SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF DEGRADING OR ANALYSING THE PERFORMANCE OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
First Claim
1. An engine performance degrader for an internal combustion engine comprising an electronically controlled fuel injection system, the degrader being adapted for connection to the fuel supply system of the engine between an engine management computer or powertrain control module (PCM) of the engine and a fuel injector for the engine to interrupt the signals issued by the PCM to the injector and to supply modified signals to the injector, the degrader comprising means for measuring the normal duration of a pulsed supply of fuel to the injector, means for modifying the pulse length of the supply of fuel and a microprocessor for receiving signals from the measuring means and for transmitting signals to the pulse length modifying means to enable the pulse length to be modified thus to control the quantity of the fuel supplied to the engine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A degrader and a diagnostic kit for an electronically-controlled fuel-injected internal combustion engine includes means adapted to interrupt a control signal from an engine management computer or powertrain control module (PCM) (15) to a fuel injector (11). It comprises a current sensor (17), adapted to measure the duration of a pulsed supply of fuel to the injector, a switching block (18) to interrupt the supply if required, and a microprocessor (22) to actuate the switching block and to produce a signal which may be used to control injection of fuel into the engine.
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Citations
31 Claims
- 1. An engine performance degrader for an internal combustion engine comprising an electronically controlled fuel injection system, the degrader being adapted for connection to the fuel supply system of the engine between an engine management computer or powertrain control module (PCM) of the engine and a fuel injector for the engine to interrupt the signals issued by the PCM to the injector and to supply modified signals to the injector, the degrader comprising means for measuring the normal duration of a pulsed supply of fuel to the injector, means for modifying the pulse length of the supply of fuel and a microprocessor for receiving signals from the measuring means and for transmitting signals to the pulse length modifying means to enable the pulse length to be modified thus to control the quantity of the fuel supplied to the engine.
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13. (canceled)
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14. (canceled)
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15. (canceled)
- 21. A method of degrading the instantaneous performance of an electronically-controlled fuel-injected internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of connecting between an engine management computer or power train control module (PCM) of the engine, and a fuel injector of the engine a degrader comprising means for measuring the normal duration of a pulsed supply of fuel to the injector, means for modifying the pulse length of the supply of fuel, and a microprocessor for receiving signals from the measuring means and for transmitting signals to the pulse length modifying means, causing by means of software in the microprocessor a signal representative of the normal duration of a pulsed supply of fuel to the injector to be measured and, as appropriate, causing the pulse length to be modified to control the fuel supplied to the engine and in turn controlling the speed and/or performance of the engine.
- 26. A diagnostic kit for an internal combustion engine comprising an electronically controlled fuel injection system, the kit being adapted for connection to the fuel supply system of the engine between an engine management computer or powertrain control module (PCM) of the engine and a fuel injector for the engine to interrupt the signals issued by the PCM to the injector and to supply corresponding signals to the injector, the kit comprising means for measuring the duration of a pulse supply of fuel to the injector, means for modifying the pulse length of the supply of fuel and a microprocessor for receiving signals from the measuring means and for transmitting signals to the pulse length modifying means to enable the pulse length to be modified thus to control the quantity of the fuel supplied to the engine, and output means to output information concerning the pulse lengths applied by the PCM.
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31. (canceled)
Specification