Self contained multi-function engine monitor and timer for providing engine running time, job time, service time and tachometer functions

• US 5,644,491 A
• Filed: 01/31/1994
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global Digital Instruments LLC
• Original Assignee: SenDEC Corp. (API Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Ley, Herbert F., Sestito, David L., Reehil, Edward G., Fiske, Kenton W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/189,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 364/431.04, 364/431.03, 364/431.08, 364/431.01, 364/508, 364/557, 364/424.03, 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/431.02, 364/431.11-431.12, 324/391, 324/393, 324/399, 324/402, 324/378, 324/394, 324/149, 324/156, 324/379, 324/395, 324/115, 324/642, 324/160, 324/392, 324/384, 123/426, 123/630, 123/644, 123/417, 123/198 DC, 123/425, 73/118.1, 73/118.3, 73/117.3, 73/116, 73/119 A, 340/945, 340/973
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/04 using counting means or digital clocks

Abstract

An engine monitor includes, in a self-contained preferably sealed unit, a spark sensor, inductively and capacitively coupled through the case to a spark pick up wire, a timer, and a running time detector, responsive to inputs from the spark pick up to provide total running time, job time, and service time metering. Preferably, storage means are included for storing maximum RPM and spark mode data, that is, data indicating the number of firings per RPM for the particular engine, as well as a preset service interval and one or more auxiliary timers.

Claims

1. An engine monitor for an internal combustion engine having at least one spark plug comprising:

a substantially weather resistant case;

a spark detector within the case capacitively coupled to the engine through the case and having an input terminal, located adjacent to an outside wall of the case, and responsive to electro-magnetic radiation produced when the spark plug is fired;

a clamp on an outside wall of the case including a channel for forming a loop at the end of an antenna wire close to the input terminal for capacitively coupling a spark signal from the antenna wire through the case to the input terminal; and

a clock within the case, responsive to the spark detector for accumulating running time while the engine is running.

2. The engine monitor of claim 1 comprising a display within the case for displaying the running time of the engine.

3. The engine monitor of claim 2 comprising means responsive to the spark detector for determining the rpm of the engine and displaying the rpm on the display.

4. An engine monitor for an internal combustion engine having at least one spark plug comprising a substantially weather resistant case;

a spark detector within the case capacitively coupled to the engine through the case for detecting the presence of an electrical signal produced when the spark plug is fired;

a clock within the case responsive to the spark detector for accumulating running time while the engine is running;

a display within the case for displaying the running time of the engine;

means responsive to the spark detector for determining the RPM of the engine and displaying the RPM on the display; and

a switch for switching the display between running time and RPM.

5. The engine monitor of claim 4 comprising a resettable auxiliary timer connected to the switch, for accumulating job time, and a mode selector connected to the switch for switching the monitor among running time, rpm and job time.

6. The engine monitor of claim 5 comprising a service timer that can be set to a selected service interval and which counts down from said service interval while the engine is running, and an alarm for providing an indication when the service interval has elapsed.

7. The engine monitor of claim 6 in which the service timer is connected to the display and the alarm comprises flashing the display.

8. The engine monitor of claim 5 comprising a job time reset signal receiver within the case for receiving a job time reset signal from a transmitter outside the case and enabling the auxiliary timer to be reset only when the job time reset signal is present.

9. The engine monitor of claim 8 in which the job time reset signal receiver comprises a tuned circuit and a detector only responsive to a job time reset signal at a predetermined wavelength.

10. The engine monitor of claim 4 in which the spark detector comprises a signal conditioner for eliminating ringing from the electrical signal produced when the spark plug is fired, to produce one pulse per spark plug firing.

11. An engine monitor for an internal combustion engine having one or more spark plugs comprising:

a first input capacitively coupled to an engine and responsive to signals from the one or more spark plugs for generating an electrical signal each time a spark plug connected to the input fires;

a clock for producing timing signals;

a tachometer coupled to the first input and the clock for determining the RPM of the engine;

a timer coupled to the clock and responsive to the first electrical signal for accumulating the timing signals while the electrical signal is present to provide an output representing the running time of the engine;

a second timer coupled to the clock for accumulating timing signals, and a reset control for setting the second timer to zero; and

a display coupled to the timer and the tachometer for displaying the running time and the RPM of the engine.

12. The engine monitor of claim 11 further comprising a memory for storing a maximum RPM reached by the engine and displaying the maximum RPM on the display.

13. The engine monitor of claim 12 comprising a reset control for resetting the maximum RPM.

14. The engine monitor of claim 13 in which the reset control for resetting the maximum RPM and the reset control for resetting the second timer to zero comprise a single push button.

15. The engine monitor of claim 14 in which the maximum RPM is reset to zero only when the external control and the push button are actuated contemporaneously.

16. The engine monitor of claim 12 comprising a control for switching the display between the tachometer for displaying the RPM of the engine and the memory for displaying the maximum RPM.

17. The engine monitor of claim 11 in which the reset control for setting the second timer to zero comprises a control external to the engine monitor and coupled thereto by a wireless connection.

18. The engine monitor of claim 17 comprising delay means responsive to the control external to the engine monitor for setting the timer to zero after a predetermined delay.

19. The engine monitor of claim 11 comprising a third timer and an associated memory for storing a predetermined elapsed time and an alarm connected to the third timer and the associated memory for signaling when the predetermined elapsed time has been reached.

20. The engine monitor of claim 12 comprising a memory for storing information designating the number of cylinders of the engine for converting the electrical signal to RPM.

21. A method for monitoring the running time of an engine that includes a spark plug that fires only when the engine is running, comprising:

providing a free running clock;

capacitively coupling a detector to the engine and to said spark plug for detecting when the spark plug fires; and

accumulating time from said free running clock as running time only while the detected electromagnetic radiation indicates that the engine is running.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of conditioning the signal produced in response to the electromagnetic radiation to provide one pulse per spark.

23. The method of claim 21 comprising accumulating job time in a second accumulator in response to the spark detector and having a reset function for accumulating job time while the engine is running, and providing a reset for setting the second accumulator to zero on demand.

24. The method of claim 21 comprising comparing clock signals to the signals derived from the spark for determining the RPM of the engine.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising displaying the RPM of the engine.

26. The method of claim 24 comprising comparing each measured RPM to the highest previously measured RPM and continuously storing the highest RPM in a memory.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising providing means for resetting the highest RPM memory.

28. The method of claim 24 comprising providing a service timer having a preset service interval and an alarm for providing an indication when the running time of the engine exceeds the preset service interval.