US4301779A — Engine fuel mixture control system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 344 words

In an internal combustion engine having a fuel supply connected to said engine by a fuel line, a valve means connected in said fuel line for regulating the fuel flow to said engine, and an air intake means, said air mixing with said fuel to provide a combustible charge for the engine, a fuel mixture control system comprises: a fuel flow meter connected in said fuel line, said fuel flow meter providing an output signal representative of the fluid flow rate through the fuel line; an air flow meter connected to the air intake means, said air flow meter providing an output signal representative of the air flow rate into the engine; proportioning means connected to the outputs from said flow meters for providing an output signal representative of the fuel/air ratio for the engine; a reference fuel/air ratio means for providing an output signal representative of the optimum engine fuel/air ratio for a given engine condition; means for comparing said reference means output with said proportioning means output and producing an output signal representative of the difference therebetween; and means responsive to said comparing means output signal for controlling said fuel valve means so that said comparing means output attains said reference output wherein said reference means further comprises a variable fuel/air reference means having its output connected to the comparing means, said variable reference means being switchable between a high level in which the output to the comparing means is representative of maximum permissible engine fuel/air ratio and a low level in which the output to the comparing means is representative of the minimum permissible engine fuel/air ratio, and sensor means having an output and responsive to a parameter representative of engine performance, first detector means for determining the slope of said engine performance parameter, second detector means for determining the slope of the engine fuel/air ratio, said first and second detector means having outputs connected to and controlling the level of the variable reference means, and means for disabling said responsive means when the first detector means output is substantially zero.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 344 words

In an internal combustion engine having a fuel supply connected to said engine by a fuel line, a valve means connected in said fuel line for regulating the fuel flow to said engine, and an air intake means, said air mixing with said fuel to provide a combustible charge for the engine, a fuel mixture control system comprises: a fuel flow meter connected in said fuel line, said fuel flow meter providing an output signal representative of the fluid flow rate through the fuel line; an air flow meter connected to the air intake means, said air flow meter providing an output signal representative of the air flow rate into the engine; proportioning means connected to the outputs from said flow meters for providing an output signal representative of the fuel/air ratio for the engine; a reference fuel/air ratio means for providing an output signal representative of the optimum engine fuel/air ratio for a given engine condition; means for comparing said reference means output with said proportioning means output and producing an output signal representative of the difference therebetween; and means responsive to said comparing means output signal for controlling said fuel valve means so that said comparing means output attains said reference output wherein said reference means further comprises a variable fuel/air reference means having its output connected to the comparing means, said variable reference means being switchable between a high level in which the output to the comparing means is representative of maximum permissible engine fuel/air ratio and a low level in which the output to the comparing means is representative of the minimum permissible engine fuel/air ratio, and sensor means having an output and responsive to a parameter representative of engine performance, first detector means for determining the slope of said engine performance parameter, second detector means for determining the slope of the engine fuel/air ratio, said first and second detector means having outputs connected to and controlling the level of the variable reference means, and means for disabling said responsive means when the first detector means output is substantially zero.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 69 words

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve controlling means further comprises an up/down counter, said counter counting in a first direction when the comparing means output exceeds a predetermined value and counting in the opposite direction when said comparing means output is less than the predetermined value, and means responsive to the count in the counter for controlling the degree of actuation of the valve means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said comparing means is a differential amplifier.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said engine includes an intake manifold and wherein said engine variable is the manifold pressure, said sensor means comprising a pressure transducer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said engine performance variable is the engine power and wherein said sensor means comprises a power transducer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 63 words

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said internal combustion engine includes a spark ignition means and variable timing means for said spark ignition means, said system further comprising means responsive to the first detector means for controlling the variable timing means, and means for disabling said variable timing control means when said output from said first detector means is substantially zero.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 85 words

The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said timing control means further comprises a variable timing reference switchable between a high level representative of maximum permissible spark advance and a low level representative of maximum permissible spark retardation, said variable reference means having an output connected to a further comparing means, a spark timing sensor means having an output connected to an input of said comparing means, and means responsive to said further comparing means for controlling the actuation of said variable timing means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 75 words

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for controlling the variable timing means further comprises an up/down counter which counts in a first direction when the further comparing means output is greater than a predetermined value and which counts in the opposite direction when said comparing means output is less than said predetermined value, and means responsive to the count in the counter for controlling the actuation of the variable timing means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 288 words

In an internal combustion engine having a fuel supply connected to said engine by a fuel line, a valve means connected in said fuel line for regulating the fuel flow to said engine, and an air intake means, said air mixing with said fuel to provide a combustible charge for the engine, fuel mixture control system comprises: a fuel flow meter connected in said fuel line, said fuel flow meter providing an output signal representative of the fluid flow rate through the fuel line; an air flow meter connected to the air intake means, said air flow meter providing an output signal representative of the air flow rate into the engine; proportioning means connected to the outputs from said flow meters for providing an output signal representative to the fuel/air ratio for the engine; a reference fuel/air ratio means for providing an output signal representative of the optimum engine fuel/air ratio for a given engine condition; means for comparing said reference means output with said proportioning means output and producing an output signal representative of the difference therebetween; and means responsive to said comparing means output signal for controlling said fuel valve means so that said proportioning means output attains said reference output; wherein said engine includes a throttle means movable between a plurality of operating positions, each throttle position being representative of one or more distinct engine conditions, said reference means further comprising a plurality of reference value wherein each reference value is a signal representative of the optimum engine fuel/air ratio for one distinct engine condition, and switch means connected to said throttle means for selectively electrically connecting only one of said reference values to said comparing means at each operating position of said throttle means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 288 words

In an internal combustion engine having a fuel supply connected to said engine by a fuel line, a valve means connected in said fuel line for regulating the fuel flow to said engine, and an air intake means, said air mixing with said fuel to provide a combustible charge for the engine, fuel mixture control system comprises: a fuel flow meter connected in said fuel line, said fuel flow meter providing an output signal representative of the fluid flow rate through the fuel line; an air flow meter connected to the air intake means, said air flow meter providing an output signal representative of the air flow rate into the engine; proportioning means connected to the outputs from said flow meters for providing an output signal representative to the fuel/air ratio for the engine; a reference fuel/air ratio means for providing an output signal representative of the optimum engine fuel/air ratio for a given engine condition; means for comparing said reference means output with said proportioning means output and producing an output signal representative of the difference therebetween; and means responsive to said comparing means output signal for controlling said fuel valve means so that said proportioning means output attains said reference output; wherein said engine includes a throttle means movable between a plurality of operating positions, each throttle position being representative of one or more distinct engine conditions, said reference means further comprising a plurality of reference value wherein each reference value is a signal representative of the optimum engine fuel/air ratio for one distinct engine condition, and switch means connected to said throttle means for selectively electrically connecting only one of said reference values to said comparing means at each operating position of said throttle means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-11-23	1985-05-25	1985-11-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-11-23	1989-05-25	1989-11-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-11-23	1993-05-25	1993-11-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Engine fuel mixture control system

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