US3756575A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for producing a fuel-air mixture by sonic energy
Assignee: Resources Research & Dev Corp
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Filing: 1971-07-19
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Granted: 1973-09-04
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Expires: 1991-07-19
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for supplying positively controlled amounts of an atomized and vaporized liquid fuel and air for combustion in an internal combustion engine, said apparatus comprising an energizable sonic probe, having a vibratory fuel atomizing surface at one end, and a conduit including a variable volume chamber and a main metering valve for distributing controlled amounts of fuel to a means for directing a thin film of fuel across the atomizing surface. The sonic vibrational energy of the sonic probe performs work on the film as it migrates across the atomizing surface, causing the fuel to atomize and vaporize. The atomizing surface is exposed to a flow of air moving towards the engine, and the atomized fuel is effectively mixed with the air to form a highly suitable fuel-air mixture for efficient combustion in the engine. A throttle valve controls the flow of air through the passageway. The main fuel metering valve and a means for varying the volume of the variable volume chamber positively control the amount of fuel supplied in relation to the amount of air supplied through the throttle valve. In a preferred embodiment, a bypass fuel valve responsive to intake manifold pressure prevents stalling at idle throttle setting and enriches the mixture under load conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 E Cottel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 15:42
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M27/00; F02M27/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/48
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
347 words
A device for delivering positively controlled amounts of air and highly atomized fuel to an internal combustion engine comprising: a. a housing having an internal passageway with an inlet for a stream of air and an outlet for the stream of air mixed with highly atomized fuel; b. a sonic fuel atomizer, the atomizer including i. a sonic transducer for converting alternating electric energy to longitudinal vibrations of a downstream-facing surface of the transducer, ii. an elongated velocity transforming probe having a large end and a small end and acoustically coupled at its large end to the downstream-facing surface of the transducer for amplifying the vibrations of said surface, and iii. an atomizing tip attached to the small end of the probe, the tip having an upstream-facing longitudinally vibrating fuel atomizing sUrface in the passageway between the inlet and the outlet and extending radially outward from the end of the probe, a circular circumscribing edge bounding the upstreamfacing fuel atomizing surface of substantially larger diameter than the small end of the probe, and a downstream-facing surface; c. a fuel distribution member surrounding the small end of the probe, said member having an annular surface positioned in opposed, closely-spaced relation to a portion of the upstreamfacing surface of the tip for forming an annular fuel conduit between the two surfaces, the extent of the conduit outward between the surfaces being substantially greater than the distance between the surfaces; and d. means for supplying controlled amounts of liquid fuel under pressure to the annular fuel conduit for flow in a thin film outward across the upstream-facing surface of the tip, the spacing between the surfaces of the annular fuel conduit being close enough so that the amount of fuel flow will be substantially unaffected by pressure variations within the passageway, whereby the thin film of fuel will be substantially completely atomized from the upstream-facing, longitudinally vibrating surface of the tip for mixture with the stream of air from the inlet, and the fuel-air mixture will be further mixed by acoustic energy radiated from the downstream-facing surface of the tip.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
347 words
A device for delivering positively controlled amounts of air and highly atomized fuel to an internal combustion engine comprising: a. a housing having an internal passageway with an inlet for a stream of air and an outlet for the stream of air mixed with highly atomized fuel; b. a sonic fuel atomizer, the atomizer including i. a sonic transducer for converting alternating electric energy to longitudinal vibrations of a downstream-facing surface of the transducer, ii. an elongated velocity transforming probe having a large end and a small end and acoustically coupled at its large end to the downstream-facing surface of the transducer for amplifying the vibrations of said surface, and iii. an atomizing tip attached to the small end of the probe, the tip having an upstream-facing longitudinally vibrating fuel atomizing sUrface in the passageway between the inlet and the outlet and extending radially outward from the end of the probe, a circular circumscribing edge bounding the upstreamfacing fuel atomizing surface of substantially larger diameter than the small end of the probe, and a downstream-facing surface; c. a fuel distribution member surrounding the small end of the probe, said member having an annular surface positioned in opposed, closely-spaced relation to a portion of the upstreamfacing surface of the tip for forming an annular fuel conduit between the two surfaces, the extent of the conduit outward between the surfaces being substantially greater than the distance between the surfaces; and d. means for supplying controlled amounts of liquid fuel under pressure to the annular fuel conduit for flow in a thin film outward across the upstream-facing surface of the tip, the spacing between the surfaces of the annular fuel conduit being close enough so that the amount of fuel flow will be substantially unaffected by pressure variations within the passageway, whereby the thin film of fuel will be substantially completely atomized from the upstream-facing, longitudinally vibrating surface of the tip for mixture with the stream of air from the inlet, and the fuel-air mixture will be further mixed by acoustic energy radiated from the downstream-facing surface of the tip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising a throttle valve located upstream of the atomizing tip for controlling the amount of air through the passageway in predetermined relation to the amount of fuel supplied to the annular fuel conduit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the spacing between the annular surface of the fuel distribution member and the upstream-facing surface of the atomizing tip is between approximately 0.0005 inch and approximately 0.002 inch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the fuel distribution member comprises a ring-shaped member adapted to loosely surround the small end of the probe and to overlie a portion of the upstream-facing surface of the atomizing tip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said ring-shaped member includes an internal annular fuel passageway connected to the means for supplying fuel under pressure and a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings leading from the annular passageway through said annular surface for distributing fuel evenly across said vibratory surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 4 further comprising a biasing means for resiliently urging the annular surface of said ring-shaped member against said vibratory surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said biasing means comprises a coil spring surrounding said acoustic probe and bearing against the face of said ring-shaped member opposite to said annular surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
129 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the fuel distribution member comprises: a. a coaxial sleeve surrounding the probe, the internal and downstream surfaces of the sleeve conforming to the outer surface of the probe and the abutting upstream-facing surface of the tip but closely spaced therefrom to define a narrow annular fuel conduit, the sleeve having a passage connected to the means for supplying fuel under pressure with an inlet port opening in the internal surface of the sleeve for conducting the fuel into the annular conduit and b. means for flexibly sealing the annular conduit between the internal surface of the sleeve and the outer surface of the probe, the sealing means being located between the inlet port in the sleeve and the large end of the probe.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 8 wherein the fuel inlet port is axially located approximately one-quarter wavelength from the small end of the probe.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 8 further comprising means for adjusting the position of the sleeve axially with respect to the probe, whereby the spacing between the downstream surface of the sleeve and the upstream-facing surface of the atomizing tip can be correspondingly adjusted.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
182 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the means for supplying controlled amounts of fuel comprises: a. a conduit having an inlet exterior of the housing and leading to the fuel distribution means; b. a main fuel valve in said conduit for controlling the delivery rate of fuel through the conduit, the main fuel valve including a stem movable axially for opening or shutting the valve; c. a variable volume chamber surrounding the stem of the main fuel valve to serve as a fuel reservoir, the chamber having a movable end wall connected to the valve stem for movement therewith; d. actuator means connected to the throttle valve and the main fuel valve for changing the flow area through the fuel valve and the volume of the variable volume chamber in predetermined relation to variations of the flow of air through the device; and e. an auxiliary fuel valve connected in parallel with the main fuel valve and responsive to absolute pressure in the internal passageway downstream of the throttle valve for supplying fuel in direct relation to changes in said absolute pressure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-03 | 1977-03-05 | 1977-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-03 | 1981-03-05 | 1981-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-03 | 1985-03-05 | 1985-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |