Dual channel air/fuel ratio gauge

• US 20050122226A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Meter Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Treadway, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,030,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/632
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/007 the diagnostic devices measuring oxygen or air concentration downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/417 using cells , i.e. more than one cell and probes with solid electrolytes

Abstract

There is provided an air/fuel ratio gauge for monitoring an engine exhaust mixture of an engine having a plurality of oxygen sensors. The gauge of the present invention comprises a gauge housing. A gauge controller is disposed within the gauge housing and is electrically communicated with the engine. The gauge controller is operative to receive a sensor voltage output signal from each of the plurality of oxygen sensors. Furthermore, at least two gauge displays are each electrically communicated with the gauge controller and an associated oxygen sensor. Each gauge display is operative to independently display sensor information representative of the associated oxygen sensor operation.

Claims

1. An air/fuel ratio gauge for monitoring an engine exhaust mixture of an engine having a plurality of oxygen sensors, the gauge comprising:

a gauge housing;

a gauge controller disposed within the gauge housing and being in electrical communication with the engine, the gauge controller being operative to receive a sensor voltage output signal from each of the plurality of oxygen sensors; and

at least two gauge displays, each gauge display being in electrical communication with the gauge controller and an associated oxygen sensor, each gauge display being operative to independently display sensor information representative of the associated oxygen sensor operation.

2. The gauge of claim 1 wherein the gauge housing has at least two sensor terminals operative to communicate the sensor voltage output signals to the gauge controller.

4. The gauge of claim 1 wherein the sensor voltage output signal ranges from about 0 volt to about 1 volt.

5. The gauge of claim 4 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0 volt to about 0.3 volt represents a substantially greater amount of air than fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

6. The gauge of claim 4 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.301 volt to about 0.7 volt represents a substantially equal amount of air and fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

7. The gauge of claim 4 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.701 volt to about 1.0 volt represents a substantially greater amount of fuel than air in the engine exhaust mixture.

8. The gauge of claim 1 wherein the gauge displays include light emitting diodes.

9. The gauge of claim 1 wherein the gauge controller includes at least one auto zeroing circuit operative to zero the gauge displays at zero levels.

10. The gauge of claim 1 wherein the gauge controller includes at least one buffering circuit for attenuating transient oscillation of the sensor information displayed by the gauge display.

3. The gauge of claim 3 wherein each of the gauge displays are operative to display the associated sensor information independent of the other gauge display based upon the sensor voltage output signal received from the associated sensor.

11. An engine system for monitoring an engine exhaust mixture, the system comprising:

an engine having a plurality of oxygen sensors; and

an air/fuel ratio gauge, comprising;

a gauge housing;

a gauge controller disposed within the gauge housing and being in electrical communication with the engine, the gauge controller being operative to receive a sensor voltage output signal from each of the plurality of oxygen sensors; and

at least two gauge displays, each gauge display being in electrical communication with the gauge controller and an associated oxygen sensor, each gauge display being operative to independently display sensor information representative of the associated oxygen sensor operation.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the gauge housing has at least two sensor terminals operative to communicate the sensor voltage output signals to the gauge controller.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the gauge displays are operative to display the associated sensor information independent of the other gauge display based upon the sensor voltage output signal received from the associated sensor.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the sensor voltage output signal ranges from about 0 volt to about 1 volt.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0 volt to about 0.3 volt represents a substantially greater amount of air than fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.301 volt to about 0.7 volt represents a substantially equal amount of air and fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.701 volt to about 1.0 volt represents a substantially greater amount of fuel than air in the engine exhaust mixture.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the gauge displays include light emitting diodes.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the gauge controller includes at least one auto zeroing circuit operative to zero the gauge displays at zero levels.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the gauge controller includes at least one buffering circuit for attenuating transient oscillation of the sensor information displayed by the gauge display.