Abstract: The variation range defined between the maximum and the minimum output voltages of a gas sensor in the exhaust passage is detected and compared with a reference signal which can have hysterisis characteristics. Engine operational parameters are utilized to disable and/or reactivate the system as well as the sensed sensor response, while the air-fuel ratio can be arbitrarily varied to test if the sensor is below an effective working temperature and reactivate the system.

Abstract: Charge forming apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the type in which a fuel dispersion gap is subjected to impingement by an inducted air stream is provided with pneumatic control means for varying the area of the fuel dispersion gap. An additional feature of the invention includes regulation of back pressure on the fuel.

Abstract: In a mixture control system having an exhaust gas sensor located in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine for controlling the air-fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine, a detection system for detecting when the temperature of the exhaust gas sensor is within its normal operating range. A deviation signal is derived from the exhaust gas sensor to represent the deviation of the air-fuel ratio within the exhaust system from a desired air-fuel ratio. The peak value of the deviation signal is detected and stored in a storage circuit and compared with a threshold which represents the normal operating temperature of the exhaust gas sensor to provide a disabling signal for the mixture control system to suspend feedback control operation when the temperature of the sensor falls below its normal operating temperature.

Abstract: In a throttle body injection apparatus of the type having a throttle body housing including a throttle body portion with spaced apart valve controlled throttle bores therein and a fuel body operatively connected to the throttle body portion, the fuel body is of substantially open, diamond like configuration and has a pair of socket cavities therein adjacent opposite corners thereof with electromagnetic fuel injectors positioned therein to discharge fuel from spray tip ends of the injectors into the throttle bores upstream of the valves therein, each electromagnetic fuel injector forming with a socket cavity an annular fuel chamber in flow communication with opposed inlet and outlet ports of the injector, the fuel body having a support port at one apex thereof connectable to a source of low pressure fuel and a drain port at the opposite apex thereof connectable to a fuel drain conduit, the fuel body having inlet passages therein connecting the supply port to the fuel chambers, and drain passages therein connec

Abstract: In a non contact ignition circuit for an internal combustion engine, a current induced in the primary winding of an ignition coil is controlled and cut-off by operation, on and off, of a thyristor so as to produce a discharge in a spark plug. A capacitor connected to the gate of the thyristor is charged with an inverse voltage. When the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine exceeds a predetermined level, i.e. a state of overrotation, the inverse voltage stored in the capacitor is discharged whereby the gate potential of the thyristor is negatively biased relative to the cathode. Accordingly, during the discharging period of the capacitor, the triggering time of the thyristor and sparking are retarded as compared to the normal running condition of the internal combustion engine. Thereby overrotation of the internal combustion engine is prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in association with a fuel mixture preparation system for an internal combustion engine in which the output signal from an oxygen sensor located in the exhaust system is used to provide closed-loop control of the mixture ratio supplied by the mixture preparation system. The apparatus includes a principal comparator in which the sensor signal is compared with a reference value and a subsequent integrator which supplies correcting signals to the mixture controller. A special circuit between the principal comparator and the integrator can delay the signal transmission between these two elements in one direction of change, thereby causing an effective shift of the point of operation of the control loop to a different point in the sensor output curve, to compensate for aging, etc.

Abstract: A plurality of sensors generate signals representing engine parameters indicative of the engine fuel requirement. These signals are all applied to a single function generator to form a composite signal that is a nonlinear function of the engine fuel requirement. One of the sensors responds to absolute intake manifold pressure; responsive to this sensor, operation is inhibited, while the absolute intake manifold pressure is below a predetermined value representative of engine deceleration. An engine starter switch generates a trigger pulse to actuate an overriding multivibrator that overrides normal operation as the engine is started. One of the sensors also responds to engine coolant temperature; responsive to this sensor, the actuation duration of the overriding multivibrator is controlled in reverse relation to the coolant temperature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting cylinder malfunction by monitoring the actual rotational speed in an internal combustion engine, e.g. with an inductive transducer. This signal is compared in phase with pulses from a voltage controlled oscillator, the control voltage of which comes from an integrating circuit driven by the phase comparison signal in the manner of a phase-locked loop.The VCO pulses are used to clock a shift register and the actual pulses provide the data input for the shift register. Thus, the relative arrival time of the two pulse trains determines the contents of the shift register. Decoding circuitry is used to interrogate the shift register and to actuate an output device when the contents of the register indicate an unsymmetric periodicity, caused by cylinder malfunction.

Abstract: To simplify electronic fuel injection or ignition signal generation, a transducer is provided which is formed as a segmental element providing a first or starting pulse at a certain angular position of the crankshaft of the engine and a second or termination pulse when the crankshaft of the engine has moved through a predetermined angle. A frequency controllable oscillator, typically a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) forming part of a phase locked loop (PLL) provides counting pulses to a first counter 12, the first counter counting from the start to a termination number and then providing the trigger signal.

Abstract: The fuel mixture ratio of an internal combustion engine is adjusted by metering out a fuel quantity in relation to the air flow rate through the induction tube. The air flow rate is measured indirectly by monitoring the engine speed (rpm) with an electrical transducer driving a frequency-voltage converter, thus providing a first voltage, while a throttle plate position transducer generates a second voltage. The two voltages are applied to a logical circuit including parallel diodes which selects the lower of the applied signals and presents the resultant voltage as the primary control signal for fuel metering. Various compensating networks may be added to provide additional smoothing and adaptation to the operating characteristics of a particular engine and state of operation. Various fuel metering devices to be used in conjunction with the control circuit are also described.

Abstract: A closed-loop emission control apparatus for internal combustion engines includes exhaust composition sensor for feedback control of the air-fuel mixture. When the temperature in the exhaust passage is lower than the operating temperature of the sensor, control is switched to an open-loop mode. The feedback control signal is fluctuated above and below a predetermined DC bias at periodic intervals during the open-loop mode to switch the control to the closed-loop mode in a minimum transition time as soon as the sensor's temperature condition warrants feedback control.

Abstract: In an automotive internal combustion engine having an exhaust cleaning catalytic converter in the exhaust system and a mixture ratio control system for controlling the air-to-fuel ratio of combustible mixture toward a predetermined value that will enable the catalytic converter to produce a maximum conversion efficiency, a valve arrangement for use in the mixture ratio control system, comprising a valve unit adapted to control the flow of fluid therethrough either cyclically or continuously and a stationary support member or structure supporting the valve unit and separate from the engine construction so that the valve unit is isolated from the vibrations produced in the engine. The valve arrangement may further comprise resilient bracket means intervening between the valve unit and the support member or structure.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for use in a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine provided with a carburetor including a main fuel supply system and a low speed fuel supply system for supplying fuel to the engine. The apparatus includes an electromagnetic valve for controlling the volume of air flowing through the air bleed of the main fuel supply system, an electromagnetic valve for controlling the volume of air flowing through the air bleed of the low speed fuel supply system, an O.sub.2 sensor for detecting the concentration of O.sub.2 in exhaust emissions, and a control circuit for producing as an output a control signal in accordance with a signal from the O.sub.2 sensor. The two electromagnetic valves are controlled by the same signal from the control circuit.

Abstract: An ignition system for internal combustion engines wherein an ignition timing computer circuit starts the computation of an ignition timing in response to the detection of a predetermined angular position of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine by an angular position detector, and an ignition device ignites the engine according to the computed ignition timing. A pressure detector detects variations of the pressure in the cylinders caused by the ignition of the engine and a retard-advance detector determines whether the angular position of the engine crankshaft corresponding to the maximum cylinder pressure agrees with the desired angular position. This retard-advance detector compensates the computation of ignition timing in the ignition timing computer circuit in accordance with its determination.

Abstract: An improved throttle valve for use in the suction tube of a mixture compressing, externally ignited internal combustion engine in which the transversely extending shaft of the throttle valve is provided with an elongated aperture, the opening of which is arbitrarily variable by means of a movable valve component associated with a by-pass valve.A reciprocal type valve as well as a rotary type valve are disclosed for controlling the aforesaid aperture with each said last-named valves being associated with electrical heater elements.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling internal combustion engine air to fuel ratios that includes a solid oxide electrolyte galvanic-type exhaust gas sensor. The sensor electrolyte is doped to have a significant internal thermally varying electronic conductivity, that materially reduces variation in sensor output voltage with variations in temperature. A dopant such as iron oxide provides substantially complete temperature compensation of the output voltage at sensor operating temperatures above about 450.degree. C.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic fuel injection control device for an internal combustion engine comprising an electronic circuit requiring a power-supply source of fixed voltage. The control device comprises a C-MOS type generating means for generating an electric control signal having a predetermined pulse width, and a switching means. The switching means feeds injection valves of the engine with the control signal provided from the generating means, when the engine is being started.

Abstract: Device for electronically controlling the ignition of an internal combustion engine comprising a sequencer coupled through a first output to one input of a first binary rate multiplier coupled in turn through a series of parallel-connected inputs to a pressure sensor-converter, the output of said multiplier being connected to one input of another binary rate multiplier connected through a series of parallel-connected inputs to a memory coupled in turn via a set of parallel-connected inputs to a counter connected to the sensor associated with the engine-driven member.

Abstract: A fuel injection pump is driven by the engine via a drive shaft that also rotates a cam ring. The cam ring reciprocates radial pistons which deliver fuel under high pressure to fuel lines located around an axially sliding distribution member. The amount of fuel delivered is determined in part by the timing of the opening of a pressure relief channel which is opened by a sliding annular ring surrounding the distribution member. The position of this ring and hence the fuel quantity delivered is adjusted by the equilibrium between spring forces and fluid pressure from a regulating valve. A separate pressure control valve adjusts the pressure gradient across an arbitrarily settable throttle which also affects the regulating pressure. Separate mechanisms adjust an engine starting excess quantity and a fuel bypass which is thermostatically controlled to maintain the pump operating temperature within prescribed limits.

Abstract: An ignition system providing variable ignition timing periods to an engine during operative mode of the system includes an angularly modulated waveform generator, an electronic control circuit electrically coupled to the generator, such control circuit being intermittently biased by the generator during the system's operation, and a power source which provides output power whose amplitude varies as a function of time, the power source being electrically connected to the control circuit. An integrator circuit may be interposed between the waveform generator and the electronic control circuit. The generator has a variable capacitor which is driven by the distributor shaft and therefore such generator provides angular modulated wave trains used to intermittently bias the control circuit. The power source is activated by the control circuit to provide non-DC output power to the ignition transformer so as to energize the igniters of the system with high energy alternating power.