Engine efficiency indicator

• US 3,942,364 A
• Filed: 12/09/1974
• Issued: 03/09/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Homer S. Bunker
• Original Assignee: Homer S. Bunker
• Inventors: Bunker, Homer S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gill, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ciarlante, Anthony V.
• Application Number:
  US05/530,726
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 73/115, 73/116
• US Class Current: 73/114.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/26 Devices for measuring efficiency, i.e. the ratio of power output to power input

Abstract

A device for indicating certain undesirable operating conditions of an automobile engine or the like. The device is preferably incorporated with the usual speedometer or tachometer normally situated on the instrument panel of the vehicle. Accordingly, since the device functions in conjunction with the usual speedometer needle or the like, included therewith is a second needle indicator which normally is aligned with the speedometer needle and disposed in front of or behind it, i.e., when the efficiency of the engine is within certain predetermined desirable limits. The device includes a bellows assembly which is responsive to the changes in the intake manifold vacuum of the engine normally brought about by certain settings of the throttle. Also included is a shifter assembly which is operably interposed between the speedometer needle, or the like, and the second needle and is responsive to the bellows assembly for proportionably displacing the second needle from the speedometer needle as the engine efficiency diminishes below the predetermined desirable limits.

Claims

1. In combination with a speed rate indicator means for a vehicle having a throttle and intake manifold and incorporating a first visual indicator for said means, an engine efficiency indicator means for revealing within limits the operating efficiency of the vehicle internal combustion engine, said engine efficiency indicator means being pivotally mounted with respect to said speed rate indicator means, said engine efficiency indicator means including a second visual indicator normally pivoted a select degree by movement of said first visual indicator regardless of the vehicle speed when the operating engine is within a predetermined efficiently functioning range, pressure sensing means responsive to the intake manifold vacuum of the engine for sensing changes in the magnitude of its vacuum normally brought about by various settings of the throttle, shifter means operatively associated with said speed rate indicator means and normally maintaining said second visual indicator pivoted to the select degree with respect to said first visual indicator, said shifter means being responsive to the said pressure sensing means and capable of displacing said second visual indicator from its normally fixed position with respect to said first visual indicator for displaying when the operating engine departs from the limits of its predetermined efficiently operating range.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said first visual indicator includes a rotatable shaft having a rate indicating needle fixedly attached thereto and said second visual indicator includes an engine efficiency indicating needle concentrically disposed axially around said shaft and being free to pivotally swing independently of said shaft;

and said shifter means includes a sleeve member concentrically disposed around and being axially driven by said shaft with said sleeve member being free to slide to and fro along the rotating axis of said shaft, first connecing means for connecting said pressure sensing means to said sleeve member whereby changes in the magnitude of the intake manifold pressure causes said sleeve member to slide axially along said shaft, and second connecting means for connecting said sleeve member to said engine efficiency indicating needle whereby the sliding movement of said sleeve member proportionally displaces said engine efficiency indicating needle from said rate indicating needle.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which is included a scale having indicia for visually indicating degrees of less than desirable operating efficiency of the engine.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which said scale includes a transparent disc segment fixedly attached to said rate indicating needle with said engine efficiency indicating needle being disposed behind said transparent disc segment whereby the displacement thereof may readily be observed through said transparent disc segment and measured by said indicia aligned therewith.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said first visual indicator includes an opaque disc with said rate indicating needle constituting a radially aligned segment thereof, said opaque disc being provided with a transparent window disposed coincident with at least a portion of said rate indicating needle and said engine efficiency indicating needle being fan shaped and disposed behind said opaque disc with a portion of said fan shaped needle being visible through said transparent window, said fan shaped engine efficiency indicating needle including indicia constituting at least two colors which establish said scale whereby the displacement of said engine efficiency indicating needle from said rate indicating needle may readily be observed through said transparent window with the degree of efficiency generally being indicated and measured by the particular color being visibly displayed through said transparent window.

6. The combination of claim 1 in which said rate indicator means constitutes speedometer means for indicating the speed of a vehicle.

7. The combination of claim 1 in which said rate indicator means constitutes tachometer means for indicating the speed of the engine revolutions.

8. In combination with a rate indicator means having a rotatable shaft with a rate indicating needle fixedly attached thereto, an engine efficiency indicator means for indicating within limits the operating efficiency of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and a throttle, said engine efficiency indicator means comprising an engine efficiency indicator needle normally aligned with said first visual indicator when the operating efficiency of the engine is within certain predetermined limits, said engine efficiency indicator needle being concentrically disposed about said shaft and being free to pivotally swing independently of said shaft, bellowslike pressure sensing means responsive to the intake manifold vacuum of the engine for sensing changes in the magnitude of the intake manifold vacuum normally brought about by select settings of the throttle, elongated sleeve means concentrically disposed about and being axially driven by said shaft with said sleeve means being free to slide to and fro along the rotating axis of said shaft, first connecting means coupling said pressure sensing means to said sleeve means, said sleeve means being provided with a concentric groove disposed adjacent one end thereof, said first connecting means including a first nub extending into said concentric groove for urging said sleeve means to slide axially along said shaft as said bellowslike pressure sensing means responds to changes in the intake manifold vacuum, second connecting means coupling said sleeve means to said engine efficiency indicator needle, said second connecting means including providing said sleeve means with a helical groove disposed a spaced distance from said concentric groove, said second connecting means additionally including a second nub extending into said helical groove for urging said engine efficiency indicating needle to a position which is displaced from said rate indicating needle by the sliding movement of said sleeve means as the efficiency of the engine diminishes below predetermined limits.

9. The combination of claim 8 and including a scale having certain indicia for visually indicating degrees of less than predetermined desirable operating efficiency of the engine.

10. The combination of claim 9 in which said scale includes a transparent disc segment fixedly attached to said rate indicating needle with said engine efficiency indicating needle being disposed behind said transparent disc segment whereby the displacement thereof may readily be observed through said transparent disc segment and measured by said indicia aligned therewith.

11. The combination of claim 9 in which is included an opaque disc with said rate indicating needle constituting a radially aligned segment thereof, said opaque disc being provided with a transparent window disposed coincident with at least a portion of said rate indicating needle and said engine efficiency indicating needle being fan shaped and disposed behind said opaque disc with a portion of said fan shaped needle being visible through said transparent window, said fan shaped engine efficiency indicating needle including indicia constituting at least two colors which establish said scale whereby the displacement of said engine efficiency indicating needle from said rate indicating needle may readily be observed through said transparent window with the degree of efficiency generally being indicated and measured by the particular color being visibly displayed through said transparent window.

12. In combination with a speed rate indicator means incorporating a first visual indicator and for use upon a vehicle having a throttle and an intake manifold, an engine efficiency indicator means having a second visual indicator for revealing within limits the operating efficiency of the vehicle engine, said engine efficiency indicator being coupled to said speed rate indicator for simultaneous positioning of their visual indicators regardless of the vehicle speed, and shifter means operatively associated with said indicator means and structurally responsive to vacuum changes in the intake manifold for displacing said second visual indicator from its positioning with respect to said first visual indicator for indicating when the operating engine departs from the limits of its predetermined efficiency range.

13. In combination with a speed rate indicator means incorporating a first visual indicator and for use in conjunction with an engine and a motor, an efficiency means having a second visual indicator for revealing within limits the operating efficiency of the said engine, said efficiency indicator being coupled to said speed rate indicator for simultaneous positioning of their visual indicators regardless of the speed rate indication, and shifter means operatively associated with said indicator means and structurally responsive to efficiency changes in the said engine for displacing and second visual indicator from its positioning with respect to said first visual indicator for indicating when the operating engine departs from the limits of its predetermined efficiency range.