Intake pressure sensor arrangement for engine

• US 6,796,291 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hitoshi, Suzuki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John T.
• Application Number:
  US10/113,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 123/494, 123/457, 123/511, 123/463, 123/445, 123/447
• US Class Current: 123/463
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/1824 six
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/045 for outboard marine engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/22 with cylinders in V, fan, or star arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10216 Fuel injectors; Fuel pipes or rails; Fuel pumps or pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/116 for engines with cylinders in V-arrangement or arranged oppositely relative to the main shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/167 having outboard engines; Jet-skis

Abstract

A multi-cylinder engine includes a plurality of combustion chambers and employs an improved intake pressure sensor arrangement to control fuel injection into the combustion chambers. A plurality of intake conduits define intake passages through which air flows to the combustion chambers. An intake pressure sensor senses intake pressure within the intake passages. A plurality of first conduits are coupled with an accumulator independent of one another and a second conduit is also coupled with the accumulator. The first conduits connect the accumulator to the respective intake passages. The second conduit connects the accumulator to the intake pressure sensor. A control device controls the amount of fuel injected into the combustion chambers based upon at least a signal from the intake pressure sensor.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine body, a plurality of moveable members moveable relative to the engine body, the engine body and the moveable members together defining a plurality of combustion chambers, a plurality of intake conduits defining intake passages through which air flows, an intake pressure sensor configured to sense intake pressure within the intake passages, an accumulator having at least first and second outer surfaces, a plurality of first conduits coupled with the first surface, at least one second conduit coupled with the second surface, the first conduits connecting the accumulator to the respective intake passages, the second conduit connecting the accumulator to the intake pressure sensor, at least one fuel injector arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers, and a control device configured to control the fuel injector based upon at least a signal of the intake pressure sensor.

2. The engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second outer surfaces of the accumulator are formed generally normal to each other.

3. The engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the accumulator is mounted on one of the intake conduits.

4. The engine as set forth in claim 3, wherein the intake conduits extends generally horizontally and parallel to each other, and the accumulator is mounted on an uppermost one of the intake conduits.

5. The engine as set forth in claim 1 additionally comprising a fuel pressure regulator configured to regulate fuel pressure, and a third conduit connecting the pressure regulator with the accumulator.

6. The engine as set forth in claim 5, wherein the accumulator defines a third surface opposite to the first surface, and the pressure regulator is positioned on a side of the third surface.

7. The engine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and third surfaces extend generally normal to the second surface.

8. The engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the intake conduits include throttle valves within the intake passages, and the first conduits are connected to portions of the intake passages that are positioned downstream of the throttle valves.

9. The engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first conduits comprise an odd number of conduits.

10. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine body, a plurality of moveable members moveable relative to the engine body, the engine body and the moveable members together defining a plurality of combustion chambers, a plurality of intake conduits defining intake passages through which air flows, the intake conduits extending generally horizontally, an intake pressure sensor configured to sense intake pressure within the intake passages, an accumulator defining at least a bottom surface and a vertical surface, a plurality of first conduits coupled with one of the bottom and vertical surfaces, at least one second conduit coupled with the other surface of the bottom and vertical surfaces, the first conduits connecting the accumulator to the respective intake passages, the second conduit connecting the accumulator to the intake pressure sensor, at least one fuel injector arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers, and a control device configured to control the fuel injector based upon at least a signal of the intake pressure sensor.

11. The engine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first conduits are coupled with the bottom surface, and the second conduit is coupled with the vertical surface.

12. The engine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the accumulator is mounted on one of the intake conduits and is positioned such that the bottom surface extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the intake conduit.

13. The engine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the first conduits comprise an odd number of conduits.

14. The engine as set forth in claim 10 additionally comprising a pressure regulator configured to regulate pressure of the fuel, and a third conduit connecting the pressure regulator with the accumulator so that the pressure of the fuel is adjustable with the intake pressure.

15. The engine as set forth in claim 14, wherein the accumulator defines a top surface, and the pressure regulator is positioned on a side of the top surface.

16. An outboard motor comprising an internal combustion engine, and a support member arranged to support the engine, the engine comprising an engine body, a plurality of moveable members moveable relative to the engine body, the engine body and the moveable members together defining a plurality of combustion chambers, a plurality of intake conduits defining intake passages through which air flows, an intake pressure sensor configured to sense intake pressure within the intake passages, an accumulator defining at least first and second outer surfaces, a plurality of first conduits coupled with the first surface, at least one second conduit coupled with the second surface, the first conduits connecting the accumulator to the respective intake passages, the second conduit connecting the accumulator to the intake pressure sensor, at least one fuel injector arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers, and a control device configured to control the fuel injector based upon at least a signal of the intake pressure sensor.

17. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine body, a plurality of moveable members moveable relative to the engine body, the engine body and the moveable members together defining a plurality of combustion chambers, a plurality of intake conduits defining intake passages through which air flows, an intake pressure sensor configured to sense intake pressure within the intake passages, an accumulator, a plurality of first conduits, each first conduit being coupled with the accumulator separately of the other first conduits, at least one second conduit coupled with the accumulator, the first conduits connecting the accumulator to the respective intake passages, the second conduit connecting the accumulator to the intake pressure sensor, at least one fuel injector arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers, and a control device configured to control the fuel injector based upon at least a signal of the intake pressure sensor.

18. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine body, a plurality of moveable members moveable relative to the engine body, the engine body and the moveable members together defining a plurality of combustion chambers, a plurality of intake conduits defining intake passages through which air flows, an intake pressure sensor configured to sense intake pressure within the intake passages, an accumulator, a plurality of first conduits coupled with the accumulator, at least one second conduit coupled with the accumulator, the first conduits connecting the accumulator to the respective intake passages, the second conduit connecting the accumulator to the intake pressure sensor, at least one fuel injector arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers, a fuel pressure regulator in communication with the fuel injector to regulate fuel pressure at the fuel injector, and a third conduit connecting the accumulator to the fuel pressure regulator.

19. The engine as set forth in claim 18 additionally comprising a T-fitting connected to the accumulator, and the second and third conduits are also connected to the T-fitting.

20. The engine as set forth in claim 18, wherein each of the first conduits connects to the accumulator independently of the another first conduits.