US 11,753,981 B2
Particulate matter detecting apparatus capable of mounted condition diagnosis
Takashi Araki, Kariya (JP); and Masato Katsuno, Kariya (JP)
Assigned to DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed by DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed on Jun. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/350,151.
Application 17/350,151 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2019/044989, filed on Nov. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-238316 (JP), filed on Dec. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0310397 A1, Oct. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. F01N 11/00 (2006.01); G01M 15/10 (2006.01); F01N 13/00 (2010.01)
CPC F01N 11/002 (2013.01) [F01N 13/008 (2013.01); G01M 15/102 (2013.01); F01N 2550/04 (2013.01); F01N 2550/22 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A particulate matter detecting apparatus comprising:
a sensor body which has a sensor device which is retained in a housing configured to be secured to an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine and detects particulate matter contained in exhaust gas;
a sensor temperature determining unit which works to determine a temperature of the sensor device; and
a mounted condition diagnosis unit which diagnoses a mounted condition where the sensor body is mounted in the exhaust pipe, wherein
the mounted condition diagnosis unit includes a diagnosis threshold setting unit, a diagnosis threshold correcting unit, and a mount error determining unit, the diagnosis threshold setting unit determining a diagnosis threshold, as used in a diagnosis of the mounted condition, as a function of an operating condition of the internal combustion engine to have a temperature value lower than a temperature of the sensor device when the sensor body is normally mounted in the exhaust pipe,
the diagnosis threshold correcting unit works to correct the diagnosis threshold using information about an outside of the internal combustion engine, the diagnosis threshold being corrected to have a higher value as a temperature of outside air as the information of the outside becomes higher or a lower value as the temperature of outside air becomes lower,
the mount error determining unit compares a sensor temperature that is the temperature of the sensor device determined by the sensor temperature determining unit with the diagnosis threshold and, when the sensor temperature is lower than the diagnosis threshold, determines that an error in the mounted condition is occurring.