Abstract An air-pollution preventive arrangement for use with an internal combustion engine for motor vehicles, adapted to reduce the concentrations of noxious compounds such as unburned hydrocarbons and carbon-monoxides contained in the engine exhaust gases. The arrangement comprises a thermal reactor for primarily recombusting the exhaust gases and a catalytic converter for secondarily recombusting the exhaust gases passed from the thermal reactor so as to oxidize the residual unburned compounds. An air injection unit supplies additional air which is admixed, in a limited proportion, to the exhaust gases entering the thermal reactor to aid in the primary re-combustion of the exhaust gases therein. The noxious unconsumed hydrocarbons and carbon-monoxides are thus converted into innocuous compounds at efficiencies which are far higher than those attained where the thermal reactor or the catalytic converter is employed independently. Such additional air may also be admixed to the exhaust gases entering the catalytic converter which is located downstream of the thermal reactor, whereby the re-combustion efficiencies of the reactor and converter are maintained at high levels throughout varying driving conditions of the motor vehicle. The arrangement may also comprise a second catalytic converter which is adapted to reduce nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gases.
In an air pollution preventive arrangement, for use with an exhaust system having an exhaust passage through which exhaust gases emitted from an engine of a motor vehicle are discharged, comprising: a thermal reactor mounted on said exhaust passage and located posterior to exhaust ports of said exhaust system for primary re-combusting unconsumed hydrocarbons and carbon monoxides contained in said exhaust gases; at least one catalytic converter mounted on said exhaust passage and located posterior to said thermal reactor for secondarily re-combusting the exhaust gases passed from said thermal reactor; an air injection unit including a pneumatic pump and an air passage divided into first and second branch passages, said first branch passage leading to said exhaust system anterior to said thermal reactor and said second branch passage opening into said exhaust passage anterior to said catalytic converter; the improvement comprising a distributor interposed between said air passage and first and second branch passages, comprising: a chamber into which said air passage is opened at its outlet port and from which said branch passages lead at their inlet ports; a piston slidably mounted in said chamber and having formed therein a groove longitudinally extending throughout the piston to provide communication between said outlet port and said inlet ports; a piston rod projecting from said piston and extending outwardly through said chamber, a gearing unit operatively connected to said piston rod for moving said piston through said piston rod in a longitudinal direction, and a reversible motor coupled with said gearing unit to drive the gearing unit selectively in either direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
260 words
In an air pollution preventive arrangement, for use with an exhaust system having an exhaust passage through which exhaust gases emitted from an engine of a motor vehicle are discharged, comprising: a thermal reactor mounted on said exhaust passage and located posterior to exhaust ports of said exhaust system for primary re-combusting unconsumed hydrocarbons and carbon monoxides contained in said exhaust gases; at least one catalytic converter mounted on said exhaust passage and located posterior to said thermal reactor for secondarily re-combusting the exhaust gases passed from said thermal reactor; an air injection unit including a pneumatic pump and an air passage divided into first and second branch passages, said first branch passage leading to said exhaust system anterior to said thermal reactor and said second branch passage opening into said exhaust passage anterior to said catalytic converter; the improvement comprising a distributor interposed between said air passage and first and second branch passages, comprising: a chamber into which said air passage is opened at its outlet port and from which said branch passages lead at their inlet ports; a piston slidably mounted in said chamber and having formed therein a groove longitudinally extending throughout the piston to provide communication between said outlet port and said inlet ports; a piston rod projecting from said piston and extending outwardly through said chamber, a gearing unit operatively connected to said piston rod for moving said piston through said piston rod in a longitudinal direction, and a reversible motor coupled with said gearing unit to drive the gearing unit selectively in either direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
The air pollution preventive arrangement of claim 1, wherein said gearing unit comprises; A. a worm coupled with said reversible motor through a coupling shaft and, B. a gear meshing with said worm and having formed therein a radially elongated slot, said piston rod being connected to said gear through a pin movably fitting in said elongated slot, said worm being turned by said motor to rotate said gear in a direction and through an angle determined by the rotation of said reVersible motor.