Wireless additive injection system

• US 20060259230A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Himmelsbach Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Himmelsbach Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Lauchner, Robert H., Waters, John B., Waters, Paul F.
• Application Number:
  US11/375,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/00 Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/00; adding exhaust gases F02M26/00; fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels or on a liquid fuel and another liquid F02M43/00

Abstract

The invention includes an additive injection system for automatically metering a liquid fuel additive into the fuel supply of a fuel-burning device. The additive injection system may be adapted to obtain a fuel value from a fuel pump to maintain a constant additive concentration in the fuel over a series of random fuel depletion and refueling cycles, such as by communicating with one or more networks in communication with the fuel pump.

Claims

1. An additive injection system comprising an additive control module to deliver an additive to a fuel system of a fuel-burning device, the additive injection system being in communication with a fuel pump to receive a fuel value.

2. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive injection system and the fuel pump are both in communication with a data network.

3. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive injection system and the fuel pump are both in communication with a data network, and the additive injection system is in communication with the data network through a mobile network.

4. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive control module is in communication with a receiver.

5. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive control module is adapted to read the fuel value from a data network.

6. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive control module is adapted to calculate an additive value from the fuel value and command a pump to deliver an appropriate amount of the additive into the fuel system.

7. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive control module is in communication with a vehicle monitoring and management system onboard subsystem.

8. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive injection system includes a receiver adapted to enable the additive control module to wirelessly communicate with a data network.

9. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the additive injection system and the fuel pump are both in communication with a data network and the data network is in communication with at least one of the group consisting of a vehicle monitoring and management system service provider, a fleet operations center, and a credit card service provider.

10. The additive injection system of claim 1, wherein the fuel-burning device is an internal combustion engine.

11. A method of delivering an additive into a fuel system comprising providing an additive injection system having an additive control module, obtaining a fuel value from a fuel pump, and delivering an appropriate volume of the additive to a fuel system of a fuel-burning device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive injection system and the fuel pump communicate through a data network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive injection system and the fuel pump communicate through a data network, and the additive injection system communicates with the data network through a mobile network.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive control module communicates with a receiver.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive control module reads the fuel value from a data network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive control module calculates an additive value from the fuel value and commands a pump to deliver an appropriate volume of the additive into the fuel system.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive control module communicates with a vehicle monitoring and management system onboard subsystem.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive injection system includes a receiver to enable the additive control module to wirelessly communicate with a data network.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the additive injection system and the fuel pump both communicate with a data network and the data network communicates with at least one of the group consisting of a vehicle monitoring and management system service provider, a fleet operations center, and a credit card service provider.

20. An additive injection system comprising an additive control module to add an appropriate volume of an additive to a fuel system of a fuel-burning device, the additive injection system comprising a receiver in wireless communication with a data network, the data network being in communication with a fuel pump to receive a fuel value.

21. The additive injection system of claim 20, wherein the additive injection system is in communication with the data network through a mobile network.

22. The additive injection system of claim 20, wherein the additive control module is adapted to calculate an additive value from the fuel value and command a pump to deliver an appropriate volume of the additive into the fuel system.

23. The additive injection system of claim 20, wherein the additive control module is in communication with a vehicle monitoring and management system onboard subsystem.

24. The additive injection system of claim 20, wherein the data network is in communication with at least one of the group consisting of a vehicle monitoring and management system service provider, a fleet operations center, and a credit card service provider.

25. The additive injection system of claim 20, wherein the fuel-burning device is an internal combustion engine