Optoelectronic measuring device

• US 6,649,924 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AVL List GmbH (List Privatstiftung)
• Original Assignee: AVL List GmbH (List Privatstiftung)
• Inventors: Winklhofer, Ernst, Baumgartner, Martin, Philipp, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruce, David V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US09/670,614
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 250/554, 250/227.2, 250/227.11, 250/227.24, 250/227.28, 73/350.1, 73/350.7, 731/16, 356/241.1, 356/241.5, 356/241.6
• US Class Current: 250/554
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/221 for detecting or indicating knocks in internal combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/08 by monitoring pressure in cylinders

Abstract

An optoelectronic measuring device for monitoring combustion processes in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine during operation includes optical sensors assigned to the combustion chamber and connected to an evaluation unit, the sensor ends on the side of the combustion chamber being essentially positioned in a plane and the sensors being aligned so that the individual viewing angles of the sensors will uniformly cover at least one predefined measuring sector of the combustion chamber. A simple way of localizing the origin of engine knocking in the combustion chamber is ensured by positioning the optical sensors in an essentially cylindrical component projecting into the combustion chamber with the sensor ends positioned essentially radially along the wall of the component.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic measuring device for monitoring combustion processes in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine during operation, said optoelectric measuring device comprising optical sensors which are connected to an evaluation unit, ends of said sensors on a side of the combustion chamber being essentially positioned in a plane and the sensors being aligned so that individual viewing angles of the sensors will uniformly cover at least one predefined measuring sector of the combustion chamber, wherein the optical sensors are located in an essentially cylindrical component which is extendable into the combustion chamber and the sensor ends are located essentially radially and in communication with a side wall of the component and wherein each optical sensor is provided with a deflector element at the sensor end.

2. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring sector is essentially plane.

3. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring sector is umbrella-shaped.

4. The measuring device according to claim 1 wherein the deflector element is configured as a mirror.

5. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the deflector element is configured as a prism.

6. The measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the deflector element is configured as a sapphire prism.

7. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the deflector element is configured as a ring.

8. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the deflector element has a plane deflector surface.

9. The measuring device according to claim 1, each sensor comprising a lightguide with a least one optical fiber, wherein each optical sensor comprises a bundle of optical fibers.

10. The measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the ends of at least two optical fibers per sensor are placed at different distances from a mean longitudinal axis of the component.

11. The measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the ends of the optical fibers are essentially arranged in rows.

12. The measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the ends of the optical fibers are arranged in at least two rows that are essentially aligned orthogonally to each other.

13. The measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the ends of the optical fibers are arranged in at least two rows that are essentially parallel with each other.

14. The measuring device according to claim 11, wherein at least one row of the ends of the optical fibers is positioned essentially in a circular arc.

15. The measuring device according to claim 11, wherein at least one row of the ends of the optical fibers is positioned essentially in a tangent line relative to the component.

16. The measuring device according to claim 11, wherein at least one row of the ends of the optical fibers is positioned essentially radially relative to the component.

17. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein an aperture is provided at the end of at least one optical fiber.

18. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical fiber is provided with a self-focusing end face.

19. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the end of at least one optical fiber is provided in a focal plane of a lens.

20. The measuring device according to claim 19, wherein the ends of a plurality of optical fibers are provided in the focal plane of the lens.

21. The measuring device according to claim 20, wherein the ends of all optical fibers of a lightguide are provided in the focal plane of the lens.

22. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein deflector element is configured as a lens.

23. The measuring device according to claim 22, wherein the deflector element exhibits a curved optical boundary surface with the combustion chamber, which is configured as an optical lens.

24. The measuring device according to claim 22, wherein the boundary surface is configured as a first cylinder lens.

25. The measuring device according to claim 22, wherein the deflector element exhibits a curved deflector surface, which is configured as an optical lens.

26. The measuring device according to claim 25, wherein the deflector surface is configured as a second cylinder lens.

27. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the deflector element has a deflector surface which is configured as section of a torus.

28. The measuring device according to claim 25, wherein the curved deflector surface has a curvature radius that is greater than that of the curved optical boundary surface.

29. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the component several measuring sectors are arranged one on top of the other.

30. The measuring device according to claim 21, wherein the deflector element is configured as a sapphire pin.

31. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the component is configured as a spark plug.

32. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the component is configured as an injector.

33. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of measuring devices are provided for each combustion chamber, which are located inside separate components.

34. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device exhibits at least forty directions of vision evenly distributed over the circum-ference.

35. An optoelectronic measuring device for monitoring combustion processes in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine during operation, comprising optical sensors which are connected to an evaluation unit, ends of said sensors on a side of the combustion chamber being essentially positioned in a plane and the sensors being aligned so that individual viewing angles of the sensors will uniformly cover at least one predefined measuring sector of the combustion chamber, wherein the optical sensors are located in an essentially cylindrical component which is extendable into the combustion chamber and the sensor ends are located essentially radially and in communication with a side wall of the component, and wherein each optical sensor is provided with a deflector element at the sensor end, each deflector element comprising a lens.