Abstract: A method including a preheating stage wherein rheocast light alloy ingots are preheated to a temperature within the solidification range of the alloy; and a die casting stage wherein a mold is filled with the semiliquid alloy. The preheating stage is performed in a forced-convection-heated tunnel furnace, with the ingots housed inside cup-shaped containers which, following a temperature check, are tipped by a robot to unload the ingots into the injection chamber of a die casting machine. Work is conducted within a temperature range depending on the composition of the alloy, and such that, at the minimum permissible injection temperature, the ingot is incapable of maintaining its own shape, and, at the maximum permissible injection temperature, the apparent viscosity of the ingot is such as to ensure the mold is filled under laminar flow conditions.

Abstract: A process for semiliquid casting ingots from which to produce high-mechanical-performance die castings, whereby a metal alloy in the form of pigs and containing ceramic particles is smelted in a smelting furnace, transferred to a ladle, degassed, and fed into a pressurized furnace from which it is cast in the semiliquid state by feeding it at the solidification stage and under laminar flow conditions into a static mixer. At the outlet of the mixer the rheocast material is collected under laminar flow conditions, possibly with the interposition of a siphon type collecting tank and with protective gas shielding, through a cooled metal die, and solidified into a single billet. The billet is then guided by rollers past a saw and cut into pieces from which to obtain ingots of desired weight and size.

Abstract: The present invention involves an air regulation system for an internal combustion engine. The system comprises an air intake manifold, in turn presenting a main conduit with a throttle valve, and a bypass conduit with a regulating valve. An inlet and outlet are defined along the main conduit respectively upstream and downstream from the throttle valve. The system includes a device for controlling the regulating valve and sensors for detecting the speed and air intake of the engine. A processor determines the regulating valve control signal on the basis of engine speed. The processor then calculates the theoretical position of the regulating valve on the basis of engine speed and load. The processor calculates the estimated post-control position of the regulating valve on the basis of the readings of the sensors and compares the theoretical and estimated positions to generate an error signal. Finally, the processor varies the regulating valve control signal on the basis of the error signal.

Abstract: A valve comprising a plunger controlled by an electromagnet and in turn controlling fuel flow through an injection orifice; the plunger being defined by a cylindrical lateral surface mating in sliding manner with a corresponding cylindrical guide surface of a seat formed in the valve body. According to the present invention, the barycenter of the plunger lies in a plane of the valve perpendicular to the valve axis, and the distance between which plane and the mid plane of the cylindrical guide surface is less than 2 mm.

Abstract: The present invention involves an electromagnetically actuated fuel atomizing and metering valve. The valve has a metal body housing an electromagnet, a core, and an injection nozzle. The injection nozzle has at least one fuel injection orifice passage controlled by a movable shutter member fixed to an armature. The shutter member controls the passage of fuel through the injection orifice and comprises a disc delimited by a cylindrical outer lateral surface which has substantially the same diameter as the outer surface of the armature. The disc is connected to the armature by laser welding between the upper circular edge of the disc and the lower circular edge of the armature.

Abstract: A system for controlling the fuel delivery of an electronic injection system, whereby a processing unit determines the amount of fuel to be injected for achieving a substantially correct stoichiometric air/fuel ratio; which value is subsequently corrected by a coefficient calculated by integrating a signal comprising a signal supplied by a sensor located in the exhaust manifold of the engine and presenting a transfer function comprising a nonlinear characteristic and a delay seriously affecting system response. The system also comprises a processing unit for simulating the transfer function of the engine-sensor system and generating a signal simulating the signal actually produced by the sensor but minus the delay introduced by the sensor and the system; which signal is used for producing a correction signal which is added to the signal generated by the sensor for compensating the delay and so improving the dynamic response of the system as a whole.

Abstract: The manifold supplies fuel under pressure to a series of fuel metering and atomizing valves, and comprises a first tubular body provided with a series of connections for the valves; a second tubular bodyarranged approximately coaxially inside the first tubular body to define between these bodies a channelfor supplying the fuel to the connections; a first member arranged so as to close off a first axial end of the first tubular body; and a second member arranged so as to close off a second axial end of the first tubular body. The chief characteristic of the manifold lies in the fact that the second member comprises a wall which closes off said first tubular body and that this wall is made in one piece with the first tubular body.

Abstract: A valve substantially comprising a first tubular body having a wall of substantially constant thickness in which is formed at least a pair of openings; a second annular body incorporating an electromagnet and presenting a pair of radial projections, and a block forming a seat for an electric connecting element connected to the electromagnet, the projections being designed to fit inside the openings in the first body; and a third body defining an axial sleeve designed to fit inside the electromagnet for forming a core, and an annular collar projecting radially from the sleeve and designed to fit inside the wall of the first body.

Abstract: The valve substantially comprises a ferromagnet element provided with a flat bottom wall in which is formed an injection orifice, a first annular wall, adapted to house a movable shutter member and at least partially house an armature fixed to the member itself, and a second annular wall coaxial with the first and adapted to house the lower end of a core and a sealing ring interposed between the wall and the core; the valve further includes a tubular casing of sheet metal adapted to contain an electromagnet and the core, and the lower end of the casing overlying at least a part of the wall of the ferromagnet element and being fixed to this by laser welding.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is an improvement in the pilot valve which is adapted to control the passage of fuel through a discharge aperture which communicates with a control chamber with which the device is provided; fuel is supplied under pressure into this control chamber and is discharged through the first mentioned discharge aperture to control the opening of a shutter needle with which the device is provided for the purpose of injecting a suitable quantity of fuel through at least one injection orifice. According to this improvement the armature of the pilot valve substantially comprises a rod which traverses an axial hole in the core of an electromagnet. The first end of the rod is fixed to the armature. A stop member, the position of which is adjustable with respect to the body of the device, is adapted to constitute an abutment for the second end of the rod. A ball is interposed between this second end and the stop member.

Abstract: A metal alloy, in particular a light alloy, is continuously cast in the semi-liquid state by bringing it up to conditions such as to cause segregation of a solid phase within the interior of the liquid alloy and making the alloy pass through a static mixer adapted to mix the solid phase uniformly upon formation, with the liquid alloy, so as to obtain at the output from the mixer a suspension which, once solidified, provides a material with valuable microstructural characteristics; the alloy is supplied continuously to the static mixer by introducing it in a discrete manner into a sealed furnace through an externally heated barometric column and, simultaneously, by pressurizing the interior of the furnace by the introduction into it of a flow of gas at a pressure value such as to cause the said alloy to flow through the static mixer in stationary laminar conditions.

Abstract: An injector comprising a plunger for controlling fuel passage between an injection chamber and at least an injection orifice formed in an injection nozzle; and an electromagnetic fuel metering valve for controlling fuel passage through a drain orifice between a control chamber, supplied with fuel under pressure, and a low-pressure chamber, so as to reduce the fuel pressure in the control chamber to a given value and so displace the plunger; characterised by the fact that pressurized fuel is supplied to the injection chamber and control chamber by means of a single fitting connected to a supply pipe and coming out inside a supply orifice formed in the injector body and communicating with the control chamber and a duct for supplying fuel to the injection chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is fuel metering and atomizing valve for an internal combustion engine fuel supply device. The valve comprises a nozzle in which is formed an injection hole having an upstream chamber defining gradually decreasing areas towards the mouth of the injection hole for separating the fuel jet. The present invention provides an injection hole that is easy to machine and which effectively separates the fuel jet issuing from the chamber.

Abstract: The valve comprises a casing and an injection nozzle fixed to this and provided with at least one fuel injection orifice and a shutter member movable under the action of an electromagnet and adapted to control the passage of fuel through the injection orifice, this shutter member being provided with an active surface adapted to engage on a corresponding seat of the nozzle in which the injection orifice is located; the valve is characterized by the fact that it includes passages for supplying fuel to the injection orifice from a region outside the valve, which are formed substantially in a region which is disposed peripherally around the first-defined seat and which lies substantially in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the valve and containing the seat itself.

Abstract: The device comprises a housing formed by a cup-shaped body and a bell-shaped cover secured to the body, a deformable membrane secured to the housing and forming, together with the body, a chamber for the fuel, a movable shutter member designed to bring the chamber into communication with an outlet opening; the device is characterized in that at least one hole is provided in the base wall of the body for the inlet of the fuel into the chamber and a bearing seat for a sealing ring arranged so that it can be interposed between the seat and a corresponding seat of a housing in which the lateral wall of the body is inserted is provided on the lateral wall of the body.

Abstract: A perfected fuel injector comprising a plunger for controlling fuel passage between an injection chamber and at least an injection orifice formed in an injection nozzel; and an electromagnetic fuel metering valve for controlling fuel passage through a drain orifice between a control chamber, supplied with fuel under pressure, and a low-pressure chamber, so as to reduce to a given value the pressure of the fuel inside the control chamber and so displace the plunger. Pressurized fuel is supplied to the injection chamber and control chamber by means of a single fitting connected to a supply pipe and coming out inside a supply orifice formed in the injector body and communicating with the control chamber and with a duct supplying fuel to the injection chamber and comprising an annular chamber and a radial hole formed in a sleeve housed in a hole on the body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for determining axial displacement of a rod forming part of a device comprising a member in which are formed at least two chambers containing high-pressure fluid and each defined by a respective surface portion of the rod. The system consists in forming a sliding coupling between the rod portion separating the two chambers and the seat in which the rod slides; in forming, on the aforementioned rod portion, a pair of annular grooves defining an annular surface portion; in forming at least a housing on the aforementioned member; and in fitting inside the housing a proximity transducer for determining displacement of the annular surface portion parallel to the rod.

Abstract: A coil substantially comprising an annular winding of electric wire for producing a magnetic field in a coil integral with the valve body, and an anchor integral with a plunger; the ends of the winding wire being connected electrically to a pair of pins secured to a casing housing the winding itself; characterized by the fact that each pin presents an axial hole through which is threaded a portion of the winding wire, the end of which portion projects from one end of the pin and is connected to the same by a weld.

Abstract: An electronic fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine comprising an electronic control system having a central processing unit for detecting engine speed, throttle setting regulating air supply to the engine, exhaust gas concentrations, and for controlling fuel injection. The central processing unit also calculates an open basic injection time, corrected by sensors for engine cooling water and air supply temperature and a closed-loop injection time using an exhaust gas sensor.

Abstract: A fitting consisting of a cap having a tube projecting radially or along the longitudinal axis of the injector, for connecting the injector supply tube, the cap being fitted in idle and fluidtight manner, via the interposition of an O-ring, on to a union on the injector; and a pair of coaxially-mating half rings fitted in axially integral manner partly on the cap and partly on the union, and held together by a retainer ring snapped externally on to the same.