US4909225A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multi-fuel engine control with fuel transition delay
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
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Filing: 1989-06-16
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Granted: 1990-03-20
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Expires: 2009-06-16
Abstract
Abstract A fuel control for an engine using a liquid mixture of two fuels, such as gasoline and methanol, having different volumetric heat contents is responsive to a fuel compostion sensor to update a stored engine fuel control parameter. When a significant change in fuel composition is sensed, the stored engine fuel control parameter is not updated for a fuel transition time duration to allow the unchanged fuel still in the conduit between the sensor and engine to be used with the unchanged stored engine fuel control parameter.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene V. Gonze
- 👤 David B. Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:11
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/24; F02D41/26; F02D41/28; F02D19/00; F02D19/06; F02D19/0602; F02D19/0605; F02D19/08; F02D19/082; F02D19/085; F02D19/087; F02D41/0025; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04; F02D19/084; F02D2200/00; F02D2200/02; F02D2200/06; F02D2200/0611; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A fuel control for a vehicle engine having a fuel tank with a liquid fuel mixture comprising first and second combustible fuels, a fuel conduit to the engine a fuel pump activated during engine operation to pump the fuel mixture from the fuel tank to the engine, a fuel composition sensor in the fuel conduit responsive to a physical parameter of the fuel mixture to generate a fuel composition signal indicative of the relative proportions of the first and second fuels in the fuel mixture, and means normally responsive to the fuel composition sensor during engine operation to repeatedly update a stored engine fuel control parameter in response to the fuel composition signal, the means normally responsive to the fuel composition signal being effective, in response to a predetermined change in the fuel composition signal, to delay updating of the stored engine fuel control parameter in response to the predetermined change for a fuel transition time duration substantially equal to the time required for the fuel pump to pump fuel from the fuel composition sensor to the engine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
A fuel control for a vehicle engine having a fuel tank with a liquid fuel mixture comprising first and second combustible fuels, a fuel conduit to the engine a fuel pump activated during engine operation to pump the fuel mixture from the fuel tank to the engine, a fuel composition sensor in the fuel conduit responsive to a physical parameter of the fuel mixture to generate a fuel composition signal indicative of the relative proportions of the first and second fuels in the fuel mixture, and means normally responsive to the fuel composition sensor during engine operation to repeatedly update a stored engine fuel control parameter in response to the fuel composition signal, the means normally responsive to the fuel composition signal being effective, in response to a predetermined change in the fuel composition signal, to delay updating of the stored engine fuel control parameter in response to the predetermined change for a fuel transition time duration substantially equal to the time required for the fuel pump to pump fuel from the fuel composition sensor to the engine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The fuel control of claim 1 in which the fuel pump is operable to generate a variable fuel pressure and the fuel transition time duration is varied inversely with a parameter indicative of the fuel pressure.
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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) | 1993-03-19 | 1993-09-18 | 1994-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-19 | 1997-09-18 | 1998-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-19 | 2001-09-18 | 2002-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |