Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention is rolntod to n systcnl eor convorting liquid -~uol,
and primarily gasoline, into nn air-gas mixture for use in an internal combus-
tion engine. The system is, in essence, a substitute for the usual carburetor
found on most internal combustion gasoline engines.
Substantially all internal combustion engines utilizin~ gasoline as
a fuel in the world today have a carburetor for converting the liquid fuel to
an air-gas mixture. The carburetor attaches to an intake manifold by which
the air-gas mixture from the carburetor is distributed to each of the cylinders
in the engine. A carburetor serves to regulate the quantity of liquid fuel
flowing therein and to cause the passage of air therethrough to at least
partially vaporize the liquid fuel and to carry it into the intake manifold
and thus into the cylinders of the engine where it is consumed to produce the
engine power. ~hile carburetors work satisfactorily to achieve their intended
purpose, nevertheless, any liquid fuel which is unvaporized and which is
carried into the engine cylinders is not completely consumed. This has two
deleterious effects. Pirst, it reduces the efficiency of the engine perform-
ance, that is, it uses more gasoline to provide a given amount of power output.
Second, it increases contamination of the atmosphere because of the unburned
fuel which passes out the engine exhaust.
Most carburetors are poorly equipped to change the fuel-air ratios
and to properly vaporize the uel according to changing engine conditions.
The present invention is a system to replace the usual carburetor. A system is
provided which produces a fuel-air mixture in an arrangement which takes into
consideration at all times, different conditions under which the engine is
operated. In addition, to properly control the fuel-air ratio and the quantity
of fuel and air supplied under each given circumstance, the system of this
invention provides increased fuel vaporization so that the amount of unburned
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hydrocarbons passing out o tho on~ine oxhaust ls substantially reduced. Thus,
the intent and purpose o this invention is to provide a fuel system which
accomplishes two basic ob~ectives, that is, first, it provides increased fuel
efficiency and therefore reduced u01 consumption, and second, it attains
reduced air pollution. A third benefit of the system which is somewhat socon-
dary to the first two mentioned objectives, is to provide a fu~l system so that
the maximum performance output of an engine is achieved by providing ideal fuel-gas ratios at different engine speeds, temperatures, and driving conditions.
It is therefore a basic object of this invention to provide an
~ improved fuel system for gasoline powered internal combustion engines.
~ore particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a fuel
system for converting liquid gasoline to an air-gas mixture in proper proportions
for consumption in internal combustion engines wherein the fuel-gas ratios are
controlled in response to engine condition and demands.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided,
for use on an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, and a
pressurized source of liquid fuel, a fuel treatment system for concentrating
liquid fuel to a combustible air-gas mixture, comprising: a housing having a
cylindrical chamber therein with opposed end walls and having an upper air inletand a lower fuel mixture outlet opening communicating with the cylindrical
chamber, an axial opening in one end wall and the other end wall having a
tubular fuel nozzle extending therefrom in axial alignment with the cylindrical
chamber, the inner end of the fuel nozzle being over the fuel outlet opening,
the housing being adapted for attachment to the intake manifold of an engine;
a cylindrical spool of external diameter to be snugly and rotatably received in
said housing cylindrical chamber, the spool being hollow to provide a tubular
cylindrical wall having a centrally extending straight walled bore open to the
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intake manifold for receiving vacuum thorefrom at all times during engine
operation, said spool having opposcd openings in the cylindrical wall which, in
one rotatable position of the spool are in alignment with said inlet and said
outlet openings in said housing, the spool having an end wall having an axial
boss extending therefrom rotatably received in said housing axial opening
whereby the spool may be rotationally orientated in response to fuel demands
of the engine to increase and decrease the area of the passageways formed by
the spool and body upper openings; and means to flow fuel through said fuel
nozzle.
~n the accompanying drawings:-
Figure l is an elevational view of an apparatus employed in the
fuel system of this invention shown mounted on the intake manifold of an inter-
nal combustion engine.
Figure 2 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end view of the device of Figures 1 and 2.
Pigure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in Figures
1, 2 and 3, as taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure S is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of
Figure 4.
~igure 6 IS a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of
Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a schematic drawing of a circuit employed with the
device shown in ~igures 1~6, to control the device in such a way as to achieve
maximum fuel economy and reduced air pollution.
Plgure 8 is a graph of the performance of the function generator
portion of the circuit of Pigure 7 showing the preferred output voltage in res-
ponse to the air door analog input voltage.
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Roerring to tho drawings nncl ~Lrst to i7igures 1, 2 ancl 3, a pre-
ferred embodiment oE the invention is illustrated.
Figure 1 shows a device positioned on an intake manifold 10 of an
internal combustion engine. The other portions of the engine are not shown
since such are well known. The function of the intake manifold is to clraw in a
fuel-air mixture and distribute the mixture to each of the cyllnders in the
engine.
The device includes a housing 12 which is generally rectangular
with a bottom plate 14, and end plates 16 and 18. Positioned on top of the
housing 12 is an air intake cowling 20.
Secured to the housing 12 are opposed exhaust flanges 22 and 24
which receive the connection of an exhaust pipe 26A and 26B. Exhaust pipe 26A
connects to the engine exhaust manifold and pipe 26B connects to the engine
muff]er system. Thus, exhaust gases flow from the engine through the housing
and after passing through mufflers and pollution control systems, which may in-
clude catalytic converters, the exhaust gas is passed to the atmosphere.
Two fuel injector valves 28 and 30 are connected to openings in end
plate 18. A fuel supply line 32 supplies combustible fuel under pressure to
the injectors 28 and 30.
Referring now to Pigures 4, 5 and 6, the internal arrangement of the
apparatus is depicted. The intake manifold 10 receives an adapter plate 34
having an opening 36 therein. In the usual construction of an internal
combustion engine, a carburetor is attached to the intake manifold 10 and when
this system is adapted to the present type of internal combustion engine, the
carburetor is removed and adapter plate 34 put in its place. The housing 12 is
attached to the adapter plate by bolts 38 extending through openings in bottom
plate 14.
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~.177343
The housing includes n cylindricnl cham~er 40. The chamber has
opposed end walls, one end wall being formcd by end plate 16 and the other end
wall by partition 42. The housing includes an upper air inlet opening 44 and
a lower fuel mixture outlet opening 48. Openings 44 and 48 are in alignment,
and opening 48 is positioned over the opening 36 in adapter plate 34.
End plate 16 has an opening 50 which is in axial alignment with the
cylindrical chamber 40. Extending from partition wall 42 and in axial alignment
with the opening 50 is a tubular uel nozzle 52. The outer end 52A is prefer-
ably cut at an inclined angle as illustrated with the outer end opening being
directly over the fuel mixture outlet opening 48.
Rotatably received within chamber 40 is a cylindrical spool 54.
The spool is of a diameter to be snugly, yet rotatably received within the cham-
fier and is hollow or tubular and includes an end wall 56. Extending from the
end wall 56 is an integral boss portion 58 which is rotatably received in the
opening 50 formed in the body end plate 16. Externally of the body is a lever
60 attached to the boss 58, such as by means of nut 62. Lever 60 is adapted
to be connected to an accelerator cable ~not shown~ by which the operator
controls the demand placed on the engine. Thus, the spool 54 performs the
same function as the normal butterfly valve in a typical carburetor which is
connected to the accelerator linkage. As the operator, such as the driver of a
vehicle employing the engine, demands more performance~ either for accelerating
speed or maintaining speed on an incline, the operator pushes on the foot pedal
and by cable Cnot shown~ the lever 60 is displaced to rotate spool 54. As
more performance is required from the engine, the area of the openings through
the spool is increàsed. For this purpose, the spool includes an upper opening
64 and a lower spool opening 66. In one rotatable position of the spool, the
openings 64 and 66 are aligned with the body openings 44 and 48, permitting
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maximum air passage therethrough. In the opposite extreme rotatable position
of the spool, the openings are not aligned, thus closing the passage against
all air through the body. In the practical operation of an engine, the spool
is never in the fully closed position.
Housing 12 includes a preheat chamber 68 which is defined by end
plate 18 at one end and the central body partition wall 42 at the other. Open-
ings 70 and 72 ~see Pigure 6) in the body communicate with flanges 22 and 24
and thus to exhaust pipes 26A and 26B by which exhaust gas passes through the
preheat chamber 68. End plate 18 includes two fuel inlet openings 74, only one
of which is seen in Figure 4, by which liquid fuel is injected into the device.
~ithin the preheat chamber 68 a fuel heater envelope 76 is posi-
tioned. The envelope 76 is made of thin metal so as to be heat conductive and
provides a closed passageway between the fuel inlet openings 74 and the fuel
nozzle 52. A bore 73 is provided in the upper wall of the housing 12 to provide
communication between the interior of the cowling 20 and the interior of a
b-Qx or housing 75 secured to the inner periphery of the chamber 68, as shown in
Pigure 4. The box 75 is a closed housing, But is open at one end for communi-
cation with a passageway 77 provided in the end wall 18 of the housing 12.
The passageway 77 extends from the interior of the box 75 to the interior of
the fuel heating envelope 76 and directs air from the interior of the box to the
interior of the envelope. The air entering the box 75 through the bore 73 is
generally~the atmospheric air present exteriorly of the housing 12, and is heated
during passage through the box 75 by the heat of the chamber 68. Thus the air
being discharged into the envelope 76 is preheated, and mixes with the fuel
therein to facilitate the passage of the fuel from the jets 28 and 30 to the
nozzle 52. In other words, the bleed air entering the envelope 76 from the
passageway 77 gives direction to the fuel in the envelope 76.
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As exhaust gas flows through the preheat chamber 68, the fuel
heater envelope 76 is heated so that liquid fuel flowing therethrough is raised
in temper&ture. Which substantially increases tho vaporization rate of the fuel.The actual shape and configuration of the fuel heater envelope 76 may vary
considerably; the illustrated arrangement being a rectangular cross-section
housing open at one end and attached to the end plate 18 with a small diameter
opening in the other end which receives a projection of the fuel nozzle 52.
rn addition to the fuel inlet openings 74 there is provided, as
shown in Figure 6, an opening 78 which receives a temperature probe 80. The
$unction of probe 80 is to provide an output voltage signal representative of
the temperature o~ the $uel wlthin the preheat chamber. This voltage output is
termed a temperature analog signal, the purpose o which will be described
subsequently~.
~hreadably received in the fuel inlet openings 74 are fuel injectors
; 28 and 30. ~he fuel injectors 28 and 30 are standard items utilized at the
present time in the automotive industry and are small electrically controlled
yalves which open and close in response to uni-directional DC voltage signals.
The quantity of fuel passing through the valves is determined by the ratio of
the amount of time they~are opened to the amount of time they are closed since
2Q the in~ector valves are, according to the most commonly used type, either fully
opened or fully~closed.
As shown ~n Figure 3, a potentiometer 86 is supported to the body
end plate 16 and by means o~ a l~nkage 88 is controlled in response to the lever6Q which in turn is indicative of the position of spool 54. Thus, the potentio-
meter 86 provides a voltage output in analog form indicative of the position of
spool 54 and such voltage output is termed a spool signal.
Pivotally~supported within the air intake cowling 2Q is an air door
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3~3
vane 90 which pivots about a shaft 92. Cowling 20 provides an nir opening 94
at one end thereof which is substantially closed when the air door 90 is in
the vertical position. Shaft 92 extends externally of the cOwling 20 (see Pig-
ure 1) and has a lever 95 attached to it. A spring 96 urges the air door vane
towards the closed position. As air is drawn through the cowling 20 by the
suction of the engine when it is running, the flow of air moves the air door and
quantity of air flow is reflected by the angular position of lever 95. An air
door potentiometer 98 is mounted on the side of cowling 20 and has a lever 100
extending therefrom. A linkage 102 connects the potentiometer to the lever 95.
The voltage potential output of potentiometer 98 is an analog voltage indicative
of the position of the air door which in turn is indicative of the quantity of
air flowlng, and this voltage potential is referred to as an air door signal.
pigure 7 shows diagrammatically the circuitry employed in the
invention to control the fuel injectors 28 and 30. ~hile two fuel injectors 28
and 30 are shown, the number is irrelevant, as the function is the same. The
number of injectors may be varied to increase the maximum quantity of fuel
which may be injected, however, the circuitry to drive the fuel injectors remains
the same regardless of the number employed. A fuel tank 104 provides the source
of fuel for the engine which is passed through a filter 106 to an electric
$uel pump 108. The pump supplies a source of liquid fuel under pressure to line
110. TQ ensure a steady~and consistent fuel pressure, a pressure regulator 112
i~s employed to provide a bypass back to the fuel tank 104. The items 104
through 112 are standard equipment utilized in most internal combustion engines
of the type employed in cars and trucks today~. The function of the circuit of
Figure 7 is to control the fuel injectors 28 and 30 so that the fuel supplied
from line 110 is injected at the optimum rate for maximum fuel economy and
minimum pollution.
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Por this purpose an electronic driver unit 114 is utilized which is
a circuit apparatus employing four signal inputs, that is, an air door signal,
a spool valve signal, and two temperature signals. The air door signal is
fed to a function generator 116 which modifies the analog signal from the air
door potentiometer 98 to provide, on conductor 118, an analog air door signal.
The analog signal from spool valve potentiometer 86 is fed to an acceleration
differentiator circuit 120 and to a deceleration differentiator circuit 122.
The acceleration differentiator circuit 120 employs the analog signal from
spool valve potentiometer 86 and provides on conductor 124 an analog signal
which is responsive to the acceleration demands placed on the engine as re-
presented by the change ln position of the spool valve which in turn, in an
automobile or truck, is controlled by the operator foot pedal. In like manner,
decelerator dif~erentiator circuit 122 provides an analog signal on conductor
126 which is representative of the change of position of the spool valve in the
opposite direction, as the operator reduces pressure on the foot pedal to de-
celerate the engine. The signals on conductors 124 and 126 together constitute
an analog spool valve signal.
A suitable temperature sensor 121 is mounted in the proximity of
the engine block (not shown2 for detecting the temperature of the block. This
detected temperature is compared with a preselected standard temperature by a
cold start ComparatQr 123 which is operably connected to a suitable power driver125, which actuates~ a suitable solenoid 127. The solenoid 127 is mounted on
the outer periphery~ of the housing 12 in the proximlty of the linkage 88, as
shown in Pigure 3. If the temperature of the block does not compare favorably
with the standard temperature, as for example if the engine block is cold, the
solenoid 127 will be automatically actuated for mechanical engagement with arm
60 to rotate the spool 54 in a proper direction for ad~ustment of the alignment
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bctween the spool ports and the housing ports for varying thc open area of the
air inlet and outlet ports. When the temperature of the block increases suf-
ficiently to compare favorably with the standard temperature, or within the
allowed temperature range therebetween, the solenoid is deactivated Por dis-
engagement from the arm 60~ The block temperature analog voltage from the
temperature sensor 121 is conveyed to a temperature correction circuit 128 which
provides on conductor 130 an analog signal output representative of the tempera-
ture of the engine block. The temperature correction circuit modifies the
analog signal input so that the analog temperature correction signal 130 is not
directly proportional to the temperature but provides the signal input necessary
for proper engine operation due to block temperature at idle speed.
A fifth analog signal input is provided on conductors 132 by an idle
set potentiometer 134. This analog signal input on conductor 132 represents a
minimum fuel demand requirement for proper idling of the engine when no other
demand exists.
The analog voltage signal from the fuel temperature probe 80 is con-
veyed to a signal conditioning circuit 137 and then to a summation amplifier
131, where it is summed with the block temperature analog signal on conductor
129. The signal from the summation amplifier 131 and function generator circuit
116 are conveyed to a multiplier 133 which feedsthe analcg signal on conductor
135 to a summation amplifier 136. The analog signal 135 provides a correction
to the basic air door signal as a function of block and fuel temperature.
The six analog signals are applied to the summation analog amplifier
136 which provides, at output conductor 138, an analog signal which is indica-
tive of the fuel demand. This signal is fed to a pulse modulator circuit 140
providing a pulsating DC signal to power drivers 142 and 144. The output of the
power drivers is fed by~conductors 146 and 148 to the fuel injectors.
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Referring now to ~lgures 4 and 6, it may be desirable to install
a suitable glow plug 150 in the end wall 18. The glow plug 150 is operably
connected with the electrical system of the engine in any well-known manner
and extends into the interior of the fuel heating envelope 76 and may be utiliz-
ed for adding additional heat to the chamber when required, such as during cold
weather or cold engine starting conditions. In addition, it may be desirable
to provide an internal jacket or housing 152 in the fuel heating envelope 76,
the jacket 152 having both ends open as shown at 154 and 156 and communicating
with the engine exhaust heat. In this manner, a substantially annular fuel
chamber is provided in the envelope 76 with heat existing around the outer peri-
phery of the envelope and within the jacket 152. Thus, a greater heating area
is open to the fuel and the overall volume of the fuel in ratio to the heating
area is less, with a resultant increaseof the efficiency of the heating of the
fuel.
Thus, the system of this invention provides a unique apparatus and
method of control of the same by an electronic drive unit to regulate the flow
of fuel into the device in response to the air intake, the position of the spool
which is responsive to the demand placed on the engine, the engine temperature,
and the fuel temperature.
The function generator circuit 116 provides an analog voltage output
having a variable ratio device empirically to achieve maximum engine efficiency
and minimum pollution. A typical empirically derived input-to-output relation-
ship is illustrated in Figure 8. Input voltage X is representative of the
yoltage from air door potentiometer 98. The output voltage Y is the voltage
appearing on conductor 118 which is the analog air door signal fed to summation
amplifier 136. This functional input-output relationship has been found to
achieve significantly imprQved engine efficiency for the standard internal
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combustion engine utilized in American madc automobiles at thc present time. It
can be seen that the function generator circuit 116 may be modified to produce
any desired ratio of output to input according to engine performance character-
istics and requirements. While no specific input-output relationship is shown
for temperature correction circuit 128, it can be seen that in like manner, by
empirically derived relationships, the output analog signal appearing on conduc-
tor 130 for various temperature signal inputs may be achieved. These ratios are
not derivable from mathematical expressions but are best derived from experi-
mental tests.
lQ The invention set forth herein achieves all the objectives initially
set forth. ~his system is completely unlike a typical carbutetor which makes no
substantial ad~ustments for varying engine operating conditions.
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