Patent ID: 8494706
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: F04B,F04D,G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for fault detecting in electric components located in vehicle circuits, and more particularly for testing the operation of an electric fuel pump, comprising the steps of: providing an electric fuel pump having a power supply connection for electrically connecting the fuel pump to a vehicular fuel system, the fuel pump including a motor having a commutator, a pump armature winding interfacing with the commutator, and a coil winding circuit; providing a test apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium; storing reference data in the non-transitory computer readable medium; electrically connecting the test apparatus to the power supply connection of the fuel pump; the non-transitory computer readable medium coded with instructions and executed by the processor to perform the steps of: conducting a first test with the test apparatus, the first test including applying a low current signal through the fuel pump power supply connection and monitoring for inductive reflectance from the pump armature winding in the fuel pump; collecting data from the first test in the non-transitory computer readable medium in the test apparatus; conducting a second continuity test with the test apparatus, the second test including checking for an open or shorted coil winding circuit in the fuel pump; collecting data from the second test in the non-transitory computer readable medium in the test apparatus; comparing the collected test data to the stored reference data; and generating either a humanly discernable FAIL or PASS signal in response to said comparing step.