuel pump;

[0011] a comparator configured to compare the actual current value detected by the current detection module with the current threshold range determined by the current threshold determination module to determine whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range; and

[0012] A judgment module is configured to judge whether there is a capacitor in the fuel pump based on a comparison result of the comparator.

[0013] According to an optional embodiment, a mapping model related to fuel pump characteristics obtained through experimental data is pre-stored in the current threshold determination module. When the supply voltage and output oil pressure of the fuel pump are substituted as inputs into the mapping model, the upper current limit value and the lower current limit value of the fuel pump can be retrieved.

[0014] According to an optional embodiment, if the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range, it is determined that no capacitor exists in the fuel pump.

[0015] According to an optional embodiment, if the actual value of the current of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range, it is determined that there is capacitance in the fuel pump.

[0016] According to an optional embodiment, if the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that there is capacitance in the fuel pump.

[0017] According to an optional embodiment, the fuel pump is a DC pump.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a fuel pump controller is provided. The fuel pump controller includes the device for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to the present invention.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump, the method comprising the following steps:

[0020] Obtain the fuel pump's supply voltage and fuel pump's output oil pressure;

[0021] determining a current threshold range of the fuel pump based on a supply voltage and an output fuel pressure of the fuel pump;

[0022] Detect the actual current value of the fuel pump;

[0023] comparing the detected actual current value with the current threshold range to determine whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range; and

[0024] Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether there is a capacitor in the fuel pump.

[0025] According to an optional embodiment, the step of determining the current threshold range of the fuel pump includes:

[0026] The fuel pump's supply voltage and output oil pressure are substituted as inputs into a mapping model related to the fuel pump's characteristics obtained through experimental data to retrieve the fuel pump's current upper limit and current lower limit.

[0027] According to an optional embodiment, if the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range, it is determined that no capacitor exists in the fuel pump.

[0028] According to an optional embodiment, if the actual value of the current of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range, it is determined that there is capacitance in the fuel pump.

[0029] According to an optional embodiment, if the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that there is capacitance in the fuel pump. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] Figure 1 A structural diagram of a device for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following describes, with reference to the accompanying drawings and by way of example, a device and method for detecting the presence of capacitance within a fuel pump according to the present invention. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide those skilled in the art with a more comprehensive understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. Rather, the present invention may be practiced with any combination of the following features and elements, regardless of whether they relate to different embodiments. Therefore, the following methods, features, and advantages are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as elements or limitations of the claims unless expressly set forth in the claims.

[0034] During the manufacturing and assembly process of fuel pumps, pump elements with and without capacitors may be mixed, resulting in unexpected performance when the incorrectly installed pump element is put into use. In particular, the capacitor in the pump element can interfere with the inductor in the fuel pump controller, causing current oscillation in the fuel pump.

[0035] To determine whether a capacitor is present in a fuel pump, external testing equipment can be used to measure the fuel pump's output current after assembly. This testing method must be performed after the fuel pump is fully assembled and requires additional testing equipment. If mixed pump cores are detected, returning the pump to the manufacturing facility for disassembly and reassembly is costly.

[0036] To this end, it is also conceivable that before the fuel pump is assembled and put into use, the internal algorithm of the fuel pump controller can be used to pre-determine whether there is a capacitor inside the fuel pump to avoid the pump core being installed incorrectly.

[0037] Figure 1 A structural diagram of a device for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The “fuel pump” mentioned here particularly refers to a DC pump.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG, the apparatus includes an information acquisition module 10 for acquiring a fuel pump supply voltage and a fuel pump output pressure. The acquired fuel pump supply voltage and fuel pump output pressure are input to a current threshold determination module 20, which determines a fuel pump current threshold range based on the fuel pump supply voltage and fuel pump output pressure.

[0039] As an example, a mapping model 201 related to fuel pump characteristics obtained through experimental data is pre-stored in the current threshold determination module 20. When the fuel pump's supply voltage and output oil pressure are substituted as inputs into the mapping model 201, the upper and lower current limits of the fuel pump can be retrieved. The current threshold range of the fuel pump can be determined based on these upper and lower current limits.

[0040] The device for detecting whether there is a capacitor in a fuel pump according to this embodiment may further include a current detection module 30 for detecting an actual current value of the fuel pump in real time.

[0041] In addition, the device may further include a comparator 40, which is configured to compare the actual current value detected by the current detection module 30 with the current threshold range determined by the current threshold determination module 20 to determine whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range.

[0042] If the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range, it is determined that no capacitor is present in the fuel pump. If the actual current value of the fuel pump is outside the current threshold range (i.e., greater than the upper current limit or less than the lower current limit), it is determined that capacitor is present in the fuel pump.

[0043] Furthermore, it is conceivable that other sudden events in the fuel pump—such as damage to electrical components in the fuel pump controller—could also cause a sudden change in the fuel pump current. To eliminate such interference, the duration of the current change can be additionally considered when determining whether there is capacitance in the fuel pump.

[0044] For example, only when the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range for a predetermined period of time (eg, 3 seconds) is it determined that there is capacitance in the fuel pump; otherwise, the current oscillation is not considered to be caused by the capacitance in the pump core.

[0045] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 The steps of the detection method for determining whether there is capacitance in the fuel pump are described in detail.

[0046] First, in step S1, the fuel pump supply voltage and fuel pump output pressure are obtained. The fuel pump supply voltage and output pressure can be detected using existing detection units in the vehicle fuel supply system (such as voltage sensors and pressure sensors) or directly obtained from the fuel pump controller.

[0047] Subsequently, in step S2, the fuel pump current threshold range is determined based on the fuel pump's supply voltage and output pressure. Specifically, the fuel pump supply voltage and output pressure are substituted as inputs into a mapping model related to fuel pump characteristics obtained from experimental data. This retrieves the fuel pump's current upper and lower limits, which are then used to determine the fuel pump's current threshold range.

[0048] After steps S1 and S2 or simultaneously with steps S1 and S2 , the actual current value of the fuel pump is detected in step S3 .

[0049] Subsequently, in step S4 , the detected actual current value is compared with the current threshold range, so as to determine in step S5 whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range.

[0050] Finally, based on the comparison results, it is determined whether there is capacitance in the fuel pump. If the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range (i.e., is greater than the upper current limit or less than the lower current limit), it is determined that there is capacitance in the fuel pump (step S6). If the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range, it is determined that there is no capacitance in the fuel pump (step S7).

[0051] Furthermore, it is conceivable that other conditions within the fuel pump, such as damage to electrical components within the fuel pump controller, could also cause sudden changes in the fuel pump current. To eliminate such interference, the duration of the current change can be additionally considered when determining whether there is capacitance within the fuel pump.

[0052] Specifically, the presence of capacitance within the fuel pump is determined based on whether the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds a current threshold range for a predetermined duration. The presence of capacitance within the fuel pump is determined only if the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range for a predetermined duration (e.g., 3 seconds). Otherwise, the current oscillation is not considered to be caused by capacitance within the pump core.

[0053] According to the above-mentioned device and method for detecting the presence of capacitors in a fuel pump, the presence of capacitors in the fuel pump is determined by real-time acquisition of the actual current value and comparison with the current mapping model in the fuel pump controller. For example, if the actual current value exceeds the upper and lower current limits for a predetermined period of time, the presence of capacitors in the fuel pump is determined. This detection device and method can pre-determine the presence of capacitors in the fuel pump using an algorithm within the fuel pump controller before the fuel pump is assembled and put into use, thus avoiding the possibility of incorrect pump core installation. This detection method also eliminates the need for additional testing equipment, saving costs.

[0054] In the present application, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the disclosed device can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device implementation described above is merely illustrative. For example, the division of the modules is merely a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as the functions of multiple modules can be combined or the functions of a certain module can be further split. The signal acquisition module, current threshold determination module, current detection module, comparator, judgment module, etc. in the oil pump controller of the present application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware, or in the form of software functional units, or in the form of a combination of software and hardware.

[0055] In the various method embodiments of the present invention, the serial numbers of the steps cannot be used to limit the order of the steps. For ordinary technicians in this field, without paying any creative work, changes to the order of the steps are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0056] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the presence of capacitance in a fuel pump, characterized in that: The device includes: An information acquisition module (10) is used to acquire the power supply voltage of the fuel pump and the output oil pressure of the fuel pump; a current threshold determination module (20), the current threshold determination module being configured to determine a current threshold range of the fuel pump based on a supply voltage and an output oil pressure of the fuel pump; A current detection module (30) is used to detect the actual current value of the fuel pump; a comparator (40) configured to compare the actual current value detected by the current detection module with the current threshold range determined by the current threshold determination module to determine whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range; and A judgment module (50) is configured to judge whether there is a capacitor in the fuel pump based on the comparison result of the comparator. A mapping model (201) related to fuel pump characteristics obtained through experimental data is pre-stored in the current threshold determination module. When the fuel pump's supply voltage and output oil pressure are substituted as inputs into the mapping model, the fuel pump's current upper limit and current lower limit can be retrieved.

2. The device for detecting the presence of capacitance in a fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein: If the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range, it is determined that no capacitance is present in the fuel pump.

3. The device for detecting the presence of capacitance in a fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein: If the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range, it is determined that capacitance exists in the fuel pump.

4. The device for detecting the presence of capacitance in a fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein: If the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that capacitance exists in the fuel pump.

5. The device for detecting the presence of capacitance in a fuel pump according to claim 1, wherein: The fuel pump is a DC pump.

6. A fuel pump controller, characterized in that: The fuel pump controller comprises a device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for detecting the presence of a capacitor in the fuel pump.

7. A method for detecting whether there is a capacitor in a fuel pump, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: Obtain the fuel pump's supply voltage and fuel pump's output oil pressure; determining a current threshold range of the fuel pump based on a supply voltage and an output fuel pressure of the fuel pump; Detect the actual current value of the fuel pump; comparing the detected actual current value with the current threshold range to determine whether the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range; as well as Based on the comparison results, determine whether there is a capacitor in the fuel pump. The step of determining the current threshold range of the fuel pump includes: The fuel pump's supply voltage and output oil pressure are substituted as inputs into a mapping model related to the fuel pump's characteristics obtained through experimental data to retrieve the fuel pump's current upper limit and current lower limit.

8. The method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to claim 7, characterized in that: If the actual current value of the fuel pump is within the current threshold range, it is determined that no capacitance is present in the fuel pump.

9. The method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to claim 7, characterized in that: If the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range, it is determined that capacitance exists in the fuel pump.

10. The method for detecting whether a capacitor exists in a fuel pump according to claim 7, characterized in that: If the actual current value of the fuel pump exceeds the current threshold range for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that capacitance exists in the fuel pump.

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