Adaptive charge forming system for controlling the air/fuel mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling valve means for altering the ratio of the fuel/air mixture supplied to an engine to equal an optimum ratio varying in accordance with the instantaneous power output of said engine, comprising:
- means for providing a first fixed signal for controlling said valve means to alter said mixture in a first direction;
means for providing a second variable signal proportional to departure of said mixture from said optimum ratio to cause said valve means to alter said mixture in a second opposite direction; and
means for controlling said valve means adapted to alter said ratio at a rate proportional to the difference between said first and second signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An adaptive charge forming system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed which monitors a parameter of engine combustion efficiency, such as power output, and derives a signal indicating the direction and amplitude of power change. The fuel mixture control system responds to changes in power output, regardless of their source, to maintain the engine air/fuel ratio in a preferred region. In a preferred embodiment, engine crankshaft angular acceleration is monitored to maintain the air/fuel mixture at the lean limit. A stepping motor is used to control a value for bleeding additional air into the charge; a clock provides steady pulses to the motor, tending to lean the mixture, while enrichment is effected upon the detection of each weak combustion event. The clock frequency thus sets the equilibrium rate of weak combustion events, defining the optimal mixture to be supplied to the engine.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling valve means for altering the ratio of the fuel/air mixture supplied to an engine to equal an optimum ratio varying in accordance with the instantaneous power output of said engine, comprising:
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means for providing a first fixed signal for controlling said valve means to alter said mixture in a first direction; means for providing a second variable signal proportional to departure of said mixture from said optimum ratio to cause said valve means to alter said mixture in a second opposite direction; and means for controlling said valve means adapted to alter said ratio at a rate proportional to the difference between said first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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- 5. An adaptive system for altering the fuel/air ratio of the charge supplied to an engine comprising means for monitoring operation of said engine and for detecting when the rate of change of power output by said engine exceeds a predetermined negative value, means for gradually and continually leaning the charge supplied to said engine, and means for instantaneously richening said charge, at a rate proportional to the rate of change of power output by said engine in response to signals output by said means for monitoring operation of said engine, upon said detection.
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11. Apparatus for the controlling of the ratio of the fuel/air mixture supplied to an internal-combustion engine, comprising:
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means for providing a first signal indicative of the power output by said engine; means for differentiating said first signal and for producing a second signal indicative of the rate of change of said first signal; and means for altering said fuel/air ratio in response to said second signal exceeding a predetermined level, wherein said means for altering said fuel/air ratio is controlled to alter said ratio at a rate dependent on the amount by which said second signal exceeds said predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for controlling the fuel/air ratio of the charge supplied to an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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valve means for controllably varying the ratio of the charge; electric servo motor means for controlling said valve means; first signal source means for applying a first bias signal to said servo motor for biasing variation of the ratio of said charge in a first direction; and second signal source means for applying a varying second signal, generated in response to sensed engine operating parameters, to said servo motor to cause variation of the ratio of said charge in a second direction opposite said first direction, whereby equilibrium operation is reached by said servo motor means when said first bias signal is substantially equalled by said varying second signal, thus controlling said ratio in order to control said operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Apparatus for controllably varying the fuel/air ratio of the charge supplied to an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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means for detecting weak combustion events, and outputting first pulses in response thereto; means for generating a steady stream of pulses; and means for varying the air/fuel ratio of said charge in response to said pulses, said first pulses being applied to vary said ratio in a first sense and said stream of pulses applied to vary said ratio in the opposite sense, whereby the fuel/air ratio is urged toward an equilibrium point at which the average rate of said weak combustion events is substantially equal to the rate of said steady stream of clock pulses. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification