The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jul. 07, 1998

Filed:

Mar. 19, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:

Takashi Isobe, Wako, JP;

Kotaro Miyashita, Wako, JP;

Hirofumi Mutoh, Wako, JP;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F02M / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
123520 ; 1231 / ;
Abstract

An evaporative fuel-processing system for an internal combustion engine includes a canister, a charging passage extending between the canister and the fuel tank, a purging passage extending between the canister and the intake system of the engine, an open-to-atmosphere passage for relieving the interior of the canister to atmosphere, a charge control valve, a purge control valve, a vent shut valve, a pressure sensor for detecting pressure within the charging passage, and a float valve arranged at an end of the charging passage opening into the fuel tank. When the engine is in a predetermined operating condition, the interior of the canister is negatively pressurized into a predetermined negatively pressurized state by opening the purge control valve and the charge control valve and closing the vent shut valve. The interior of the changing passage is stabilized by closing the charge control valve and the purge control valve over a predetermined time period after the negative pressurization. When the predetermined time period has elapsed, the charge control valve is opened, and abnormality of the canister is determined based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor after the opening of the charge control valve. When the pressure detected by the pressure sensor during the internal pressure stabilization exceeds atmospheric pressure by a predetermined amount or more, the abnormality determination of the canister is inhibited.


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