Abstract: The invention is directed to a hydraulic brake apparatus which includes a master cylinder having a cylinder body and a master piston slidably disposed therein for defining a pressure chamber ahead of the master cylinder and a power chamber behind the master piston. A control piston is slidably disposed in the cylinder body ahead of the master piston to define the pressure chamber behind the control piston, and adapted to be moved in response to movement of the master piston. An auxiliary pressure source is provided for pressurizing brake fluid to generate a power pressure. A valve assembly having a regulator chamber defined ahead of the control piston is communicated with the auxiliary pressure source to regulate the power pressure into a regulated pressure in response to movement of the control piston, and adapted to supply the regulated pressure into the power chamber to assist the operation of the manually operated member.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a hydraulic brake apparatus which includes a master cylinder having a cylinder body and a master piston slidably disposed therein for defining a pressure chamber ahead of the master piston and a power chamber behind the master piston. A control piston is slidably disposed in the cylinder body ahead of the master piston for defining the pressure chamber behind the control piston. The control piston is moved in response to movement of the master piston. An auxiliary pressure source is provided for pressurizing brake fluid to generate a power pressure. A valve assembly is communicated with the auxiliary pressure source to regulate the power pressure into a regulated pressure in response to movement of the control piston, and adapted to supply the regulated pressure into the power chamber to assist the operation of a brake pedal.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine provides a uniform flow of gaseous and liquid fuel to each of the intake passages of the engine. A balance passage interconnects each of the intake manifolds to each other and balances the pressure within the intake passages. A pressure regulator regulates the fuel pressure at the fuel injector. A reference pressure chamber within the pressure regulator communicates with the balance passage and controls the fuel pressure based on the balanced pressure within intake passages. The balance passage also communicates with a vapor separator of the fuel supply system that separates liquid fuel from gaseous fuel. The balance passage promotes even distribution of the gaseous fuel to the intake passages. The fuel injection system also includes plenum chamber that acts a source of air for the engine. The plenum chamber includes an drain outlet that communicates with the balance passage for returning blown back fuel from the plenum chamber to the intake passages.

Abstract: An engine feedback control for an internal combustion engine having at least two combustion chambers is disclosed. When a sensor detects a high engine temperature condition of the engine, the feedback control changes the air/fuel ratio of the air and fuel supplied to each combustion chamber in a manner which prevents operation of any combustion chamber in a disabling range.

Abstract: Several embodiments of feedback control systems for either two or four-cycle engines that employ sensors such as oxygen sensors. The systems include an arrangement wherein the sensor condition is determined by comparing the response time with a normal response time. If the time of response is outside of the normal range, compensation may be made so as to permit continued feedback control. Embodiments are also describe that adjust the maximum permissible injection amount and also revert to an open control if the deterioration is more any predetermined amount.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor and sensor mounting arrangement for a control system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The oxygen sensor senses the actual combustion conditions in a combustion chamber. An insulating arrangement is provided including an insulated conduit and an insulated sensor body for maintaining high temperature of the sensor element by avoiding heat transfer from the conduit and sensor body to the engine body.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a hydraulic brake apparatus which includes a master cylinder having a cylinder body and a master piston slidably disposed therein for defining a pressure chamber ahead of the master piston and a power chamber behind the master piston. The master piston includes a first piston connected to a brake pedal and a second piston slidably disposed relative to the first piston. The rear ends of the first piston and second piston are exposed to the power chamber, and the front ends of the first piston and second piston are exposed to the pressure chamber. An engaging member is provided for engaging the second piston with the first piston upon forward movement of the second piston. A control piston is slidably disposed in the cylinder body ahead of the master piston to define the pressure chamber behind the control piston.

Abstract: An induction system arrangement for an engine powering an outboard motor is disclosed. The engine has a block defining at least one combustion chamber which a member movably mounted therein which is connected to a crankshaft for driving the crankshaft. A throttle body is connected to the block and has a throttle passage leading from an inlet to the block. An air plenum is positioned at the inlet of the throttle body. A fuel injector is mounted to exterior of the throttle body corresponding to each throttle passage. The air plenum has an air inlet through which air is supplied to the engine, the air inlet positioned on a side of the throttle body opposite the fuel injectors.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine provides a uniform flow of gaseous and liquid fuel to each of the intake passages of the engine. A balance passage interconnects each of the intake manifolds to each other and balances the pressure within the intake passages. A pressure regulator regulates the fuel pressure at the fuel injector. A reference pressure chamber within the pressure regulator communicates with the balance passage and controls the fuel pressure based on the balanced pressure within intake passages. The balance passage also communicates with a vapor separator of the fuel supply system that separates liquid fuel from gaseous fuel. The balance passage promotes even distribution of the gaseous fuel to the intake passages. The fuel injection system also includes plenum chamber that acts a source of air for the engine. The plenum chamber includes an drain outlet that communicates with the balance passage for returning blown back fuel from the plenum chamber to the intake passages.

Abstract: A fuel supply system for an engine powering an outboard motor is disclosed. The fuel supply system includes a first pump for delivering fuel from a fuel supply to a fuel reservoir located at the motor. Another pump delivers fuel from the reservoir to a charge former. The rate of fuel delivery into the reservoir is regulated by a valve based upon the level of the fuel within the reservoir. A flow rate sensor is provided for sensing the fuel flow rate into the reservoir. The fuel system is arranged to limit a change in sensed fuel flow rate when a position of the motor is changed, such as when the motor is trimmed.

Abstract: An outboard motor includes a fuel supply system which minimizes and curbs fuel spillage when the outboard motor is placed in a non-upright position. The fuel supply system includes an internal fuel tank which communicates with at least one intake passage of an engine of the outboard motor via a fuel vapor discharge line. The discharge line extends between a vapor discharge port on the fuel tank and a vapor suction port on the engine. The ports and the discharge line are arranged within the outboard motor to inhibit significant spillage or drainage of liquid fuel from the fuel tank through the vapor discharge line regardless of the orientation of the outboard motor, such as, for example, when the outboard motor is inverted or is laid over on its side.

Abstract: A compact vapor separator for a fuel injection system reduces the size of the fuel system mounted on the side of an outboard engine. The girth of the outboard motor's power head consequently is decreased. In one embodiment, the vapor separator employs a plurality of rotary vane-type pumps. The pumps are sized to produce a sufficient flow rate and fuel pressure, while minimizing power consumption. At least one of the fuel pumps can be located on a periphery of a housing of the vapor separator and can be removably attached thereto to facilitate easy removal and assembly for service and repair. The vapor separator also can include a redundant seal arrangement to generally isolate an exterior casing of the fuel pump from the fuel and to seal an upper end of the housing. In another embodiment, a dividing wall separates the fuel pump from an fuel supply inlet of the fuel tank. The wall inhibits gas bubble migration toward the inlet of the fuel pump. The fuel pump thus draws less vapor.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus measures the time an emitted optical pulse requires to go and return the distance to a target before being received by using the emission time and the reception time of the optical pulse, and obtains the distance to the target from the measured time. A converter converts an optical pulse received by a photodetector into an electrical signal. A divider divides the electrical signal pulse into two signal pulses. A delay element delays only one signal pulse. Both the undelayed and delayed pulses are applied to a threshold generator. The threshold generator generates and holds the value of signal intensity at the intersection of waveforms of the two pulses as a threshold value of the received signal pulse. A comparator generates a digital signal pulse indicating the reception time from the received signal pulse by using the generated threshold value.

Abstract: An improved feedback control system and method for internal combustion engines that permits extremely accurate feedback control. This is done by utilizing a sensor device that is interrelated with the combustion chambers of the engine so that it only samples the gases from the engine at a time after the exhaust port has opened and before any fresh air charge enters the combustion chamber. By doing this, it is possible to ensure that only combustion product reach the sensor and the sensor chamber will have a time to purge itself of the combustion products from one cylinder before another sampling takes place. This is described in conjunction with both two and four-cycle engines.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine provides a uniform flow of gaseous and liquid fuel to each of the intake passages of the engine. A balance passage interconnects each of the intake manifolds to each other and balances the pressure within the intake passages. A pressure regulator regulates the fuel pressure at the fuel injector. A reference pressure chamber within the pressure regulator communicates with the balance passage and controls the fuel pressure based on the balanced pressure within intake passages. The balance passage also communicates with a vapor separator of the fuel supply system that separates liquid fuel from gaseous fuel. The balance passage promotes even distribution of the gaseous fuel to the intake passages. The fuel injection system also includes plenum chamber that acts a source of air for the engine. The plenum chamber includes an drain outlet that communicates with the balance passage for returning blown back fuel from the plenum chamber to the intake passages.

Abstract: A throttle valve synchronization mechanism for a marine engine includes a throttle linkage which improves synchronization of throttle valve operation, while minimizing the opening degree of the throttle valves when moved to a closed position. The throttle linkage includes a linkage rod which carries a plurality of lugs. The lugs extends between the linkage rod and corresponding throttle levers of the throttle valves. The lugs are rotatably connected to the throttle levers and are rigidly fixed to the linkage rod. In one embodiment, the linkage rod lies in front of the throttle levers, and in another embodiment, the linkage rod lies to the side of the throttle levers.

Abstract: An outboard motor includes a powerhead with an internal combustion engine and a protective cowling which surrounds the engine. A fuel supply system is carried by the outboard motor and delivers fuel to the engine. A cooling system is provided for the fuel supply system for removing heat from at least a portion of the fuel supply system so that gaseous bubble formation in the fuel of the fuel supply system is inhibited.

Abstract: A feedback control system for controlling the fuel/air ratio of an engine. The system employs a fuel/air ratio or combustion condition sensor and includes a checking system for checking if the sensor is providing reliable data. This is determined by determining whether the output of the sensor changes when an adjustment in the amount of fuel supplied is made. If the sensor check indicates unreliable signals, then the system operates on an open control.

Abstract: An engine feedback control system that includes an arrangement for setting lower tolerance limits on the rich and lean side in response to certain engine running characteristics so as to avoid unstable running as might occur under abnormal conditions when wider limits are set as with prior art type constructions. In addition, the increasing limit of fuel supply is set different from the decreasing limits so as to maintain the engine operation within the stable running area regardless of whether the conditions are normal or abnormal.

Abstract: A two-dimensional rangefinding sensor of the present invention consisting of an illuminating device for projecting light beams, which undergoes luminance modulation at a predetermined frequency for a predetermined duration with a predetermined cycle time, onto an object, an image-formation optical system for forming an image of the object illuminated with light beams which have undergone the luminance modulation and which have been projected from the illuminating device, a two-dimensional image sensor mounted on an image-formation plane of the image-formation optical system, a driving means for performing a modulation driving operation on an electrode terminal, which is operative to determine the sensitivity of the two-dimensional image sensor at the frequency, and a reading means for reading a signal corresponding to a signal charge generated in each of picture elements of the image sensors.