US5347966A — Speed-dependent air intake system and method for …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 160 words

An air intake heating system for use with an internal combustion engine having a battery and an alternator, comprising: an electrically powered heater assembly for heating air that flows into an air intake of said engine to reduce white smoke emissions from said engine; a power regulation circuit electrically connected between a power output of said battery and said alternator and said heater assembly for regulating the amount of electrical power conducted to said heater assembly from said battery and alternator; means for sensing the rotational speed of the engine and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said engine speed, and a control circuit means in communication with both the signal produced by said speed sensing means and said power regulation circuit for admitting different levels of power to the heater assembly dependent upon whether the engine speed sensed indicates that said battery or said alternator is to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 160 words

An air intake heating system for use with an internal combustion engine having a battery and an alternator, comprising: an electrically powered heater assembly for heating air that flows into an air intake of said engine to reduce white smoke emissions from said engine; a power regulation circuit electrically connected between a power output of said battery and said alternator and said heater assembly for regulating the amount of electrical power conducted to said heater assembly from said battery and alternator; means for sensing the rotational speed of the engine and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said engine speed, and a control circuit means in communication with both the signal produced by said speed sensing means and said power regulation circuit for admitting different levels of power to the heater assembly dependent upon whether the engine speed sensed indicates that said battery or said alternator is to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 87 words

The air intake heating system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit means admits a first level of power to the heater assembly when the sensed engine speed is at a level that causes the battery to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly, and a second level of power that is substantially higher than said first level when the sensed engine speed is at a level that causes the alternator to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 78 words

The air intake heating system of claim 1, further comprising means for sensing the temperature of air flowing into said air intake and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said temperature, and wherein said control circuit means is electrically connected to said temperature sensing means and functions to conduct power to said heater assembly at different levels dependent upon said sensed engine speed only when the sensed air intake temperature is between 0° F. and 59° F.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The air intake heating system of claim 1, wherein said heater assembly includes first and second electric heater means, and said power regulation circuit includes first and second switching circuits for regulating power to said first and second heater means, respectively.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 38 words

The air intake system of claim 4, wherein said control circuit means includes a clock circuit for generating an electric signal indicative of the amount of time that said first and second switching circuit are closed and open.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The air intake system of claim 5, wherein said control circuit means opens and closes said switching circuits over time such that said second power level is about 50% larger than said first power level.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The air intake system of claim 5, wherein said control circuit means opens and closes said switching circuits over time such that said first power level is about 3 amp/hours and said second power level is about 6 amp/hours.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The air intake system of claim 5, wherein said control circuit means opens and closes said switching circuits such that each of said first and second electric heater means are operated for substantially the same amount of time.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 38 words

The air intake system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit means admits said second level of power to said heater assembly when said speed monitoring means detects a rotational engine speed of between 1000 and 1200 rpms.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 69 words

The air intake system of claim 1, further comprising an ignition switch means for operating an ignition system of the engine, wherein said control circuit means is electrically connected to an output of said ignition switch means, and functions to admit power to said heater assembly at said second power level for preselected periods of time both before and after said ignition system starts the operation of said engine.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 208 words

An air intake heating system for use with an internal combustion engine having a battery and an alternator, comprising: an electrically powered heater assembly for heating air that flows into an air intake of said engine to reduce white smoke emissions from said engine; a power regulation circuit electrically connected between a power output of said battery and said alternator and said heater assembly for regulating the amount of electrical power conducted to said heater assembly from said battery and alternator; means for sensing the rotational speed of the engine and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said engine speed; means for sensing the temperature of the air flowing into the air intake and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said air temperature, and a control circuit means in communication with the signals produced by said speed and temperature sensing means and further in communication with said power regulation circuit for admitting first and second levels of power to said heater assembly dependent upon whether the engine speed sensed indicates that said battery or said alternator is to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly, and further dependent upon whether the temperature of the intake air sensed is within a preselected range.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 208 words

An air intake heating system for use with an internal combustion engine having a battery and an alternator, comprising: an electrically powered heater assembly for heating air that flows into an air intake of said engine to reduce white smoke emissions from said engine; a power regulation circuit electrically connected between a power output of said battery and said alternator and said heater assembly for regulating the amount of electrical power conducted to said heater assembly from said battery and alternator; means for sensing the rotational speed of the engine and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said engine speed; means for sensing the temperature of the air flowing into the air intake and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said air temperature, and a control circuit means in communication with the signals produced by said speed and temperature sensing means and further in communication with said power regulation circuit for admitting first and second levels of power to said heater assembly dependent upon whether the engine speed sensed indicates that said battery or said alternator is to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly, and further dependent upon whether the temperature of the intake air sensed is within a preselected range.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 85 words

The air intake heating system of claim 11, wherein said control circuit means admits said first level of power to said heater assembly when the sensed engine speed indicates that the primary contributor of power to said assembly is to be said battery, and said second level of power to said heater assembly when the sensed engine speed indicates that the primary contributor of power is to be said alternator, wherein said second power level is at least 40% higher than said first power level.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

The air intake heating system of claim 11, wherein said control circuit means will select said first or second power level dependent upon said sensed engine speed only if said sensed intake air temperature is between about 0° F. and 59° F.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 75 words

The air intake heating system of claim 11, further comprising an ignition switch having a first position for actuating said heater assembly, said power regulation circuit, said speed and temperature sensing means, and said control circuit, and a second position for cranking said engine, and wherein said control circuit means will select said first or second power level dependent upon said sensed engine speed only if said switch has been used to crank said engine.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 41 words

The air intake heating system of claim 11, wherein said heater assembly includes first and second electric heater means, and said power regulation circuit includes first and second switching circuits for regulating power to said first and second heater means, respectively.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

The air intake system of claim 15, wherein said first and second heater means draw substantially the same amount of electrical power.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 38 words

The air intake system of claim 16, wherein said control circuit means includes a clock circuit for generating an electric signal indicative of the amount of time that said first and second switching circuit are closed and open.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

The air intake system of claim 17, wherein said control circuit means opens and closes said switching circuits over time such that said second power level is about 50% larger than said first power level.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

The air intake system of claim 15, wherein said control circuit means opens and closes said switching circuit over time such that said first power level is about 3 amp/hours and said second power level is about 6 amp/hours.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 38 words

The air intake system of claim 11, wherein said control circuit means admits said second level of power to said heater assembly when said speed monitoring means detects a rotational engine speed of between 1100 and 1150 rpms.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 60 words

The air intake system of claim 14, wherein said control circuit means admits power to said heater assembly at said second power level for a preselected period of time when said ignition switch is turned to said first position, and another preselected period of time after said switch has been turned to said second position and has cranked said engine.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 119 words

A method for heating the intake air of an internal combustion engine by means of a heater assembly powered by a battery and an alternator of said engine, comprising the steps of: a) sensing the rotational speed of the engine, and b) conducting a first level of electrical power to said heater assembly if the sensed rotational speed indicates that the primary contributor of power to said heater assembly is to be said battery and conducting a second level of electrical power to said heater assembly if the sensed rotational speed indicates that the primary contributor of power to said heater assembly is to be said alternator, wherein said second power level is greater than said first power level.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 119 words

A method for heating the intake air of an internal combustion engine by means of a heater assembly powered by a battery and an alternator of said engine, comprising the steps of: a) sensing the rotational speed of the engine, and b) conducting a first level of electrical power to said heater assembly if the sensed rotational speed indicates that the primary contributor of power to said heater assembly is to be said battery and conducting a second level of electrical power to said heater assembly if the sensed rotational speed indicates that the primary contributor of power to said heater assembly is to be said alternator, wherein said second power level is greater than said first power level.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method for heating the intake air as described in claim 22, further comprising the steps of sensing the temperature of the air entering the air intake of said engine before step (a), and only performing step (b) if the temperature sensed is between about 0° and 59° F.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 75 words

The method for heating the intake air as described in claim 22, further comprising the steps of (c) sensing the temperature of the air entering the air intake of said engine, (d) conducting said second level of electric power to said heater assembly for a predetermined amount of time if the temperature sensed is less than 59° F., and (e) cranking said engine, wherein steps (c), (d) and (e) are sequentially performed before step (a).

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method for heating the intake air as described in claim 24, further comprising the sequential steps of (f) determining whether the engine speed is greater than 480 rpms, and (g) continuously conducting electric power to said heater assembly at said second level for a predetermined period of time, wherein steps (c) through (g) are sequentially performed before step (a).

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-09-19	1998-03-21	1998-09-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-09-19	2002-03-21	2002-09-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-09-19	2006-03-21	2006-09-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Speed-dependent air intake system and method for internal combustion engines

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag