Abstract: The valve has a diaphragm connected to the operating mechanism which couples the valve element with the solenoid. Opposite sides of the diaphragm are respectively piloted to one pair of the three ports. The valve may also have a second diaphragm which is also connected to the operating mechanism and has its opposite sides respectively piloted to another pair of the three ports.

Abstract: The evaporative emission control system for an internal combustion engine purges the vapor collection canister to the intake manifold through a purge regulator controlled by the engine ECU. The purge regulator comprises a diaphragm valve and an electronic vacuum regulator. The purge regulator functions to allow a purge flow rate correlated with a control signal from the engine ECU and manifold vacuum, to maintain the purge flow rate substantially constant in response to certain changes in the magnitude of manifold vaccum, and to re-adjust the purge flow rate in correlation with changes in the control signal from the engine ECU.

Abstract: A valve assembly embodies a valve element, an expansible and contractible chamber space having porting via which it is expanded and contracted, and a connecting rod that transmits the expansion and contraction of the chamber space to the valve element, in a signal plastic part.

Abstract: The crystal-controlled oscillator circuit of the microprocessor comprises, for the starting resistance, a pair of discrete resistors connected in parallel. The two have respective resistance values which in their parallel circuit connection are effective to cause the initiation of electrical oscillation and which are also individually effective to cause the initiation of electrical oscillation so that in the event that one of the individual resistors experiences an open circuit fault, the oscillation can nonetheless be initiated by the other of the individual resistors. The invention provides improved reliability for automotive vehicle engine control systems.

Abstract: A reliable, consistent, facile, and economical mounting of a fuel rail on an engine for attenuating vibration between the fuel rail and the engine. An attaching bracket that is joined to the fuel rail has a hole that aligns with a threaded hole in the engine. An elastomeric grommet is situated in the bracket hole and compressed in a controlled manner by a threaded fastener that is passed through the grommet and threaded into the threaded engine hole until a shoulder of the fastener abuts the engine.

Abstract: The O-ring seal at the tip end of a particular model of fuel injector is replaced by an adapter grommet which provides an axial seal. This makes the fuel injector interchangeable with another model of fuel injector that is specifically designed for an axial seal. The adapter grommet comprises a radially inner portion disposed in the injector tip's circular groove that was orignally intended for the O-ring seal, and a radially outer portion that axially overlaps both the groove and a portion of the tip that is distal to the groove. The radially outer portion of the adapter grommet provides the axial seal with the shoulder of a hole into which the tip is inserted.

Abstract: An extremely fast electromagnetic fuel injector in miniature form which is intended predominantly for fuel injection into the suction pipe of combustion engines. The device features an armature of extremely low mass which is guided only by a diaphragm spring. The injector is mounted in a plastic valve carrier. In addition, a procedure for dynamic calibration is proposed where the magnetic resistivity of the magnetic circuit is varied.

Abstract: A valve assembly of novel configuration is associated with the main air induction passage of a fuel-injected, spark-ignited, automotive internal combustion engine for the purpose of regulating the idle air flow. The valve assembly has an inlet connected upstream of the throttle and an outlet connected downstream of the throttle. A pintle controls the restriction that the valve assembly imposes on the idle air flow. The valve assembly is controlled by the engine computer selectively energizing a solenoid on the assembly. In one embodiment the solenoid armature controls flow through another flow path of the valve assembly that parallels the idle air flow path. A movable internal wall divides the valve assembly's body into two variable volume chambers. One chamber forms part of the idle air bypass while the other forms part of the parallel flow path. The one chamber is essentially at manifold vacuum while the other is regulated by a bleed valve and two orifices in the parallel flow path.

Abstract: The cup into which the injector inlet is inserted has a radial key on its lip which requires that the retention clip have a proper circumferential orientation for registration with the key in order to permit the full assembly of the injector to the cup to be achieved when the injector, with the clip attached thereto, is inserted into the cup. The key is formed during the cup fabrication process out of metal that would otherwise be a part of the offal stock that is trimmed from the perimeter of the blank after the blank has been drawn to form the cup.

Abstract: The throttle blade is made to have a resilient outer margin whose outside diameter is circular and essentially equal to the diameter of the throttle bore within which the blade is disposed. The blade can maintain control even at engine idle. Several embodiments of throttle blade are disclosed. In one, an elastomeric seal is insert-molded onto the main blade body; in another, the seal is a multitude of short bristles; in still another, it is a stamped polytetrafluoroethylene part. There is also a special construction for assembling the shaft.

Abstract: An electromagnetic fuel injector is equipped with a flat valve seat. The injector features a parallel hydraulic guidance system for the armature which is obtained by suitably disposed hydraulic damping gaps. In addition, a method of manufacturing said hydraulic damping gaps is described.

Abstract: An angular reference position, VNO, of an oscillating shaft movable about this angular position is sensed. From N samples and from a stored value being a known angular reference position, an adjustment value is obtained and the stored known angular reference position is corrected as a function of the adjustment value.

Abstract: A molded fuel rail block for a multiple cylinder engine having a plurality of air conduits connecting the engine's air intake manifold to the individual air intake passageways provided in the cylinder head of the engine. The fuel rail block further has an injector well associated with each air conduit in which the fuel injector valves of the engine are mounted and a pressure regulator well in which a pressure regulator is mounted. A fuel delivery rail is provided in the fuel rail block which is connected to each of the injector wells and to an input of the fuel regulator well. A fuel return rail is provided in the fuel rail block generally parallel to the fuel delivery rail. The fuel return rail is connected to an exit port of the pressure regulator well. In the preferred embodiment, the air conduits, injector wells, pressure regulator well, fuel delivery rail and fuel return rail are molded from a high temperature plastic material having relatively good thermal insulation properties.

Abstract: The gain of the airflow meter electrical circuit is modified as a function of engine speed such that at any given throttle opening the gain over one portion of the engine speed range is different from what it is over another portion of the engine speed range. In the disclosed embodiment gain is greater over a lower portion of the speed range than it is over a higher portion of the speed range so that the airflow meter is endowed with increased resolution at low engine speeds where such increased resolution is beneficial. The invention is especially well suited for a hot-wire anemometer type airflow meter.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprises a tip end containing a flat planar orifice member that is sandwiched between a seat member and a flow director member. The thin disc orifice member contains a pair of metering orifices that receive fuel that has been allowed to pass through the seat member by virtue of the unseating of the injector needle. The fuel is emitted from the metering orifices as two parallel streams that are parallel to the injector centerline. The flow director member contains a pair of holes having wall portions arranged to cause the flow streams to be emitted from the injector tip as two streams that diverge from the injector centerline without any additional influence on the metering.

Abstract: A unipolar motor control system includes motor current regulation derived from monitoring battery voltage and motor temperature. The monitored battery voltage and motor temperature are inputs to a microprocessor control which has one or more look-up tables for developing an appropriate scaling factor that adjusts the voltage across the motor coils so that proper current magnitude is delivered to the motor.

Abstract: An inertia switch comprises a mass which actuates an electrical switch assembly upon being subjected to a predetermined velocity change. The switch assembly comprises a set of two electrical contacts that are disposed within a switch enclosure in resiliently deflected, spaced apart conditions so as to make the set normally open when the inertia switch is in a quiescent condition. During the occurrence of such a predetermined velocity change, the mass operates an actuator of the electrical switch assembly to cause one contact to be further resiliently deflected and engage and also further resiliently deflect the other contact thereby creating switch closure indicating that the predetermined velocity change has occurred.

Abstract: An inertia switch assembly comprises an inertia switch assembly element encapsulated by potting material within a housing. The inertia switch assembly element comprises a non-magnetic enclosure containing an inertial mass and switch contacts. The switch contacts are connected by conductors that become terminals parallel with and spaced radially of the enclosure as they pass through an aperture in the housing. This aperture is closed by a closure on the terminals. Potting material is kept from intruding into the enclosure by a sealed closure which closes an open end of the enclosure and through which the conductors pass. The housing has an integral shroud surrounding the terminals to thereby form a connector plug structure for connetion with a mating connector plug structure leading to a circuit controlled by the switch assembly. The housing also has a triangular-shaped base containing apertures at each apex to provide for attachment of the housing to a wall.

Abstract: Various embodiments of sensors are disclosed which contain an inertial mass that is magnetically biased to an initial position. In response to a certain deceleration, the mass is caused to swing about an axis and operate a switch. In some embodiments, the switch is one that is held open by the inertial mass' presence in its initial position and closes when the inertial mass swings away from its initial position, while in other embodiments it is one whose contacts are bridged by a conductive portion of the inertial mass only after the inertial mass has been displaced from its initial position, while in still other embodiments it is a reed switch that is magnetically operated. Motion of the inertial mass can be undampened or dampened. If dampening is desired, it can be accomplished either pneumatically or electromagnetically.

Abstract: A plenum is surrounded by runners that spiral around the plenum sidewall to the entrances to the engine cylinders. The circumferential extent of each runner exceeds 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the plenum. Portions of the runners share common wall portions with portions of the plenum.