Control means for controlling the energy provided to the injector valves of an electrically controlled fuel system
First Claim
1. In combination with a fuel control system for internal combustion engines of the type having electrically actuable injector valve means for controlling fuel flow to the engine, a source of electric energy, engine operating parameter sensors, and computing means responsive to the sensors for intermittently applying electric energy from said source to actuate said injector valve means, the improvement comprising a circuit for controlling the energization level of the injector valve means having:
- voltage regulator means responsive to electric energy applied to activate the injector valve means for regulating the voltage level of said electric energy; and
current level regulating means responsive to the level of current flowing to the injector valve means for regulating said current flow.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit for controlling the energy supplied to electromagnetic injector valves in an electronically controlled fuel injection system is disclosed herein. The disclosed circuitry limits the voltage available to the injector valves to a selected maximum level slightly below the minimum voltage normally obtainable from a vehicle battery recharging system and further limits the maximum current flow through the electromagnetic coil of each open injector valve to a preselected valve. The preselected current value may be changed during operation to minimize energy stored in the magnetic field of the electromagnetic coils.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. In combination with a fuel control system for internal combustion engines of the type having electrically actuable injector valve means for controlling fuel flow to the engine, a source of electric energy, engine operating parameter sensors, and computing means responsive to the sensors for intermittently applying electric energy from said source to actuate said injector valve means, the improvement comprising a circuit for controlling the energization level of the injector valve means having:
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voltage regulator means responsive to electric energy applied to activate the injector valve means for regulating the voltage level of said electric energy; and current level regulating means responsive to the level of current flowing to the injector valve means for regulating said current flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In combination with a fuel control system for internal combustion engines of the type having electrically actuable injector valve means for controlling fuel flow to the engine, a source of electric energy that is subject to fluctuations within a predetermined voltage range, engine operating parameter sensors, and computing means responsive to the sensors for intermittently applying electric energy from said source to actuate said injector valve means, the improvement comprising a circuit for controlling the energization level of the injector valve means having:
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current level regulating means responsive to the level of current flowing to the injector valve means for regulating said current flow; voltage regulator means responsive to electric energy applied to activate the injector valve means for regulating the voltage level of said electric energy said voltage regulator means comprising; means for providing a reference voltage; comparator means for comparing the reference voltage and the voltage applied to the injector valve means and providing an output signal indicating the relationship between the compared voltage levels; and intercommunication means for intercommunicating the source of energy with the injector valve means and including first control means responsive to the comparator means output signal for controlling the degree of intercommunication to thereby maintain a predetermined voltage level and where said intercommunication means further comprises means defining a conductive path for transmitting electric energy from said source to said injector valve means;
where saidsaid current level regulating means comprises; a sensing resistor disposed in said conductive path for providing a voltage difference across said resistor proportional to current flow; means for measuring any voltage differential across said resistor; and second control means responsive to the voltage differential measuring means for controlling the degree of intercommunication between the source of energy and the injector valve means to thereby maintain a level of current flow in said injector valve means below a predetermined level wherein said first and second control means are connected in series relationship to provide the degree of intercommunication between said source and said injector valve means commanded by the control means commanding the lesser degree of intercommunication; and
wheresaid voltage regulator means further comprises means for maintaining the voltage at said injector valve means at a predetermined level no greater than the minimum level of said range. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A fuel control system for actuating at least one electrically energizable fuel control valve, said valve having an electrical energy receiving means that requires electrical energy at one level to open said valve and electrical energy at a lower level to maintain said valve in an open state, said energy receiving means having an impedance that decreases at a finite rate in response to electrical energy and thereby causes the amount of available electrical energy accepted by said receiving means to increase, said system comprising:
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energy providing means for providing electrical energy to said energy receiving means comprising source means and means defining a conductive path connecting said source means and said receiving means; sensing means for sensing the electrical energy accepted by said receiving means comprising an electrically resistive element disposed in said conductive path to provide a voltage difference signal indicating the level of electrical energy accepted by said receiving means; first control means responsive to the sensed electrical energy reaching the one level required to open the valve for reducing said sensed electrical energy to the lower level required to maintain the valve in the open state comprising means responsive to said voltage difference for commanding operation of said energy providing means to reduce said voltage difference to correspond to the lower level when said voltage difference reaches a value corresponding to the one level; and
wheresaid first control means further comprises; reference voltage providing means for receiving the voltage from one side of said resistive element and altering said received voltage to provide a reference voltage initially corresponding to said one level; comparator means for comparing the voltage on the other side of said resistive element with said reference voltage and commanding operation of said energy providing means to provide a predetermined relationship between the compared voltages, said comparator means thereby providing a voltage difference across said resistive element determined by the level of said reference voltage; and reference signal reducing means for reducing the alteration of said received voltage when said predetermined relationship is achieved to thereby reduce said reference voltage to correspond to said lower level. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A circuit for supplying current from a power supply to an inductive load, including in combination:
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power stage means coupled to the power supply and having an input terminal and an output terminal adapted to be connected to the inductive load to supply current thereto, said power stage means having output current sensing means; voltage regulator means coupled to said input terminal for controlling said power stage means to maintain a substantially constant voltage at said output terminal thereof; and current regulator means including a current regulator circuit having an input and an output, means coupling said input of said current regulator circuit to said output current sensing means, and circuit means coupling said output of said current regulator circuit to said input terminal for controlling the current supplied by said power stage to the inductive load, said current regulator circuit being rendered operative to control the output current in response to a voltage across said output current sensing means which indicates that the current in the load has reached a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A circuit for supplying current from a power supply to an inductive load, including in combination:
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power stage means coupled to the power supply and having an input terminal and an output terminal adapted to be connected to the inductive load to supply current thereto, said power stage means having output current sensing means; voltage regulator means coupled to said input terminal for controlling said power stage means to maintain a substantially constant voltage at said output terminal thereof; and current regulator means including a current regulator circuit having an input and an output, means coupling said input of said current regulator circuit to said output current sensing means, and circuit means coupling said output of said current regulator circuit to said input terminal for controlling the current supplied by said power stage to the inductive load, said current regulator circuit being rendered operative to control the output current in response to a voltage across said output current sensing means which indicates that the current in the load has reached a predetermined value said current regulator further including; a differential amplifier having first and second inputs and an output, said first input of said differential amplifier forming said input of said current regulator circuit and said output of said differential amplifier forming said output of said current regulator circuit; reference voltage means connected to said second input of said differential amplifier; and means coupling said circuit means to said reference voltage means for changing the reference voltage applied to said second input of said differential amplifier in response to a signal in said circuit means produced in response to the voltage across said output current sensing means, for controlling said power stage to reduce said output current to a value less than said predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of controlling the energization current through the coil of an electromagnetic device having a movable member commencing movement from a first and to a second position in response to a movement commencing level of energization current, movement of said member from said second to said first position being prevented by a prevent level of energization lower than said movement commencing level, said coil energization current control method comprising the steps of:
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(a) coupling said coil to a source of current and voltage; (b) increasing said energization current through said coil to a maximum level exceeding said movement commencing level; (c) sensing when the energization current attains said maximum level; (d) regulating the energization current at said prevent level only after said energization current attains said maximum level; and (e) regulating the voltage at said coil at a predetermined voltage only while increasing said energization current to said maximum level.
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20. A method of controlling the energization current through the coil of an electromagnetic device having a movable member commencing movement from a first and to a second position in response to a movement commencing level of energization current, movement of said member from said second position to said first position being prevented by a prevent level of current less than said movement commencing level, the coil generating an impedance decreasing with a decreasing rate of current change therethrough, said coil energization current control method comprising the steps of:
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(a) coupling said coil to a source of current and voltage; (b) increasing said energization current through said coil to a maximum level exceeding said movement commencing level; (c) decreasing said coil impedance by a preventing said energization current from exceeding said maximum level; (d) sensing when the decrease in said coil impedance exceeds a predetermined decrease; (e) regulating the energization current at said prevent level only after the decrease in said coil impedance exceeds said predetermined decrease; and (f) regulating the voltage at said coil at a predetermined voltage only while increasing said energization current to said maximum level.
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21. A method of utilizing the change in impedance of a coil upon energization thereof comprising the steps of:
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(a) coupling said coil to a source of current and voltage; (b) increasing the energization current through said coil to a predetermined level; (c) changing said coil impedance by preventing said energization current from exceeding said predetermined level; (d) generating a utilization signal when the change in said coil impedance exceeds a predetermined change; (e) utilizing said utilization signal; and (f) regulating the voltage at said coil at a predetermined voltage only while increasing said energization current to said predetermined level.
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22. A circuit for controlling the current to an inductive load having an impedance changing with a changing rate of current change therethrough comprising:
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(a) power control means for coupling a source of energy to said inductive load and for controlling the conduction of current therethrough; (b) low impedance current communication means connected in series with said power control means and said inductive load comprising a resistance sufficient to provide a sensing signal thereacross varying with the magnitude of said current and the impedance of said coil; (c) current control means connected to said power control means and said current communication means responsive to said sensing signal to prevent said energization current from exceeding a predetermined level and to regulate said energization current at a lower level less said maximum level only after the change in said coil impedance exceeds a predetermined change; and (d) regulating means connected to said power control means and said inductive load for regulating the voltage at said inductive load at a predetermined voltage only while said current increases to said predetermined level.
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23. A circuit for controlling the energization current from a source of energy to the coil of an electromagnetic device having a movable member commencing movement from a first position to a second position in response to a movement commencing level and being prevented from moving from said second position to said first position by a movement preventing level less than movement commencing level, said energization current control circuit comprising:
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(a) a source of electrical energy; (b) power control means for coupling said source of energy to said coil for controlling the conduction of current therethrough; (c) low impedance current communication means connected in series with said power control means and said coil, comprising a resistance sufficient to provide a sensing signal thereacross, varying with the magnitude of said current; (d) current control means connected to said power control means and said current communication means responsive to said sensing signal to prevent said energization current from exceeding said movement commencing level while also regulating said energization current at said preventing level only after said energization current has attained said movement preventing level; and (e) regulating means connected to said power control means and said inductive load for regulating the voltage at said inductive load at a predetermined voltage only while said current increases to said predetermined level.
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24. A fuel control system for actuating at least one electrically energizable fuel control valve, said valve having an electrical energy receiving means that requires electrical energy at one level to open said valve and electrical energy at a lower level to maintain said valve in an open state, said energy receiving means having an impedance that decreases at a finite rate in response to electrical energy and thereby causes the amount of available electrical energy accepted by said receiving means to increase, said system comprising:
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energy providing means for providing electrical energy to said energy receiving means comprising source means and means defining a conductive path connecting said source means and said receiving means; sensing means for sensing the electrical energy accepted by said receiving means comprising an electrically resistive element disposed in said conductive path to provide a voltage difference signal indicating the level of electrical energy accepted by said receiving means in which said resistive element has a low electrical resistance and is disposed in said conductive path to receive all electrical energy supplied to said receiving means from said energy providing means so that the voltage difference across said resistive element is proportional to the electric current flow through said receiving means; and first control means responsive to the sensed electrical energy reaching the one level required to open the valve for reducing said sensed electrical energy to the lower level required to maintain the valve in the open state comprising means responsive to said voltage difference signal for commanding operation of said energy providing means to reduce said voltage difference signal to correspond to the lower level when said voltage difference reaches a value corresponding to the one level.
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25. A fuel control system for actuating at least one electrically energizable fuel control valve, said valve having an electrical energy receiving means that requires electrical energy at one level to open said valve and electrical energy at a lower level to maintain said valve in an open state, said energy receiving means having an impedance that decreases at a finite rate in response to electrical energy and thereby causes the amount of available electrical energy accepted by said receiving means to increase, said system comprising:
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energy providing means for providing electrical energy to said energy receiving means comprising source means and means defining a conductive path connecting said source means and said receiving means; sensing means for sensing the electrical energy accepted by said receiving means comprising an electrically resistive element disposed in said conductive path to provide a voltage difference signal indicating the level of electrical energy accepted by said receiving means; and first control means responsive to the sensed electrical energy reaching the one level required to open the valve for reducing said sensed electrical energy to the lower level required to maintain the valve in the open state comprising means responsive to said voltage difference for commanding operation of said energy providing means to reduce said voltage difference to correspond to the lower level when said voltage difference reaches a value corresponding to the one level; and second control means for controlling the rate at which said receiving means increasingly accepts electrical energy by maintaining the energy available to said receiving means at a predetermined level until the accepted energy increases to said one level. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. In combination with the solenoid of an electromagnetically actuated mechanism, particularly a high-speed solenoid valve, of the type requiring a higher activating current to effect movement of the armature from a first to a second position and a lower holding current to maintain the armature in such second position, an arrangement for regulating the current flow in said solenoid, the arrangement comprising a power supply connected to said solenoid;
- switch means connected to said power supply and connected to said solenoid and operative for initiating a build-up of current in said solenoid; and
control means responsive to the solenoid current and operative for stabilizing the voltage across said solenoid until the solenoid current reaches a predetermined threshold value, said control means comprising a negative-feedback loop including controllable impedance means connected in circuit with said power supply and said solenoid and carrying at least a portion of the current flowing through said solenoid, feedback-signal amplifier means having an output connected to said controllable impedance means, and means connected to said solenoid and connected to the input of said feedback-signal amplifier means for applying to the latter a negative-feedback signal dependent upon the voltage across said solenoid and serving to vary the impedance of said controllable impedance means in a sense counteracting changes of the voltage across said solenoid from a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
- switch means connected to said power supply and connected to said solenoid and operative for initiating a build-up of current in said solenoid; and
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34. In combination with the solenoid of an electromagnetically actuated mechanism, particularly a high-speed solenoid valve, of the type requiring a higher activating current to effect movement of the armature from a first to a second position and a lower holding current to maintain the armature in such second position, an arrangement for regulating the current flow in said solenoid, the arrangement comprising a power supply connected to said solenoid;
- switch means connected to said power supply and to said solenoid and operative for initiating a build-up of current in said solenoid;
first negative-feedback stabilizing means operative during build-up of solenoid current and until such current reaches a predetermined threshold value for maintaining the voltage across said solenoid substantially constant at a predetermined value; and
second negative-feedback stabilizing means operative after the solenoid current has reached said threshold value thereafter maintaining the solenoid current substantially constant at a holding value lower than said threshold value.
- switch means connected to said power supply and to said solenoid and operative for initiating a build-up of current in said solenoid;
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35. In combination with the solenoid of an electromagnetically actuated mechanism, particular a high-speed solenoid valve, of the type requiring a higher activating current to effect movement of the armature from a first to a second position and a lower holding current to maintain the armature in such second position, an arrangement for regulating the current flow in said solenoid, the arrangement comprising a power supply connected to said solenoid;
- switch means connected to said power supply and to said solenoid and operative for initiating a build-up of current in said solenoid; and
negative-feedback stabilizing means connected to said power supply and connected to said solenoid and operative after the solenoid current has built up to a predetermined threshold value for thereafter maintaining the solenoid current substantially constant at a holding value lower than said threshold value.
- switch means connected to said power supply and to said solenoid and operative for initiating a build-up of current in said solenoid; and
Specification