Method and apparatus for maintaining optimum oxygen level in combustion engines

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1, including the step of producing a control voltage signal, only if the electrical signal from the exhaust represents a pollutant level in the combustion gases above the stoichiometric condition of the engine.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1, including the step of measuring the pollutant level in the spent combustion gases at the exhaust manifold of the engine.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 4, including the step of delivering oxygen from said supplementary oxygen source to said fuel/air mixing device at a predetermined pressure level.

Claim 8

Apparatus for maintaining the stoichiometric condition of a combustion engine wherein a carburetor is provided to delivery a fuel/air mixture for combustion into the engine and a pollutant sensor is provided in the exhaust of the engine to continuously generate electrical signals proportional to the level of pollutants in the spent combustion gases from the engine, the improvement comprising: a source of oxygen under pressure in adidtion to the oxygen contained in the fuel/air mixture; conduit means interconnecting said oxygen source and said carburetor; electronic circuit sensing means responsive to electrical signals in said pollutant sensor to generate amplified control voltage signals in direct proportion to the level of said electrical signal received; and flow control valve means associated with said oxygen source including an adjustable valve member responsive to the voltage level of the control voltage signals from said sensing circuit to open said valve for the flow of oxygen from said oxygen source into said carburetor at a flow rate correlated with the electrical signals received from said pollutant sensor whereby to reduce the ratio of nitrogen to oxygen in the fuel/air mixture.

Claim 9

Apparatus for maintaining the stoichiometric condition of a combustion engine wherein a carburetor is provided to delivery a fuel/air mixture for combustion into the engine and a pollutant sensor is provided in the exhaust of the engine to continuously generate electrical signals proportional to the level of pollutants in the spent combustion gases from the engine, the improvement comprising: a source of oxygen under pressure in adidtion to the oxygen contained in the fuel/air mixture; conduit means interconnecting said oxygen source and said carburetor; electronic circuit sensing means responsive to electrical signals in said pollutant sensor to generate amplified control voltage signals in direct proportion to the level of said electrical signal received; and flow control valve means associated with said oxygen source including an adjustable valve member responsive to the voltage level of the control voltage signals from said sensing circuit to open said valve for the flow of oxygen from said oxygen source into said carburetor at a flow rate correlated with the electrical signals received from said pollutant sensor whereby to reduce the ratio of nitrogen to oxygen in the fuel/air mixture.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said sensing means is operative to generate control voltage signals only when the signals received from said pollutant sensor are above a predetermined stoichiometric condition.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6, said flow control valve means including an intake port communicating with said oxygen source, a normally closed on-off valve at said intake port, and a solenoid electrically connected to said ignition switch for said engine for opening said on-off valve when said ignition switch is turned on.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 8 including an exhaust port communicating with said carburetor, a throttle valve interposed between said intake port and said exhaust port and including a valve member movable toward and away from a valve seat in said throttle valve to regulate the flow rate of air through said exhaust port, and adjustable control means associated with said valve member to meter the flow rate of oxygen through said throttle valve in direct proportion to the voltage level of said control voltage signal from said sensing means.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 6, said sensing means amplifying said signals from said pollutant sensor from the range of 0 to 1 volt to a range of 0 to 6 volts, and a voltage divider for adjusting said sensing means to amplify said electrical signals representing a pollutant level above the stoichiometric condition of said engine.