Linearized electronic fuel injection system

Claim 2

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of an engine operating parameter; means for applying in synchronization with the operation of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude across the inductor to develop through the inductor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude so that the constant rate of change in the magnitude of the control current is proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount determined by the rate of change in the magnitude of the control current; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.

Claim 3

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of an engine operating parameter; means for applying across the inductor in synchronization with the speed of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude to develop through the inductor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude which increases from a base level to a reference level at a constant rate inversely proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount directly related to the time period defined between the departure of the control current from the base level and the arrival of the control current at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.

Claim 4

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of an engine operating parameter; means for applying across the inductor in synchronization with the speed of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude to develop through the inductor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude which increases from a base level to a reference level at a constant rate inversely proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount directly related to the time period defined between the departure of the control current from the base level and the arrival of the control current at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.

Claim 5

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means including a transistor connected with the inductor in an emitter-follower configuration for applying across the inductor in synchronization with the operation of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude to develop through the inductor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude which increases from a base level to a reference level at a constant rate determined as an inverse function of the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount determined in direct relation to the time period defined between when the control current departs from the base level and when the control current arrives at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is linearly related to the engine operating parameter.

Claim 6

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means including a transistor connected with the inductor in an emitter-follower configuration for applying across the inductor in synchronization with the operation of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude to develop through the inductor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude which increases from a base level to a reference level at a constant rate determined as an inverse function of the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount determined in direct relation to the time period defined between when the control current departs from the base level and when the control current arrives at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is linearly related to the engine operating parameter.

Claim 7

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means including at least one resistor having a fixed resistance; means including a junction transistor connected in an emitter-follower configuration between the inductor and the resistor to apply across the inductor in synchronization with the operation of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude to generate through the inductor and through the resistor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude to develop across the resistor a control voltage having a linearly varying amplitude which decreases from a peak level to a reference level at a rate inversely proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount defined by the time period extending between the departure of the control voltage from the peak level and the arrival of the control voltage at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is linearly related to the engine operating parameter.

Claim 8

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means including at least one resistor having a fixed resistance; means including a junction transistor connected in an emitter-follower configuration between the inductor and the resistor to apply across the inductor in synchronization with the operation of the engine a control voltage having a substantially constant amplitude to generate through the inductor and through the resistor a control current having a linearly varying magnitude to develop across the resistor a control voltage having a linearly varying amplitude which decreases from a peak level to a reference level at a rate inversely proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount defined by the time period extending between the departure of the control voltage from the peak level and the arrival of the control voltage at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is linearly related to the engine operating parameter.

Claim 9

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including a junction transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes; means connected to the emitter electrode of the transistor and including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means connected with the collector electrode of the transistor and including at least one resistor having a resistance which is substantially constant; means conNected to the base electrode of the transistor for periodically operating the transistor as an emitter-follower in synchronization with the operation of the engine to apply across the inductor a control voltage having an amplitude which is substantially constant to generate through the inductor and through the resistor a control current having a magnitude which linearly increases to develop across the resistor a control voltage having an amplitude which linearly decreases from a peak level to a reference level at a constant rate inversely proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount directly related to the time period extending between the departure of the control voltage from the peak level and the arrival of the control voltage at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.

Claim 10

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including a junction transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes; means connected to the emitter electrode of the transistor and including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means connected with the collector electrode of the transistor and including at least one resistor having a resistance which is substantially constant; means conNected to the base electrode of the transistor for periodically operating the transistor as an emitter-follower in synchronization with the operation of the engine to apply across the inductor a control voltage having an amplitude which is substantially constant to generate through the inductor and through the resistor a control current having a magnitude which linearly increases to develop across the resistor a control voltage having an amplitude which linearly decreases from a peak level to a reference level at a constant rate inversely proportional to the inductance of the inductor; and means for applying fuel to the engine in an amount directly related to the time period extending between the departure of the control voltage from the peak level and the arrival of the control voltage at the reference level; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.

Claim 11

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including a timing generator connected with the engine for producing trigger pulses occurring at a frequency proportional to the speed of the engine; means including a junction transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes; means connected to the emitter electrode of the transistor and including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means connected to the collector electrode of the transistor and including at least one resistor having a resistance which is substantially constant; means connected to the base electrode of the transistor and to the timing generator for periodically rendering the transistor conductive in an emitter-follower configuration in response to the occurrence of each trigger pulse to apply across the inductor a control voltage having an amplitude which is substantially constant to develop through the inductor and through the resistor a control current having a magnitude which linearly increases to generate across the resistor a control voltage having an amplitude which linearly decreases from a peak level to a reference level at a constant rate determined in proportion to the inductance of the inductor; means including a differential switch for shifting from a first state to a second state when the control voltage reaches the reference level; means connected to the timing generator and to the differential switch for producing a control pulse which is initiated in response to the occurrence of each trigger pulse and which is terminated when the differential switch shifts to the second state; and means for applying fuel to the engine at a constant rate for the duration of the control pulse; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.

Claim 12

In an internal combustion engine, the combination comprising: means including a timing generator connected with the engine for producing trigger pulses occurring at a frequency proportional to the speed of the engine; means including a junction transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes; means connected to the emitter electrode of the transistor and including an inductor having an inductance determined as a linear function of at least one engine operating parameter; means connected to the collector electrode of the transistor and including at least one resistor having a resistance which is substantially constant; means connected to the base electrode of the transistor and to the timing generator for periodically rendering the transistor conductive in an emitter-follower configuration in response to the occurrence of each trigger pulse to apply across the inductor a control voltage having an amplitude which is substantially constant to develop through the inductor and through the resistor a control current having a magnitude which linearly increases to generate across the resistor a control voltage having an amplitude which linearly decreases from a peak level to a reference level at a constant rate determined in proportion to the inductance of the inductor; means including a differential switch for shifting from a first state to a second state when the control voltage reaches the reference level; means connected to the timing generator and to the differential switch for producing a control pulse which is initiated in response to the occurrence of each trigger pulse and which is terminated when the differential switch shifts to the second state; and means for applying fuel to the engine at a constant rate for the duration of the control pulse; whereby the total quantity of fuel delivered to the engine is a linear function of the engine operating parameter.