Electronic cylinder identification apparatus for synchronizing fuel injection

Claim 2

An electronic identification apparatus for identifying a predetermined rotational position of a rotating body, comprising: a rotary body rotated about an axis and having a plurality of spaced apart peripheral portions angularly positioned within a rotational angle of less than 180 degrees about said axis; a plurality of stationary sensors comprising at least a first sensor and a second sensor spaced 180 degrees of rotation apart about said axis, and positioned adjacent to said rotary body such that each of said sensors produces an electrical signal pulse in response to the passage of each of said peripheral portions of said rotary body past said sensors; and circuitry means coupled to said sensors for receiving said electrical signals from each of said sensors and effectively comparing signals indicative of which of said sensors is providing a present sensor signal pulse with signals indicative of which of said sensors provided the previous sensor signal pulse that immediately preceded the present sensor signal pulse for providing at least one electrical output reference signal indicative of the occurrence of a single predetermined rotational position of said rotary body, whereby a small number of sensors is utilized to determine a predetermined angular position of said rotary body within a minimum amount of angular rotation of said rotary body.

Claim 3

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said number of peripheral portions is equal to one half of the number of rotational positions of said rotary body which are desired to be identified and wherein said plurality of sensors consist of two sensors spaced 180 degrees apart about said axis.

Claim 4

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said circuitry means includes means for inhibiting the production of said electrical output reference signal until after the occurrence of at least two of said sensor electrical signal pulses.

Claim 5

An electronic identification apparatus according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said peripheral portions comprise identically shaped radial outward projections disposed about the circumference of said rotary body.

Claim 6

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise two projections spaced apart by 90 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said circuitry means provides four of said electrical output reference signals indicative of four different angular positions of said rotary body.

Claim 7

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the number of said peripheral portions is three spaced apart at increments of 60 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said circuitry means provides six of said electrical output reference signals indicative of six different angular positions of said rotary body.

Claim 8

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said number of peripheral portions is four and said portions are disposed about said axis at 45 degree increments, and wherein said circuitry means develops eight of said electrical output reference signals indicative of eight different angular positions of said rotary body.

Claim 9

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise n projections spaced apart by 180/n degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said circuitry provides 2n of said electrical output reference signals indicative of 2n different angular positions of said rotary body, n being an integer more than one.

Claim 10

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus adaptable for synchronizing fuel injection for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a rotary body rotated by an engine shaft about an axis and having a plurality of spaced apart peripheral portions angularly positioned within less than 180 degrees of angular rotation about said axis, wherein the number of said portions is equal to at least one half of a number of different rotational positions of said shaft which are desired to be identified and said portions are located about said rotary body at said one half of said desired rotational positions; a plurality of stationary sensors comprising at least a first and a second sensor spaced 180 degrees of rotation apart about said axis and positioned adjacent to said rotary body, each of said sensors producing an electrical signal pulse in response to the rotational passage of each of said peripheral portions of said rotary body past said sensors; circuitry means coupled to said sensors for receiving said electrical signals from each of said sensors and effectively comparing signals indicative of which of said sensors is providing a present sensor signal pulse with signals indicative of which of said sensors provided the previous sensor signal pulse immediately preceding the present sensor signal pulse for providing at least one electrical output reference signal indicative of the occurrence of one of said desired predetermined rotational positions of said rotary body, whereby a small number of sensors are utilized to determine a predetermined desired angular position of said rotary body associated with a predetermined engine cycle position for a reference cylinder within a minimum amount of angular rotation of said rotary body; and engine control circuit apparatus for receiving and utilizing said rotational position indicative signal to synchronize an electronic control circuit for combustion cylinders of said engine.

Claim 11

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus adaptable for synchronizing fuel injection for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a rotary body rotated by an engine shaft about an axis and having a plurality of spaced apart peripheral portions angularly positioned within less than 180 degrees of angular rotation about said axis, wherein the number of said portions is equal to at least one half of a number of different rotational positions of said shaft which are desired to be identified and said portions are located about said rotary body at said one half of said desired rotational positions; a plurality of stationary sensors comprising at least a first and a second sensor spaced 180 degrees of rotation apart about said axis and positioned adjacent to said rotary body, each of said sensors producing an electrical signal pulse in response to the rotational passage of each of said peripheral portions of said rotary body past said sensors; circuitry means coupled to said sensors for receiving said electrical signals from each of said sensors and effectively comparing signals indicative of which of said sensors is providing a present sensor signal pulse with signals indicative of which of said sensors provided the previous sensor signal pulse immediately preceding the present sensor signal pulse for providing at least one electrical output reference signal indicative of the occurrence of one of said desired predetermined rotational positions of said rotary body, whereby a small number of sensors are utilized to determine a predetermined desired angular position of said rotary body associated with a predetermined engine cycle position for a reference cylinder within a minimum amount of angular rotation of said rotary body; and engine control circuit apparatus for receiving and utilizing said rotational position indicative signal to synchronize an electronic control circuit for combustion cylinders of said engine.

Claim 12

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said number of peripheral portions is equal to one half of the number of engine cylinders and wherein said plurality of sensors consist of two sensors spaced 180 degrees apart about said axis.

Claim 13

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said circuitry means includes means for inhibiting the production of said electrical output reference signal until after the occurrence of at least two of said sensor electrical signal pulses.

Claim 14

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claims 9, 10 or 11 wherein said peripheral portions comprise identically shaped radial outward projections disposed about the circumference of said rotary body.

Claim 15

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise two projections spaced apart by 90 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said circuitry means provides four of said electrical output reference signals indicative of four different angular positions of said rotary body for synchronizing an electronic control circuit for a four cylinder engine.

Claim 16

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the number of said peripheral portions is three spaced apart at increments of 60 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said circuitry means provides six of said electrical output reference signals indicative of six different angular positions of said rotary body for synchronizing an electronic control circuit for a six cylinder engine.

Claim 17

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said number of peripheral portions is four and said portions are disposed about said axis at 45 degree increments, and wherein said circuitry means develops eight of said electrical output reference signals indicative of eight different angular positions of said rotary body for synchronizing an engine control circuit for an eight cylinder engine.

Claim 18

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said engine control circuit apparatus includes means for controlling fuel injection into engine cylinders.

Claim 19

An engine cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise n projections spaced apart by 180/n degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said circuitry provides 2n of said electrical output reference signals indicative of 2n different angular positions of said rotary body for synchronizing an electronic control circuit for a 2n cylinder engine, n being an integer more than one.

Claim 20

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said engine shaft corresponds to the engine camshaft utilized for driving the rotor of a spark distributor for an ignition system for the engine.

Claim 21

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said engine shaft corresponds to an engine camshaft rotated at one half of the angular rotation of an engine crankshaft which provides driving movement for cylinder pistons.

Claim 22

An electronic cylinder identification apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said engine is a four cylinder engine.

Claim 23

An electronic identification apparatus for identifying a predetermined rotational position of a rotating body, comprising: a rotatable body rotated about an axis and having a plurality of peripheral portions spaced apart about said axis; a plurality of stationary sensors, comprising at least a first sensor and a second sensor spaced apart at equal angle intervals about said axis, and positioned adjacent to said rotary body such that each of said sensors produces an electrical signal pulse in response to the passage of each of said peripheral portions of said rotary body past said sensors; said plurality of peripheral portions angularly positioned on said rotary body within an angle less than said equal angle interval; and circuitry means coupled to said sensors for receiving said electrical signals from each of said sensors and effectively comparing signals indicative of which of said sensors is providing a present sensor signal pulse with signals indicative of which of said sensors provided the previous sensor signal pulse that immediately preceded the present sensor signal pulse for providing at least one electrical output reference signal indicative of the occurrence of a single predetermined rotational position of said rotary body, whereby a relatively small number of sensors is utilized to determine a predetermined angular position of said rotary body within a minimum amount of angular rotation of said rotary body.

Claim 24

An electronic identification apparatus for identifying a predetermined rotational position of a rotating body, comprising: a rotatable body rotated about an axis and having a plurality of peripheral portions spaced apart about said axis; a plurality of stationary sensors, comprising at least a first sensor and a second sensor spaced apart at equal angle intervals about said axis, and positioned adjacent to said rotary body such that each of said sensors produces an electrical signal pulse in response to the passage of each of said peripheral portions of said rotary body past said sensors; said plurality of peripheral portions angularly positioned on said rotary body within an angle less than said equal angle interval; and circuitry means coupled to said sensors for receiving said electrical signals from each of said sensors and effectively comparing signals indicative of which of said sensors is providing a present sensor signal pulse with signals indicative of which of said sensors provided the previous sensor signal pulse that immediately preceded the present sensor signal pulse for providing at least one electrical output reference signal indicative of the occurrence of a single predetermined rotational position of said rotary body, whereby a relatively small number of sensors is utilized to determine a predetermined angular position of said rotary body within a minimum amount of angular rotation of said rotary body.

Claim 25

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said number of peripheral portions is equal to two.

Claim 26

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said circuitry means includes means for inhibiting the production of said electrical output reference signal until after the occurrence of at least two of said sensor electrical signal pulses.

Claim 27

An electronic identification apparatus according to claims 21, 22 or 23 wherein said peripheral portions comprise identically shaped radial outward projections disposed about the circumference of said rotary body.

Claim 28

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise two projections spaced apart by less than 180 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said plurality of sensors consist of two sensors spaced at an equal angle interval of 180 degrees about said axis.

Claim 29

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise two projections spaced apart by less than 120 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said plurality of sensors consist of three sensors spaced at equal angle intervals of 120 degrees about said axis.

Claim 30

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise two projections spaced less than 90 degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said plurality of sensors consist of four sensors spaced at equal angle intervals of 90 degrees about said axis.

Claim 31

An electronic identification apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said plurality of peripheral portions comprise two projections spaced apart by less than 360/n degrees of angle about said axis and wherein said plurality of sensors consist of n sensors spaced at an equal angle interval of 360/n degrees about said axis, n being an integer more than one.