Autonomous glow driver for radio controlled engines
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in operating a glow plug that is mounted to an engine, the apparatus comprising:
- an electrical circuit connected to the glow plug and producing a temperature signal that corresponds to a temperature of the glow plug;
an RPM signal processor receiving the temperature signal and generating an RPM signal corresponding to an engine speed of the engine, the RPM signal being derived exclusively from the temperature signal produced by the electrical circuit;
a glow driver that selectively powers the glow plug based on a control signal; and
a controller that receives, as a first input, the RPM signal from the RPM signal processor and produces a control signal based on the first input and then sends the control signal to the glow driver to power the glow plug.
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Abstract
An autonomous glow driver system for radio controlled (RC) engines. Aspects of the system include a connector that securely attaches to the glow plug to maintain good electrical contact with the glow plug and reduce signal noise and using a current and differential amplifiers to determine the temperature of the glow element and the RPMs of the glow engine from a voltage signal (obtained via the connector) that varies with the temperature as induced changes in the resistance of the glow element occur. Using the data of temperature, non-running RPM, and running RPM to control operation of the glow driver leads to a very reliable approach to automatically activating the glow driver to maintain the combustion chamber temperature of the glow engine at a selected level because RPM is indicative of a rotating engine whereas temperature is not.
23 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in operating a glow plug that is mounted to an engine, the apparatus comprising:
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an electrical circuit connected to the glow plug and producing a temperature signal that corresponds to a temperature of the glow plug; an RPM signal processor receiving the temperature signal and generating an RPM signal corresponding to an engine speed of the engine, the RPM signal being derived exclusively from the temperature signal produced by the electrical circuit; a glow driver that selectively powers the glow plug based on a control signal; and a controller that receives, as a first input, the RPM signal from the RPM signal processor and produces a control signal based on the first input and then sends the control signal to the glow driver to power the glow plug. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of operating a glow plug that is mounted to an engine, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining an electrical output from the glow plug; producing a temperature signal based on the electrical output of the glow plug, where the temperature signal corresponds to the temperature of the glow plug; receiving the temperature signal and generating an RPM signal derived exclusively from the temperature signal, where the RPM signal corresponds to an engine speed of the engine, and selectively producing a control signal based on the RPM signal; and selectively powering the glow plug in response to the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A hobby engine system comprising:
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a hobby engine; a glow plug having a glow element and mounted to the hobby engine; a connector mounted to the glow plug; a controller in electrical communication in communication with the connector and the glow plug for operating the glow plug, the controller having; an electrical circuit connected to the glow plug and producing a temperature signal that corresponds to the temperature of the glow plug; an RPM signal processor receiving the temperature signal and generating an RPM signal corresponding to an engine speed of the engine, the RPM signal being derived exclusively from the temperature signal produced by the electrical circuit; a controller that receives, as a first input, the RPM signal from the RPM signal processor and produces a control signal based on the first input and then sends the control signal to the glow driver to operate the glow plug; and a glow driver that selectively powers the glow plug based on the control signal.
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Specification