Automotive vehicle fuel consumption measuring device

Claim 2

Automotive vehicle engine fuel consumption measuring device, in which the vehicle has a multi-gear range transmission (17) comprising, in accordance with the invention, the combination of a pressure sensing means (35) sensing pressure in the induction pipe of the engine and providing an engine pressure signal; an indicator (36) having a plurality of scales (42, 43, 44) which provide fuel consumption indications, each scale being specific to a specific gear range of the vehicle transmission, said indicator responding to the pressure signal so that the indication output of the pressure sensing means will indicate, directly, fuel consumption per unit distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liters per 100 km) in which the vehicle then operates; and optical means (52, 53, 54) coupled to the vehicle transmission (17) and optically indicating the respective one of the scale which is associated with, and representative of, fuel consumption of the vehicle engine at the then engaged gear range.

Claim 3

Device according to claim 1, wherein said optical indication means comprises illumination means (52, 53, 54) providing for brightness illumination of the specific selected scale associated with the respective gear range.

Claim 4

Device according to claim 1, including transmission gear sensing means (19, 40) sensing the gear range in which the vehicle then operates and providing a transmission gear range output signal.

Claim 5

Device according to claim 1, including transmission gear sensing means (19, 40) sensing the gear range in which the vehicle then operates and providing a transmission gear range output signal; and wherein said transmission gear range output signal controls the optical indicating means to optically associate the respective selected scale with the transmission gear range in which the vehicle then operates.

Claim 6

Device according to claim 4, wherein said transmission has a manual transmission control lever (18); and a switch (19) is provided, coupled to said control lever and selectively engaging switching contacts representative of a selected gear range in accordance with a predetermined position of said control lever.

Claim 7

Device according to claim 4, further including means (21, 22, 24, 25) sensing engine speed and providing an engine speed signal; means (26, 29) sensing transmission output speed and providing a vehicle speed signal; and comparator means (40) having said engine speed signal and said vehicle speed signal applied thereto and providing an output signal representative of the difference between the vehicle speed signal and the engine speed signal to furnish a signal indicative of the transmission gear range in which the transmission then operates.

Claim 8

Device according to claim 6, wherein said engine speed signal is a signal having a frequency representative of engine speed; said vehicle speed signal is a signal having a frequency representative of vehicle speed; and said comparison means comprises a frequency comparator, comparing the frequency of said vehicle speed signal and said engine speed signal and providing, respectively, output signals representative of predetermined differences.

Claim 9

Device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle has a tachometer or vehicle speed indicator; and said tachometer includes a plurality of scales (45, 46) providing output indications directly of speed and of fuel consumption rate, respectively, the fuel consumption rate scale indicating fuel consumption per distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liter/100 km) upon operation with closed engine throttle.

Claim 10

Device according to claim 8, further including optical means (56) associated with the fuel consumption rate scale (46) providing output indication of fuel consumption rate on said tachometer and, respectively, energizable in accordance with vehicle operation.

Claim 11

Device according to claim 9, further including switch means (34, 38, 39) representative of vehicle operation under closed-throttle conditions, said switch means being coupled to said optical indication means to control the optical indication means if, and only if, the throttle is closed.

Claim 12

Device according to claim 10, wherein said vehicle has an induction pipe pressure indicating manometer; and said switch means includes a contact button (38) positioned at a predetermined pressure position of said manometer.

Claim 13

Device according to claim 10, wherein said switch means includes a vacuum switch (34) coupled to the induction pipe or intake manifold of the engine, and providing a switching output when a predetermined pressure is reached.

Claim 14

Automotive vehicle engine fuel consumption measuring device, in which the vehicle has a multi-gear range transmission (17) comprising, in accordance with the invention, the combination of a pressure sensing means (35) sensing pressure in the induction pipe of the engine and providing an engine pressure signal; an indicator (36) having a plurality of scales (42, 43, 44) which provide fuel consumption indications, each scale being specific to a specific gear range of the vehicle transmission, said indicator responding to the pressure signal so that the indication output of the pressure sensing means will indicate, directly, fuel consumption per unit distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liters per 100 km) in which the vehicle then operates; and transmission gear sensing means (19, 40) sensing the gear range in which the vehicle then operates and providing a transmission gear range output signal.

Claim 15

Automotive vehicle engine fuel consumption measuring device, in which the vehicle has a multi-gear range transmission (17) comprising, in accordance with the invention, the combination of a pressure sensing means (35) sensing pressure in the induction pipe of the engine and providing an engine pressure signal; an indicator (36) having a plurality of scales (42, 43, 44) which provide fuel consumption indications, each scale being specific to a specific gear range of the vehicle transmission, said indicator responding to the pressure signal so that the indication output of the pressure sensing means will indicate, directly, fuel consumption per unit distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liters per 100 km) in which the vehicle then operates; and transmission gear sensing means (19, 40) sensing the gear range in which the vehicle then operates and providing a transmission gear range output signal.

Claim 16

The device according to claim 13 wherein said transmission gear range output signal controls an optical indicating means to optically associate the respective selected scale with the transmission gear range in which the vehicle then operates.

Claim 17

Device according to claim 14, further including means (21, 22, 24, 25) sensing engine speed and providing an engine speed signal; means (26, 29) sensing transmission output speed and providing a vehicle speed signal; and comparator means (40) having said engine speed signal and said vehicle speed signal applied thereto and providing an output signal representative of the difference between the vehicle speed signal and the engine speed signal to furnish a signal indicative of the transmission gear range in which the transmission then operates.

Claim 18

Automotive vehicle engine fuel consumption measuring device, in which the vehicle has a multi-gear range transmission (17) comprising, in accordance with the invention, the combination of a pressure sensing means (35) sensing pressure in the induction pipe of the engine and providing an engine pressure signal; an indicator (36) having a plurality of scales (42, 43, 44) which provide fuel consumption indications, each scale being specific to a specific gear range of the vehicle transmission, said indicator responding to the pressure signal so that the indication output of the pressure sensing means will indicate, directly, fuel consumption per unit distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liters per 100 km) in which the vehicle then operates; and wherein said vehicle has a tachometer or vehicle speed indicator; said tachometer includes a plurality of scales (45, 46) providing output indications directly of speed (45) and of fuel consumption rate (46), respectively, the fuel consumption rate scale indicating fuel consumption per distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liter/100 km) upon operation with closed engine throttle; and optical means (56) are provided, associated with the fuel consumption rate scale (46) providing output indication of fuel consumption rate on said tachometer and, respectively energizable in accordance with vehicle operation.

Claim 19

Automotive vehicle engine fuel consumption measuring device, in which the vehicle has a multi-gear range transmission (17) comprising, in accordance with the invention, the combination of a pressure sensing means (35) sensing pressure in the induction pipe of the engine and providing an engine pressure signal; an indicator (36) having a plurality of scales (42, 43, 44) which provide fuel consumption indications, each scale being specific to a specific gear range of the vehicle transmission, said indicator responding to the pressure signal so that the indication output of the pressure sensing means will indicate, directly, fuel consumption per unit distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liters per 100 km) in which the vehicle then operates; and wherein said vehicle has a tachometer or vehicle speed indicator; said tachometer includes a plurality of scales (45, 46) providing output indications directly of speed (45) and of fuel consumption rate (46), respectively, the fuel consumption rate scale indicating fuel consumption per distance (miles per gallon; kilometers per liter; liter/100 km) upon operation with closed engine throttle; and optical means (56) are provided, associated with the fuel consumption rate scale (46) providing output indication of fuel consumption rate on said tachometer and, respectively energizable in accordance with vehicle operation.

Claim 20

Device according to claim 16, further including switch means (34, 38, 39) representative of vehicle operation under closed-throttle conditions, said switch means being coupled to said optical indication means to control the optical indication means if, and only if, the throttle is closed.

Claim 21

Device according to claim 17, including means (34, 38) sensing induction-type pressure, or vacuum, said switch means being responsive to said induction-type pressure or vacuum sensing means and providing a switching output when a predetermined pressure if reached.

Claim 22

Device according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined pressure is in the order of 0.25 bar.