Dual channel air/fuel ratio gauge

• US 7,030,742 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Auto Meter Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Treadway, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US10/727,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/632, 73/233.2, 602/76, 123/672
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/007 the diagnostic devices measuring oxygen or air concentration downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/417 using cells , i.e. more than one cell and probes with solid electrolytes

Abstract

There is provided an air/fuel ratio gauge for monitoring an engine exhaust mixture of an engine having a plurality of oxygen sensors. The gauge of the present invention comprises a gauge housing. A gauge controller is disposed within the gauge housing and is electrically communicated with the engine. The gauge controller is operative to receive a sensor voltage output signal from each of the plurality of oxygen sensors. Furthermore, at least two gauge displays are each electrically communicated with the gauge controller and an associated oxygen sensor. Each gauge display is operative to independently display sensor information representative of the associated oxygen sensor operation.

Claims

1. An air/fuel ratio device for monitoring a first air/fuel ratio of a first exhaust and a second air/fuel ratio of a second exhaust via respective first and second oxygen sensors, the device comprising:

a gauge housing; and

a gauge disposed adjacent to the gauge housing and being in electrical communication with the oxygen sensors and operative to receive sensor voltage output signals from the oxygen sensors, the gauge having first and second gauge displays juxtaposed to each other and operative to independently display the received signal of respective first and second oxygen sensors to facilitate simultaneous viewing and comparison of the first and second air/fuel ratios of the first and second exhausts.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the gauge housing has at least two sensor terminals in communication with the gauge wherein the sensor terminals are operative to communicate the sensor voltage output signals to the gauge.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the gauge displays is operative to display the associated sensor information independent of the other gauge display based upon the sensor voltage output signal received from the associated sensor.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor voltage output signal ranges from about 0 volt to about 1 volt.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0 volt to about 0.3 volt represents a substantially greater amount of air than fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.301 volt to about 0.7 volt represents a substantially equal amount of air and fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.701 volt to about 1.0 volt represents a substantially greater amount of fuel than air in the engine exhaust mixture.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the gauge displays include light emitting diodes.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one auto zeroing circuit operative to zero the gauge displays at zero levels, the auto zeroing circuit being in communication with the gauge.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one buffering circuit for attenuating transient oscillation of the sensor information displayed by the gauge display, the buffering circuit being in communication with the gauge.

11. An engine system for monitoring a first air/fuel ratio of a first exhaust and a second air/fuel ratio of a second exhaust, the system comprising:

an engine having first and second oxygen sensors for respectively detecting the first and second air/fuel ratios; and

an air/fuel ratio device, comprising;

a gauge housing; and

a gauge disposed adjacent to the gauge housing and being in electrical communication with the oxygen sensors and operative to receive sensor voltage output signals from the oxygen sensors, the gauge having first and second gauge displays juxtaposed to each other and operative to independently display the received signal of respective first and second oxygen sensors to facilitate simultaneous viewing and comparison of the first and second air/fuel ratios of the first and second exhausts.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the gauge housing has at least two sensor terminals in communication with the gauge wherein the sensor terminals are operative to communicate the sensor voltage output signals to the gauge.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the gauge displays is operative to display the associated sensor information independent of the other gauge display based upon the sensor voltage output signal received from the associated sensor.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the sensor voltage output signal ranges from about 0 volt to about 1 volt.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0 volt to about 0.3 volt represents a substantially greater amount of air than fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.301 volt to about 0.7 volt represents a substantially equal amount of air and fuel in the engine exhaust mixture.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor voltage output signal in a range from about 0.701 volt to about 1.0 volt represents a substantially greater amount of fuel than air in the engine exhaust mixture.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the gauge displays include light emitting diodes.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one auto zeroing circuit operative to zero the gauge displays at zero levels, the auto zeroing circuit being in communication with the gauge.

20. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one buffering circuit for attenuating transient oscillation of the sensor information displayed by the gauge display, the buffering circuit being in communication with the gauge.