Abstract: An evaporative fuel vapor control system, purge valve and methods are described. The system includes a fuel supply, internal combustion engine, vapor canister, and a purge valve. The purge valve includes a sensor disposed in the body housing of the purge valve and in communication with the flow passage to provide a signal indicative of the magnitude of chemicals in the fuel vapor being provided to the engine. Various methodologies relating the system, purge valve and sensors are described.

Abstract: An evaporative fuel vapor control system, purge valve and methods are described. The system includes a fuel supply, internal combustion engine, vapor canister, a bypass passage, and a purge valve. The bypass passage includes a sensor disposed in the bypass passage and in communication with the flow passage to provide a signal indicative of the magnitude of chemicals in the fuel vapor being provided to the engine. Various methodologies relating the system, purge valve and sensors are described.

Abstract: A canister purge valve, and an emission control system, for regulating a fuel vapor flow between a fuel vapor collection canister and an intake manifold of an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The canister purge valve includes a body having a passage extending between a first port and a second port, a seat defining a portion of the passage, a member movable with respect to the seat, and an actuator that moves the member. The first port of the body is adapted to be in fluid communication with the fuel vapor collection canister, and the second port of the body is adapted to be in fluid communication with the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine. The member moves generally along an axis between a first configuration that prohibits fuel vapor flow through the seat and a second configuration that permits fuel vapor flow through the seat. And the actuator includes a piezo-electric element that moves the member from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Abstract: A device and method for signaling differential pressure change occurring during leak testing of an evaporative emission control space in a motor vehicle fuel system. A casing has sensing ports one of which is communicated to a reference pressure, such as atmospheric pressure, and another of which is communicated to sense pressure in the evaporative emission control space. As difference between the reference pressure and the pressure in the control space changes, the net magnetic flux acting on a magnetoresistive sensor changes. The sensor is electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system for signaling the differential pressure. The device may be used for both positive and negative pressure leak testing.

Abstract: A device and method for signaling differential pressure change occurring during leak testing of an evaporative emission control space in a motor vehicle fuel system. A casing has sensing ports one of which is communicated to a reference pressure, such as atmospheric pressure, and another of which is communicated to sense pressure in the evaporative emission control space. As difference between the reference pressure and the pressure in the control space changes, the net magnetic flux acting on a magnetoresistive sensor changes. The sensor is electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system for signaling the differential pressure. The device may be used for both positive and negative pressure leak testing.

Abstract: A device and method for signaling differential pressure change occurring during leak testing of an evaporative emission control space in a motor vehicle fuel system. A casing has sensing ports one of which is communicated to a reference pressure, such as atmospheric pressure, and another of which is communicated to sense pressure in the evaporative emission control space. As difference between the reference pressure and the pressure in the control space changes, the net magnetic flux acting on a magnetoresistive sensor changes. The sensor is electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system for signaling the differential pressure. The device may be used for both positive and negative pressure leak testing.

Abstract: A device and method for signaling differential pressure change occurring during leak testing of an evaporative emission control space in a motor vehicle fuel system. A casing has sensing ports one of which is communicated to a reference pressure, such as atmospheric pressure, and another of which is communicated to sense pressure in the evaporative emission control space. As difference between the reference pressure and the pressure in the control space changes, the net magnetic flux acting on a magnetoresistive sensor changes. The sensor is electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system for signaling the differential pressure. The device may be used for both positive and negative pressure leak testing.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method using a canister purge valve including an electro-active polymer actuator. Such a canister purge valve can be used in a system and method for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, which includes an intake manifold. The fuel system includes a fuel tank that has a headspace, a fuel vapor collection canister that is in fluid communication with the headspace, and a canister purge valve that is in fluid communication between the fuel vapor collection canister and the intake manifold. The canister purge valve includes a body and a member. The body has a first port that is in fluid communication with the fuel vapor collection canister, and a second port that is in fluid communication with the intake manifold. The member is arrangeable between first and second configurations.

Abstract: A canister purge valve, and an emission control system, for regulating a fuel vapor flow between a fuel vapor collection canister and an intake manifold of an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The canister purge valve includes a body having a passage extending between a first port and a second port, a seat defining a portion of the passage, a member movable with respect to the seat, and an actuator that moves the member. The first port of the body is adapted to be in fluid communication with the fuel vapor collection canister, and the second port of the body is adapted to be in fluid communication with the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine. The member moves generally along an axis between a first configuration that prohibits fuel vapor flow through the seat and a second configuration that permits fuel vapor flow through the seat. And the actuator includes a piezo-electric element that moves the member from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Abstract: An engine intake system has an imperforate walled pit disposed at an elevation vertically below a bottom wall in a main passageway that contains an entrance opening into the pit. Gaseous, heavier-than-air, hydrocarbon that is migrating upstream within the main intake passageway from an engine end of the main passageway along the bottom wall toward the entrance opening will fall through the entrance opening into the pit upon encountering the entrance opening. A medium, such as activated carbon, disposed within the interior space collects gaseous hydrocarbon that has fallen into the pit.

Abstract: An engine intake system has an imperforate walled pit disposed at an elevation vertically below a bottom wall in a main passageway that contains an entrance opening into the pit. Gaseous, heavier-than-air, hydrocarbon that is migrating upstream within the main intake passageway from an engine end of the main passageway along the bottom wall toward the entrance opening will fall through the entrance opening into the pit upon encountering the entrance opening. A medium, such as activated carbon, disposed within the interior space collects gaseous hydrocarbon that has fallen into the pit.

Abstract: A low-profile tank isolation valve mounts on a wall of a fuel tank to enclose an opening in the tank wall through which an inlet port of the valve is communicated to tank headspace. An electric actuator is selectively energized to selectively operate an armature to cause a closure to seat on, and unseat from, a valve seat. The armature is a cylindrical walled tube that is disposed within a central through-hole of the actuator and is selectively positioned along a straight axis coincident with the tube axis. An element that operatively relates the armature to the closure constrains vapor flow through the valve to pass through the armature tube when the closure is unseated. The seat, closure, and element are all disposed within the actuator through-hole.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has multiple combustion chambers each having intake and exhaust valves for controlling intake and exhaust flows into and from the combustion chamber, an induction system to the intake valves, an exhaust system from the exhaust valves, and an EGR system for controlling recirculation of exhaust flow to the combustion chambers. The EGR system has an individual electric-actuated EGR valve associated with each respective combustion chamber for controlling the exhaust recirculation to the respective combustion chamber independent of the exhaust gas recirculated to any other combustion chamber. The EGR valves are mounted in an exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly that is assembled to the engine. Each EGR valve is operated according to mapped EGR requirements for the respective combustion chamber.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation valve for an internal combustion engine (16). A one-piece adapter part (10; 10′) contains a combustion air passageway (34) through which combustion air can enter the engine and a coolant passageway (18) through which engine coolant can flow. The adapter part also has an exhaust gas recirculation passageway (22) through which engine exhaust gas can be introduced into the combustion air passageway. An electric-operated exhaust gas recirculation valve (12) for controlling the recirculation of engine exhaust gas through the engine has a valve member (28) that is positionable with respect to a valve seat (26) that circumscribes the exhaust gas passageway in the adapter part.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has multiple combustion chambers each having intake and exhaust valves for controlling intake and exhaust flows into and from the combustion chamber, an induction system to the intake valves, an exhaust system from the exhaust valves, and an EGR system for controlling recirculation of exhaust flow to the combustion chambers. The EGR system has an individual electric-actuated EGR valve associated with each respective combustion chamber for controlling the exhaust recirculation to the respective combustion chamber independent of the exhaust gas recirculated to any other combustion chamber. The EGR valves are mounted in an exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly that is assembled to the engine. Each EGR valve is operated according to mapped EGR requirements for the respective combustion chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has multiple combustion chambers each having intake and exhaust valves for controlling intake and exhaust flows into and from the combustion chamber, an induction system to the intake valves, an exhaust system from the exhaust valves, and an EGR system for controlling recirculation of exhaust flow to the combustion chambers. The EGR system has an individual electric-actuated EGR valve associated with each respective combustion chamber for controlling the exhaust recirculation to the respective combustion chamber independent of the exhaust gas recirculated to any other combustion chamber. The EGR valves are mounted in an exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly that is assembled to the engine. Each EGR valve is operated according to mapped EGR requirements for the respective combustion chamber.

Abstract: A rotary actuator has a ferromagnetic armature with at least one arcuate-shaped wall extending circumferentially at the perimeter of the armature. The stator has a pair of axially and circumferentially aligned axial walls, separated by an axial air gap, disposed radially outward of, and in relatively circumferentially advanced relationship to, each such arcuate-shaped wall. Current flow in an electromagnetic coil associated with the stator causes magnetic flux to pass from one axial wall of each pair, across an air gap, to the respective arcuate-shaped armature wall, through that wall, and across a radial air gap to the other axial wall of each pair. Each arcuate-shaped wall has a ferromagnetic characteristic that causes it to be positioned to increasingly circumferentially overlap the respective pair of axial walls as the magnetic flux increases. The actuator may include a rotary flow control valve, such as an EGR valve for an automotive engine.

Abstract: The magnetic circuit has an air gap on the interior of the bobbin-mounted coil. A non-ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve lines the interior of the coil. The armature is disposed within the sleeve and has a cylindrical wall with an axial taper proximate the air gap. The sleeve extends to seal against a bushing that guides a portion of the valve member between the solenoid and the valve head so that any exhaust gases that infiltrate through the bushing to the solenoid are confined within the sleeve.

Abstract: The valve has a one-piece guide and valve seat member and a one-piece valve member that is guided by a bushing lining the guide of the guide and seat member. The valve is operated by a duty-cycle modulated waveform, and when the valve is operated in the closing direction, a gap is introduced into the waveform. The valve head and valve seat are configured to cause sonic flow through the valve when the valve is open and the pressure differential across it exceeds a certain minimum.

Abstract: The valve shaft passes through a journal bearing in the wall of the valve body to an actuating lever attached to the shaft on the outside of the valve body. This journal bearing is sealed by an arrangement of several parts to prevent escape of exhaust gases. These parts include a bellows and ceramic thrust washers. By making the valve shaft axis non-perpendicularly intersecting the axis of the valve body wall, the entire circumference of the valve blade can be sealed to the valve body wall when the valve is closed.