US4328706A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tachometer suitable for use in engine maintenance
Assignee: Soken Inc
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Filing: 1980-05-14
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Granted: 1982-05-11
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Expires: 2000-05-14
Abstract
Abstract Pressure changes in the engine case of an automobile are sensed to compute and display the engine rpm irrespective of the types of engines. A pressure sensing element is mounted on the oil filler port in the engine cylinder head cover by means of a mounting member made of an elastic material.
Inventors
- 👤 Sigeyuki Akita
- 👤 Junji Kitagawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:12
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P3/00; G01P3/42; G01P3/44; G01P3/48; G01P3/481; F; F02; F02F; F02F7/00; F02F7/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A tachometer suitable for use in engine maintenance, comprising: pressure sensing means for producing an electric signal representing the pressure changes within said engine; a member for supporting said pressure sensing means, said member being mountable at the oil filler port of said engine for providing communication between said pressure sensing means and the interior of said engine, means connected to said pressure sensing means for computing the rotational speed of said engine in accordance with said signal of said pressure sensing means; and display means responsive to said computing means for displaying the rotational speed of said engine, said display means being located within the engine compartment thereby facilitating said maintenance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A tachometer suitable for use in engine maintenance, comprising: pressure sensing means for producing an electric signal representing the pressure changes within said engine; a member for supporting said pressure sensing means, said member being mountable at the oil filler port of said engine for providing communication between said pressure sensing means and the interior of said engine, means connected to said pressure sensing means for computing the rotational speed of said engine in accordance with said signal of said pressure sensing means; and display means responsive to said computing means for displaying the rotational speed of said engine, said display means being located within the engine compartment thereby facilitating said maintenance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tachometer according to claim 1, wherein said pressure sensing means includes a semiconductor pressure sensing element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
111 words
A tachometer according to claim 1, wherein said computing means includes: a multiplier circuit connected to said pressure sensing means for multiplying the frequency of the output signal of said pressure sensing means by a predetermined number; an oscillator circuit for producing block pulses of a constant frequency; a computing circuit connected to said multiplier circuit and said oscillator circuit, for counting said clock pulses to allow an output signal of said multiplier circuit to be outputted during a predetermined constant period; and a counter/decoder circuit connected to said computing circuit and said display means, for supplying to said display means an output signal representing the rotational speeds of said engine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A tachometer according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said engine is a Diesel engine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tachometer according to claim 1, wherein the support member has a portion made of an elastic material for engaging with the oil filler port.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A tachometer according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays digital numerical characters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A tachometer according to claim 1 including a tachometer housing enclosing the pressure sensing means and the computing means, and wherein the display means is mounted on a slanting surface of an upper portion of said tachometer housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
147 words
A tachometer suitable for use in maintenance of an engine, comprising: a tachometer housing mountable on a cylinder head cover of said engine with a fixing portion thereof insertable in an oil filler port; pressure sensing means arranged in said tachometer housing for producing an electric output signal representing pressure changes in said cylinder head cover; inlet pipe means disposed at said fixing portion of said tachometer housing for transferring the pressure changes in said cylinder head cover to said pressure sensing means; computing means arranged in said tachometer housing and connected to said pressure sensing means for computing rotational speeds of said engine in accordance with the output signal of said pressure sensing means; and display means arranged in said tachometer housing and connected to said computing means for displaying the rotational speeds of said engine in accordance with an output signal of said computing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
147 words
A tachometer suitable for use in maintenance of an engine, comprising: a tachometer housing mountable on a cylinder head cover of said engine with a fixing portion thereof insertable in an oil filler port; pressure sensing means arranged in said tachometer housing for producing an electric output signal representing pressure changes in said cylinder head cover; inlet pipe means disposed at said fixing portion of said tachometer housing for transferring the pressure changes in said cylinder head cover to said pressure sensing means; computing means arranged in said tachometer housing and connected to said pressure sensing means for computing rotational speeds of said engine in accordance with the output signal of said pressure sensing means; and display means arranged in said tachometer housing and connected to said computing means for displaying the rotational speeds of said engine in accordance with an output signal of said computing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-05-10 | 1985-11-09 | 1986-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-05-10 | 1989-11-09 | 1990-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-05-10 | 1993-11-09 | 1994-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |