US4545345A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air/fuel induction system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine
Assignee: Solex UK Ltd
•
Filing: 1983-11-28
•
Granted: 1985-10-08
•
Expires: 2003-11-28
Abstract
Abstract An air/fuel induction system includes a pair of solenoid valves injecting fuel into an induction passage of a multi-cylinder engine. The valves supply fuel upstream of the inlet manifold to the engine and do not therefore direct fuel to specific cylinders. The solenoids (36, 36a) operate alternatively through pulses developed by drive units controlled by a microprocessor-based control unit (19). Each valve is independently timed by a respective timer-counter (44, 45) and valve operation overlaps in some circumstances. This allows smaller valves to be used and overcomes the problem of gusting at low speeds. The system may be applied to an LPG fuel system used as an additional fuel supply.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian C. Pagdin
- 👤 David J. Marriage
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:57
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/30; F02D41/32; F02D41/36; F02D41/365; F02D19/00; F02D19/02; F02D19/021; F02D19/023; F02D19/024; F02D41/0025; F02D41/0027; F02D41/02; F02D41/04; F02D41/08; F02D41/10; F02M; F02M21/00; F02M21/02; F02M21/0203; F02M21/0209; F02M21/0212; F02M21/0218; F02M21/0248; F02M21/0251; F02M21/0254; F02M21/0257; F02M21/026; F02M21/0263; F02M21/0266; F02M21/0278; F02M21/0284; F02M21/023; F02M21/0239; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
An air/fuel induction system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising an air/fuel induction passage, a driver-operable throttle valve for controlling the flow of air/fuel mixture to cylinders of the engine, fuel injection means operative to deliver metered pulsed outputs of said fuel in a gaseous state directed to a location in the induction passage upstream of the inlet manifold, and electronic control means operative to produce electrical signals to control the duration of each pulsed output of fuel from the fuel injection means, the fuel injection means comprising at least two injector valves operated sequentially under control of said electronic control means, such that the commencement of a pulsed output of fuel is synchronized with the operation of the engine, and such that under predetermined engine operating conditions the opening periods of at least two of said valves overlap.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
An air/fuel induction system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising an air/fuel induction passage, a driver-operable throttle valve for controlling the flow of air/fuel mixture to cylinders of the engine, fuel injection means operative to deliver metered pulsed outputs of said fuel in a gaseous state directed to a location in the induction passage upstream of the inlet manifold, and electronic control means operative to produce electrical signals to control the duration of each pulsed output of fuel from the fuel injection means, the fuel injection means comprising at least two injector valves operated sequentially under control of said electronic control means, such that the commencement of a pulsed output of fuel is synchronized with the operation of the engine, and such that under predetermined engine operating conditions the opening periods of at least two of said valves overlap.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An air/fuel induction system as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the fuel is liquefied petroleum gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
117 words
Electronic control apparatus for the air/fuel induction system as claimed in claim 1, the electronic control means being adapted to receive signals representing engine operating parameters, and including signal processing means, which on the basis of the values of said received signals, produces an output signal representing a value for controlling the duration of a pulse output of fuel from the fuel injection means, the apparatus further including means for feeding pulse width signals representing said output signals sequentially to said injector valves, each pulse width signal being fed independently to an injector valve such that the injector or valve may receive a pulse width signal while another injector valve is also receiving a pulse width signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
Electronic control apparatus as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the means for feeding pulse width signals representing said output signals comprises independent timers associated with respective injector valves, each timer receiving sequentially a control signal from said signal processing means to determine its timing period and being operative to produce a pulse width signal, whose duration is determined by its timing period, for transmission to control the associated injector valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
Electronic control apparatus as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that the output signal from the signal processing means is a digital signal and said timers are counters arranged to count to the value of said digital signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Electronic control apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the commencement of timing of the timers is successive and is synchronized with successive cylinder firings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3780711A
Cited
US3971348A
Cited
US4002152A
Cited
US4168679A
Cited
FR2370216A1
Cited
US4167925A
Cited
US4204507A
Cited
US4226215A
Cited
WO1980000033A1
Cited
EP0034076A2
Cited
US4407251A
Cited
US4430978A
Cited
US4421087A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-10-07 | 1989-04-08 | 1989-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-07 | 1993-04-08 | 1993-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-07 | 1997-04-08 | 1997-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |