US3602202A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine
Assignee: Toyota Central R&D Labs Inc
•
Filing: 1969-11-25
•
Granted: 1971-08-31
•
Expires: 1989-11-25
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine of the type wherein air-fuel mixture is supplied to the engine combustion chamber through an air suction pipe having a carburettor with a main nozzle and a throttle valve, and comprising means for feeding oxygen to the air-fuel mixture in said carburettor when the throttle is between its closed and one-fourth open positions and the engine is operating at light load, means for stopping said oxygen feed and feeding inactive gas to the air-fuel mixture in the carburettor when the throttle valve is approximately between one-fourth and three-fourths open and the engine is operating at medium load condition, and means for stopping said inactive gas feeding and again feeding oxygen to the air-fuel mixture in the carburettor when the throttle valve is between approximately three-fourths and fully open, and the engine is operating at full load condition.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 06:12
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M25/00; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
12 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein Said inactive gas is nitrogen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine of the type wherein air-fuel mixture is supplied to the engine combustion chamber through an air suction pipe having a carburetor with a main nozzle and a throttle valve, comprising an oxygen supply source, an oxygen feed conduit connecting said oxygen supply source to said air suction pipe, and control means in said oxygen feed conduit linked to said throttle valve and operative to feed oxygen to said air suction pipe only when said throttle valve is between closed and approximately one-fourth open, corresponding to light load engine operating condition, and between approximately three-fourths and fully open, corresponding to full load engine operating condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein is additionally provided an inactive gas supply source, and an inactive gas feed conduit connecting said inactive gas supply source to said air suction pipe, said control means being additionally operative to feed inactive gas to said air suction pipe only when said throttle valve is between approximately one-fourth and three-fourths open and the engine is operating at medium load.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein said inactive gas supply source contains nitrogen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
126 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein said control means includes a valve mechanism positioned in said oxygen supply conduit and in said inactive gas supply conduit, said valve mechanism being mechanically linked to said throttle valve to move therewith and being operative to open the oxygen supply conduit and close the inactive gas supply conduit when said throttle valve is between closed and approximately one-fourth open, to close said oxygen supply conduit and open said inactive gas supply conduit when said throttle valve is between one-fourth and three-fourths open, and to open said oxygen supply conduit and close said inactive gas supply conduit when said throttle valve is between approximately three-fourths and fully open.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine according to claim 6, wherein said valve mechanism comprises a cylinder in whose wall are provided two pairs of ports, said pairs of ports facing each other diametrically of said cylinder and one port of the first pair of ports being connected to the oxygen supply conduit and one port of the second pair of ports being connected to the inactive gas supply conduit, a spool slidable within said cylinder having one end connected to said throttle valve to move therewith and thereby slide the spool within the cylinder corresponding to the opening and closing movements of the throttle valve, said spool having two annular grooves positioned so that said first pair of ports aligns with one groove of the spool to pass oxygen, and said other groove aligns with said second pair of ports to pass inactive gas when the first groove is out of alignment with the first pair of ports.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein is additionally provided a container having zeolite particles therein for separating oxygen from nitrogen, an air intake pipe connected to said container for supplying air thereto, an oxygen supply pipe connected to the opposite end of the container and communicating at its other end with said oxygen supply source, a nitrogen supply pipe connected at one end to the same end of said zeolite container to which said air intake pipe is connected and communicating at its other end with said nitrogen supply source and nitrogen supply conduit, first, second and third valves respectively positioned in said air intake pipe, oxygen supply pipe and nitrogen supply piPe, and means for periodically opening said first and second valves while closing the third valve and then closing the first and second valves while opening the third valve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus for reducing pollutants in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine according to claim 8, wherein said means for periodically operating said first, second and third valves comprises a timer device including a cam and a cam follower connected to a switching means, said switching means being operative to electrically actuate said first, second and third valves and to alternately operate a first pump in said air intake pipe and a second pump in said nitrogen supply pipe.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1232215A
Cited
US2354179A
Cited
US2444222A
Cited
US2715395A
Cited
US3164454A
Cited
US3069830A
Cited
US3237615A
Cited
US3313091A
Cited
US3294073A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |