HIGH SPEED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

• US 3,822,678 A
• Filed: 05/01/1972
• Issued: 07/09/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jacques Bassot, Louis (L'Etang La Ville Monpetit
• Original Assignee: Jacques Bassot, Louis (L'Etang La Ville Monpetit
• Inventors: Bassot, Jacques, Monpetit, Louis (L'Etang La Ville
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodridge, Laurence M.
• Application Number:
  US05/249,275
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 123/32EA,119R 317/151,DIG.5
• US Class Current: 123/490
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2058 using information of the actual current value
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2082 the circuit being adapted to distribute current between different actuators or recuperate energy from actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/30 Controlling fuel injection F02D41/182, F02D41/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3005 Details not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/32 of the low pressure type F02D41/3082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/365 with means for controlling timing and distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0614 characterised by arrangement of electromagnets or fixed armature
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0625 characterised by arrangement of mobile armatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0635 having a plate-shaped or undulated armature not entering the winding if entering the winding F02M51/0664
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0653 the valve being an elongated body, e.g. a needle valve
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0671 the armature having an elongated valve body attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/08 specially for low-pressure fuel-injection
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 15/006 Ignition installations combined with other systems, e.g. fuel injection to advance or to retard the ignition spark F02P5/045
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 7/03 with electrical means ignition occurring simultaneously at different places in one engine cylinder or in two or more separate engine cylinders F02P15/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/735 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors H03K17/722 takes precedence; logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00

Abstract

Construction of high speed injectors, a special type switch mechanism for synchronizing the operation of the injectors to the angular position of a motor shaft, a unijunction transistor time delay circuit whose base and emitter voltages are varied in response to variations in different parameters, rapid switching bistable control circuits, which control the injection period in one state, damping circuits for the injector, circuits for transferring the electromagnetic energy liberated by current interruption in one injector coil to the next injector coil to be activated, and circuits for regulating a motor driving a generator to correspond to the voltage, current or power output of the latter.

Claims

1. In a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines of the type including at least one electromagnetic fuel injector, each injector having an injector solenoid;

a source of voltage; and

switching means for connecting the source of voltage to said at least one injector solenoid in response to periodic injector control signals for supplying at least a portion of injector current pulses from the voltage source to the injector solenoid for activating the associated electro-magnetic fuel injector to inject fuel for the duration of the injector control signals, the improvement for recovery of electrical energy to aid in rapidly energizing the next solenoid to be actuated comprising;

a. capacitive electrical energy storage means having one side adapted to be connected to one side of each of said injector solenoids and the other side adapted to be connected to the voltage source;

b. first current flow control means connected to the other side of each injeCtor solenoid and the one side of the capacitive storage means for permitting current generated in said injector solenoid upon cutoff of one of the injector control signals which serves to energize said injector to flow in a first direction into the capacitive storage means for storage therein and for preventing current flow from the capacitive storage means through said injector solenoid in a direction opposite to the first direction;

c. first triggering means connected between said one side of the capacitive storage means and one side of an injector solenoid to be energized by a subsequent injector current pulse for conducting the energy stored in the capacitive storage means to the winding of said subsequently energized injector solenoid in response to the initiation of the corresponding subsequent injector control signal, whereby said injector solenoid receiving the subsequent injector current pulse is rapidly energized by the energy stored in the capacitive storage means; and

d. second current flow control means connected between the other side of the capacitive storage means and said one side of said one injector solenoid for permitting current flow in said first direction from the connection between the capacitive storage means and the voltage source to said one injector solenoid but for preventing a short circuit discharge current flowing in the opposite direction from the capacitive storage means when the first triggering means is conductive.

2. The system of claim 1 including at least two electromagnetic fuel injectors and their associated injector solenoids wherein the system further comprises:

a. second triggering means connected in series with said one injector solenoid and said voltage source for conducting injector current pulses to said one injector solenoid in response to the initiation of selected ones of said injector control signals and b. third triggering means connected in series with a second one of the injector solenoids and said voltage source for conducting injector current pulses to said second injector solenoid in response to the initiation of selected others of said injector control signals alternating with said selected ones, the series circuit including the the second solenoid and the third triggering means being connected in parallel with the series circuit including the one solenoid and the second triggering means, and both series circuits are connected to the capacitive storage means and the first triggering means.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said first current flow control means and said second current flow control means comprise first and second unidirectional current control devices, respectively.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said first, second, and third triggering means comprise first, second, and third thyristors, respectively.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first triggering means is also connected to a point which is between the voltage source and said subsequently energized injector solenoid, said first triggering means applying at least a portion of the subsequent injector current pulse to the winding of said subsequently energized injector solenoid, the portion of the subsequent injector current pulse including the stored energy from the at least one capacitive storage means and said first triggering means applying the portion of the subsequent injector current pulse in response to the corresponding subsequent injector control signal.

6. In a method for controlling fuel delivery to internal combustion engines having one or more electromagnetic fuel injectors, each injector being activated by an associated solenoid energized from a source of voltage in response to periodic injector control signals, including the steps of connecting one solenoid to the source of voltage through a switching means activated in response to the initiation of one of the injector control signals to supply a current pulse in a predetermined direction through the one solenoid to activate the associated injecTor and disconnecting the said one solenoid from the source of voltage at the termination of the one injector control signal for regulating the quantity of fuel injected in accordance with the duration of the one injector control signal, the improved method of rapidly energizing a subsequently energized solenoid comprising the additional steps of:

a. conducting in the predetermined direction the self-induced current generated in said one solenoid upon termination of the injector control signal through a path from the one solenoid through a first current control means to one side of a capacitive storage means;

b. preventing the reverse flow of current from the one side of the capacitive storage means through the current control means to said one solenoid; and

c. connecting the one side of said capacitive storage means to one side of a subsequently energized solenoid through a triggering means actuated in response to the initiation of a subsequent injector control signal;

d. connecting the other side of said capacitive storage means to the other side of the subsequently energized solenoid through a series path that includes the source of voltage and the switching means, the switching means being activated in response to initiation of the subsequent injector control signal simultaneously with the actuation of the triggering means, whereby the charged capacitive storage means and the source of voltage are connected in series across the subsequent solenoid so that said subsequent solenoid is rapidly energized by a flow of current in the predetermined direction.