Fuel injection apparatus for vehicles

• US 5,237,981 A
• Filed: 02/21/1992
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PAS, Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PAS, Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, William S., Polletta, David F., Bjerke, David F., Todd, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOLIS, ERICK R
• Application Number:
  US07/839,959
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 123/527, 220/901, 220/686, 62/50.3, 62/53.2
• US Class Current: 123/527
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/024 by controlling fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/027 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or volume flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0221 Fuel storage reservoirs, e.g. cryogenic tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0245 High pressure fuel supply systems; Rails; Pumps; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0254 Electric actuators, e.g. solenoid or piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0272 Ball valves; Plate valves; Valves having deformable or flexible parts, e.g. membranes; Rotatable valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/029 Arrangement on engines or vehicle bodies; Conversion to gaseous fuel supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/035 with substantially horizontal main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0192 with external bearing means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0397 on both sides of the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0452 Concentration of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/066 for feeding engines for propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0178 : Cars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/00 : Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A fuel injection apparatus for a vehicle includes a throttle body having an air flow passage extending therethrough with a throttle plate mounted in the passage. At least one fuel injector is mounted below the throttle plate and above the intake manifold of the engine for cyclically injecting fuel into the air flow passage extending between the throttle body and the inlet of the intake manifold. A full time, closed loop feedback control system monitors exhaust gas content and adjusts the fuel flow based on the measured air/fuel ratio. A tank storing gaseous fuel at a high pressure is connected to the fuel injector via fluid flow conduits. An annular recess is formed on at least one location on the side wall of the tank. Annular shoulders are disposed on opposite sides of the recess and extend outward above the side wall of the tank. A mounting bracket is mounted in the recess surrounding the tank and is attachable to the vehicle to mount the tank to the vehicle. A fuel fill door sensor closes the fuel delivery path during refueling.

Claims

1. A throttle body fuel injection apparatus for injecting gaseous fuel into an intake manifold of an engine comprising:

a throttle body having at least one air flow passage extending therethrough in fluid flow communication with an intake manifold and a movable throttle plate mounted in the air flow passage for varying the quantity of air flow through the air flow passage;

cyclically operable fuel injection means;

means for mounting the fuel injection means between the throttle plate and an intake manifold of an engine in fluid flow communication with the air flow passage extending through the throttle body to the intake manifold for reducing noise; and

control means, including throttle position sensing means and engine speed sensing means, for cyclically actuating the fuel injection means to inject fuel in pulses of timed durations and cyclic frequencies variable in response to variations in throttle position and engine speed, respectively, sensed by the throttle position sensing means and the engine speed sensing means, for establishing air to fuel mixture ratios.

2. The throttle body fuel injection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fuel injector means comprises:

a solenoid actuated injector valve having a fuel inlet, an internal fuel flow passage disposed in fluid communication with the inlet, a fuel discharge passage extending from the fuel flow passage, and a normally closed valve operable when closed to block fluid communication between the fluid flow passage and the discharge passage and operable upon actuation of the solenoid to open to accommodate the discharge of fuel from the inlet and through the fluid flow passage through the fuel discharge passage.

3. The throttle body fuel injection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

two spaced air flow passages are formed in the throttle body; and

two fuel injector means;

the mounting means mounting each of the fuel injector means in fluid flow communication with one of the air flow passages extending through the throttle body and the intake manifold.

6. The fuel injection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

sensor means mounted in the exhaust pipe of a vehicle for sensing the air/fuel ratio of exhaust gases, the sensor means connected to the control means; and

the control means continuously varying the air/fuel ratio on a full time basis at any position of the throttle plate by controlling the energization of the fuel injector means in response to variations in the air/fuel ratio detected by the sensor means.

4. A throttle body fuel injection apparatus for injecting gaseous fuel into an intake manifold of an engine comprising:

a throttle body having at least one air flow passage extending therethrough in fluid flow communication with an intake manifold and a movable throttle plate mounted in the air flow passage for varying the quantity of air flow through the air flow passage;

cyclically operable fuel injection means, the fuel injection means including;

a solenoid actuated injector valve having a fuel inlet, an internal fuel flow passage disposed in fluid communication with the inlet, a fuel discharge passage extending from the fuel flow passage, and a normally closed valve operable when closed to block fluid communication between the fluid flow passage and the discharge passage and operable upon actuation of the solenoid to open to accommodate the discharge of fuel from the inlet and through the fluid flow passage through the fuel discharge passage;

means for mounting the fuel injection means between the throttle plate and an intake manifold of an engine in fluid flow communication with the air flow passage extending through the throttle body to the intake manifold, the mounting means including;

an adapter plate mounted between the throttle body and the intake manifold, the adapter plate having at least one bore extending therethrough in fluid flow communication with the air flow passage between the throttle body and the intake manifold;

the fuel injection means mounted in the adapter plate;

fluid flow means formed in the adapter plate for connecting the inlet of the fuel injector valve to a source of gaseous fuel and the fuel discharge passage of the fuel injector valve to the bore in the adapter plate to provide fuel flow from the fuel injector valve to the air flow passage between the throttle body and the intake manifold; and

control means, including throttle position sensing means and engine speed sensing means, for cyclically actuating the fuel injection means to inject fuel in pulses of timed durations and cyclic frequencies variable in response to variations in throttle position and engine speed respectively sensed by the throttle position sensing means and the engine speed sensing means for establishing air to fuel mixture ratios.

5. The throttle body fuel injection apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

a fuel inlet formed in the adapter plate; and

a fluid flow passage formed in the adapter plate and extending from the fuel inlet to fluid communication with the fuel inlet of the fuel injector valve;

the fuel discharge passage of the fuel injector valve disposed in fluid flow communication with a second fluid flow passage in the adapter plate, the second fluid flow passage extending to fluid communication with the bore in the adapter plate.

7. A fuel injection apparatus for injecting gaseous fuel into an intake manifold of an engine comprising:

a throttle body having at least one air flow passage extending therethrough in fluid flow communication with an intake manifold and a movable throttle plate mounted in the air flow passage for varying the quantity of air flow through the air flow passage;

cyclically operable fuel injection means;

means for mounting the fuel injection means between the throttle plate and an intake manifold of an engine in fluid flow communication with the air flow passage extending through the throttle body to the intake manifold;

control means, including throttle position sensing means and engine speed sensing means, for cyclically actuating the fuel injection means to inject fuel in pulses of timed durations and cyclic frequencies variable in response to variations in throttle position and engine speed, respectively, sensed by the throttle position sensing means and the engine speed sensing means, for establishing air to fuel mixture ratios;

tank means for storing gaseous fuel under high pressure;

means for mounting the tank means on the vehicle, the mounting means including;

an annular recess formed in the side wall of the tank means, spaced from one end of the tank means;

first and second raised, annular shoulders disposed on opposite sides of the recess and extending outward above the side wall of the tank means; and

bracket means engageable with the recess in the tank means and attachable to the vehicle; and

conduit means connecting the tank means and the fuel injection means in fluid flow communication.

8. The fuel injection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the bracket means comprises:

a first bracket attachable to the vehicle, the first bracket having a semicircular recess formed therein for engagement with a portion of the side wall in the recess of the tank means; and

a second bracket having a semicircular portion engageable with the recess in the side wall of the tank means, the second bracket attachable to the first bracket to mount the tank means to the vehicle.

9. The fuel injection apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

an electrically controllable solenoid valve, controlled by the control means, mounted on one end of the tank means, the valve having inlet and outlet ports;

a fuel fill valve;

fluid flow fuel fill conduits extending from the fuel fill valve to the inlet port of the valve mounted on the tank means; and

fluid flow delivery conduits extending from the valve means on the tank means to the fuel injector means.

10. The fuel injection apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

pressure regulator means disposed in fluid flow communication with the fuel delivery conduits for regulating the pressure of fuel flowing from the tank means to the fuel injector means to a predetermined pressure; and

an electrically operable shut-off valve, disposed in fluid flow communication with the fuel delivery conduits for selectively enabling and blocking the flow of fuel from the tank means to the fuel injector means under control of the control means.

11. The fuel injection apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a fuel fill door mounted on the vehicle and movable between a first position covering the fuel fill valve and a second position exposing the fuel fill valve to access;

switch means, mounted on the vehicle, for sensing the fuel fill door being positioned away from the first position, the switch means connected to the control means; and

the control means switching the shut-off valve to the blocking position when the fuel fill door is positioned away from the first position.

12. The throttle body fuel injection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the tank means comprises:

at least one tank having a cylindrical shape with a side wall.

13. The throttle body fuel injection apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

two spaced annular recesses formed in the side wall of the tank means, each having first and second spaced annular shoulders disposed on opposite sides thereof and extending above the side wall of the tank means;

the bracket means being mountable in each recess for mounting the tank means to a vehicle.

14. A throttle body fuel injection apparatus for injecting gaseous fuel into an intake manifold of an engine comprising:

a throttle body having two spaced air flow passages extending therethrough in fluid communication with an intake manifold of an engine, a movable throttle plate mounted in each air flow passage for varying the quantity of air flow through each passage;

cyclicly operable fuel injection means for injecting pulses of fuel into each air flow passage;

an adapter plate mountable between the throttle plate and the intake manifold, the adapter plate having two spaced bores extending therethrough, each disposed in fluid flow communication with one of the air flow passages extending through the throttle body to the intake manifold, a fuel inlet formed in the adapter plate;

the fuel injector means mounted in the adapter plate;

fluid flow passages formed in the adapter plate and extending from the fuel inlet to fluid communication with the fuel injector means;

second fluid flow passages formed in the adapter plate for disposing the fuel injector means in fluid flow communication with the bores in the adapter plate to inject fuel from the fuel injector means into the bores and the air flow passages between the throttle body and the intake manifold; and

control means, including throttle position sensing means and engine speed sensing means, for cyclically actuating the fuel injection means to inject fuel in pulses of timed durations and cyclic frequencies variable in response to variations in throttle position and engine speed, respectively, sensed by the throttle position sensing means and the engine speed sensing means for establishing air to fuel mixture ratios.