US5231966A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fuel injection unit for engine
Assignee: Yamaha Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1991-12-10
•
Granted: 1993-08-03
•
Expires: 2011-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A four cylinder, two cycle crankcase compression, diesel fuel injected engine having an improved injection pump including an integral timer for timing the initiation and duration of fuel injection. A control system and method is disclosed for maintaining uniform running speed during all running conditions while reducing the amount of smoke produced by the engine. The speed uniformity is obtained by selecting a cylinder that deviates from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injection of the cylinder firing preceding that cylinder on the next cycle. The engine also includes an improved arrangement for determining the timing of an event by measuring the incremental rotational speed of the engine immediately prior to the event to be timed.
Inventors
- 👤 Takeo Yoshida
- 👤 Hidenori Suhara
- 👤 Hidetoshi Ishigami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:13
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/008; F02D41/0085; F02D41/30; F02D41/38; F02D41/40; F02D41/406; F02D41/408; F02B; F02B2275/00; F02B2275/14; F02D2200/00; F02D2200/02; F02D2200/10; F02D2200/1015; F02D2250/00; F02D2250/12; F02D41/0097; F02D41/02; F02D41/14; F02D41/1497; F02D41/1498; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 75
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed of an output shaft of a fuel injected, multiple cylinder, internal combustion engine with the cylinders firing in a sequence, said method comprising steps of selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders regardless of other variations in speed during the single sequence to bring the speed closer to the desired speed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed of an output shaft of a fuel injected, multiple cylinder, internal combustion engine with the cylinders firing in a sequence, said method comprising steps of selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders regardless of other variations in speed during the single sequence to bring the speed closer to the desired speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel injected to the only one cylinder is adjusted by changing the amount of fuel injected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 2 wherein the amount of fuel injected is adjusted by changing the duration of the injection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 2 wherein the initiation of timing of fuel injection is not adjusted when the amount of fuel is adjusted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 1 wherein the engine includes a shaft rotatable about an axis and having means for generating a reference signal indicative of a reference shaft angular position and for generating signals indicitive of incremental shaft angular positions, the speed of the output shaft being measured immediately prior to the beginning of fuel injection for each of the cylinders.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 5 wherein the speed is measured by selecting a fixed amount of shaft angular rotation immediately prior to the beginning of fuel injection for the respective cylinder and measuring the time the shaft requires to rotate through the selected fixed angular amount.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 6 further including controlling the time at which the fuel injection is initiated employing the measured average speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 7 wherein the time of fuel injection initiation is determined by selecting a first angular shaft position after the shaft reference angular position and a later second angular shaft position both before the timing of fuel injection and calculating the time required for the shaft to rotate through the increment necessary to initiate timing after the second angular shaft position by using the calculated speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cylinder is selected by selecting the cylinder that deviates from the desired speed by the greatest amount.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 9 wherein the method is followed at a preselected running condition of the engine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 10 wherein the preselected running condition is engine idle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 9 wherein the fuel injected to the only one cylinder is adjusted by changing the amount of fuel injected.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 12 wherein the amount of fuel injected is adjusted by changing the duration of the injection.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 12 wherein the initiation of timing of fuel injection is not adjusted when the amount of fuel is adjusted.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 9 wherein the only one cylinder is a cylinder other than the selected cylinder.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 15 wherein the only one cylinder is a cylinder that fires adjacent the selected cylinder.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 16 wherein the adjacent cylinder is the cylinder which fires preceding the selected cylinder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 12 wherein the amount of fuel injected by the preceding cylinder is changed on the next cycle of operation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 13 wherein the steps are repeated in sequence to maintain the speed constant.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed of an output shaft of a fuel injected, multiple cylinder, internal combustion engine with the cylinders firing in a sequence, said method comprising steps of selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the cylinder selected being selected by picking a particular cylinder and selecting the cylinder that has the fastest angular velocity when it fires if that cylinder is other than the picked particular cylinder.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed of an output shaft of a fuel injected, multiple cylinder, internal combustion engine with the cylinders firing in a sequence, said method comprising steps of selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the cylinder selected being selected by picking a particular cylinder and selecting the cylinder that has the fastest angular velocity when it fires if that cylinder is other than the picked particular cylinder.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 20 wherein if the picked particular cylinder is the fastest cylinder then selecting the slowest cylinder and adjusting a cylinder adjacent that cylinder.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 21 wherein the fuel injected to the adjacent cylinder is adjusted by changing the amount of fuel injected.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 22 wherein the amount of fuel injected is adjusted by changing the duration of the injection.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 22 wherein the initiation of timing of fuel injection is not adjusted when the amount of fuel is adjusted.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 21 wherein the adjacent cylinder is the cylinder which fires preceding the selected cylinder.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 25 wherein the amount of fuel injected by the preceding cylinder is changed on the next cycle of operation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 26 wherein the steps are repeated in sequence to maintain the speed constant.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 20 wherein the method is followed at a preselected running condition of the engine.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 28 wherein the one running condition is off idle condition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 29 further including the step of minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft at idle by selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed at idle speed.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
116 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders regardless of other variations in speed during the single sequence to bring the speed closer to the desired speed.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
116 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders regardless of other variations in speed during the single sequence to bring the speed closer to the desired speed.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 31 wherein the initiation of timing of fuel injection is not adjusted when the amount of fuel is adjusted.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 31 wherein the fuel injected to the only one cylinder is adjusted by changing the amount of fuel injected.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 33 wherein the amount of fuel injected is adjusted by changing the duration of the injection.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 31 wherein the cylinder is selected by selecting the cylinder that deviates from the desired speed by the greatest amount.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 35 wherein the fuel injected to the only one cylinder is adjusted by changing the amount of fuel injected.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 36 wherein the amount of fuel injected is adjusted by changing the duration of the injection.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 36 wherein the initiation of timing of fuel injection is not adjusted when the amount of fuel is adjusted.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 35 wherein the adjacent cylinder is the cylinder which fires preceding the selected cylinder.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
An internal combustion engine set forth in claim 39 wherein the amount of fuel injected by the preceding cylinder is changed on the next cycle of operation.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 40 wherein the control repeats the steps in sequence to maintain the speed constant.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 35 wherein the control is followed at a preselected running condition of the engine.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 42 wherein the preselected running condition is engine idle.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
137 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the cylinder selected being selected by picking a particular cylinder and selecting the cylinder that has the fastest angular velocity when it fires if that cylinder is other than the picked particular cylinder.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
137 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the cylinder selected being selected by picking a particular cylinder and selecting the cylinder that has the fastest angular velocity when it fires if that cylinder is other than the picked particular cylinder.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
32 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 44 wherein if the picked particular cylinder is the fastest cylinder then selecting the slowest cylinder and adjusting the cylinder preceding that cylinder.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
27 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 45 wherein the fuel injected to the adjacent cylinder is adjusted by changing the amount of fuel injected.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
25 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 46 wherein the amount of fuel injected is adjusted by changing the duration of the injection.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 46 wherein the initiation of timing of fuel injection is not adjusted when the amount of fuel is adjusted.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 45 wherein the adjacent cylinder is the cylinder which fires preceding the selected cylinder.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 49 wherein the amount of fuel injected by the preceding cylinder is changed on the next cycle of operation.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 50 wherein the control repeats the steps in sequence to maintain the speed constant.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 44 wherein the control is followed at a preselected running condition of the engine.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
19 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 52 wherein the one running condition is off idle condition.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
72 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 53 further including the control also minimizes variations in the speed of the output shaft at idle by selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed at idle speed.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
154 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, fuel injection means including an injection pump having a drive shaft driven by the output shaft of said engine and timer means contained within said injection pump for providing a signal indicative of an engine output shaft reference angle and the degree of angular rotation of said engine output shaft.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
154 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to the cylinder firing adjacent the selected cylinder in a direction to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, fuel injection means including an injection pump having a drive shaft driven by the output shaft of said engine and timer means contained within said injection pump for providing a signal indicative of an engine output shaft reference angle and the degree of angular rotation of said engine output shaft.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
30 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 55 wherein the fuel injection pump comprises a low pressure pump and a high pressure pump driven by the drive shaft.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
19 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 56 wherein the high pressure pump is a piston pump.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
32 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 57 wherein the piston pump has distributor means for distributing fuel from the piston pump to the individual fuel injectors of the engine.
Claim 64
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed of an output shaft of a fuel injected, multiple cylinder, internal combustion engine with the cylinders firing in a sequence, said method comprising steps of selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the only one cylinder being a cylinder other than the selected cylinder.
Claim 65
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed of an output shaft of a fuel injected, multiple cylinder, internal combustion engine with the cylinders firing in a sequence, said method comprising steps of selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the only one cylinder being a cylinder other than the selected cylinder.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 59 wherein the only one cylinder is a cylinder that fires adjacent the selected cylinder.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 60 wherein the adjacent cylinder is the cylinder which fires preceding the selected cylinder.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 61 wherein the amount of fuel injected by the preceding cylinder is changed on the next cycle of operation.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of minimizing variations in the speed as set forth in claim 62 wherein the steps are repeated in sequence to maintain the speed constant.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
118 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the only one cylinder being a cylinder other than the selected cylinder.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
118 words
An internal combustion engine having multiple cylinders and an output shaft driven by said cylinders, fuel injection means for injecting fuel into each of said cylinders, and control means for controlling the amount of fuel supplied by said fuel injectors, said control means including means for minimizing variations in the speed of the output shaft during a single revolution comprising means for selecting a cylinder that fires when the speed of the output shaft varies from the desired speed and adjusting the fuel injected to only one cylinder during a single sequence of firing of all cylinders to bring the speed closer to the desired speed, the only one cylinder being a cylinder other than the selected cylinder.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
24 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 64 wherein the only one cylinder is a cylinder that fires adjacent the selected cylinder.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 65 wherein the adjacent cylinder is the cylinder which fires preceding the selected cylinder.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
28 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 66 wherein the amount of fuel injected by the preceding cylinder is changed on the next cycle of operation.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
23 words
An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 67 wherein the control repeats the steps in sequence to maintain the speed constant.
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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) | 1996-08-02 | 1997-02-01 | 1997-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-02 | 2001-02-01 | 2001-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-02 | 2005-02-01 | 2005-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |