Fuel injection system for internal combustion engines

Claim 2

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means adjustable as a function of pressure changes in said manifold means and as a function of changes in differential between the pressure in said manifold means and atmospheric pressure, at least a portion of said regulating means being adjustable continuously in response to changes of said differential within a predetermined range.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said range has a lower limit corresponding to a differential of between 0 and 50 Torr.

Claim 4

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said range has an upper limit corresponding to a differential of between 100 and 200 Torr.

Claim 5

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure and a diaphragm deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, and stop means for limiting the extent of deformation of said diaphragm.

Claim 6

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure and a diaphragm deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, and stop means for limiting the extent of deformation of said diaphragm.

Claim 7

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein at least a portion of said stop means is adjustable.

Claim 8

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said stop means comprises two stops located at the opposite sides of said diaphragm, one of said stops being adjustable and said diaphragm being arranged to abut against said one stop at a relatively low differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure.

Claim 9

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to opEn said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a diaphragm having a marginal portion and being deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing accommodating said regulating means, and means for securing said marginal portion to said housing, said evacuated container being adjacent to one side and being connected to said diaphragm.

Claim 10

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to opEn said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a diaphragm having a marginal portion and being deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing accommodating said regulating means, and means for securing said marginal portion to said housing, said evacuated container being adjacent to one side and being connected to said diaphragm.

Claim 11

A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein the wall means of said container comprises a deformable wall which is connected with said diaphragm.

Claim 12

A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein the connection between said diaphragm and said container comprises a universal joint.

Claim 13

A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said universal joint is a swivel joint including a first portion which constitutes a socket and a second portion which constitutes a head and extends into said socket, one of said portion being secured to said diaphragm.

Claim 14

A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said transducer means further comprises adjusting means for adjusting the position of said other portion of said swivel joint.

Claim 15

A combination as defined in claim 11, wherein said transducer means further comprises a housing for said regulating means, at least a portion of said adjusting means being accessible from the exterior of said housing.

Claim 16

A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said transducer means further comprises adjustable stop means for limiting the deformation of said diaphragm in one direction, said stop means being coaxial with said adjusting means.

Claim 17

A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said stop means is detachably secured to said housing and wherein said adjusting means is accessible upon detachment of said stop means.

Claim 18

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a diaphragm deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing accommodating said regulating means, and adjusting means for transmitting to said control means signals whose intensity is a function of the deformation of said diaphragm, said evacuated container being disposed between said adjusting means and said diaphragm.

Claim 19

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a diaphragm deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing accommodating said regulating means, and adjusting means for transmitting to said control means signals whose intensity is a function of the deformation of said diaphragm, said evacuated container being disposed between said adjusting means and said diaphragm.

Claim 20

A combination as defined in claim 15, wherein said adjusting means comprises a portion which is fixedly mounted in said housing and said diaphragm comprises a marginal portion clampingly secured to said housing, said transducer means further comprising means connecting said diaphragm with said container and means connecting said container with a movable portion of said adjusting means.

Claim 21

A combination as defined in claim 16, wherein said transducer means further comprises biasing means opposing the displacement of said movable portion by said regulating means.

Claim 22

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operaTive to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a diaphragm having a marginal portion and being deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing for said regulating means, and stop means for limiting the deformation of said diaphragm in one direction, said housing comprising an annular surface abutting against said marginal portion of said diaphragm, and means for clamping said marginal portion against said surface, said stop means being connected with said clamping means.

Claim 23

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operaTive to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a diaphragm having a marginal portion and being deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing for said regulating means, and stop means for limiting the deformation of said diaphragm in one direction, said housing comprising an annular surface abutting against said marginal portion of said diaphragm, and means for clamping said marginal portion against said surface, said stop means being connected with said clamping means.

Claim 24

A combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said clamping means forms an integral part of said stop means and wherein said stop means is a dished plate.

Claim 25

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a regulating element deformable in response to changes in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, and damping means for damping deformation of said regulating means.

Claim 26

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in a automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a regulating element deformable in response to changes in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, and damping means for damping deformation of said regulating means.

Claim 27

A combination as defined in claim 20, wherein said transducer means further comprises a housing for said regulating means and said damping means, said damping means comprising resilient means.

Claim 28

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a regulating element deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing for said regulating means, and elastic stop means for limiting the deformation of said regulating element.

Claim 29

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a regulating element deformable in response to changes in differential between the manifold pressure and atmospheric pressure, a housing for said regulating means, and elastic stop means for limiting the deformation of said regulating element.

Claim 30

A combination as defined in claim 22, wherein said regulating element is a diaphragm having a marginal portion clampingly secured to said housing and a central portion, said stop means comprising a ring connected with the central portion of said diaphragm and a dished spring having a marginal portion secured to said housing.

Claim 31

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a housing for said regulating means, a diaphragm having a marginal portion secured to said housing aNd dividing the interior of the latter into two chambers one of which communicates with the atmosphere and the other of which communicates with said manifold means so that said diaphragm is deformable in response to changes in differential between the pressure in said manifold means and atmospheric pressure, and stop means in said other chamber to limit the extent of deformation of said diaphragm in a direction away from said one chamber, said stop means comprising a dished spring fixedly mounted in said housing and being concentric with said diaphragm.

Claim 32

In a structure of the character indicated, particularly in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising an internal combustion engine having cylinder means and intake manifold means connected with said cylinder means; a source of fuel; valve means for controlling the admission of fuel from said source to said cylinder means; control means operative to open said valve means for intervals of variable length; and transducer means for regulating the operation of said control means, said transducer means comprising regulating means comprising at least one evacuated container having wall means deformable in response to changes in manifold pressure, a housing for said regulating means, a diaphragm having a marginal portion secured to said housing aNd dividing the interior of the latter into two chambers one of which communicates with the atmosphere and the other of which communicates with said manifold means so that said diaphragm is deformable in response to changes in differential between the pressure in said manifold means and atmospheric pressure, and stop means in said other chamber to limit the extent of deformation of said diaphragm in a direction away from said one chamber, said stop means comprising a dished spring fixedly mounted in said housing and being concentric with said diaphragm.

Claim 33

A combination as defined in claim 24, wherein said transducer means further comprises a sleeve fixed to the central portion of said diaphragm and reciprocably received in a ring forming part of said stop means and concentrically secured to said spring, said sleeve being provided with second stop means which limits the extent of its movement with reference to said ring.

Claim 34

A combination as defined in claim 25, wherein said second stop means comprises a split ring on a neck portion of said sleeve.