Fuel specifying apparatus
First Claim
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1. A fuel specifying apparatus for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an engine control computer, and a fuel tank with an inlet thereto and a fuel cap covering said inlet, comprising:
- means, mounted upon said vehicle, for manually specifying the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank;
means for transmitting to said engine control computer said manually specified composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank; and
means for ensuring that the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank is specified to said engine control computer before said fuel is added to said fuel tank, said ensuring means including means for interfering with fuel additions to said fuel tank unless and until the composition of fuel to be added is specified to said engine control computer, said interfering means comprising means for impeding the removal of said fuel cap, said impeding means becoming non-impeding upon specifying to said vehicle engine control computer the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank.
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Abstract
A fuel specifying apparatus is provided for allowing a person adding fuel to the fuel tank of a vehicle to specify to the vehicle'"'"'s engine control computer the composition of the fuel being added. The engine control computer uses this information to calculate the average fuel composition in the fuel tank following refueling. In addition, means for reminding the refueling person to specify to the engine control computer the composition of the fuel to be added before adding the fuel to the fuel tank are also provided.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A fuel specifying apparatus for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an engine control computer, and a fuel tank with an inlet thereto and a fuel cap covering said inlet, comprising:
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means, mounted upon said vehicle, for manually specifying the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank; means for transmitting to said engine control computer said manually specified composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank; and means for ensuring that the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank is specified to said engine control computer before said fuel is added to said fuel tank, said ensuring means including means for interfering with fuel additions to said fuel tank unless and until the composition of fuel to be added is specified to said engine control computer, said interfering means comprising means for impeding the removal of said fuel cap, said impeding means becoming non-impeding upon specifying to said vehicle engine control computer the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank.
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2. A fuel specifying apparatus for a vehicle capable of accepting fuels of differing composition, said vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an engine control computer, and a fuel tank provided with an inlet and a fuel cap at said inlet, said fuel specifying apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of push button actuators mounted on said vehicle near said fuel cap, each said actuator corresponding to a predetermined fuel composition type and causing, when activated, a distinctive electrical signal to be transmitted to said engine control computer; and means for ensuring that the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank is specified to said engine control computer before said fuel is added to said fuel tank, said ensuring means including a moveable member movably attached to said vehicle adjacent said fuel cap, said moveable member being initially positioned to impede the removal of said fuel cap, means for holding said moveable member in said initial position to impede the removal of said fuel cap unless and until the composition of fuel to be added to said fuel tank is specified to said engine control computer, and means for causing said moveable member to become non-impeding to removal of said fuel cap upon specification of the composition of fuel to be added to said engine control computer. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fuel specifying apparatus for a vehicle capable of accepting fuels of differing composition, said vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an engine control computer, and a fuel tank provided with an inlet and a fuel cap at said inlet, said fuel specifying apparatus comprising:
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a moveable member pivotally attached to said vehicle adjacent said fuel cap; and means for specifying to said engine control computer the composition of fuel added to said fuel tank by varying the position of said moveable member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification