US3741009A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Carburetor flow stand
Assignee: Carter Automotive Co Inc
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Filing: 1971-07-01
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Granted: 1973-06-26
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Expires: 1991-07-01
Abstract
Abstract In a carburetor flow stand wherein means are provided for establishing a predetermined air flow through a carburetor under test and for generating a signal indicative of the air flow, wherein a fuel line is provided for conducting a fuel to the carburetor, the carburetor operating to mix the fuel with the air, and wherein an output line is connected to the downstream end of the carburetor for receiving the air-fuel mixture therefrom, an improved method and means for determining the fuel flow rate through or the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by the carburetor comprising adding a tracer material to the fuel, the tracer material having a high absorption characteristic at a predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum, vaporizing the tracer material, separating the mixture of air and vaporized tracer material from the fuel, and detecting with a spectrum analyzer which is sensitive to said predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum the quantity of tracer material in the output line. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tracer material has a high absorption characteristic in the infrared spectrum and the spectrum analyzer is an infrared spectrophotometer. According to another embodiment of the invention, the fuel itself is entirely vaporized, the fuel being selected to have a high absorption characteristic at a known location in the electromagnetic spectrum, and the spectrum analyzer determines directly the quantity of fuel in the output line.
Inventors
- 👤 J Bordeaux
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:21
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60S; B60S5/00; F; F02; F02M; F02M19/00; F02M19/01; G; G01; G01F; G01F9/00; G01F9/001; G01M; G01M13/00; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/02; F02D41/14; F02D41/1438; F02D41/1444; F02D41/1454; F02D41/1456
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
In a carburetor flow stand for determining the fuel flow rate through or the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by a carburetor under test in which means are provided for establishing a predetermined air flow through said carburetor and for generating a signal indicative of said air flow, in which a fuel flow line is provided for conducting a liquid fuel to said carburetor, said carburetor operating to mix said fuel with said air, and in which an output line is provided for receiving the air-fuel mixture from said carburetor, the improvement wherein: a predetermined percentage of a tracer material having a high absorption characteristic at a predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum is added to said fuel and comprising: detection means operatively associated with said output line and sensitive to said predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum for detecting and measuring the quantity of said tracer in said output line, said detected quantity of tracer being proportional to the fuel flow rate through said carburetor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a carburetor flow stand for determining the fuel flow rate through or the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by a carburetor under test in which means are provided for establishing a predetermined air flow through said carburetor and for generating a signal indicative of said air flow, in which a fuel flow line is provided for conducting a liquid fuel to said carburetor, said carburetor operating to mix said fuel with said air, and in which an output line is provided for receiving the air-fuel mixture from said carburetor, the improvement wherein: a predetermined percentage of a tracer material having a high absorption characteristic at a predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum is added to said fuel and comprising: detection means operatively associated with said output line and sensitive to said predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum for detecting and measuring the quantity of said tracer in said output line, said detected quantity of tracer being proportional to the fuel flow rate through said carburetor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 1, the improvement wherein said predetermined location in the electromagnetic spectrum where said tracer material has a high absorption characteristic is selected to coincide with a location where said fuel has a relatively low absorption characteristic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 1, the improvement wherein said detection means is operative to generate a signal indicative of the quantity of said tracer material in said output line and further comprising: means responsive to said signal indicative of air flow and said signal indicative of the quantity of said tracer material in said output line fOr generating an air-fuel mixture ratio signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 3, the improvement further comprising: means interposed in said fuel flow line for monitoring the percentage of tracer material in said fuel and for generating a signal indicative thereof and wherein said means for generating an air-fuel mixture ratio signal is responsive to said signal indicative of the percentage of tracer material in said fuel for correcting said ratio signal as a function of variations of said percentage of tracer material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 1, the improvement wherein said tracer material has a high absorption characteristic in the infrared spectrum and wherein aid detection means is an infrared analyzer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 5, the improvement wherein said predetermined location in the infrared spectrum where said tracer material has a high absorption characteristic is selected to coincide with a location where said fuel has a relatively low absorption characteristic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 1, the improvement further comprising: means interposed in the path of said air flow through said carburetor for effecting vaporization of said tracer material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 7, the improvement further comprising: means interposed in said output line, between said carburetor and said detection means, for separating said liquid fuel from Said air flow and said vaporized tracer material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 8, the improvement wherein said detection means operates to generate a signal indicative of the quantity of said tracer material in said output line and further comprising: means responsive to said signal indicative of air flow and said signal indicative of the quantity of said tracer material in said output for generating an air-fuel mixture ratio signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 9, the improvement further comprising: means interposed in said fuel flow line for monitoring the percentage of tracer material in said fuel and for generating a signal indicative thereof and wherein said means for generating an air-fuel mixture ratio signal is responsive to said signal indicative of the percentage of said tracer material in said fuel for correcting said ratio signal as a function of variations of said percentage of tracer material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 8, the improvement wherein said tracer material has a high absorption characteristic in the infrared spectrum and wherein said detection means is an infrared analyzer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
In a carburetor flow stand according to claim 11, the improvement wherein said predetermined location in the infrared spectrum where said tracer material has a high absorption characteristic is selected to coincide with a location where said fuel has a relatively low absorption characteristic whereby portions of said fuel which are not removed by said separating means have a minimum effect on said infrared analyzer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
124 words
A carburetor flow stand for testing the fuel metering performance of a carburetor comprising: means for establishing an air flow through said carburetor, means for conducting a liquid fuel to said carburetor, said carburetor operating, in the presence of said air flow, to mix said fuel with said air; means forming a passageway connected to the downstream end of said carburetor for receiving the output therefrom, said output consisting of an essentially homogeneous mixture of air and at least one vaporized component of said fuel; and detection means responsive to said output and sensitive to an electro-magnetic property of said at least one vaporized component in said homogeneous mixture for detecting and measuring the quantity of said at least one component in said mixture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
124 words
A carburetor flow stand for testing the fuel metering performance of a carburetor comprising: means for establishing an air flow through said carburetor, means for conducting a liquid fuel to said carburetor, said carburetor operating, in the presence of said air flow, to mix said fuel with said air; means forming a passageway connected to the downstream end of said carburetor for receiving the output therefrom, said output consisting of an essentially homogeneous mixture of air and at least one vaporized component of said fuel; and detection means responsive to said output and sensitive to an electro-magnetic property of said at least one vaporized component in said homogeneous mixture for detecting and measuring the quantity of said at least one component in said mixture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 13 further comprising: means interposed in said passageway, adjacent said downstream end of said carburetor, for vaporizing said at least one component of said fuel to produce said homogeneous mixture.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 14 wherein said vaporizing means vaporizes essentially all of said fuel and wherein said detection means determines the quantity of said fuel in said mixture.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 14 wherein a predetermined percentage of a tracer material is added to said fuel, wherein said vaporizing means is operative to vaporize said tracer material, and wherein said detection means is operative to determine the quantity of said tracer material in said mixture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 16 wherein said tracer material has a high infrared absorption characteristic at a known location in the infrared spectrum and wherein said detection means senses the absorption characteristics of said mixture at said known location.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 17 wherein said tracer material has a high infrared absorption characteristic at a location in the infrared spectrum where said fuel has a relatively low infrared absorption characteristic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 17 further comprising: means interposed in said passageway, between said vaporizing means and said detection means, for separating said liquid fuel from said air flow and said vaporized tracer material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
86 words
A carburetor flow stAnd according to claim 13 wherein said detection means is operative to generate a first signal indicative of the quantity of said at least one component in said homogeneous mixture, said quantity of said at least one component being proportional to the fuel flow rate through said carburetor, and further comprising: sensor means for generating a second signal indicative of the rate of air flow through said carburetor; and means responsive to said first and second signals for generating an air-fuel ratio signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
84 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 20 wherein said sensor means comprises an absolute pressure transducer interposed in said passageway for generating a signal proportional to air flow, wherein said detection means generates a signal indicative of the pressure of said at least one component in said homogeneous mixture, and wherein said means for generating an air-fuel ratio signal comprises: a divider for dividing said signal proportional to air flow by said signal indicative of the pressure of said at least one component.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
95 words
A carburetor flow stand according to claim 20 wherein said sensor means comprises an oxygen sensor interposed in said passageway for generating a signal proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen in said homogenous mixture, wherein said detection means generates a signal indicative of the partial pressure of said at least one component in said homogeneous mixture, and wherein said means for generating an air-fuel ratio signal comprises: a divider for dividing said signal proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen by said signal indicative of the partial pressure of said at least one component.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a carburetor testing method for determining the fuel flow rate through a carburetor including the steps of establishing a predetermined air flow through said carburetor, conducting a liquid fuel to said carburetor, and receiving the output from the downstream end of said carburetor, said output consisting of an essentially homogenous mixture of air and at least one vaporized component of said fuel, the improvement comprising the step of: measuring an electromagnetic property of said homogeneous mixture, said property being representative of the quantity of said at least one component in said mixture, said measured quantity of said at least one component being proportional to the fuel flow rate through said carburetor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a carburetor testing method for determining the fuel flow rate through a carburetor including the steps of establishing a predetermined air flow through said carburetor, conducting a liquid fuel to said carburetor, and receiving the output from the downstream end of said carburetor, said output consisting of an essentially homogenous mixture of air and at least one vaporized component of said fuel, the improvement comprising the step of: measuring an electromagnetic property of said homogeneous mixture, said property being representative of the quantity of said at least one component in said mixture, said measured quantity of said at least one component being proportional to the fuel flow rate through said carburetor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
76 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 23, the improvement further comprising the step of: adding a predetermined percentage of a tracer material to said fuel, said tracer material having a high absorption characteristic at a known location in the electromagnetic spectrum, said at least one component of said fuel consisting of said tracer material, and wherein said step of measuring comprises the step of: detecting the quantity of said tracer material in said mixture.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 24 for determining the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by said carburetor, the improvement further comprising the steps of: generating a first signal indicative of the quantity of said tracer material in said homogeneous mixture; generating a second signal indicative of the rate of air flow through said carburetor; and dividing said second signal by said first signal to generate a third signal indicative of the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by said carburetor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 25, the improvement further comprising the steps of: monitoring the percentage of said tracer material in said fuel and generating a signal indicative thereof; and modifying said third signal as a function of variations of said percentage of tracer material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 24, the improvement wherein said known location where said tracer material has a high absorption characteristic is selected to coincide with a location where said fuel has a relatively loW absorption characteristic.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 23 for determining the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by said carburetor, the improvement further comprising the steps of: generating a first signal indicative of the quantity of said at least one component in said homogeneous mixture; generating a second signal indicative of the rate of air flow through said carburetor; and dividing said second signal by said first signal to generate a third signal indicative of the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by said carburetor.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 23, the improvement wherein said electromagnetic property of said mixture is the infrared absorption characteristic of said mixture.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 29, the improvement further comprising the step of: adding a predetermined percentage of a tracer material to said fuel, said tracer material having a high infrared absorption characteristic at a known location, said at least one component of said fuel consisting of said tracer material, and wherein said step of measuring comprises the step of: detecting the quantity of said tracer material in said mixture.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 30, the improvement further comprising the steps of: generating a first signal indicative of the quantity of said tracer material in said homogeneous mixture; generating a second signal indicative of the rate of air flow through said carburetor; and dividing said second signal by said first signal to generate a third signal indicative of the air-fuel mixture ratio produced by said carburetor.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 31, the improvement further comprising the steps of: monitoring the percentage of said tracer material in said fuel and generating a signal indicative thereof; and modifying said third signal as a function of variations of said percentage of tracer material.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a carburetor testing method according to claim 30, the improvement wherein said known location where said tracer material has a high infrared absorption characteristic is selected to coincide with a location where said fuel has a relatively low absorption characteristic.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |