Abstract: An electronic driveline controller and traction control method for an engine driven vehicle wherein the tractive effort of the driving wheels is controlled to avoid excess slip of the traction wheels relative to the vehicle road surface, the traction control being achieved by total powertrain torque management whereby the torque delivered to the driving wheels is a control parameter that depends upon the magnitude of sensed operating variables for the vehicle driveline.

Abstract: Monitoring a catalyst positioned downstream of a Y-shaped exhaust path includes positioning an exhaust gas oxygen sensor just upstream and just downstream of the catalyst and using the two sensors together to monitor catalyst activity. Such monitoring is discontinued when the exhaust gas oxygen sensor switching rate of the upstream exhaust gas oxygen sensor is below a minimum threshold value. The upstream exhaust gas oxygen sensor does not provide an air fuel ratio feedback signal but instead, such a signal is provided by two additional exhaust gas oxygen sensors, one sensor being positioned in each of the two legs of the Y exhaust path coming from the engine.

Abstract: Monitoring a light-off catalyst in conjunction with an internal combustion engine includes providing exhaust gas oxygen sensors upstream and downstream of the light-off catalyst for monitoring operation of the catalyst. The monitoring is disabled when the mass air flow through the light-off catalyst is so high that the catalyst monitor is saturated and unable to detect the operation of the light-off catalyst.

Abstract: A filtration system operative to remove oxidizable particulates from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine is disclosed. The system has a filter element to trap and collect particulates in the exhaust gas, ignition means supplied with energy for a period only sufficient to ignite a leading portion of the particulate collection, and means for conducting a flow of gas with excess oxygen through the filtration means immediately following ignition without addition of other energy, the flow of gas with excess oxygen being utilized to support the continued oxidation of the ignited particulate collection.

Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system and construction is provided in which an EGR flow valve and an air flow valve are mounted on a common shaft or, alternatively, interconnected by stepper motors or electric motors to ensure equal response times for the flow of EGR gases and air flow into the engine combustion chamber. In one embodiment, a secondary EGR valve is provided in the EGR passage to bleed the exhaust back pressures to approximately atmospheric level to equal that of the air being inducted past a main air throttle valve. Finally, an EGR control system is provided for calculating the EGR flow rate as to be able to set the spark timing of the engine according to previously determined mapping data that provides values required for best fuel economy at any EGR rate.

Abstract: An oilless engine having a piston reciprocal within a cylinder and along an axis of such cylinder while providing an annular gap therebetween to receive combustion gases and a gas phase blow-by control system for such engine.

Abstract: A plunger-type injection pump for use in automotive installations is provided not only with plunger rotating means to vary the quantity of fuel injected but also with a novel tappet assembly that includes hydraulically actuated facing nested parts that can be axially separated as well as angularly rotated relative one to the other to vary the height of the plunger from an initial setting in a continuously variable manner to thereby continuously vary the injection timing.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a gas phase film lubrication between a reciprocal piston and a cylinder of an uncooled oilless internal combustion engine; the piston is effective to drive a rotary crankshaft in response to an expanding gas charge. The apparatus comprises: (a) means connecting the crankshaft to said piston for transferring reciprocal thrust into rotary thrust, such means aligning the piston concentrically within the cylinder wall to limit the imposition of side loads on said piston (i.e., less than 80 psi); (b) interfacing walls on the piston and cylinder (i) sized to provide a predetermined annular gap therebetween at ambient conditions that has a radial dimension in the range of 0.001.+-.0.

Abstract: A multipart ceramic cylinder head construction, comprises: a ceramic plate having (i) opposed faces, (ii) a central zone through which extends a transverse central axis, (iii) a peripheral zone about the central zone, the plate further having three or more gas or fluid transfer openings extending transversely through the central zone and spaced about the central axis to divide the central zone into radial sectors, each sector containing one of the openings; a first ceramic intake port block having sufficient ceramic mass to define a gas passage and define an integral compression receiving portion, the first block being adapted to mate with one of the radial sectors of the plate to align the first passage with the opening in such one radial sector; a second ceramic exhaust port block having sufficient ceramic mass to define a second gas passage and define an integral compression receiving portion, the second block being adapted to mate with another of the radial sectors of the plate to align such second passag

Abstract: An apparatus for use with an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine which emits hydrocarbons and particulates is disclosed. The apparatus is for use with an engine having a primary exhaust conduit, a flow divider defining parallel exhaust conduits connected to the primary exhaust conduit, and a pair of particulate traps, one each disposed in each of the parallel exhaust conduits and each of said traps having a frontal face exposed to the exhaust gas flow and one of the parallel exhaust conduits.

Abstract: A filtration system operative to remove oxidizable particulates from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine is disclosed. The system has a filter element to trap and collect particulates in the exhaust gas, ignition means supplied with energy for a period only sufficient to ignite a leading portion of the particulate collection, and means for conducting a flow of gas with excess oxygen thorough the filtration means immediately following ignition without addition of other energy, the flow of gas with excess oxygen being utilized to support the continued oxidation of the ignited particulate collection.

Abstract: A heated fuel injection system includes a fuel injector assembly that receives the output of a diesel type fuel pump against a piston that normally biases an injector valve closed; the pump also supplying a fuel reservoir with high pressure fuel, the output of the reservoir being heated and fed to the injector valve to act upon it to move it open when the force of the piston acting against it is relieved by the pump output pressure as it increases to a predetermined level during the charging stroke; the fuel heat being derived from the engine exhaust gases during normal running operation, and by an electrical starter, during engine startup.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously regenerating a particulate filter trap comprises: movable means effective to shield a segment of the trap entrance face from the full flow of exhaust gas while permitting a portion of the exhaust gas flow to bleed therethrough; (b) electrical resistance heating means having a movable heating element carried by the shield and interposed between the trap face and the shield; and (c) means for substantially continuously moving the shield and element conjointly across the trap face to ignite one or more columns of the particulates in the trap aligned with the shield and element. The ignited particles and bleed flow cause oxidation to proceed throughout the extent of the columns of particulates without need for additional exterior heat.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus is disclosed for adding a fluid agent to the fuel supply of an automotive engine, the agent is effective in depressing the ignition temperature of soot collected in an exhaust trap. The apparatus comprises: (a) a reservoir for containing a supply of the fluid agent such as copper octoate and hexane; (b) an electrically operated pulse pump for positively displacing a measured amount of the agent from the reservoir into the fuel supply; (c) register means for registering the amount of fuel replenished to the engine fuel supply and for transmitting an electrical signal proportional to the amount of fuel so added; and (d) control means responsive to the electrical signal to permit electrical operation of the pulse pump for a number of predetermined pulses to dispense a required amount of the agent for maintaining a desired uniform concentration of the agent throughout the fuel supply.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which is operative to remove oxidizable particulates from the exhaust gas of an engine. It has a particulate filter trap disposed in a stream of exhaust gases from the engine, and has electrically heated elements effective, when at least a portion of the stream of exhaust gases is displaced with a fluid medium for transfering heat between the elements and the collected particulates, to promote oxidation of the particulates collected in the filter trap. The electrically heated elements are supplied with energy generated by an alternator driven by the engine; the elements are first heated to an incineration temperature for the particulates in the absence of gas flow, and heating of the elements is continued in the presence of a flow of an oxygen carrying heat transfer medium to promote complete oxidation of the particulates.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for regenerating a filter trap used to collect particulates from the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus comprises: (a) an assembly providing a flow of a heat transfer medium through the filter trap: (b) an assembly for heating the heat transfer medium to a temperature effective to incinerate the particulates in the filter trap: and (c) a flow mask stationed in the flow of heat transfer medium, upstream from said filter trap, effective to divert the heat transfer medium away from the radially inner zone of the filter trap while guiding the heat transfer medium to engage and ignite the particulates along a radially outer region of the filter trap. The mask is a circular disc and spaced upstream from the filter trap effective to mask a central core area of the flow of heat transfer medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for initiating the energization of a regenerative apparatus used with a particulate filter trap having a porosity effective to extract particulates from the exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine. The method comprises: (1) sensing the actual pressure drop across the filter trap and sensing the pressure drop across an open channel simulative filter structure; (2) converting the pressure drops to proportional voltages and ratioing the voltage of the filter trap pressure drop to the product of a constant and the voltage of the simulative filter structure pressure drop; and (3) using the resultant voltage ratio to control the energization of the regeneration apparatus when the output exceeds a predetermined allowable limit, e.g., 2-8 volts.

Abstract: A filtration system is disclosed which removes particulates from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine. The system has (a) a filter element, (b) oxidation means for conducting a flow of heated gas through at least a portion of the filter element, the heated gas being effective to ignite the particulates in that portion, and (c) a flow control means. The flow control means has walls dividing the filter element into first and second portions, and a flow diverter effective to normally permit full exhaust gas flow through both of said filter portions, and effective to selectively permit exhaust glow through only one of the filter portions while permitting flow of heated gas of the oxidation means through the other of said filter portions.

Abstract: An oilless engine having a piston reciprocal within a cylinder and along an axis of such cylinder while providing an annular gap therebetween to receive combustion gases and a gas phase blow-by control system for such engine.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a gas phase film lubrication between a reciprocal piston and a cylinder of an uncooled oilless internal combustion engine; the piston is effective to drive a rotary crankshaft in response to an expanding gas charge. The apparatus comprises: (a) means connecting the crankshaft to said piston for transferring reciprocal thrust into rotary thrust, such means aligning the piston concentrically within the cylinder wall to limit the imposition of side loads on said piston (i.e., less than 80 psi); (b) interfacing walls on the piston and cylinder (i) sized to provide a predetermined annular gap therebetween at ambient conditions that has a radial dimension in the range of 0.001.+-.0.