Speed compensated fuel consumption warning device
First Claim
1. A fuel consumption warning device for use with a vehicle powered by a throttle controlled internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, comprising:
- a vacuum transducer pneumatically coupled with the intake manifold for generating a vacuum signal having a magnitude progressively changing with a progressively increased manifold vacuum level;
means for generating a speed signal having a magnitude substantially equal to the difference between the magnitude of the vacuum signal at a manifold vacuum level representing a predetermined excessive fuel consumption at zero vehicle speed and the magnitude of the vacuum signal at a manifold vacuum level representing a predetermined excessive fuel consumption at the instantaneous vehicle speed;
means combining said speed signal and vacuum signal and generating an output signal when the magnitude of the combined signals differs with a fixed polarity from the magnitude of the vacuum signal at the manifold vacuum level representing the predetermined excessive fuel consumption at zero vehicle speed; and
an indicator responsive to the output signal for producing an operator observable indication representing excessive fuel consumption at the instantaneous vehicle speed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A warning system for providing an indication when the fuel consumption of a throttle controlled vehicle having an internal combustion engine with an intake manifold exceeds pre-established levels. A vacuum transducer generates a signal having a magnitude representing the instantaneous intake manifold vacuum level. A vehicle speed transducer generates a speed signal having a magnitude varying with vehicle speed which, in combination with a reference signal, establishes a manifold vacuum trigger level which represents, at each instantaneous vehicle speed, fuel consumption in excess of a pre-established level for that speed. A comparator compares the manifold vacuum trigger level with the vacuum signal and energizes an indicator when the vacuum signal represents an intake manifold vacuum level below the manifold vacuum trigger level so as to provide an indication of fuel consumption in excess of the pre-established level for the instantaneous vehicle speed.
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Citations
2 Claims
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1. A fuel consumption warning device for use with a vehicle powered by a throttle controlled internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, comprising:
- a vacuum transducer pneumatically coupled with the intake manifold for generating a vacuum signal having a magnitude progressively changing with a progressively increased manifold vacuum level;
means for generating a speed signal having a magnitude substantially equal to the difference between the magnitude of the vacuum signal at a manifold vacuum level representing a predetermined excessive fuel consumption at zero vehicle speed and the magnitude of the vacuum signal at a manifold vacuum level representing a predetermined excessive fuel consumption at the instantaneous vehicle speed;
means combining said speed signal and vacuum signal and generating an output signal when the magnitude of the combined signals differs with a fixed polarity from the magnitude of the vacuum signal at the manifold vacuum level representing the predetermined excessive fuel consumption at zero vehicle speed; and
an indicator responsive to the output signal for producing an operator observable indication representing excessive fuel consumption at the instantaneous vehicle speed.
- a vacuum transducer pneumatically coupled with the intake manifold for generating a vacuum signal having a magnitude progressively changing with a progressively increased manifold vacuum level;
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2. A fuel consumption warning device for use with a vehicle powered by a throttle controlled internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, comprising:
- a vacuum transducer pneumatically coupled with the intake manifold for generating a vacuum signal having a magnitude progressively changing with a progressively increased intake manifold vacuum level;
means for generating a reference signal having a magnitude substantially equal to the magnitude of the vacuum signal at an intake manifold vacuum representing a predetermined excessive fuel consumption at zero vehicle speed;
a vehicle speed transducer for generating a speed signal having a magnitude progressively changing with a progressively increased vehicle speed, whereby throughout a predetermined speed range, the magnitude of the sum of the speed signal and the reference signal is equal to the magnitude of the vacuum signal at an intake manifold vacuum representing a predetermined excessive fuel consumption at the instantaneous vehicle speed;
means for combining the vacuum signal, the speed signal, and the reference signal and generating an output signal when the magnitude of the sum of the reference signal and the speed signal represents a manifold vacuum level exceeding the manifold vacuum level represented by the vacuum signal; and
an indicator responsive to the output signal for producing an operator observable indication representing excessive fuel consumption at the instantaneous vehicle speed.
- a vacuum transducer pneumatically coupled with the intake manifold for generating a vacuum signal having a magnitude progressively changing with a progressively increased intake manifold vacuum level;
Specification