US4966119A — Fuel injection control device for use in an engine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 231 words

A fuel injection control device of an engine having a source of electric power, an ignition switch, a crankshaft, at least one cylinder, and at least one fuel injector, the fuel injection control device comprising: a piezoelectric element for controlling an injection of fuel from said fuel injector; drive means having at least one LC resonant circuit for selectively charging said piezoelectric element with electrons and discharging electrons charged in said piezoelectric element to drive said piezoelectric element; regular injection control means actuated in response to engine operating parameters to control said drive means for driving said piezoelectric element to carry out a regular injection of at least one pulse of a predetermined amount of fuel by said fuel injector, and dummy drive control means actuated to control said drive means for performing a number, equal to at least one, of cycles of charging and discharging of said piezoelectric element to increase the charge difference between the charged and discharged states of the piezoelectric element without causing an injection of a predetermined amount of fuel, prior to an actuation of the regular injection control means, sufficient to assure a charge state in said piezoelectric element at the time of actuation of the regular injection control means that will enable the regular injection control means to carry out said regular injection of at least one pulse of a predetermined amount of fuel.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 231 words

A fuel injection control device of an engine having a source of electric power, an ignition switch, a crankshaft, at least one cylinder, and at least one fuel injector, the fuel injection control device comprising: a piezoelectric element for controlling an injection of fuel from said fuel injector; drive means having at least one LC resonant circuit for selectively charging said piezoelectric element with electrons and discharging electrons charged in said piezoelectric element to drive said piezoelectric element; regular injection control means actuated in response to engine operating parameters to control said drive means for driving said piezoelectric element to carry out a regular injection of at least one pulse of a predetermined amount of fuel by said fuel injector, and dummy drive control means actuated to control said drive means for performing a number, equal to at least one, of cycles of charging and discharging of said piezoelectric element to increase the charge difference between the charged and discharged states of the piezoelectric element without causing an injection of a predetermined amount of fuel, prior to an actuation of the regular injection control means, sufficient to assure a charge state in said piezoelectric element at the time of actuation of the regular injection control means that will enable the regular injection control means to carry out said regular injection of at least one pulse of a predetermined amount of fuel.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least one LC resonant circuit comprises a coil and said piezoelectric element.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 1, wherein said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging of said piezoelectric element immediately after the ignition switch is made ON.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 3, wherein said dummy drive control means repeatedly actuates the drive means to perform alternate charging and discharging of said piezoelectric element until the engine is started.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 78 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 4, wherein said dummy drive control means repeatedly actuates the drive means to perform a charging and discharging cycle having a predetermined period until the starter switch is made ON, and said dummy drive control means repeatedly actuates the drive means to perform a charging and discharging cycle having a period determined by a predetermined angular movement of the crankshaft of the engine after said starter switch is made ON.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 40 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined period of each cycle of charging and discharging before the starter switch is made ON is shorter than a period at which said regular injection is carried out.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 37 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined period of each cycle of charging and discharging before the starter switch is made ON becomes longer as a temperature of the engine becomes higher.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 48 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 7, wherein both a period of said charged state and a period of said discharged state of each cycle of charging and discharging before the starter switch is made ON become longer as the temperature of the engine becomes higher.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 34 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined angular movement of the crankshaft is smaller than an angular movement of the crankshaft through which said regular injection is carried out.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined angular movement of the crankshaft becomes larger as a temperature of the engine becomes higher.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 57 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 10, wherein said regular injection is carried out when said piezoelectric element is in the charged state and, before the engine is started, the angular movement of the crankshaft through which said piezoelectric element is in the discharged state becomes larger as the temperature of the engine becomes higher.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 11, wherein the angular movement of the crankshaft through which said piezoelectric element is in the charged state is determined so as to inject an amount of fuel necessary to start the engine.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 11, wherein the angular movement of the crankshaft through which said piezoelectric element is in the charged state becomes smaller as the temperature of the engine becomes higher.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 64 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 5, wherein said fuel injector is a unit injector having a plunger which is driven by the engine and pressurizes fuel, and, after said starter switch is made ON, said regular injection control means initially actuates the drive means at a crankangle such that said piezoelectric element is driven when said plunger is pressurizing the fuel.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 4, wherein said dummy drive control means repeatedly actuates the drive means no more than a predetermined number of times.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 15, wherein said predetermined number becomes smaller as a temperature of the engine becomes higher.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 1, wherein said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging of said piezoelectric element after a starter switch is made ON and before said regular injection is begun.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 48 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 17, wherein said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging cycles of said piezoelectric element at a compression stroke of the engine, and said regular injection is begun at said compression stroke.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 48 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 17, wherein said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging cycles of said piezoelectric element at an intake stroke of the engine, and said regular injection is begun at said intake stroke.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 68 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 17, wherein said fuel injector is an injector in which said regular injection of fuel is carried out when electrons charged in said piezoelectric element are discharged, and the electrons charged in said piezoelectric element are initially discharged when said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging cycles of said piezoelectric element.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 53 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 17, wherein said regular injection is carried out when said piezoelectric element is in a discharged state, and a period during which said piezoelectric element is in a discharged state before said regular injection is started is shorter than a period of said regular injection.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 29 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 17, further comprising a fuel pump driven by the engine and feeding fuel at a high pressure to said fuel injector.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 46 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 1, wherein said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging cycles of said piezoelectric element after an ignition switch is made ON and before a starter switch is made ON.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 23, further comprising a fuel pump driven by the engine and feeding fuel at a high pressure to said fuel injector.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 75 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 23, wherein said at least one cylinder comprises a plurality of cylinders and a piezoelectric element is provided for each cylinder of the engine, and said dummy drive control means begins to actuate the drive means to perform charging and discharging cycles of all of said piezoelectric elements at the same time after said ignition switch is made ON and before said starter switch is made ON.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 53 words

A fuel injection control device according to claim 23, wherein said regular injection is carried out when said piezoelectric element is in a discharged state, and a period during which said piezoelectric element is in a discharged state before said regular injection is started is shorter than a period of said regular injection.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-10-29	1994-04-30	1994-10-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-10-29	1998-04-30	1998-10-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-10-29	2002-04-30	2002-10-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fuel injection control device for use in an engine

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