US4386593A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fuel-air injection control system for internal combustion engines
Assignee: CONWAY PAUL E (15%)
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Filing: 1981-05-12
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Granted: 1983-06-07
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Expires: 2001-05-12
Abstract
Abstract A fuel-air injection control system is provided for internal combustion engines using gasoline as a fuel. The system includes a vacuum pump which is connected to an airtight fuel supply tank containing a liquid gasoline such that operation of the vacuum pump causes a portion of the liquid gasoline to be continuously vaporized. The vaporized but unheated gasoline is passed through a filter where unwanted contaminants are removed and is delivered to the intake ducts of the internal combustion engine. Heated air is also supplied to these intake ducts and the vaporized gasoline combines with heated combustion air therein for subsequent ignition in the combustion chambers. The flow of heated combustion air is controlled by the operator to control the speed of the engine.
Inventors
- 👤 Oscar Tibbs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 21:14
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M21/00; F02M21/02; F02M13/00; F02M13/06; F02M31/00; F02M31/02; F02M31/16; F02M31/18; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y02T10/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A fuel-air injection control system for feeding air and fuel vapor to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine wherein combustion air is drawn into the intake ducts of the engine by the engine vacuum, said system comprising: means for directly delivering unheated and unmixed fuel vapor to the combustion chambers of the engine including vacuum pump means connected to a fuel supply tank for continuously drawing off fuel vapor from the tank and means for supplying the fuel operator controlled vapor to the combustion chambers of the engine; means for selectively controlling the amount of combustion air which is drawn into the intake ducts by the engine vacuum; and means for heating the controlled amount of combustion air which is drawn into the intake ducts and for supplying the heated combustion air to the combustion chambers so as to provide a mixture of unheated fuel vapor with the heated combustion air for ignition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A fuel-air injection control system for feeding air and fuel vapor to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine wherein combustion air is drawn into the intake ducts of the engine by the engine vacuum, said system comprising: means for directly delivering unheated and unmixed fuel vapor to the combustion chambers of the engine including vacuum pump means connected to a fuel supply tank for continuously drawing off fuel vapor from the tank and means for supplying the fuel operator controlled vapor to the combustion chambers of the engine; means for selectively controlling the amount of combustion air which is drawn into the intake ducts by the engine vacuum; and means for heating the controlled amount of combustion air which is drawn into the intake ducts and for supplying the heated combustion air to the combustion chambers so as to provide a mixture of unheated fuel vapor with the heated combustion air for ignition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fuel supply tank comprises a gasoline supply tank containing liquid gasoline and wherein said pump means continuously draws off vaporized gasoline produced from the liquid gasoline.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising adjustment means for adjustably presetting the amount of vaporized gasoline delivered to each individual one of the combustion chambers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said vaporized gasoline delivery means includes filter means for removing undesired contaminants from the vaporized gasoline.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for delivering the vaporized gasoline to each combustion chamber includes a plurality of separate fluid connections each of which is connected to a respective one of the intake ducts of the combustion chamber of the engine and includes an adjustable valve located therein for metering the amount of vaporized gasoline delivered to the respective intake duct.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said heating means comprises a heat exchanger which employs heat derived from the operation of the engine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the engine includes an air intake manifold and said heat exchanger comprises an adaptor plate which is mounted on the air intake manifold and which includes air passages therein adapted to permit an amount of air therethrough which is matched to the specifications of the engine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said adaptor plate includes a channel therein which is located adjacent said air passages and in which, in use, a heat exchange medium flows.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
203 words
A system for feeding air and vaporized gasoline to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine wherein air is drawn into intake ducts of the engine by engine vacuum, said system comprising: an airtight fuel supply tank containing a liquid gasoline; a vacuum pump having an inlet and an outlet; means for connecting the inlet of said vacuum pump to the top of said fuel supply tank such that the vacuum produced by said vacuum pump causes a portion of the liquid gasoline to be continuously vaporized and drawn from the supply tank; means for connecting the outlet of said vacuum pump to the intake ducts of the combustion chambers of the engine so that the vaporized gasoline is directly delivered in an unheated and unmixed state to the combustion chambers; operator controlled means for selectively controlling the amount of air which is drawn into the engine by the engine vacuum; and means for heating the air which is drawn into the engine and for supplying the heated and controlled air to the intake ducts of the engine such that the vaporized gasoline mixes with the heated and controlled combustion air for subsequent ignition in the combustion chambers to power the engine.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
203 words
A system for feeding air and vaporized gasoline to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine wherein air is drawn into intake ducts of the engine by engine vacuum, said system comprising: an airtight fuel supply tank containing a liquid gasoline; a vacuum pump having an inlet and an outlet; means for connecting the inlet of said vacuum pump to the top of said fuel supply tank such that the vacuum produced by said vacuum pump causes a portion of the liquid gasoline to be continuously vaporized and drawn from the supply tank; means for connecting the outlet of said vacuum pump to the intake ducts of the combustion chambers of the engine so that the vaporized gasoline is directly delivered in an unheated and unmixed state to the combustion chambers; operator controlled means for selectively controlling the amount of air which is drawn into the engine by the engine vacuum; and means for heating the air which is drawn into the engine and for supplying the heated and controlled air to the intake ducts of the engine such that the vaporized gasoline mixes with the heated and controlled combustion air for subsequent ignition in the combustion chambers to power the engine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in claim 9 further including a filter means for removing undesired contaminants from the vaporized gasoline as the vaporized gasoline is delivered to the intake ducts from said vacuum pump.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for connecting the outlet of said vacuum pump to the intake ducts includes a plurality of separate hoses individually connected to respective ones of said combustion chambers, the outlet of said vacuum pump being connected to an input of said filter means and said hoses individually connecting said filter means with respective ones of the intake ducts of the respective combustion chambers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in claim 11 further including a like plurality of adjustable valves individually included in respective ones of said hoses for controlling the flow of the vaporized gasoline through said hoses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as claimed in claim 12 further including an adjustable valve for controlling the amount of vaporized gasoline delivered to said filter means from said vacuum pump.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said means for selectively controlling the amount of air includes a primary variable air inlet valve which is manually operated to control the speed of the engine and a secondary variable air inlet valve which is operated intermittently to deliver additional air as needed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for heating the combustion air comprises a heat exchanger which employs the heat energy of combustion to heat the intake air.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said heat exchanger includes primary and secondary air baffles through which pass the intake air drawn through said primary and secondary valves, respectively, said baffles having a plurality of orifices therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said heat exchanger includes a passage located therein adjacent to said primary and secondary baffles, said passage being in fluid communication with hot liquid coolant passing through the engine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising auxiliary action vaporizer means for assisting in vaporizing the fuel in the gasoline supply tank for delivery by said vacuum pump means when the system is stationary.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fuel vapor comprises a fuel gas stored in a gaseous form in said supply tank.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein fuel gas is mixed with gasoline vapor to provide said fuel vapor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a mixing chamber which receives gasoline vapor from a gasoline tank and a fuel gas from a further supply and which provides for mixing of said gasoline vapor and said fuel gas to produce said fuel vapor, the amount of at least one of the components of the fuel vapor being a function of engine demand.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as claimed in claim 21, comprising an engine vacuum responsive control valve for controlling the amount of the fuel gas component of said fuel vapor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 1, 19 or claim 22 wherein said fuel gas comprises propane.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-06-06 | 1986-12-06 | 1987-06-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-06-06 | 1990-12-06 | 1991-06-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-06-06 | 1994-12-06 | 1995-06-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |