Hybrid Vehicle Engine Start Control During Refueling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for hybrid vehicles fail to actively control engine start during refueling, leading to potential fire hazards and inconvenience, especially when the fuel injection port is open, and do not account for hybrid electric vehicle modes, resulting in unintended vehicle blocking due to circuit defects or driver neglect.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus and method that uses sensors to determine the refueling state based on the fuel injection port and vehicle speed, allowing the engine to be automatically stopped or started, and permitting HEV mode only when the driver's intention is to accelerate, thereby preventing accidents and maintaining vehicle usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the engine start is blocked when the fuel injection port is open, then fire safety is improved, but vehicle drivability deteriorates when the port is open due to circuit defects or driver neglect
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts engine start blocking based on real-time detection of refueling state through multiple sensors (fuel injection port state, vehicle speed, brake pedal position). When refueling is detected, engine start is blocked; when refueling is not detected, engine start is permitted. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the safety measure conditional rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors to continuously monitor whether the vehicle is in a refueling state. The fuel injection port state sensor, vehicle speed sensor, and brake pedal position sensor provide feedback signals to the controller, which adjusts engine start blocking accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures safety during actual refueling while allowing normal operation when refueling is not occurring.
2Loss of information
If warning sound is used to alert driver of open fuel injection port, then awareness of refueling state is improved, but reliability deteriorates when driver pays no attention or cannot recognize the warning
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on driver attention to warnings, the system performs automatic detection of refueling state through sensors and autonomously controls engine start blocking. The system serves itself by monitoring its own operational state and taking appropriate safety actions without requiring driver intervention or attention, thereby eliminating the reliability issue associated with driver neglect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/warning-based approach (warning sounds requiring driver attention) with an electronic sensor-based automatic detection and control system. The controller automatically determines refueling state based on sensor signals and executes engine start blocking without needing driver perception or response, substituting human attention with automated electronic monitoring.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If engine start is blocked during refueling, then fire safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to inability to switch to HEV mode
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls both engine start blocking and HEV mode availability based on real-time refueling state detection. When refueling is detected, both engine start and HEV mode are blocked; when refueling is not detected, both are permitted. This coordinated dynamic control maintains safety while allowing full vehicle functionality during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different operational characteristics to different vehicle modes based on the refueling state. During detected refueling, the system creates a localized safety constraint that specifically affects engine start and HEV mode switching, while other vehicle functions remain unaffected. This targeted approach maintains overall vehicle productivity while ensuring safety during the specific refueling operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for controlling an engine start during refueling of a hybrid vehicle includes a controller configured to: stop an engine to block the engine start by sensing whether the vehicle enters into a refueling state in accordance with a fuel injection port open or closed state, a vehicle speed, and brake pedal state (BPS) information, and start the engine to release blocking of the engine start in accordance with a switchover to a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode by sensing whether the refueling state has been released in accordance with the fuel injection port open or closed state, the vehicle speed, and acceleration pedal state APS) information.