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EP0079072A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Air-fuel ratio controlling method and device for internal combustion engines

Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1982-11-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-11-08
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Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to an air-fuel ratio controlling method and a device for internal combustion engines, having a detector (11) for a flow rate of the air supplied into a cylinder (4), a means (7) for detecting a ratio of a flow rate of the air supplied into the cylinder (4) to that of a fuel supplied thereinto, a control means (8) for setting an air-fuel ratio to an optimum level on the basis of output signals from the air-fuel ratio detecting means (7) and air flow rate detector (11) and a means (9) for controlling the supplying of the fuel into the cylinder in accordance with an output signal from the air-fuel ratio control means. The air-fuel ratio detecting means (7) has members for detecting the light generated by a flame in the cylinder and having at least two special wavelengths. The combustion condition corresponding to an air-fuel ratio in the cylinder is detected by the light-detecting members, and a signal representative of an actual air-fuel ratio is generated on the basis of outputs therefrom.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tadashi Kirisawa
  • 👤 Teruo Yamauchi
  • 👤 Yoshishige Oyama

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 23:50
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D35/00; F02D35/02; F02D35/022; F02D41/00; F02D41/02; F02D41/14; F02D41/1497

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 157 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines, characterized by a means (11) for detecting a flow rate of the air supplied into a cylinder (4) in an internal combustion engine, a means (7) for detecting an air-fuel ratio of a gaseous mixture supplied into said cylinder, a control means (8), for setting the air-fuel ratio to an optimum level on the basis of output signals from said air flow rate detecting means (11) and said air-fuel ratio detecting means (7) and a means (9) for controlling the supplying of the fuel into said cylinder, in accordance with an output signal from said control means (8) in such a manner that the air-fuel ratio is in an optimum level, said air-fuel ratio detecting means (7) consisting of a means for detecting the light generated by a flame in a combustion chamber, to determine the combustion condition, which corresponds to an actual air-fuel ratio, in said cylinder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 157 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines, characterized by a means (11) for detecting a flow rate of the air supplied into a cylinder (4) in an internal combustion engine, a means (7) for detecting an air-fuel ratio of a gaseous mixture supplied into said cylinder, a control means (8), for setting the air-fuel ratio to an optimum level on the basis of output signals from said air flow rate detecting means (11) and said air-fuel ratio detecting means (7) and a means (9) for controlling the supplying of the fuel into said cylinder, in accordance with an output signal from said control means (8) in such a manner that the air-fuel ratio is in an optimum level, said air-fuel ratio detecting means (7) consisting of a means for detecting the light generated by a flame in a combustion chamber, to determine the combustion condition, which corresponds to an actual air-fuel ratio, in said cylinder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 110 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines according to Claim 1, characterized in that said air-fuel ratio detecting means consists of a member (21, 5) for guiding the light generated by a flame in said combustion chamber, a filter unit (62, 63) for passing therethrough components of special wavelengths of the light introduced thereinto by said light-guiding member (21), photosensitive elements (64, 65) adapted to receive said components of the light passing through said filter unit and generate output signals, and a member (6) adapted to generate an output signal representative of the combustion condition on the basis of the output signals from said photosensitive elements (64, 65).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines according to Claim 2, characterized in that said light-guiding member includes a window formed in a plug (2).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines according to Claim 2, characterized in that said filter unit (62, 63) includes at least two filters capable of passing therethrough the light having different, special wavelengths.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines according to Claim 4, characterized in that said photosensitive elements (64, 65) are disposed in opposition to said filters (62, 63) and adapted to generate electric signals, the levels of which correspond to the illuminance of the light passing through said filters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 47 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines according to Claim 4, characterized in that said device further includes a means (71-74) for generating a signal, the level of which corresponds to a ratio of the sum of said two electric signals to the difference therebetween.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
An air-fuel ratio controlling device for internal combustion engines according to Claim 3, characterized in that said window is formed so as to surround a central electrode (22) of said plug (2).
Claim 9
Independent Claim 92 words
A method for controlling the air fuel ratio of internal combustion engines, characterized by following steps: a) detecting a flow rate of the air supplied into a cylinder; b) detecting an air-fuel ratio of a gaseous mixture supplied into said cylinder by detecting the light generated by a flame in a combustion chamber; c) setting the air-fuel ratio to an optimum level on the basis of the results of the detecting steps a) and b); d) determining the combustion condition corresponding to the setting of the actual air-fuel ratio in step c).
Claim 10
Independent Claim 92 words
A method for controlling the air fuel ratio of internal combustion engines, characterized by following steps: a) detecting a flow rate of the air supplied into a cylinder; b) detecting an air-fuel ratio of a gaseous mixture supplied into said cylinder by detecting the light generated by a flame in a combustion chamber; c) setting the air-fuel ratio to an optimum level on the basis of the results of the detecting steps a) and b); d) determining the combustion condition corresponding to the setting of the actual air-fuel ratio in step c).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method according to Claim 8, characterized in that in step b) at least two different wavelengths of the light generated by a flame in a combustion chamber are detected.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 31 words
A method according to Claims 8 and 9, characterized in that in step b) the air-fuel ratio is detected corresponding to the illuminance of the light of the two different wavelengths.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 39 words
A method according to claims 8 to 10, characterized in that in step b) the air-fuel ratio is detected corresponding to a ratio of the sum of the ligth illuminance of the two different wavelengths to the difference therebetween.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 24 words
A method according to claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the at least two different wavelengths are about 3064 Å and 4315 Å.

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