Hybrid Fuel Maintenance Guide System Dynamic Residual Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hybrid vehicles face issues with fuel degradation when in EV mode for extended periods, leading to inefficient fuel usage and driver complaints due to unnecessary fuel consumption in fuel maintenance modes, where the amount of fuel required to prevent degradation is often excessive and not clearly communicated.

Innovation Solution

A fuel maintenance guide system that displays the necessary fuel supply amount to cancel the fuel maintenance mode, allowing drivers to understand and voluntarily adjust their driving state, using a detecting unit to measure residual fuel and determine the required fuel supply amount based on the current fuel level, thereby preventing fuel degradation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a constant fuel supply amount is set to leave the fuel maintenance mode, then fuel degradation is prevented, but excessive fuel is supplied when residual fuel is small, leading to driver complaints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel degradation preventionVSAvoidfuel supply amount
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel supply amount required to leave the fuel maintenance mode is dynamically determined based on the detected residual fuel amount in the tank. When residual fuel is small, a smaller supply amount is required compared to when residual fuel is large. This dynamic adjustment prevents fuel degradation while avoiding excessive fuel supply, resolving the contradiction between reliability and quantity of substance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of fuel supply amount based on the residual fuel amount detected in the tank. By establishing a relationship where the required fuel supply amount varies with the residual fuel level, the system optimizes fuel consumption while ensuring adequate fuel replacement to prevent degradation, thus resolving the contradiction between preventing fuel degradation and minimizing fuel supply.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the engine is made to run compulsorily in fuel maintenance mode, then fuel degradation is prevented, but drivers complain due to unclear reason and inability to continue EV mode

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel degradation preventionVSAvoiddriver convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the driver by displaying the residual fuel amount and the fuel supply amount required to leave the fuel maintenance mode. This transparent information feedback helps drivers understand the reason for the fuel maintenance mode activation and the steps needed to exit it, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining fuel degradation prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The display device acts as an intermediary between the fuel maintenance control system and the driver. It conveys information about residual fuel levels and required fuel supply amounts, bridging the gap between the automatic control system and driver understanding, thus reducing driver complaints while maintaining fuel degradation prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3372462B1Fuel maintenance guide system in hybrid vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORP
  • EP3372462B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3372462B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3372462B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A fuel maintenance guide system in hybrid vehicles in which a shift to the fuel maintenance mode giving priority to consuming fuel is executed automatically under a predetermined condition regardless of intention of a driver, the fuel maintenance guide system (100) including: a residual fuel detecting unit (211) detecting a residual amount of the fuel; a cancel condition determining unit (92) determining a cancel condition for cancelling the shift to the fuel maintenance mode, based on the residual amount detected by the residual fuel detecting unit (211); and a displaying unit (10) displaying the cancel condition determined by the cancel condition determining unit (92) from a predetermined time period before the shift to the fuel maintenance mode.