Fuel Pump Fallback Level Control for Crash Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for switching off electronic fuel pumps in the event of a vehicle crash are delayed, leading to potential fuel leaks and increased fire risk due to the time required to detect and transmit shutdown signals, and they face a conflict between ensuring fuel delivery for vehicle reliability and safety during crashes.
Innovation Solution
A method that defines a fallback delivery rate for the fuel pump to a closed position in anticipation of a potential crash, allowing for early preparation and reliable shutdown, even if communication with the pump is interrupted, and resets the rate if no crash is detected, ensuring both safety and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a switch-off signal is transmitted only after an actual crash is detected through evaluation of loads and delays, then the system maintains reliability by avoiding false shutdowns, but the response time is too long (approx. 180 ms) allowing fuel to leak before shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by defining the fallback level to a first flow rate value (closed position) in anticipation of a possible crash situation before an actual crash is confirmed. This pre-positioning of the fallback level ensures that when communication is interrupted during a crash, the fuel pump immediately shuts off using the pre-defined fallback level, eliminating the 180 ms delay associated with crash detection and signal transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by preparing the system in advance (defining fallback level to closed position) to counteract the potential harmful effect of fuel leakage during a crash. This preliminary configuration ensures that when communication interruption occurs, the fuel pump automatically shuts off without requiring real-time crash detection, thus preventing fuel leakage before it can occur.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the fallback level is defined to a closed position (zero delivery rate) to ensure safety during crashes, then fuel leakage is prevented, but the fuel pump may be unintentionally switched off during normal operation due to communication faults
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the fallback level adjustable rather than fixed. The fallback level can be dynamically defined to either a first flow rate value (closed position) when a possible crash is anticipated, or to a second flow rate value (open position) during normal operation. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to be safety-oriented when needed while maintaining operational reliability during normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the fallback level parameter based on the operational state. When a possible crash situation is detected, the fallback level parameter is changed to the first flow rate value (closed position) to prevent fuel leakage. When no crash occurs, the fallback level is reset to the second flow rate value (open position) to ensure normal fuel delivery. This parameter change approach allows the system to adapt to different conditions, resolving the contradiction between safety and reliability.
3Reliability
If the fallback level is defined to an open position to maintain fuel delivery during communication faults, then vehicle reliability is maintained, but fuel continues to be pumped during crashes increasing fire risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the fallback level adjustable rather than fixed. The fallback level can be dynamically defined to either a first flow rate value (closed position) when a possible crash is anticipated, or to a second flow rate value (open position) during normal operation. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to be safety-oriented when needed while maintaining operational reliability during normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the fallback level parameter based on the operational state. When a possible crash situation is detected, the fallback level parameter is changed to the first flow rate value (closed position) to prevent fuel leakage. When no crash occurs, the fallback level is reset to the second flow rate value (open position) to ensure normal fuel delivery. This parameter change approach allows the system to adapt to different conditions, resolving the contradiction between safety and reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling, in a fast and secure manner, a fuel pump (23) which has a definable backup level for a fuel pump delivery amount, said method comprising the following steps: identifying a potential crash situation; and defining said backup level, as a reaction to the potential crash situation that has been identified, to be at a first delivery amount value which is associated with a closed fuel pump (23) position. Moreover, a control system (20) for an electronic fuel pump (23) is suggested, comprising a crash identification device (24) and an electronic fuel pump (23) with a definable backup level, said crash identification device (24) being connected to the electronic fuel pump (23) so as to be able to communicate (22, 25) therewith, and being designed to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 5.