ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER AS A FUEL VAPOR CONTROL VALVE ACTUATOR

摘要

An apparatus, system, and method using a canister purge valve (100) including an electro-active polymer actuator. Such a canister purge valve (100) can be used in a system and method for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine (20), which includes an intake manifold (18). The fuel system (10) includes a fuel tank (16) that has a headspace, a fuel vapor collection canister (12) that is in fluid communication with the headspace, and a canister purge valve (100) that is in fluid communication between the fuel vapor collection canister (12) and the intake manifold (18). The canister purge valve (100) includes a body and a member. The body has a first port that is in fluid communication with the fuel vapor collection canister, and a second port that is in fluid communication with the intake manifold. The member is arrangeable between first and second configurations. The first configuration prohibits fuel vapor flow from the fuel vapor collection canister (12) to the intake manifold (18), and the second configuration permits fuel vapor flow from the fuel vapor collection canister (12) to the intake manifold (18). And the member includes an electro-active polymer that dimensionally reacts to an electric field.