Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- 1~883~0
1 Back~round of the Invention
2 1~ Field of the Invention
, .
3 The subject invention relates to systems for improving
- 4 fuel economy and, more specifically, to methods and appa-
ratus for assisting the driver of an automobile driven by
~ 6 an internal combustion engine to improve fuel economy with
7 the aid of a device in the linkage coupling the accelerator
j 8 pedal to the throttle valve and with the aid of the air intake
.. 9 manifold vacuumO
20 Description of the Prior Art
' 11 It has been known for some time that reading of the
; 12 vacuum in the air intake manifold of an internal combustion
13 engine can be used to improve fuel economy. To this end,
14 major automobile manufacturers have started to offer a
. 15 built-in vacuum indicator which measures and indicates to
16 the driver the difference in pressure between the atmosphere
17 outside the engine and the air inside the intake manifoldO
18 Further uses and refinement of such vacuum gauges have
19 been described in Popular Science, March 1975, '~hy Your -'
~ .
Car Needs a Vacuum Gauge", pages 110 to 112.
21 In practice, these prior-art devices require driving ~.
22 "with one eye on the vacuum gauge", which is distractive :
~i .
' 23 to many drivers and thus tends to lead to accidents.
24 Conversely, a conscientious driver who is paying attention
to the road and the surrounding traffic situation is many
;' 26 times not in a position to observe the vacuum gaugeO
`~' 27 Moreover, special skills, experience and a high degree
28 of calmness are required for an intelligent reading and
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D8839~
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1 use of a vacuum gauge during the operation of an auto- ~ -
2 mobile. Also, while such vacuum gauges will point to
3 engine defects or maladjustments, they do not provide
4 for a full utilization of the intake manifold vacuum
condition throughout the course of normal driving with ~ -
6 a well operating engine.
7 Prior-art efforts to provide vacuum-responsive
8 engine control devices in the linkage between the accel-
,
~- 9 erator pedal and the throttle valve have not led to a
desired level of fuel economy. -
11 In particular, the governor for internal combustion
. .
12 engines shown in UOS~ Patent 2,139,832, issued December 13, ~
"
~ 13 1938 to W. E. Leibing, had the disadvantage of intro-
,;,.1 . .
~-, 14 ducing surges in the rate of rotation of the controlled
engine. The vacuum controlling device shown in U.SO
;i 16 Patent 2,627,850, issued February 10, 1953, to Ro Willim,
17 in effect kept the vacuum in the air intake manifold at
j~,"!, 18 a minimum to increase horse power on acceleration.
19 The engine control system of U.S. 3,289,659, issued
December 6, 1966, to PO JO Koole, was impractical in its
.~,/ .
21 complexity and sensitivity to malfunction. A newer
22 proposal, apparent from U. S. Patent 3,769,951, by
23 William Ho Holl, issued November 6, 1973, attempts to
24 decrease undesirable exhaust emissions in response to
sudden, jerky accelerator pedal actuation by nervous
26 drivers, rather than concentrating on fuel economy as
27 such.
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1 Summary of the InvPntion
-~ 2 It is a broad object of this invention to overcome
3 the above mentioned disadvantages.
4 It is a more specific object of this`invention to
provide improved methods and apparatus for assisting
` 6 drivers of automobiles driven by internal combustion
- 7 engines to improve fuel economy.
8 It is a further object of this invention to provide
9 improved apparatus for varying the effective length of
the linkage between the accelerator pedal and the throttle
11 valve in response to the air intake manifold vacuum.
, 12 Other objects of the invention will become apparent
.. ; .
13 in the further course of this disclosure.
~ 14 From a first aspect thereof, the subject invention
,`~ 15 resides in a me~thod of assisting the driver of an auto-
16 mobile driven by a drive system including an internal
~, 17 combustion engine to improve fuel economy. The internal ;
, 18 combustion engine drive system has an air intake mani-
19 fold, a throttle valve, an accelerator pedal and a
, 20 linkage coupling the accelerator pedal to the throttle
21 valve. The invention according to this aspect resides
, 22 in the improvement comprising in combination the steps ;
23 of biasing the effective length of said linkage between
24 said accelerator pedal and said throttle valve to an ~
extreme value at which said throttle valve is in a closed -
26 position when said engine is deactivated, determining the
~, 27 existence and intensity of a vacuum in said air intake
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1 manifold, maintaining the effective length of said linkage
2 biased at said extreme value at vacuum intensities up to
3 a vacuum intensity existing in said air intake manifold
4 at an idling rate of rotation of said internal combustion
engine, varying the effective length of said linkage so
6 as to actuate said throttle valve toward a closing position -
7 in response to vacuum intensities above said vacuum intensity
8 existing at said idling rate of rotation, and inhibiting
9 surges in the operation of said engine by stopping the
effective length of said linkage at said extreme value at
11 vacuum intensities occurring upon actuation of said accelerator
12 pedal and being below said vacuum intensity existing at said
13 idling rate of rotation.
14 From another aspect thereof, the subject invention
resides in apparatus for assisting the driver of an auto-
16 mobile driven by a drive system including an internal combustion
17 engine to improve fuel economy. The internal combustion engine
18 drive system includes an air intake manifold, a throttle valve,
19 an accelerator pedal and a linkage coupling the accelerator
pedal to the throttle valve. The invention according to this
21 aspect resides, more specifically, in the improvement comprising,
22 in combination, means in said linkage for varying the effective
23 length of said linkage between said accelerator pedal and
24 said throttle valve, means in said length varying means for
limiting the effective length of said linkage between said
26 accelerator pedal and said throttle valve to an extreme value
27 at which said throttle valve is in a closed position when
28 said engine is deactivatedr means coupled to said throttle
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1~88395;~
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; 1 valve for biasing said throttle valve to a closed position
: 2 when the effective length of said linkage is at said extreme
3 value and said engine is deactivated, means connected to said
;f 4 air intake manifold for determining the existence and intensity
S of a vacuum in said air intake manifold, means in said length
6 varying means for biasing the effective length of said linkage
~` 7 to said extreme value up to a vacuum intensity existing in
8 said air intake manifold at an idling rate of rotation of
9 said internal combustion engine, means in said length varying
. 10 means and connected to said vacuum existence and intensity
11 aetermining means for activating said throttle valve toward
12 a closing position by variation of the effective length of
."..,:,
,; 13 said linkage in response to vacuum intensities above said
:,,. ~,
: 14 vacuum intensity existing at said idling rate of rotation,
and means for inhibiting surges in the operation of said
.~ 16 engine comprising stop means in said limiting means for
"r;~,, 17 stopping the effective length of said linkage at said extreme
18 value at vacuum intensities occurring upon actuation of
19 said accelerator pedal and being below said vacuum intensity
; 20 existing at said idling rate of rotation.
,s~ 21 From yet another aspect thereof, the invention resides
22 in apparatus for varying the effective length of a linkage
. 23 between an accelerator pedal and a throttle valve of an
~,~ 24 automotive engine having an air intake manifold, with said ~ -~
~:,. ....
25 ~ linkage having a first linkage part coupled to said accelerator
~ 26 pedal and a second linkage part coupled to said throttle ~
^l 27 valve and with said throttle valve being biased to a closed ;
. 28 position, According to this aspect of the invention, the
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1 apparatus comprises an enclosure coupled to one of
2 said first and second linkage parts and means for slidably ~.
3 receiving a portion of the other of said first and second
. 4 linkage parts, means at said enclosure for limiting the
effective le~gth of said linkage between said accelerator
6 pedal and said throttle valve to an extreme value at which
7 said throttle valve is in a closed position when said engine
8 is deactivated, means connected to said enclosure and to
9 said air intake manifold for determining the existence and
intensity of a vacuum in said air intake manifold, means
11 in said enclosure for biasing the effective length of said
12 linkage to said extreme value up to a vacuum intensity
13 existing in said air intake manifold at a predetermined
14 condition of said internal combustion engine, and an imper-
. 15 forate flexible diaphragm in said enclosure, means for
~:1 .
16 coupling said portion of the other linkage part to said ~-
17 diaphragm, a variable size vacuum chamber delimited in said
18 enclosure by said flexible diaphragm and connected to said
19 vacuum e*istence and intensity determining means and positioned
in said enclosure to cause said flexible diaphragm to vary
21 the effective length of said linkage in the sense of a
22 closure of said throttle valve in response to vacuum in- - :
23 tensities above said vacuum intensity existing at said
,, .
I 24 predetermined condition, and means for inhibiting surges
j 25 in the oper~tion of said engine comprising stop means in
~. 26 said limiting means for stopping the effective length of
`~. 27 said linkage at said extreme value at vacuum intensities
.. 28 occurring upon actuation of said accelerator pedal and
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8~390
being below said vacuum intensity existing at said idling
rate of rotation.
From still another aspect thereof, the invention resides
in a method of assisting the driver of an automobile driven
by a drive system including an internal combustion engine
to improve fuel economy. The internal combustion engine
drive system has an air intake manifold, a throttle valve,
an accelerator pedal and a linkage coupling the accelerator
pedal to the throttle valve. The invention according to
this aspect resides in the improvement comprising in combina-
tion the steps of biasing said throttle valve toward a
closed position, determining the existence and intensity of
a vacuum in said air intake manifold, varying the effective
length of said linkage so as to actuate said throttle valve
toward a closing position in response to vacuum intensities
above a vacuum intensity existing at an idling rate of
, . .
1 rotation of said internal combustion engine, and inhibiting
'~1 surges in the operation of said engine by stopping the effec-
- tive length of said linkage at an extreme value at vacuum
intensities occurring upon acceleration of said engine and
being below a vacuum intensity existing in said air intake
. .
manifold at an idling rate of rotation of said internal
combustion engine.
From another aspect thereof, the invention resides in
apparatus for assisting the driver of an automobile driven
by a drive system including an internal combustion engine
to improve fuel economy. The internal combustion engine
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~ drive system includes an air intake manifold, a throttle
;. 2 valve, an accelerator pedal and a linkage coupling the
;:. 3 accelerator pedal to the throttle valve. The invention
, 4 according to this aspect resides, more specifically, in
the improvement comprising, in combination, means in said
~; 6 linkage for varying the effective length of said linkage
~; 7 between said accelerator pedal and said throttle valve,
8 means in said length varying means for biasing the effective
9 length of said linkage between said accelerator pedal and
: 10 said throttle Yalve to an extreme value at which said throttle
11 valve is in a closed position when said engine is deactivated,
~; 12 means coupled to said throttle valve for biasing said throttle
.~ 13 valve to a closed position, means connected to said air in-
, .j. .j .
14 take manifold for determining the existence and intensity
of a vacuum in said air intake manifold, means in said length
~ 16 varying means and connected to said vacuum existence and
;~" 17 . intensity determining means for activating said throttle
ci' ~
18 valve toward a closing position by variation of the effective
19 length of said linkage in response to vacuum intensities
above said vacuum intensity existing at said idling rate
21 of rotation, and means for inhibiting surges in the operation
22 of said engine including stop means at said length varying ~ .
23 means for maintaining the effective length of said linkage
limited to an extreme value at vacuum intensities occurring
upon acceleration of said engine and being below a vacuum
26 intensity existing in said air intake manifold at an idling
27 rate of rotation of said internal combustion engine.
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1~88390
; 1 Brief Description of the Drawin~s
: 2 The invention will become more readily apparent
3 from the following detailed description of preferred ~ . .
4 embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of example in -
the accompanying drawings, in which like reference . :~-
6 numerals designate like or functionally equivalent
7 parts, and in which:
8 FIGo 1 is a side view, partially in section, of a
9 portion of an automotive internal combustion drive
system and of a fuel economy device in accordance with -
-, 11 a preferred embodiment of the subject invention; :.-
.~ 12 FIGSo 2 and 3 are views similar to FIG~ 1 showing
;, ..
; 13 different operating conditions of the system;
~, 14 FIGSo 4 and 5 are views similar to FIGS~ 1-3, showing . :
the construction and operation of a fuel economy device
` 16 in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the :
17 subject invention.
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.'. 1 Description of Preferred Embodiments
2 FIGo 1 shows parts of an automotive internal
3 combustion engine sytem 10 including an internal com-
i 4 bustion engine 12, such as an automotive gasoline engine. ::
The system 10 also includes an air intake filter 13, a
~ 6 carburetor 14 receiving air from the filter 13, and a
f:,~ 7 a fuel, such as gasoline, from a fuel supply or gasoline
8 tank, an induction passage 15 and an air intake manifold -
9 16 for the engine 12.
.`i
A butterfly or throttle valve 18 is pivotally
11 mounted by a shaft 19 in the induction passage 15.
..... .
12 A gas pedal 21 in the driver's compartment of the
13 automobile is pivotally mounted on a floorboard 22 for
14 actuation by one of the driver's feet 23 for a speed
control of the automobile by means of the gas or accel-
.
16 erator pedal 21
17 A linkage 24 couples the accelerator pedal 21 to the ~ .
18 throttle valve 180 The linkage 24 includes a first
19 linkage part or rod 26 coupled to the throttle valve 18 ;
via a lever 27, and a second linkage part or rod 28
21 coupled via a lever 29 and a pushrod 31 to the accelerator
22~ pedal 21~ In practice, the parts 29 and 31 may be replaced
23 by a Bowden wire or similar device, as customary in auto-
24 motive construction.
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1~8~390
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1 Pursuant to the subject invention, the equipment
2 shown in FIGo 1 includes an apparatus 33 for varying the :~ :
3 effective length of the linkage 24 between the accelerator
4 pedal 21 and the throttle valve 180 The apparatus 33 has
a housing or enclosure 34 which at a nipple 35 is coupled ~ :
6 to either of the first and second linkage rods 26 and 28. ~;
s. 7 In the illustrated preferred embodiments, the housing 34
; 8 is connected to the throttle valve rod 26 by a threaded :
; 9 nipple 350
- 10 Enclosure 34 has a first part 36 which has an orifice :.;
,: - .
11 37 for the access of air to an air chamber 38.
~- 12 The enclosure 34 also includes an enclosure part 39
: 13 which carries an airtight bushing 41 for slidably re-
'~! 14 ceiving a portion 42 of the other of the first and second
linkage parts or rods 26 and 28. In the illustrated
16 preferred embodiment, ~he enclosure and bushing 41 slidably
.~ 17 receives a portion of the accelerator pedal linkage rod 28
~ .
~l 18 However, in embodiments wherein the enclosure 34 is
-!
~ 19 connected to the accelerator pedal linkage rod 28, the
:i 20 enclosure and bushing 41 would be designed to slidably :
. 21 receive a portion of the throttle valve linkage rod 26.
22 It should be noted at this juncture that the
3 23 portion 42 which this slidably received in the airtight
~ 24 bushing 41 need not necessarily be a physical portion o~ .
: 25 the entire rod 28 which extends to the lever 29.
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~8390
1 Rather, the portion 42 may be part of a rod which,
2 in turn, is coupled to yet another rod that extends to ~
~ 3 the lever 290 This is a matter of mechanical detail :
; 4 and designO
'. 5 The apparatus 34 includes a stop member 44 for
6 limiting the effective length of the linkage between the
~; 7 accelerator pedal 21 and the throttle valve 18 to an
., 8 extreme value at which the throttle valve 18 is in a
9 closed position when the engine 12 is deactivated,
Whether this extreme value represents a maximum length
11 or a minimum length of the variable linkage 24 depends on
12 the design of the engine system. With the throttle valve
;l 13 and accelerator system shown in FIGSo 1 to 3, the extreme -
~ 14 value to which the stop 44 limits the effective length ~ -f~r. 15 of the linkage 24 is a minimum value, -
16 The equipment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 also include a
17 bias spring 46 for biasing the throttle valve 18 to a
18 closed position when the effective length of the linkage
19 24 is at its extreme or minimum value and the engine 12
~ 20 is deactivatedO To this end, the spring 46 has one end
',` 21 connected to a stationary bracket 47 and has its other
.~; 22 end coupled to the throttle valve 18 via the lever 27.
23 A conduit 51 is connected to the intake manifold 16
~'~ 24 for determining, in effect, the existence and intensity of
a vacuum in the air intake manifold 16 of the engine 12.
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1 A spring 52 in the apparatus 33 or, more precisely, ~:
.~ 2 in its enclosure part 39, biases the effective length of
3 the linkage 24 to its extreme or minimum value up to a
4 vacuum intensity existing in the air intake manifold 16 1 ~:
. 5 at an idling rate of rotation of the internal combustion .
: 6 engine. :
7 The latter feature is very important in the operation
, 8 of the subject invention. This does not necessarily mean :
. 9 that the spring 52 always has to maintain the length of the
linkage 24 at its extreme value precisely up to a vacuum in-
11 tensity existing in the air intake manifold at a fixed idling
;" ..
. 12 rate of rotation of the engine 12. Rather, the idling rate . -
13 of rotation may itself be somewhat variable or adjustable
`.~ 14 within reasonable limit and the vacuum intensity up-to which
~1 15 the length of the linkage 24 is biased by the spring 52 to
., I .
~:.i 16 its extreme value may be within a certain tolerance of the ~:
17 exact vacuum intensity which exists in the manifold 16 at a
18 given idling rate of rotation of the engine 12.
:.il9 The importance of the inventive feature under discussion
thus resides not in a slavish adherence to one precise vacuum
21 intensity, but rather in an avoidance of undesirable and
22 detrimental surging effects which occur if the apparatus 33
~$' 1l 23 is permitted to carry out its linkage length varying function
`~,24 at vacuum intensities materially below the idling speed vacuum
intensity, or the lack of response which would occur if the
26 apparatus 33 were to maintain the extreme length of the linkage `~
, ..................................................................... .
.~ 27 24 up to vacuum intensities materially above the idling speed
28 vacuum speed intensity. -
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1 In accordance with the currently discussed aspect of
2 the invention, the force exerted by the bias spring 52 is
3 thus provided and maintained within relatively narrow toler-
4 ances, so that this spring 52 maintains the length of the
linkage 24 biased to its extreme value up to an idling rate
6 vacuum intensity within +1 inch Hg.
7 The importance of this feature of the currently discussed
8 aspect of the subject invention can be appreciated from the
9 fact that it was a lack of this principle which was responsible
, 10 for excessive surges with resulting uselessness of proposals
:`i
11 such as those disclosed in the above mentioned Leibing Patent ~ -
12 2,139,832, eventuating in immeasurable losses and grave dis-
13 appointments on the part of workers in this field and ln a
t, 14 regrettable delay of the advent of a workable system that
would truly contribute to a conservation of limited fuel
i 16 resources. .
¦ 17 The apparatus 33 further includes means connected to the
, 18 manifold 16 via conduit 51 for activating the throttle valve
19 18 toward a closing position by variation of the effective
length of the linkage 24 in response to vacuum intensities
21 above the vacuum intensity existing at the idling rate of
, 22 rotation of the engine 12. In the illustrated preferred em-
.l 23 bodiments, these means include an imperforate flexible dia-
24 phragm 54 in the enclosure of the apparatus 33. By way of
, 25 example, the imperforate diaphragm 54 may be made of an
.l 26 elastomer disk mounted between the enclosure parts 36 and 39.
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1 The expression "imperforate" as herein employed :.
2 refers to the condition of the diaphragm 54 inside the
3 enclosure between the air chamber 38 and a vacuum chamber
4 55 presently to be described; and refers in particular to
the fact that there is no aperture in the diaphragm 54 in
6 that air and vacuum chamber region. Of course, there may
7 be one or more apertures in the diaphragm outside the air
8 and vacuum chambers 38 and 55, where there is no danger of
~ .
: 9 any air leakage or of any stress being placed on the diaphragm
:: 10 portion within the enclosure by any attached rod or other~ .
11 movable parts.
., ~ . .
.. 12 The enclosure parts 36 and 39 may have flanges 57 and
".l 13 58 between which the diaphragm 54 is situated. Suitable
,.~, .
,.:~ 14 fastening devices, one of which is shown at 59, may be
~:,.,; ' . :' employed to mount the enclosure parts 36 and 39 and a
. 16 diaphragm 54 to an operative unit. These fasteners, such :
17 as the fastener 59 may extend through an aperture in the
l 18 disk comprising the diaphragm 54 which, as mentioned above,
,~ 19 is imperforate throughout the region occupied by the air -
i;. 20 and vacuum chambers 38 and 55. :
j,. 21 The linkage length varying means under consideration
;. 22 further include the bias spring 52 and a member 61 for
. 23 coupling the portion 42 of the linkage part or rod 28 to
' 24 the imperforate diaphragm 54. In the illustrated preferred
embodiment, the member 61 is connected or attached to the rod
26 portion 42 and has a surface 62 facing the imperforate dia-
. 27 phragm 54 and being biased toward that diaphragm by the spring
: 28 52.
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` 1~81~3390
1 Where the rod 28 is cylindrical, the coupling member
2 61 with its facing surface 62 is rotatable relative to the
3 imperforate diaphragm 54. By way of example, the coupling
4 member 61 preferably has a circular configuration at the
facing surface 62 and is rotatable relative to the imperforate
~ 6 diaphragm 54 about an axis perpendicular to the facing surface
^~ 7 62. While rotation of the member 61 is not an operational
8 requirement of the apparatus 33, it should be recognized that
, 9 rotatability of that member will greatly increase the reliable
operation of the apparatus 33 since it will prevent perfor-
11 ation or any other damage to the diaphragm 54 from an affixed
.j12 member. For instance, rotation of the member 61 relative
~` 13 to the diaphragm 54 may occur if the projecting portion of
-~ 14 the rod 28 is manipulated during the installation or use of
;, 15 the apparatus 33. This favorably distinguishes the apparatus
16 according to the illustrated preferred embodiment from prior-
17 art de~ices, such as those shown in US Patent 2,139,832 and
~18 3,769,951, where a rotatable rod was attached to a diaphragm
19 or bellows and thereby was liable to damage the bellows through
tortional or shearing loads when the attached rod was subjected
21 to rotary movement during installation or use of the device.
. , .
22 In principle, the stop or limit member 44 could be replaced
23 or supplemented by a stop member of the type shown in dotted out-
, ~
~24 line at 65 in FIG. 1. That kind of stop member would also limit
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~ 25 the effective length of the linkage 24 between the accelerated
:` 26 pedal and the throttle valve to an extreme value at which the
.....
27 throttle valve 18 is in a closed position when the engine 12
28 is deactivated. In either case, the stop member by its limiting
29 or stopping action performs the very important function of
inhibiting excessive acceleration or surges by operation of
` 31 the linkage length varying apparatus in case of low vacua oc-
.:
~ 32 curring in the manifold 16 upon depression of the pedal 21.
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1 The stop member 65, if used, would be located inside :~
2 the enclosure 34 and, if desired, could be attached or bonded . .
3 to the imperforate diaphragm 54 by an adhesive 66.
4 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the subject
. 5 invention, use of the stop member 44 outside of the enclosure
6 34 and on the rod 28 is preferred, as this is the construction
.:. 7 most likely to prevent damage to or excessive wear of the
. 8 imperforate diaphragm 54. By way of example, the stop member
.1 9 44 may ~e in the ~orm of a ring shrunk unto or otherwi~e
affixed to the linkage part 28 ~utside of the enclosure 34
11 or its part 39 or may be threaded on 28 for adjustability.
12 The advantageous construction details discussed with
i,,1
-, 13 respect to the apparatus 33 and to be discussed with respect .
. ~- .
. 14 to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, may advantageously -
. 15 be employed in equipment for varying the effective length ~-
16 of a linkage between an accelerator pedal and a throttle valve
17 of an automotive engine in which the spring 52 or its equi-
18 valent does not necessarily bias the effective length of the
' 19 linkage 24 to the mentioned extreme value up to a vacuum in-
-' 20 tensity existing in the air intake manifold 16 at an idling .
. 21 rate of rotation of the internal combustion engine 12. In :
22 other words, the detail improvements are more universally
~ 23 applicable than even the broad concept of that aspect of the
.; 24 invention which deals with the achievement of a maximum
of fuel economy. :
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1 On the other hand, the broad aspects of the invention
'~ 2 concerned with fuel economy may be realized by equipment
. 3 other than those including the improvements shown in the
4 drawings.
.. ~ 5 In particular, the diaphragm 54 may be replaced by a
.,,, 6 piston which slides in the housing 34 as an alternative
7 displaceable means for varying the length of the linkage 24.
:~ 8 In practice, a diaphragm 54 has proved to be superior to a
9 sliding piston, as the drag of a piston relative to the
. 10 cylinder chamber has impaired the precision of operation of
-~ 11 the length varying apparatus.
~'; ` .
12 The apparatus 33 further includes the variable size
~; 13 vacuum chamber 55 delimited by the flexible diaphragm 54 and
,' 14 positioned in the enclosure 34 or enclosure part 39 to vary
the effective length of the linkage 24 in the sense of a
:~ 16 closure of the throttle valve 18 in response to vacuum in-
. .:,~
.:` 17 tensities~.above the vacuum intensity existing at the idling
. 18 rate of rotation of the engine 12. In this connection, the ::
; 19 diaphragm 54 and vacuum chamber 55 will cooperate to increase~
-l 20 the effective length of the linkage 24 if the stop 44 limits
,. 21 the effective length at a minimum value and if the increase
f "
~., 22 of that effective length will translate itself into a closing
.....
i:. 23 movement of the throttle valve 18 in the particular design
~, 24 of the automotive equipment.
, 25 These principles will now be explained with the aid of
.;:. 26 FIGS. 1 to 3.
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1 Considering first FIG. 1, it will be assumed that the
2 engine has just been started with the accelerator pedal being
3 not depressed at that time and the throttle valve 18 being
4 in a closed position. With a typical automotive internal
combustion engine in good condition, the vacuum in the intake
6 manifold 16 and thus in the vacuum chamber 55 of the apparatus
7 33 will be steady at between 17 and 21 inches of Hg at the ~ - - -
8 idling rate of rotation of the engine 12. In that condition,
9 the spring 52 maintains the effective length of the linkage
24 at the mentioned extreme or minimum value.
11 A depression of the accelerator pedal 21 operates through
12 the linkage24 to open the throttle 18 as shown in FIG. 2 for
13 an acceleration of the engine. With a typical automotive
14 engine, the vacuum in the intake manifold 16 and thus in the
vacuum chamber 55 will drop to as low as two in.Of Hg upon
16 acceleration of the engine. The spring 52 will continue to
17 maintain the effective length of the linkage 24 at the men- ~ -
18 tioned extreme or minimum value. This condition prevails
19 as long as the automobile is in the progress of attaining the
speed desired by the operator of the pedal 21.
21 When the desired vehicle speed is attained, or when the
22 vehicle is pulled along by force of gravity, the horsepower- ~-
23 load on the engine 12 drops and the vacuum in the intake mani-
24 fold 16 rises to values or vacuum intensities higher than
those prevailing at an idling condition.
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1 The resulting rise in the vacuum intensity or drop
2 in pressure in the intake manifold 16 causes the imperforate
3 diaphragm 54 to overcome the force of the spring 52 and,
4 as shown in FIG. 3, to actuate the throttle valve 18 toward
a closing position relative to the open position shown in
6 FIG. 2.
7 In particular, the increased vacuum in the chamber 55
' '
~; 8 causes the diaphragm 54 to move the linkage part or rod 28
s~j 9 in the sense o~ a reduction of the length of the portion 42
, 10 in the enclosure 34, whereby the stop member 44 moves with
11 the rod 28 away from the housing 34 by a short distance.
12 In the course of actual operating conditions, the apparatus
13 33 will effect this increase in the effective length of the
14 linkage 24 very rapidly even before the driver has had an
-~5 opportunity to take action on the accelerator pedal 21 in -~
16 response to the decreased horsepower requirements.
17 Accordingly, the accelerator pedal 21 will have remained
18 in the previously adjusted position when the apparatus 33
19 effectively lengthens the linkage 24. In consequence, the
~20 linkage part or rod 26 will be advanced to the left-hand side
21 as seen in FIG. 3 by the apparatus 33 and the throttle valve
22 18 will be correspondingly moved toward a closing position.
23 It will be recognized that the latter action of the
24 apparatus 33 anticipating a control action of the driver is
a very important feature of the subject invention. In parti~
26 cular, such automatic action substantially improves fuel
27 economy above and beyond the control capability of the driver.
2 0
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. 1 More specifically, there always is a certain reaction
' 2 time before a driver realizes that the vehicle has attained
3 a certain speed or that horsepower requirements on the engine
, 4 have fallen off for other reasons, and a further reaction
time after such realization before the driver is taking
6 corrective action on the pedal 21. The result of such delayed
7 action is a waste of fuel through a delayed adjustment of the
` 8 throttle valve 18 to the actual fuel requirements of the
9 engine. These instances of fuel waste are very frequent in
.~ 10 the course of normal driving and rapidly cumulate to impair
~ 11 the overall economy of the engine. By contrast, substantial
: 12 decreases in fuel consumption has been realized by the action
13 of the apparatus 33 according to the subject invention.
14 FIG. 4 of the drawings corresponds to FIG. 1, but shows .
.,~ 15 a system in which the throttle valve spring 46 biases the
:....................................................................... .
16 throttle valve 18 to a closing position via the linkage 24. : -
s; 17 The apparatus 133 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 corresponds --~:
18 to the apparatus 33 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and a reference
~ 19 numeral "1" has been shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 ahead of each
! 20 reference numeral of a component which has a counterpart in -~
, 21 the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3. No prefix "1" has been used
22 in FIGS. 4 and 5 in those cases where it is felt that the
. 23 parts are identical to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, at least :
24 for practical purposes.
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1 In the linkage length varying apparatus 133 of FIGS.
2 4 and 5, the air chamber 138 is defined by the housing part
3 139 which also includes the bearing 141 for slidably receiving
- 4 the portion 42 of the linkage part or rod 28. The vacuum
J, 5 chamber 155, which is connected to the intake manifold 16
6 via a conduit 151 is defined by the housing part 136 and is
7 delimited by the imperforate flexible diaphragm 154.
i 8 The housing part 136 is connected or attached to the
l g linkage part or rod 26 by a nipple 135. The bias spring 52
~ 10 is contained in the housing part 136 and biases the flexible
:~ 11 diaphragm 154 via a circular member 171 which may be similar
12 to the m~mber 61 shown in FIG. 1 and which evenly distributes
13 the force of the bias spring 52 over a central area of the
14 diaphragm 154. The member 161 corresponds to the member 61
shown in FIG. 1 and is again attached to the linkage part or
,~ 16 rod 28.
17 The stop 144, which corresponds to the stop 44 shown in
18 FIG. 1, is now located inside the enclosure 134, but is again
19 attached to the linkage part or rod 28. This time, the stop
j 20 member 144 limits the effective length of the linkage 24 to a maxi-
';, 21 mum value, or-stops the travel of portion 42 at a maximum value.
22 The throttle valve 18 is in a closed position as shown
; 23 in FIG. 4 when the engine is idling and the accelerator pedal
24 21 has not been depressed. The bias spring 52 retains the
linkage 24 at its extreme or maximum length condition for
26 vacuum intensities up to the intensity prevailing at an idling
27 rate of rotation of the engine. In other words, the spring 52 ~
28 biases the travel of the portion 42 to a maximum value. -
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.. : 1 If the accelerator pedal 21 is depressed, the bias
2 spring 52 will still maintain the maximum length of the
. 3 linkage 24 as long as the vacuum intensity in the intake
:;~ 4 manifold does not exceed the idling condition vacuum inten-
, 5 sity. Adjustments of the accelerator pedal 21 will thus
6 be transmitted to the throttle valve 18 without corrective
7 action by the apparatus 133. -~
8 However, when the vacuum intensity in the intake manifold
. 9 16 exceeds the idling rate vacuum intensity, the air pressure ~ -
0 in the chamber 138 will overcome the force of the bias spring
~ r", , :
:;. 11 52 and will push the diaphragm 154 to the left as seen in FIG.
: 12 5. This will lift the stop member 144 off the housing part
. 13 139, whereby the effective length of the linkage 24 is shortened. : ~
14 In similarity to the operation of the equipment shown in FIGS. : ~ :
'~l1, 15 1 to 3, the apparatus 133 will react before the driver of the :::
16 ~ehicle has time to react and will thus move the throttle
,.. . . .
.~17 valve 18 toward a closing position, thereby automatically ad- :-
18 justing the supplied fuel to the actual requirements of the -:
j 19 engine at the time.
.. 20 The diaphragm 154 or a piston used in lieu thereof thus ~.
, 21 constitutes a displaceable means connected to the portion 42
., .
:` 22 of the linkage part or rod 28 which delimits a variable size
.23 vacuum chamber 155 positioned in the enclosure 134 to cause
',24 the diaphragm 154 to move the linkage part or rod 28 in the .:
;~l25 sense of an increase of the length of the portion 42 of the ~:
~,26 linkage part or rod 28 in the enclosure 134 in response to
27 vacuum intensities above the vacuum intensity existing at the
28 idling rate of rotation of the engine 12.
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.~ 1 In analogY to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, the embodi-
2 ment of FIGS. 4 and 5 also results in a very considerable fuel
economy by supplementing the control capabilities of the driver.
,~ 4 In practice the housing 134 may be coupled with its nipple
135 to the linkage part or rod 28. In that case the linkage
~;` 6 part or rod 26 would be slidably received in part in the bush-
7 ing 141 of the housing part 139 and would be connected to the
stop member 144 and coupling member 161. The operation of the
. 9 apparatus 133 would then in principle be the same as mentioned
above in connection with FI~S. 4 and 5. . :~
11 Various modifications and variations within the spirit
fi'
12 and sco.pe of the subject invention will be suggested or rendered ~:
.` 13 apparent by the present extensive disclosure to those skilled .:
,,.,~ : :
14 in the art_ ~ -
In practice, use of the equipment of the subject invention . .-
16 substantially decreases pollution by an avoidance of an unneces-
17 sary combustion of fuel beyond the actual horsepower require-
-:l 18 ments at each instance.
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