Device for preventing driving away when refueling a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for preventing a vehicle from driving away during refueling. When refueling vehicles with combustion engines, inattention or negligence can cause the driver to move the vehicle in an unsafe manner and start off incorrectly while the refueling line and nozzle are still connected to the vehicle. This can lead to damage to the vehicle and the refueling system. The object of the present invention is to provide a reliable safety device which prevents the aforementioned danger of unintentional starting and tearing off of the refueling line This object is achieved by a device for preventing driving away when refuelling a fuel tank (2) of a motor vehicle (1), which comprises: - a refueling line (3) for supplying the fuel to the fuel tank (2) of the motor vehicle (1) - a tank filler neck (4) with tank flap (8), into which the refueling line (3) can be inserted on one side - a driver assistance camera (5), preferably in the exterior mirror (7) on the side of the tank filler neck (4) of the motor vehicle (1) with a field of view towards the tank filler neck (4) - an image recognition system (6) associated with the driver assistance camera (5), which is designed to recognize and analyze the images generated by the driver assistance camera (5). According to the invention, a signal A is output if the image recognition system (6) detects that the refueling line (3) is still inserted into the tank filler neck (4).

Description

When refueling motor vehicles with internal combustion engines, it may happen, as a result of inattentiveness or driving, that the driver moves the vehicle and starts when the pump nozzle is still inserted in the vehicle. Disadvantageously, this leads to damage to the vehicle and the filling system. It is known that when filling vehicle tanks, the filling line supplying the filling material is firmly connected to the tank during the filling process by inserting a fuel nozzle into the filler neck of the vehicle tank. Furthermore, it is also known that there is the risk that the filling line will not be removed again by mistake after the end of the filling process, as a result of which the filling line can tear off when the vehicle continues to travel, so that filling material escapes. In addition, the fuel nozzle together with the filling line and the filler neck can be severely damaged or even destroyed. This results in the risk of considerable environmental damage, explosion risk and destruction of commercial productsDE 10126751 A1 discloses a safety device for fuel tank closures on vehicles, wherein the fuel tank closure has a fuel filler neck which can be closed by a cover and / or a fuel filler neck which is covered by a cover flap. A sensor is provided which is actuated in contactless or contact-bound manner by the cover and / or the cover flap and detects an opening or closing of the cover or the cover flap. The sensor generates a signal which can be evaluated and used for activating a display device or activating the immobilizer. The sensor cannot disadvantageously detect every position of any different filler necks. Disadvantageously, it is only detected whether the cover is open; this writing is silent about the position of the nozzle.DE 102010041861 A1 discloses a safety device for a fuelable vehicle, in particular for an industrial truck with an internal combustion engine, comprises a tank having a connection means for a fuelling line supplying the fuel during a fuelling operation, a sensor device monitoring the connection state of the connection means and a travel prevention device communicating with the sensor device, which is designed to prevent the vehicle from traveling on as long as the sensor device indicates the connection state: "fuelling line connected". Here too, the sensor cannot disadvantageously detect every position of any different filler necks and filling lines and erroneous signals occur.The object of the present invention is to provide a reliable safety device by means of which the aforementioned risk of unintentional running off and tearing off of the filling line is prevented.This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are shown in dependent claims 2 to 6.In some modern vehicles, a driving assistance camera with a corresponding field of view is arranged in the region of the external mirrors to the rear in the direction of travel. This camera has various tasks, such as blind spot detection, i.e. the output of a warning signal if an object is located in the blind spot of the driver. In vehicles with sophisticated driving assistance systems, driving assistance cameras with a corresponding field of view on the area of the filler pipe filler pipe are arranged on the vehicle body, depending on the embodiment. Besides the above-mentioned cameras in the outside mirror which are directed rearward for detecting the rearward traffic or cameras which are directed downward in the outside mirror, there are also parking cameras for generating vehicle images from the bird's eye view. According to the invention, the object is achieved in that the driving assistance camera, which is preferably arranged in the exterior mirror on the side of the filler neck of the motor vehicle with a field of view to the filler neck, is switched on at the beginning of the refueling and is directed onto the region of the filler neck. The filler neck can optionally be closed by a fuel filler flap.The start of the refueling is detected by the opening of the fuel filler flap. As a result, the device is not operated during the entire driving mode of the vehicle, but only when a refueling operation or the possibility of a refueling operation is detected. This advantageously saves energy during operation of the vehicle.In an alternative embodiment, the start of refueling is detected if the fuel filler door is unlocked. Unlocking the fuel filler door is a clear indication that there is the possibility of a fuelling process.In a further embodiment, the start of the refueling is detected by changes in the tank fill level indicators. A sudden change in the fuel level indicators is an indication that there is the intention of a refueling operation.In an alternative embodiment, the start of the refueling is detected if the vehicle is unlocked. The unlocking could also be an indication that there is the intention of a refueling operation.In a further embodiment, the start of refueling is detected via door movements such as opening or closing, since the driver has to exit for refueling.The driving assistance camera is assigned an image recognition system which is designed such that the images generated by the driving assistance camera can be recognized and analyzed. This means that the objects are focused rearward in a range between one and four meters away from the camera in the direction of travel, since there is approximately the filler neck and the filler pipe for supplying the fuel into the fuel tank of the motor vehicle at this distance; the position of said filler pipe must be determined.The filling line is introduced on one side into the tank filler neck with fuel filler flap; this is usually done via a fuel nozzle on the filling line.If the image recognition system recognizes that the filling line together with the filling nozzle is inserted into the filling nozzle, a signal A is output. This is done by training the pattern of the filling line together with the nozzle in the filler neck for the image recognition system and analyzing and recognizing the image pattern by the image recognition system within the scope of a certain tolerance.This method can advantageously be presented cost-effectively via the hardware already present in the vehicle for other tasks, such as the driving assistance camera and the image recognition system, advantageously only via additional programming of the software. Further components are not necessary for this purpose.In a preferred embodiment, a warning signal W is generated when the signal A is present and the ready-to-drive state is switched on. This warning signal W gives the driver of the vehicle an indication that the filling line together with the filling nozzle is still inserted in the filling nozzle and must remove it.In a further preferred embodiment, the warning signal W is generated as an acoustic and / or optical signal in the vehicle interior. For this purpose, already existing or additional warning lights in the display of the vehicle can be used for the optical signal. For the acoustic signal, already existing sound generators can also be used, which sound, for example, when the seat belt is not worn. Advantageously, this does not require additional components to be installed in the interior, but rather already existing components can be used cost-effectively for this warning function.In a further special embodiment, when the signal A is present, a immobilizer is activated after the drive stand-by is switched on and a transmission gear is engaged. This second escalating stage is activated only when the first escalating stage, i.e., the acoustic and / or visual warning of the driver has not fertilized and the driver ignores or does not perceive the warning signals. This advantageously prevents the vehicle from continuing to drive with consequent tearing of the filling line for supplying the fuel into the fuel tank of the motor vehicle and fuel escaping.Damage to the fuel nozzle together with the filling line and the filler neck as well as environmental damage and risk of explosion are advantageously also avoided.In a very particular embodiment, in an electric-combustion hybrid vehicle in electric driving mode, the immobilizer is activated when the signal A is present after the driving readiness is switched on and a driving gear is engaged. In this particular case, the electric-combustion hybrid vehicle may be fueled but the electric drive mode is engaged, which is why no transmission gear is engaged at the combustion drive train, but instead the electric traction would be directly activated after refueling. In order to avoid a harmful driving off here too, the immobilizer is activated when the signal A is present after the driving readiness is switched on and a driving gear is engaged.If the vehicle is started for continued travel and an open fuel cap and or a fuel nozzle still located in the fuel filler neck are detected, then unintentional driving on and off is advantageously prevented.In a further embodiment, the warning signal W and the immobilizer are deactivated if the signal A is no longer output. The signal A is then no longer output when the image recognition system recognizes that the filling line is no longer inserted into the filler neck.Advantageously, unintentional driving off when the fuel nozzle or fuel filler cap is still inserted is reliably prevented, as a result of which expensive damage to the vehicle and the fuel nozzle, environmental damage and explosion risks are avoided.The described system can also be applied to vehicles which are fuelled with natural gas or hydrogen or other fuels.An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained with reference to the single schematic drawing figure 1, from which further advantages, features and possible applications of the invention also result.FIG. 1 shows a greatly simplified plan view of a motor vehicle 1 from the bird's eye view. On the right and left sides, an exterior mirror 7 is arranged on the side of the motor vehicle 1. A tank filler pipe 4 with a fuel filler flap 8 is arranged on one side, which can close the tank filler pipe 4. When the fuel filler door 8 is open, a fuel filling line 3 with a fuel nozzle 10 arranged on the vehicle side can be introduced into the fuel filler neck 4 in such a way that fuel can be filled into a fuel tank 2. A tank fill level indicator 9 is connected to the fuel tank 2, which indicates the fill level of the fuel tank 2 with fuel and is usually arranged in the cockpit.On the side of the filler pipe 4, a driving assistance camera 5 is arranged on the exterior mirror 7 in such a way that it generates a field of vision B with respect to the filler pipe. The driving assistance camera 5 is logically coupled to an image recognition system 6 in such a way that the image recognition system 6 outputs a signal A for warning if it recognizes that the filling line 3 is inserted into the filling filler neck 4.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10126751 A1

[0002] DE 102010041861 A1

[0003]

Claims

Device for preventing driving away during the refueling of a fuel tank (2) of a motor vehicle (1), which is switched on at the beginning of the refueling, comprising: - a refueling line (3) for supplying the fuel into the fuel tank (2) of the motor vehicle (1), - a refueling filler pipe (4) into which the refueling line (3) can be introduced on one side, - a driving assistance camera (5) preferably in the outer mirror (7) on the side of the refueling filler pipe (4) of the motor vehicle (1) with a field of view (B) to the refueling filler pipe (4), - an image recognition system (6) assigned to the driving assistance camera, which is configured to recognize and analyze the images generated by the driving assistance camera (5), characterized in that - the image recognition system (6) outputs a signal (A) if it recognizes, the filling line ( 3) is inserted into the tank filler neck ( 4).Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the start of the refueling is detected by opening a fuel filler flap (8).Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the start of the refueling is detected by changes of a tank fill level indicator (9).Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the start of the refueling is detected by the vehicle (1) being unlocked.Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the start of the refueling is detected by door movements such as opening or closing of the doors.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - when the signal (A) is present and the driving readiness is switched on, a warning signal (W) is generated.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the warning signal (W) is generated as an acoustic and / or optical signal in the vehicle interior.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - when the signal (A) is present, after switching on the driving readiness and the engagement of a transmission gear, a immobiliser is activated.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - in an electric-combustion hybrid vehicle in the electric driving mode, a immobilizer is activated when the signal (A) is present after switching on the driving readiness and engaging a driving gear.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the warning signal (W) and the immobilizer are deactivated if the signal (A) is no longer output.

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