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US5452699A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and device for detecting misfires of the air/fuel mixture feeding an internal combustion engine propelling a motor vehicle and their applications

Assignee: Aumovio France SAS
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Filing: 1992-10-13
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Granted: 1995-09-26
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Expires: 2012-10-13
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Abstract

Abstract The dynamic behaviour of the engine (1) is monitored and the existence of misfires is deduced from the detection of irregularities in this behaviour induced by these misses. According to the invention, forces transmitted between the engine (1) and the chassis (2) of the vehicle in which it is installed are sensed, the amplitude of these forces is compared to a predetermined threshold value, from the exceeding of this threshold the application to the engine of external forces is deduced and the detection (8) of possible misfires is inhibited when these external forces are applied to the engine (1) when the load of the latter is lower than a predetermined load value. Application is to the protection of a catalytic converter.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alain Rossignol

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 05:31
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M15/00; G01M15/04; G01M15/042; F; F02; F02D; F02D35/00; F02D35/02; F02D35/027; F02D2200/00; F02D2200/02; F02D2200/10; F02D2200/1015

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 139 words
A method for detecting misfires in an internal combustion engine propelling a motor vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine is installed in a chassis of the motor vehicle, the method which comprises: monitoring a dynamic behavior of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle for irregularities in the dynamic behavior; deducing that misfire has occured in the engine when irregularities in the dynamic behavior are detected; sensing a force transmitted between a chassis and the engine, determining an amplitude of the force, and defining a first condition in which the amplitude of the force exceeds a predetermined threshold amplitude; monitoring a load of the engine and defining a second condition in which the load of the engine is lower than a predetermined load value; prohibiting the deducing step if the first condition and the second condition are satisfied.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 139 words
A method for detecting misfires in an internal combustion engine propelling a motor vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine is installed in a chassis of the motor vehicle, the method which comprises: monitoring a dynamic behavior of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle for irregularities in the dynamic behavior; deducing that misfire has occured in the engine when irregularities in the dynamic behavior are detected; sensing a force transmitted between a chassis and the engine, determining an amplitude of the force, and defining a first condition in which the amplitude of the force exceeds a predetermined threshold amplitude; monitoring a load of the engine and defining a second condition in which the load of the engine is lower than a predetermined load value; prohibiting the deducing step if the first condition and the second condition are satisfied.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method according to claim 1, which further comprises prohibiting the deducing step during a predetermined time interval starting at a moment at which the force transmitted between the engine and the chassis of the motor vehicle first exceeds the predetermined threshold amplitude.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method according to claim 1, which further comprises forming a signal representative of the force transmitted between the engine and the chassis with a sensor, and processing the signal by low-pass filtering and rectifying before comparing an amplitude of the processed signal with the predetermined threshold amplitude.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 147 words
A device for detecting misfires in an internal combustion engine propelling a motor vehicle, wherein the engine is installed in a chassis of the motor vehicle, the device comprising: misfire detecting means for detecting misfires of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle; load measuring means for measuring a load of the engine; measuring means for measuring forces transmitted between the engine and a chassis of the motor vehicle and for providing signals representative of an amplitude of the forces; signal processing means connected to said measuring means and to said misfire detecting means for processing the signals provided by said measuring means and for inhibiting said misfire detecting means when, in combination: a) the amplitude of the forces transmitted between the engine and the chassis exceeds a predetermined threshold amplitude and, b) a measured load of the engine is lower than a predetermined load value.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 147 words
A device for detecting misfires in an internal combustion engine propelling a motor vehicle, wherein the engine is installed in a chassis of the motor vehicle, the device comprising: misfire detecting means for detecting misfires of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle; load measuring means for measuring a load of the engine; measuring means for measuring forces transmitted between the engine and a chassis of the motor vehicle and for providing signals representative of an amplitude of the forces; signal processing means connected to said measuring means and to said misfire detecting means for processing the signals provided by said measuring means and for inhibiting said misfire detecting means when, in combination: a) the amplitude of the forces transmitted between the engine and the chassis exceeds a predetermined threshold amplitude and, b) a measured load of the engine is lower than a predetermined load value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein said measuring means are in the form of a piezo-electric sensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
The device according to claim 5, wherein the engine is mounted to the chassis by means of an elastic engine mount, and said piezo-electric sensor is mounted between the engine and the chassis in the region of the elastic engine mount.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein said measuring means are in the form of an accelerometer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein said measuring means are in the form of a strain gauge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein said load measuring means are means for measuring a torque developed by the engine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein said load measuring means include a sensor for sensing a position of a butterfly for the gases of the engine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein said load measuring means include a sensor for sensing a pressure in an inlet manifold of the engine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 36 words
The device according to claim 4, wherein the motor vehicle includes an engine control, said engine control cutting off a fuel supply to one cylinder of the internal combustion engine, upon detecting at least one misfire.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4513721A Cited
JPS5877126A Cited
JPS58176469A Cited
JPS6316153A Cited
US5035220A Cited
US5216915A Cited
US5263453A Cited
US5231869A Cited
US5357790A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-09-25 1999-03-27 1999-09-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-09-25 2003-03-27 2003-09-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-09-25 2007-03-27 2007-09-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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