Method and apparatus for providing ignition timing alarm for internal combustion engine

• US 5,072,394 A
• Filed: 02/09/1990
• Issued: 12/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cangialosi, Salvatore
• Application Number:
  US07/477,601
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 364/431.03, 364/431.06, 73/116, 73/117.2, 73/117.3, 324/391, 324/392, 123/416-418, 123/479
• US Class Current: 701/101
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 11/06 Indicating unsafe conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 17/02 Checking or adjusting ignition timing
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 17/04 dynamically
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1506 with particular means during starting

Abstract

An ignition timing alarm device is provided for an internal combustion engine which includes an electronic ignition timing control arrangement for electronically controlling the ignition timing. A control arrangement is provided for memorizing the input of a fixed ignition timing command signal in order to subsequently issue a warning at a checking time if the vehicle ran at a speed exceeding a preset speed in a state where the ignition timing was controlled to be the fixed ignition timing in accord with the input of the fixed ignition timing command signal.

Claims

1. In an ignition timing alarm device for an internal combustion engine which includes an electronic ignition timing control means for electronically controlling the ignition timing, the improvement comprising control means for memorizing the input of a fixed ignition timing command signal in order to subsequently issue a warning at a checking time if the vehicle ran at a speed exceeding a present speed in a state where the ignition timing was controlled to be the fixed ignition timing in accord with the input of the fixed ignition timing command signal, wherein during said fixed ignition timing ignition pulses are fixedly synchronized to rotation of a rotating part of said engine.

2. An apparatus for controlling ignition timing of an engine of a vehicle, comprising:

selectively actuable fixed timing means for forcing the ignition timing of said engine to a fixed ignition timing in response to a first predetermined condition, wherein during said fixed ignition timing ignition pulses are fixedly synchronized to rotation of a rotating part of said engine;

means for monitoring the speed of said vehicle and detecting a situation in which the speed of said vehicle exceeds a preset speed while said fixed timing means is actuated and is forcing the ignition timing to said fixed ignition timing, and for storing in a memory device in response to detection of said situation an indication that said situation has occurred; and

means for thereafter displaying in response to a second predetermined condition a warning if said indication that said situation occurred is present in said memory device.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, including a fixed ignition switch and a diagnosis switch, said first predetermined condition being actuation of said fixed ignition switch and said second predetermined condition being actuation of said diagnosis switch.

4. A method of comprising the steps of:

forcing an ignition timing for an engine of a vehicle to a fixed ignition timing in response to a first predetermined condition, wherein during said fixed ignition timing ignition pulses are fixedly synchronized to rotation of a rotating part of said engine;

checking for a situation in which the speed of the vehicle exceeds a preset speed while said fixed ignition timing is being used for the engine, and for storing in a memory device an indication that said situation occurred; and

thereafter displaying in response to a second predetermined condition a warning if said indication that said situation occurred is present in said memory device.