FUEL FLOW CONTROLLER

Abstract: A control device (10) to selectively actuate at least one fuel flow control device such as a fuel pump cut-off switch (12) or a fuel line control valve (14) has a sensor stage (20) to sense a plurality of parameters including acceleration, pitch angle and roll angle of a vehicle (18) and to generate a corresponding plurality of signals representing each such parameter and a control stage (22) including circuitry to receive the plurality of signals and to generate a control signal corresponding to each such parameter when the corresponding signal exceeds a predetermined value, and a safety device actuator including circuitry to receive the control signals and to generate a corresponding actuator signal to actuate the corresponding fuel flow control device.

Description: FUEL FLOW CONTROLLER This invention relates to a control device to selectively actuate at least one fuel flow control device when a sudden change in acceleration, pitch angle or roll angle of a vehicle is detected. Accelerometers that measure pitch and roll angles along a predetermined axis and produce signals representative of such measurements are well known in the art. Likewise, filtering, digitizing, formulating and analyzing the accelerometer signals to assess whether certain action should be taken is also known. These concepts have been disclosed in numerous patents in the fields of motor vehicle suspension control, motor vehicle body roll compensation, roll-over bar activation systems and seat belt pretension systems. Studies indicate that injuries in motor vehicle accidents, especially at high speeds, can be substantially reduced or eliminated by the use of occupant restraint systems. These systems commonly include a seat belt pretensioner assembly which is operable to move a seat belt assembly through a pretensioning stroke to remove slack from the seat belt during abrupt changes in an automobile ' s position. When the motor vehicle is subjected to a sudden change in position relative to the driving surface, caused either by a roll-over or pitch-over, the seat belt pretensioner is actuated to tightly restrain the occupants in a position to minimize movement and prevent contact between the occupants and the automobile interior such as the roof, windshield, steering wheel, and side doors. Since an important element of such protective systems is the sensing system which activates the seat belt pretensioner mechanism, the position of the motor vehicle relative to the driving surface must be carefully and precisely monitored so that the seat belt pretensioner is activated rapidly and reliably before the occupants suffer substantial injury. Other occupant safety devices employed in motor vehicles to be actuated upon the prediction of a roll-over or a pitch-over may include an air bag, an automatic roll-over bar and an automatic door lock. US 5 102 162 teaches a suspension control apparatus that operates to maintain a level attitude during cornering and turning by computing and map- retrieving from output signals of a vehicle speed sensor and output signals of a yaw angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity about a yaw axis of the vehicle. US 5 471 388 discloses a method and apparatus for preventing vehicle handling instabilities, in which a vehicle yaw angular velocity required value is formed from measured quantities (vehicle velocity, steering wheel angle) . The vehicle yaw angular velocity actual value is formed from at least one sensor signal, the difference between the yaw angular velocity required value and the yaw angular velocity actual value from the yaw angular velocity required value, and the handling situation or the vehicle yaw behavior to be detected is determined from this difference. US 4 549 277 relates to a multiple sensor inclination measuring system which includes a plurality of single and dual axis inclination sensors, each sensor including a bridge circuit for generating a signal or pair of signals, each signal having a voltage which is proportional to the degree of inclination of the sensor, and an analog-to-digital convertor to convert the signal to a digital word having a binary value representative of the tilt of the sensor. US 4 679 808 describes a system for estimating the state of a controlled vehicle's motion which has a steering wheel angle sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a sensor for sensing a first motion variable such as a yaw rate, a sensor for sensing a second motion variable such as a yaw acceleration, and a processing unit such as a microcomputer. US 5 161 816 teaches a suspension control apparatus for a vehicle having at least one shock absorber with a controllable damping force. The suspension control apparatus includes a roll angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity about a roll axis of the vehicle, and control means for determining a bumpy road driving state of the vehicle when an accumulation time exceeds a predetermined accumulation time. US 4 712 807 discloses a vehicle, with a body and a plurality of wheels having a suspension system which includes : an actuator for each wheel, each of which supports the body from one of the wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between the body and the wheel; a sensor for detecting acceleration of the body and for producing a signal representative thereof, a sensor for each wheel for detecting load acting between the body and the wheel and for producing a signal representative thereof; and a controller for inputting the signals representative of the acceleration of the body and the load on each wheel, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations m load acting between the wheels and the body, for controlling the actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between the body and the wheels, and for operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel and the body as sensed by the load sensor for the wheel with the calculated value therefor, and for bringing the difference between the two values to be zero. Optionally, the acceleration sensor can include a means for sensing roll angle acceleration. US 5 510 988 relates to a vehicle that has a real time suspension control which requires, as inputs, a set of absolute body modal velocity signals. Accurate estimates of these signals are derived from relative position sensors at the body suspension points. US 5 510 986 describes a force actuator that is connected between a vehicle body and each vehicle wheel. A position sensor senses displacement between the vehicle body and each vehicle wheel and provides a position signal indicative thereof. An acceleration sensor senses vertical mertial acceleration of the vehicle body relative to ground at each vehicle wheel and provides an acceleration signal indicative of vertical inertial acceleration of the vehicle body at each vehicle wheel . US 5 127 667 teaches a method wherein a pitching motion of bouncing, bottoming, bumpy road driving and braking of a vehicle during driving is correctly grasped by computing and map retrieving from output signals of a vehicle speed sensor, output signals of a brake switch and output signals of a pitch angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity about a pitch axis of the vehicle; and pitching motion of the vehicle is restrained by the adjusting damping force of shock absorbers of the suspension control apparatus. US 5 328 256 relates to an anti-skid brake control device that has a control circuit to which signals from a steering angle sensor, a yaw detector, and respective wheel velocity sensors of a motor vehicle are inputted, an oil pressure actuator controls of the pressure of the braking fluid for respective wheel cylinders based upon target slip rates and measured slip rates for the respective wheels calculated in the control circuit. US 4 803 627 discloses a system for vehicle roll control wherein a plurality of actuator assemblies are provided, one corresponding to each one of the vehicle wheels and resiliently suspending it from the vehicle body. Each of these actuator assemblies is adapted to increase or decrease the vehicle height at a location corresponding to its corresponding vehicle wheel as results of control signals being applied to it . US 4 693 493 relates a system for vehicle roll control wherein a plurality of actuator assemblies are provided, one corresponding to each one of the vehicle wheels and resiliently suspending it from the vehicle body. These actuator assemblies have pressure chambers to increase or decrease the vehicle height at a location corresponding to its corresponding vehicle wheel. A vehicle speed detector senses the road speed of the vehicle, and a steering angle detector senses the steering angle of the vehicle . A control computer controls the working fluid supplying and discharging valves . US 4 807 128 discloses a system for vehicle roll control wherein one actuator assembly is provided corresponding to each vehicle wheel and resiliently suspends it from the vehicle body. Each of these actuator assemblies is adapted to increase or decrease the vehicle height at its vehicle wheel as a result of a control signal being supplied. Control means are provided corresponding to the actuator assemblies and serve to supply control signals to them. A vehicle speed detecting means senses road speed, a steering angle detecting means senses steering angle, a means senses the rate of change of steering angle, and a means detects the actual roll angle of the vehicle body. US 5 094 478 teaches a convertible motor vehicle with two roll-over bars which can be swivelled out of a lowered inoperative position into a supporting position. US 5 458 396 discloses a convertible motor vehicle with at least one seat having an extendable roll bar incorporated into an upper portion thereof. Known motion sensors are used to trigger the roll bar and cause a release from its rest position to its operating position. US 5 492 368 relates to a vehicle seat system for a vehicle including a resilient vehicle seat cushion for normally supporting a seated occupant; a lap restraint to restrain the occupant in the vehicle seat; a belt wrench tensionally associated with the lap restraint to tension the lap restraint to an extent to significantly pull down the seated occupant into the seat cushion; and a sensor to activate the belt wrench when the vehicle undergoes a displacement condition indicative of a vehicle rollover condition. US 5 261 506 describes a control device for a passenger safety apparatus wherein the safety apparatus is triggered by a sensor arrangement which responds to a longitudinal and/or transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle. It is also independently triggerable by an additional state-of- motion or moving condition sensor which is configured to recognize a near weightless state of the vehicle. The safety apparatus is triggered even in an extremely critical state of motion in which the vehicle moves in a manner similar to free fall . Despite these numerous devices, the need for a fuel flow control device including a sensing mechanism to shut off fuel flow to and from a fuel tank or the like when a roll-over or pitch-over condition exists is yet to be developed SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided m accordance with the present invention a control device to deactivate a fuel flow control device in case of a motor vehicle roll-over or pitch-over movement. There is also provided in accordance with the present invention logic and a method for predicting roll-overs and pitch-over movements in motor vehicles and for deactivating fuel flow control devices in response to the predictions. There is also provided in accordance with the present invention logic and a method for analyzing signals produced by accelerometers for sensing vehicular attitude to predict roll or pitch movements in motor vehicles . There is also provided in accordance with the present invention logic and a method for analyzing signals produced by accelerometers for sensing both the X axis (pitch) and Y axis (roll) in motor vehicles for deactivating fuel flow control devices based on those signals. /49579 PCΪ7US97/07078 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings m which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle with the control device of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the control device of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a flow chart depicting the operation of the control device of the present invention. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in Fig. 1, the present invention relates to a control device generally indicated as 10 to selectively actuate a fluid flow control device such as a fuel pump cut-off switch or fuel line control valve to control fuel flow to and from the fuel tank 16 of a vehicle 18. As shown in Fig. 2, the control device 10 comprises a sensor means generally indicated as 20 to sense a plurality of parameters including acceleration, pitch and roll angles of the vehicle 18 as defined hereinafter and to generate a corresponding plurality of signals representing each such parameter and a control means generally indicated as 22 comprising a control signal generator means including control logic circuitry to receive the plurality of signals and to generate a control signal corresponding to each such parameter when the corresponding signal exceeds a predetermined value and a safety device actuator signal generator means including actuator logic circuitry to receive the control signals and to generate a corresponding actuator signal to actuate the corresponding fuel flow control device. For convention, an angle of inclination is defined as the rotation of an object with respect to the Earth's surface. Two angles, roll and pitch, completely describe the inclination of an object such as the vehicle 18 with respect to the Earth's gravitational field. With reference to the control device 10 of the present invention, two single axis micromachined capacitive type accelerometers or a dual-axis tilt sensor such as the Crossbow Technology CXTILT02 may be used. As shown in Fig. 1, the pitch angle or inclination of the longitudinal center line of the vehicle 18 relative to the roadway is measured about the X-axis and the roll angle or inclination of the transverse center line of the vehicle 18 is measured about the Y-axis. As described more fully hereinafter, the control device 10 measures pitch and roll angles of inclination. As previously described, the control device 10 comprises a sensing means and a control means generally indicated as 20 and 22 respectively. As shown in Fig. 2, the sensing means 20 comprises a first and second sensing element generally indicated as 24 and 26 respectively, corresponding first filter 28 and second filter 30, and a scaling amplifier 32. The first sensing element 24 comprises an X-axis accelerometer 34 and a corresponding conditioning ASIC 36; while, the second sensing element 26 comprising a Y-axis accelerometer 38 and a corresponding conditioning ASIC 40. As previously described, the X-axis accelerometer 34 and the Y-axis accelerometer 38 generate analog signals corresponding to the angular inclination or disposition of the vehicle 18 relative to the roadway. The conditioning ASICs 36 and 40 calibrate the corresponding analog signals from the X-axis accelerometer 34 and the Y-axis accelerometer 38 in a ratio of 1 G to 1 volt. Of course, as previously mentioned, a dual axis accelerometer is equally suitable. The first and second filters 28 and 30 filter the corresponding analog signals from the first and second sensing elements 24 and 26 respectively into a first or low frequency band width such as from between about 10 Hz to about 40 Hz corresponding to or representing the angles of inclination to the X-axis and Y-axis relative to the roadway indicative of the pitch and roll condition of the vehicle 18 respectively and a second or high frequency band width such as from between about 1000 Hz to about 2000 Hz corresponding to or representing acceleration indicative of an impact due to a collision. The scaling amplifier 32 scales and amplifies the low and high frequency analog signals from both the first and second filter 28 and 30 received from the sensing means 20 corresponding to the pitch and roll angles of inclination along the X-axis and Y-axis respectively. As shown in Fig. 2, the control means 22 comprises a control signal generator means generally indicated as 42 including logic means to generate a pitch angle and a roll angle signal corresponding to the angle of inclination of the vehicle 18 relative to the roadway along the X axis and Y axis respectively. The control signal generator means 42 further includes logic circuitry to generate a control signal when either the pitch angle or the roll angle exceeds a predetermined value indicative of a pitch-over or roll-over condition by comparing the pitch angle or roll angle to predetermine values of pitch angle and the roll angle. The actuator signal generator means 44 includes logic means to generate an actuator signal to actuate the fuel pump cut-off switch 12 or fuel flow control valve 14 in response to the control signal from the control signal generator means 42. Further, the control signal generator means 42 includes logic means to generate the first control signal when the G force sensed by the sensor means 20 exceeds a predetermined value such as about 3 Gs . As shown in Figs . 2 and 3 , the values of the G-forces measured along the X-axis and Y-axis as well as the pitch and roll angles along the X-axis and Y-axis may be fed to an optional output data and/or event recording device (not shown) . The control device 10 may further include a system reset means to clear faults and reset the control device 10 upon ignition. Although the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred embodiment may be changed in details of construction and the combination and arrangement of elements may be departed from without diminishing the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device comprising a sensor means (20) to sense the pitch angle and roll angle of a vehicle (18) and to generate a corresponding signal representing each such angle and a control means (22) including circuitry to receive said signals and to generate a control signal when said signal exceeds a predetermined value, and an actuator means including circuitry to receive said control signal and to generate an actuator signal in response thereto to actuate the fuel flow control device to prevent the flow of fuel to and from the fuel tank (16) . 2. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 1 wherein the sensor means (20) includes a first sensing element (24) having an X-axis accelerometer (34) and a second sensing element (26) having a Y-axis accelerometer (38) ; the X-axis accelerometer and the Y-axis accelerometer generate analog signals corresponding to the angular inclination or disposition of the vehicle (18) relative to the roadway; the pitch angle or inclination of the longitudinal center line of the vehicle relative to the roadway is measured about an X-axis and the roll angle or inclination of the transverse center line of the vehicle relative to the roadway is measured about a Y-axis; the control device (10) measures pitch and roll angles of inclination. 3. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 2 wherein the sensor means (20) includes first and second filters (28, 30) to selectively filter the corresponding analog signals from the first and second sensing elements (24, 26) into a first frequency band width corresponding to or representing the angles of inclination to the X-axis and the Y-axis relative to the roadway indicative of the pitch and roll condition of the vehicle (18) and a second band width corresponding to or acceleration indicative of an impact . 4. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 3 wherein the first band width is from about 10 Hz to about 40 Hz and the second band width is from about 1000 Hz to about 2000 Hz. 5. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 3 wherein the sensor means (20) further includes a scaling amplifier (32) . 6. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 1 wherein the control means (22) includes a control signal generator means having logic means to generate a pitch angle and a roll angle signal corresponding to the angle of inclination of the vehicle (18) relative to the roadway along the X-axis and Y-axis respectively, and an actuator signal generator means (44) . 7. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 6 wherein the control signal generator means further includes logic circuitry to generate a control signal when either the pitch angle or the roll angle exceeds a predetermined value indicative of a pitch-over or roll-over condition by comparing the pitch angle or roll angle to predetermined values of pitch angle an roll angle. 8. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 7 wherein the control signal generator means includes logic means to generate the control signal when the G force sensed by the sensor means (20) exceeds a predetermined value such as about 3 Gs. 9. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 7 wherein the actuator signal generator means (44) includes logic means to generate an actuator signal to actuate a fuel flow cup-off switch or fuel flow control valve in response to the control signal from the control signal generator means. 10. A control device (10) to selectively actuate a fuel flow control device according to claim 7 wherein the values of the G forces measured along the X-axis and Y-axis as well as the pitch and roll angles along the X-axis and Y-axis may be fed to an optional output data and/or event recording device.

Inventors: HALASZ PETER TANCRED, HUSBY HARALD SNORRE, HALASZ, PETER, TANCRED, HUSBY, HARALD, SNORRE
Applicants: BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECH, BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B60R21
IPC codes: B60K15, B60K28, B60R21