Filter arrangement of a vehicle

Abstract

A filter arrangement of a vehicle includes a filter, preferably an active carbon filter, a sprung suspension for the vibrational mounting of the filter in the vehicle, a sensor unit for determining a variable corresponding to the current weight of the filter from a vibrational movement of the filter, and an analyzing unit for calculating a filling degree of the filter from the filter weight determined, taking the empty weight of the filter into account. The filter is suspended such that the filter can vibrate about a rotational axis fixed to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A filter arrangement of a vehicle, comprising: a filter; a spring-mounted suspension configured to swingably mount the filter in the vehicle; a sensor unit that determines a variable corresponding to a current weight of the filter from a vibrational movement of the filter; and an analyzing unit that calculates a filling degree of the filter from the determined filter weight while taking into account an empty weight of the filter, wherein the filter is mounted to be swingably suspended about an axis of rotation fixed to the vehicle.

2. The filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the filter is an activated carbon filter.

3. The filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation extends through a housing of the filter or a rigid extension of the housing of the filter.

4. The filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the filter is mounted via a bending bar that is clamped in on one side and forms the axis of rotation at the clamped in location.

5. The filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the variable determined by the sensor unit is a vibration of the filter, and the sensor unit calculates a weight of the filter based on the determined vibration.

6. The filter arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the variable is a natural frequency of the vibration.

7. The filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises a magnetic coil sensor.

8. The filter arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the magnetic coil sensor is further configured as an actuator to stimulate vibration of the filter.

9. The filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is arranged in an area of the axis of rotation.

10. A vehicle, comprising: a filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the sensor unit and the analyzing unit are configured to determine the current weight of the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped via a braking operation such that the variable determined by the sensor unit is a vibration movement of the filter resulting from the braking operation.

11. A vehicle, comprising: a tank of the vehicle; an internal-combustion engine of the vehicle; an engine control unit for the internal-combustion engine; and a filter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the filter is configured to filter waste air from the tank, the internal-combustion engine is connected with the filter to regenerate the filter, the engine receiving combustion air at least partially through the filter, and the engine control unit is configured to feed air and/or fuel as a function of a currently calculated filling degree of the filter to the internal-combustion engine when regenerating the filter.

12. A method of operating a filter arrangement in a vehicle, the method comprising the acts of: providing a filter for filtering waste air from a tank of the vehicle; providing an internal-combustion engine connected with the filter; and regenerating the filter via the internal-combustion engine by receiving combustion air at least partially through the filter, wherein when regenerating the filter, air and/or fuel are controlled to be fed to the internal-combustion engine as a function of a currently determined filling degree of the filter, said currently determined filling degree of the filter being calculated from a determined filter weight while taking into account an empty weight of the filter.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: performing a calibration by: determining the filter weight directly after a long regeneration phase of the filter, storing the filter weight as an empty weight, and factoring said empty weight into account during subsequent calculations of the filling degree of the filter.

14. A method of operating a filter arrangement in a vehicle, the method comprising the acts of: providing a filter, which is mounted to be swingably suspended about an axis of rotation fixed to the vehicle, for filtering waste air from a tank of the vehicle; providing an internal-combustion engine connected with the filter; and regenerating the filter via the internal-combustion engine by receiving combustion air at least partially through the filter, wherein air and/or fuel are fed to the internal-combustion engine when regenerating the filter as a function of a currently determined filling degree of the filter, said currently determined filling degree of the filter being calculated from a determined filter weight while taking into account an empty weight of the filter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a view of the vehicle having a filter arrangement of the invention according to a first embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 is a view of the filter arrangement according to the first embodiment.

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of a filter arrangement according to a second embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view of a further embodiment as well as a representation concerning the operating method of the filter arrangement according to all embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(5) FIGS. 1 to 4 are purely schematic views of filter arrangements 1 of the invention according to different embodiments. The embodiments differ with respect to the further developments of a spring-mounted suspension 6 of the individual filters 8 in the vehicle 2.

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates the arrangement of the filter arrangement 1 in the vehicle 2. In this case, a filter 8 of the filter arrangement 1 is swingably suspended by way of a spring-mounted suspension 6 in the vehicle 2 about a vehicle-fixed axis of rotation Dthe latter extends perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing and extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle. As such, the filter 8 can carry out an oscillating rotational vibration in the direction of the arrow 7 about the axis of rotation D. In an intermediate position illustrated (as the rest position) in the figures, which is possibly situated between two end stops spaced relatively far from one another for this oscillating rotational vibration, the filter 8 is held by a spring arrangement, which is not shown, or at least one suitable spring element (constructed, for example, as a coil spring). The filter arrangement 1 therefore represents a swingable spring-mass system.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a detail of the filter arrangement 1 of FIG. 1 with a slightly different position of the filter 8; i.e. here, the filter 8 is not situated in the rest position or intermediate position illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, the filter 8 of the filter arrangement 1 is an activated carbon filter in a tank ventilation system of the vehicle 2. The filter or activated carbon filter 8 is connected in a conventional manner by way of a first connection 3 with the atmosphere or a tank leak diagnostic system, dust filter, etc., which are not shown. A second connection 4 connects the filter 8 with an internal-combustion engine, not shown, of the vehicle 2. A third connection 5 connects the filter 8 with a tank, not shown, of the vehicle 2.

(8) The connections 3, 4, 5 have a gas-conducting construction. By way of the third connection 5, waste air flows from the fuel tank of the vehicle 2 through the filter 8 into the first connection 3 and thereby into the atmosphere. The filter 8 is constructed as an activated carbon filter and filters hydrocarbons from the waste air of the tank. The second connection 4 is provided for a regeneration of the filter 8. By way of the second connection 4, the internal-combustion engine can take in air by way of or through the filter 8. In this case, the hydrocarbons are separated from the filter and can then be burnt in the engine.

(9) As mentioned in connection with FIG. 1, the filter 8, together with its housing, is suspended to be swingable about a vehicle-fixed axis of rotation D, which in FIG. 2 as well as in FIG. 1 extends in the vehicle transverse direction, preferably at least approximately horizontally, i.e. parallel to the ground. The situation or position of the filter 8 illustrated in FIG. 2 is different from that of FIG. 1. The axis of rotation D (which here is also perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) preferably extends eccentrically through the housing of the filter 8 or through a housing extension such that the axis of rotation D definitely does not extend through the center of mass of the filter 8. When the rest position of the filter 8 is as illustrated in FIG. 1, it is at least ensured that, because of the construction of the filter arrangement 1 as a spring-mass system, the filter 8 is caused to carry out a vibrating movement in the direction of the arrow 7 at least in the case of more intensive positive or negative longitudinal acceleration operations of the vehicle 2. If the rest position of the filter were as illustrated in FIG. 2, a vibrating movement of the filter 8 would occur as a result of a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle practically only resulting from compression and rebounding processes of the chassis of the vehicle. In contrast, with a rest position according to FIG. 1, the filter 8 is always caused to vibrate in the case of a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle. Besides, with a rest position according to FIG. 1 as well as according to FIG. 2, the filter 8 is caused to carry out a rotational vibrating movement 7 about the axis of rotation D by vertical movements of the vehicle body with respect to the road, which are outlined in FIG. 1 by vertical arrows in the vehicle wheels, because of its attribute as a swingably suspended spring-mass system.

(10) However, the filter 8 can carry out a vibration 7 not only as actuated by stimulation by way of the vehicle 2 or its movement but, as an alternative or in addition, also by an independent vibration stimulation. Such an independent vibration stimulation can in this case take place in a manner not shown here by the suspension 6 appropriately constructed for this purpose in that an appropriately designed actuator (not shown) is provided in this suspension 6.

(11) Also in the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the filter 8 is swingably suspended by way of a spring-mounted suspension 6, and in this case is sufficiently freely movable in order to carry out a desired vibration 7 about the axis of rotation D. This axis of rotation D, which here again extends perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing, in this embodiment according to FIG. 3, in reality also extends perpendicularly, i.e. perpendicularly to the (normally) horizontally situated road, on which the vehicle 2 is moving according to the direction of the arrow F while at first driving straight ahead. By means of such an arrangement of the axis of rotation D with respect to the filter 8, the latter is caused to carry out a vibration movement according to arrow 7 by yaw movements of the vehicle 2, i.e. when the latter corners sufficiently rapidly. Naturally here also, an actuator may be provided for a vibration stimulation.

(12) In the form of a simplified block diagram for all embodiments, FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the method of operation of the filter arrangement 1; in addition, an alternative spring-mounted suspension of the filter 8 is also shown in this FIG. 4, specifically by way of a bending spring bar, which has the reference number 6. This bending spring bar 6 is clamped in firmly at the vehicle in a rotational axis point D, about which the filter 8 can then carry out oscillating rotational vibrations according to arrow 7, while the other end of this bending spring bar 6 carries the filter 8. Illustrated in a very abstracted manner, a magnetic coil sensor 10 is also provided in this end section, which is close to the filter, of the bending spring bar 6. This magnetic coil sensor 10 is a component of a sensor unit 9 which, preferably in a constructionally suitable manner, in its generality, is integrated in the spring-mounted suspension 6. The vibration 7 of the filter 8 can be measured by way of the magnetic coil sensor 10. By way of the magnetic coil sensor 10, as a result of a corresponding actuation of its magnetic coil, the filter 8 can be stimulated to carry out the vibration 7however, this is only a facultative characteristic.

(13) The sensor unit 9 includes corresponding arithmetic units in order to calculate the natural frequency from the measured vibration, for example, by Fast Fourier Transformationthis is illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 4. Based on the natural frequency of the spring-mass system formed by the filter 8 with its spring-mounted suspension, as well as while taking into account that the natural frequency is inversely proportional to the square root of the mass or the weight, the weight of the filter 8 can be calculated. This calculated weight is forwarded to an analyzing unit 11.

(14) The empty weight (m.sub.REF) of the filter 8 is stored in this analyzing unit 11. By means of a simple calculation, the corresponding filling degree (m.sub.HC) (also: loading degree) of the filter 8 can be calculated from the empty weight and the determined weight (m). The calculated filling degree is, in turn, forwarded to an engine control unit 12. Based on the filling degree, the engine control unit 12 can actuate the internal-combustion engine of the vehicle as well as conventionally in a manner known to a person skilled in the art, can actuate corresponding valves in the gas-conducting connections 3, 4, 5 and can thereby, for example, trigger the regeneration of the filter 8 by way of the second connection 4.

(15) The invention therefore makes it possible to determine and to use the filling degree of a filter 8 within a vehicle 2. This results in the possibility that the filter 8, particularly constructed as an activated carbon filter, can be regenerated (also; rinsed) at an optimal point-in-time without interfering with the quiet running of the engine. It is no longer necessary to adapt the engine operating points in order to pass legal tests. This reduces the CO2 emission. Conversely, the invention permits a targeted loading of the filter, for example, if the fuel tank is a pressure tank system. In particular, it becomes possible to reduce the internal tank pressure and thereby relieve the fuel tank only if the filter condition is below a certain filling degree in order to ensure that no hydrocarbon is escapes into the environment.

(16) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.