Abstract: An electric shifting mechanism for a fluid-powered diaphragm pump is provided. The shifting mechanism includes a controller programmed to switch the pump at timed intervals, a solenoid valve and an end of stroke valve. The end of stroke valve translates the pneumatic end of stroke signals generated by the pilot valve into electric signals. The electric signals are then transmitted to the controller. The controller sends timed switch signals to an operator of the solenoid valve. The operator shifts the solenoid valve which transmits a pilot signal generated from the compressed air supply to either the right or the left pilot signal port of the main air valve. The main air valve does not receive pilot signals directly from the pilot valve but, in turn, receives its pilot signals from the solenoid valve which receives signals from the controller. The controller receives end of stroke signals from the end of stroke valve which translates the pneumatic signals generated by the pilot valve into electric signals.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to be able to correct for deviation of an actual air-fuel ratio from a point for satisfactory purification performance of an exhaust gas purification catalytic converter, during an interval from immediately after start up until an air-fuel ratio sensor and an exhaust gas purification catalytic converter attain a stable condition. To achieve this, a control constant in an air-fuel ratio feedback control is set and altered during an interval from immediately after start up until the air-fuel ratio sensor and the exhaust gas purification catalytic converter attain a stable condition. In this way, the actual air-fuel ratio can be shifted, and hence the deviation of the actual air-fuel ratio from the point for satisfactory purification performance of the exhaust gas purification catalytic converter during the interval from immediately after start up until the air-fuel ratio sensor and the exhaust gas purification catalytic converter attain a stable condition, can be corrected.

Abstract: A pump system includes a variable fluid displacement pump having a pressure line which is connected to a pressure load and connected to a load sensing control. A variable orifice is located downstream from the load sensing control. The variable orifice is fluidly connected to the load sensing control in a servo pressure conduit such that the margin pressure varies proportionally with respect to the fluid displacement Of the pump. The variable orifice can take many different forms, including a variable cross sectional area gap between the housing and an elongated servo piston longitudinally slidable therein. A longitudinal slot having uniformly increasing depth along the length of the servo piston gives the servo piston a cross sectional area which varies along its length. Thus, a variable orifice results.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for collecting internal combustion engine exhaust emission particulates comprising at least one channel (1), preferably several parallel unobstructed flow channels, of about 3 mm to 30 mm diameter, and a length of about 10 cm to 100 cm, said channel being surrounded on all sides by spaces, recesses or pockets (2) of about 1 mm width which are about 5 mm deep in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the channel, said channels being such that the exhaust gases flow at a velocity of about 5 m/s to 50 m/s. The invention further relates to the associated process.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling an operating variable of a motor vehicle. A friction-burdened actuator assembly, which influences the operating variable, is actuated via a drive signal. This drive signal is formed on the basis of a desired value of the operating variable. The drive signal is additionally changed in response to a desired change of the operating variable to transfer the actuator assembly out of a steady state condition preferably so as to effect an actual change of the operating variable. In this way, the static friction of the actuator assembly, which is in opposition to the change of the operating variable, is overcome. Furthermore, the drive signal can be additionally changed in the sense of a reduction of the change of the operating variable when the operating variable approaches the desired value thereof.

Abstract: A throttle body and bracket assembly permits the joining of the bracket to the throttle body without fasteners by incorporating preselected and complementary geometries on a mating portion of the bracket and on a portion of the throttle body. These mating portions, which may be in the form of a dovetail-type configuration, may be fit together in locking fashion, and the bracket may be further held in place by securing a lip or retainer portion of the bracket between the free ends of the air hose and the throttle body when they are joined. Additionally, a throttle body may be molded to include an idle air by-pass passage having an open, exterior surface that is sealed by the mating portion of the bracket when it is placed in its mated position with the throttle body.

Abstract: A heat deflection system is provided for a lawn tractor which has an engine mounted on a chassis and enclosed within an engine enclosure. The engine enclosure has a top, sides and a front grille. The engine also includes a carburetor, an exhaust header and a muffler. The heat deflection system includes a heat shield having at least a portion thereof disposed between the exhaust header and carburetor, a partition having openings therein, wherein the openings extend above the muffler, such that the heated air from the muffler rises and passes through the openings, and the heat deflector extending above the partition for directing soak heat from the muffler away from the carburetor.

Abstract: The present invention is adapted to provide a method and apparatus for dynamically determining an individualized fuel command for each fuel injector connected to an engine. In the preferred embodiment the method includes delivering a baseline fuel command to each of the injectors. The actual engine speed is then determined. An individualized fuel command is determined for each of the fuel injectors based on the baseline fuel command, and the actual engine speed. In the preferred embodiment the individualized fuel commands are dynamically determined when the engine is idling. In an alternative embodiment, the individualized fuel commands may be used throughout the operating speed range of the engine.

Abstract: In an engine exhaust recirculation device, a target exhaust recirculation rate is determined based on an engine running state. The required flowpath cross-sectional area of the exhaust recirculation passage to obtain a target exhaust recirculation rate is calculated from the target exhaust recirculation rate, fresh air amount, an intake pressure and an exhaust pressure. By determining a target opening of the exhaust recirculation valve from the required flowpath cross-sectional area of the exhaust recirculation passage and a predetermined coefficient specifying a relation between the required flowpath cross-sectional area and the opening area of the exhaust recirculation valve, the precision of controlling the exhaust recirculation amount is enhanced.

Abstract: A vehicle location system detects the location where a vehicle is position. A control system controls a fuel injection system of an engine of the vehicle in such a manner that emission of the engine varies in accordance with the detected vehicle location.

Abstract: An air-amount-first fuel-amount-second control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having an electronically-controlled throttle valve. The response characteristic of the throttle valve is stored, a target value of the throttle valve opening degree corresponding to the operating position of the accelerator pedal is calculated, the intake air valve closing time of the fuel injection cylinder is calculated in accordance with the engine operating condition, the time required for reaching a target throttle valve opening degree is calculated from the target throttle valve opening degree and the stored value of the response characteristic of the throttle valve, the throttle valve opening degree as of the intake air valve closing time is calculated from the calculated time required for reaching the target throttle valve opening degree and the intake air valve closing time of the fuel injection cylinder.

Abstract: In an engine comprising a fuel vapor purge mechanism which mixes fuel vapor from a fuel tank with the intake air of the engine after fuel vapor has been adsorbed by a canister, a uniform fuel-air mixture and a stratified fuel-air mixture are selectively produced. When the engine is running with a stratified fuel-air mixture, purge of fuel vapor is prohibited. On the other hand, when the fuel vapor adsorption amount in the canister has reached a predetermined value, the engine is forcibly run with a uniform fuel-air mixture and purge of fuel vapor is performed, In this way, the fuel vapor adsorption amount in the canister is prevented from becoming excessive.

Abstract: A direct injection engine provided with an injector at a peripheral portion of a combustion chamber to inject at least at a latter stage of a compression stroke in at least in a low engine load and low engine speed condition, wherein a distance from the tip end of the injector to an opposite end the combustion chamber is determined greater than a traveling distance of an injected fuel for a time period from a start of a fuel injection at the latter stage of the compression stroke to the ignition timing, wherein; an ignition plug is arranged that an ignition gap is disposed within an injection area of the injector; and, wherein a distance from the tip end of the injector to the ignition gap is determined smaller than said traveling distance of the injected fuel. An ignitability and combustion stability can be improved to thereby improve a fuel consumption efficiency.

Abstract: An encapsulated magnet assembly has a magnet encapsulated during a two-step molding process. The first step includes molding a first molded section over a magnet assembly. The second step of the process includes molding a second molded section over the magnet and the first molded section in such a manner that the entire magnet is covered by the two molded sections completely. A first parting line is defined between the first and second molded sections along an elongate tapered section of the first molded section at the one end of the assembly. A second parting line is defined between the first and second molded sections at a dovetail on the first molded section. An outwardly tapered surface is provided on the dovetail. The two parting lines define leak-free seams between the two molded sections thereby sealingly encapsulating the magnet within the two molded sections.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for controlling brake force is disclosed. An engine selectively performs a stratified charge combustion and a uniform charge combustion. A brake booster is actuated by negative pressure an absolute value of which is greater than a predetermined magnitude. An electronic control unit actuates the throttle valve to apply the negative pressure to the brake booster when the magnitude relating to the pressure in the brake booster is smaller than the predetermined value. Engine condition is converted from the stratified charge combustion to the uniform charge combustion. A fuel injector directly injects the fuel into the cylinder to set the engine to perform the stratified charge combustion. A basic injection timing of the fuel injector is computed based on the operation state of the engine. The basic timing is advanced when the stratified charge combustion is performed and the negative pressure is applied to the brake booster.

Abstract: When an operation causing a decrease of the engine load is requested, for example, by switching off an air conditioner switch, an idle speed control system calculates a fuel decrease quantity from an engine load decrease quantity, and further calculates an air decrease quantity in accordance with a desired air fuel ratio after the engine load decrease, and the fuel decrease quantity. The control system decreases the air supply quantity to the engine by the air decrease quantity. Then, after the elapse of a preset time interval, the system controls the external load such as the air conditioner so as to reduce the engine load (for example, by turning off the air conditioner), and decrease the fuel injection quantity by the fuel decrease quantity.

Abstract: A controllable motor vehicle coolant pump driven by an internal combustion engine via a belt pulley connected to a driving shaft. The pump does not require a shaft seal for sealing the flow chamber against the bearing casing of the driving belt pulley, and reduces fuel consumption and exhaust gas emission during the entire operating range of the engine. The pump comprises two opposing clutch halves mounted on two clutch shafts. The impeller of the coolant pump is driven by a permanently magnetic clutch. One clutch half is comprised of a multipole magnetic disc magnetized in sectors on one of the two clutch shafts. The other clutch half comprises a disk made of hysteresis material or a disk with a copper disc arranged therein mounted on the other clutch shaft. The width of the air gap between the two clutch halves is variable depending on the given operational condition of the engine.

Abstract: A spark plug and an engine valve member are integrally combined in the same structure by forming an ignition gap between a first electrode rod which is the center electrode incorporated in an engine valve body and a second electrode portion which is the grounding electrode formed to be integral with or incorporated in the engine valve body. The resulting structure has the features of both a spark plug and an engine valve and is advantageously compact and applicable to gasoline engines in general.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving efficiency and reducing emissions of a vehicle's multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The engine runs at best BSFC by intermittently disabling cylinders for torque control. The engine runs as an air compressor for braking, and after braking, runs as an air motor driven by the stored compressed air. The air motor capability permits stopping all fuel flow when the accelerator is released at any engine speed. Variable engine valve control eliminates the conventional throttle and EGR valve, and is utilized for maximum thermodynamic efficiency during air operation. A camshaft retard is utilized to minimize the pressurized components and to prevent cooling the catalyst during air motor operation.

Abstract: An inter-cylinder-injection fuel controller for an internal combustion engine maintaining stable operation performance at a low cost. The inter-cylinder-injection fuel controller comprises a control unit 8B for controlling the injectors in a mode of the compression stroke injection or in a mode of the intake stroke injection, wherein various sensors 20 include an amount-of-intaken-air sensor and a crank angle sensor, and said control unit includes change-in-the-running-speed suppressing portion 82, 83 for suppressing a change in the running speed caused by a change in the external load in the mode of the compression stroke injection by correcting the amount F of supplying fuel, a rich determining portion 85 for forming a rich signal RC when a target air-to-fuel ratio A/Fo based upon the corrected amount of supplying fuel is on the side more rich than a predetermined lower-limit value .alpha.