Example methods and apparatus to ensure grounding between vehicles during a vehicle-to-vehicle refueling operation are described herein. An example vehicle described herein is to receive fuel from a refueling vehicle via a vehicle-to-vehicle refueling operation. The example vehicle includes a fuel tank having a vent passageway, a valve coupled to the vent passageway, and a controller to close the valve if the vehicle and the refueling vehicle are not electrically coupled during the vehicle-to-vehicle refueling operation.

A vapour recovery system recovers vapour coming from a vehicle tank. The system includes a valve that is positionable in a closed position, an open position creating a passageway with a first size, and one or more intermediate positions each creating a passageway with a size smaller than the first size. The system also includes an electronic controller to control an actuator to position the valve in a sequence of positions over time. The sequence includes at least one of the intermediate positions during a time period larger than 1 second. The valve is arranged in a line of the vapour recovery system between a vapour outlet of the vehicle tank and the atmosphere. The actuator is a stepper-motor based linear actuator. The controlling includes selecting at least one intermediate position, and the selection includes selecting a number of steps to be set from a predetermined reference position.

A method for controlling a pressure inside a fuel tank system on board a vehicle, the fuel tank system having a fuel tank and a venting circuit having at least one controllable pressure relief valve, the vehicle having a source of energy adapted to activate said at least one pressure relief valve so as to move it from a closed position to a pressure relief position. The method entails: detecting a key off event indicative of the vehicle shut-down; determining an amount of energy available at the source of energy; starting at least one pressure relief operation by verifying whether the amount of energy available is lower than a first predetermined threshold amount and, if the verification is positive, activating the at least one pressure relief valve; and terminating the at least one pressure relief operation.

A method for operating a hybrid vehicle, wherein the hybrid vehicle has an electric engine, an electric traction energy accumulator interacting with the electric engine, an internal combustion engine, and a fuel tank interacting with the internal combustion engine, includes starting from a purely electric driving mode in which the internal combustion engine is shut down and in which a shut-off valve of the fuel tank is closed, opening the shut-off valve of the fuel tank and starting up the internal combustion engine depending on defined operating conditions. The defined operating conditions include a current charging state of the traction energy accumulator and a current pressure in the fuel tank.

A fuel shutoff valve includes a valve, a float, and an auxiliary member. The valve is configured to open or close an air passage of a fuel tank. The float floats on fuel and moves in a valve closing direction to close the valve, or in a valve opening direction opposite to the valve closing direction to open the valve. The auxiliary member has a predetermined weight, and abuts on the float to apply a weight on the float in the valve opening direction, or separating from the float not to apply the weight on the float in the valve closing direction.

A fuel tank system 12 includes: a communicating pipe 30 that has plural open portions 54A and 54B positioned higher than a full level inside a fuel tank 14 and communicates the inside of the fuel tank 14 with a canister 32; and a valve member 42 that is disposed outside the fuel tank 14 and, on the basis of a state of inclination of fuel detected by a fuel inclination sensor 60, closes the communicating pipe corresponding to an open portion predicted to be positioned in the fuel and opens the communicating pipe corresponding to an open portion predicted to be positioned in a gas layer section.

Methods and systems are provided for estimating a level of water in real time for a vehicle and using the said estimation to perform one or more vehicle control strategies. In one example, a method may include adjusting a valve in a fuel system of the vehicle responsive to a level of water through which the vehicle is passing. In this way, water inhalation into the vehicle fuel system may be avoided.

A tank system of a motor vehicle includes a volume-modifying element, which is provided in the interior of the fuel tank at least substantially above the liquid level and which is designed as a deformable bag, which forms a compensation volume connected to the environment, and includes a valve assembly, which closes under the control of a float during the filling of the fuel tank and thus brings about a maximum fill level in the fuel tank. A measure is provided for eliminating an effect of the volume-modifying element on the maximum fill level height. This measure can be that the volume-modifying element is arranged in the fuel tank such that, when the vehicle is standing on a horizontal surface, the top side of the volume-modifying element is not significantly above the fuel fill level at which the valve assembly closes in the vertical axis direction. Other measures include, for example, a controllable valve, which is provided in the connection between the compensation volume of the volume-modifying element and the environment and which is actuated in the closing direction when the fill level rising during the filling process has reached the maximum fill level height.

In an opening and closing device (100) for a fuel tank, a path forming part (20) forms a fuel path (100P) along which supplied liquid fuel is guided to the fuel tank. A first valve mechanism (10) arranged at the path forming part (20) opens and closes a filling opening (104). A second valve mechanism (30) opens and closes an insertion path (100Pn) for a fuel nozzle (FN) at the end of the insertion path (100Pn) in the most upstream area of the fuel path (100P). In a non-filling situation in which the first valve mechanism (10) closes the filling opening (104), passage of air between an insertion path communication hole (51) and an outside air passage hole (53) is encouraged. In a filling situation in which the fuel nozzle (FN) makes the first valve mechanism (10) open the filling opening (104), passage of air between the insertion path communication hole (51) and the outside air passage hole (53) is interrupted. Therefor the opening and closing device (100) for the fuel tank prevents or reduces discharge of fuel in a fuel filling period while ensuring air permeability in a non-filling period.

A separation nipple to separate a liquid from a vent inlet line into a filler pipe of a motor vehicle. The separation nipple has an inlet for connection to the vent inlet line, an outlet for connection to a vent outlet line, an opening for connection to an interior of the filler pipe, and a flap to close the opening. The flap has a main flap surface and a reflector flap surface which slopes relative to the main flap surface. The reflector flap surface is configured to form a reflector with the main flap surface when the flap is in an open position, the reflector being configured to deflect liquid passing through the opening in a direction of an end of the tank of the filler pipe. The opening is configured for closing by the main flap surface when the flap is in a closed position.