Fuel Viscosity Sensor (e.g., Temperature Sensing) Patents (Class 123/381)
  • Patent number: 5121730
    Abstract: Herein are disclosed methods of conditioning fluid, such as damping fluid, in an electronically-controlled unit injector in order to facilitate quick starting of an engine. Fluid normally used to dampen the motion of an electrical actuator assembly of the unit injector can remain in the actuator assembly after the engine is stopped. If too much fluid remains and cools off in the actuator assembly, quick starting of a cold engine may be hindered. Each of the above methods expels and/or heats up at least a portion of the remaining fluid in the actuator assembly while the engine is at rest and thereby enables quicker response of the actuator assembly when the engine is started. Such quicker response improves the fuel injection delivery capability and timing accuracy of the unit injector during engine startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Ausman, John G. Ertel, Michael A. Flinn
  • Patent number: 5092299
    Abstract: An air fuel control system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The control system includes an air pressure responsive device for modulating mechanically the flow of fuel into the engine in response to the pressure of air within the intake manifold. The pressure-responsive device includes first and second chambers, separated by a diaphragm being attached to a piston, with the first chamber which is connected to the intake manifold by an air line. The air fuel control system further includes a fuel metering device for controlling the flow of fuel into the air-fuel control in response to intake manifold air pressure including a barrel and plunger assembly with the barrel inlet port being specifically configured to accommodate both the no-air and transition-curve fuel rail pressures. The barrel profile is designed to meter fuel quickly and precisely in response to changes in manifold air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: George L. Muntean, Kevin W. Westerson, Perry J. Donnelly
  • Patent number: 5085198
    Abstract: A low pressure fuel supply system supplies fuel which tends partially to solidify at low temperatures and whose viscosity increases with decreasing temperature, from a fuel tank along a supply line, through a filter, to a fuel injection pump. A fuel recirculating circuit for recirculating fuel warmed by the injection pump extends from a return outlet of the injection pump, along a path extending through the filter to the injection pump inlet. A permanent bleed pipe extends to the fuel tank from the portion of the recirculating circuit between the injection pump return outlet and the filter. The flow-resistance-determining dimensions of the permanent bleed pipe are such that the pipe presents increasing resistance to the flow of fuel therein with decreasing fuel temperature. It therefore carries little flow at low temperatures of the fuel therein, most of the warmed fuel from the injection pump return outlet being directed into the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Peter J. Bartlett, Peter F. Bradford
  • Patent number: 5060619
    Abstract: A fuel concentration monitoring unit includes a fuel temperature dependent error correction circuit in the unit. A fuel concentration indicative voltage signal variation rate set with taking a specific fuel concentration as reference point. The output incorporated in the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignees: Japan Electronic Control Systems Co., Ltd., Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Sakurai, Kazumitsu Kobayashi, Hideki Kano, Kiyoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5027768
    Abstract: In a system for controlling an injection timing are detected an oxygen concentration in an exhaust gas, and a specific gravity of a fuel. A smoke concentration is calculated based on the oxygen concentration and the fuel specific gravity. The fuel injection amount is corrected based on this smoke concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shogo Saegusa
  • Patent number: 5024200
    Abstract: A flow controlling system having a viscosity sensitive means for producing a simulated fluid pressure which varies in correspondence with a fluid pressure at a predetermined portion of a fluid flow circuit on the basis of the viscosity of the fluid flowing through the circuit, and a pressure regulating means, that is responsive to changes in the simulated pressure, for maintaining a predetermined pressure at that predetermined portion of the fluid flow circuit. In particular, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flow controlling system is utilized in an engine timing control tappet system of the type having at least one expansible tappet for controlling timing of a fuel injector using oil that is supplied by a pump to an engine lubrication circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Free, B. Doszpoly, Tibor J. Villanyi, David A. Olson
  • Patent number: 4971005
    Abstract: A fuel control is provided having a metering means for metering a weight flow of fuel, a control for controlling the metering means, a valve for determining a change in fluid pressure of the weight flow of fuel downstream of the metering means, the valve having; a pressure reaction surface disposed in the weight flow downstream of the metering means, the surface controlling an area of a window passing the weight flow of fuel therethrough, a spring attaching to the pressure reaction surface for balancing the change in fluid pressure of the weight flow of fuel against the pressure reaction surface, and a position sensor for continuously determining a position of the pressure reaction surface and continuously sending a signal of the position to the control means, wherein the control means determines the weight flow of fuel through the valve means according to the equation: ##EQU1## whereby K is a constant, F(X) is equal to an area of the window as a function of X, X is equal to a position of the reaction surface
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald P. Dyer, Brian G. Donnelly
  • Patent number: 4955345
    Abstract: A vehicle engine fuel control adapted for multi-fuel operation uses a fuel injection system in which fuel in a liquid mixture of first and second combustible fuels is injected in pulses of controlled duration at a predetermined pressure to achieve a predetermined air/fuel ratio. The first and second combustible fuels have different viscosities, so that the viscosity of the mixture changes with its composition as well as fuel temperature. The duration of the portion of the pulse duration in which fuel flows is varied in response to fuel composition and fuel temperature so as to compensate for the variation in viscosity of the fuel mixture and thus deliver the required amount of fuel with each pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Brown, Eugene V. Gonze
  • Patent number: 4889092
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for effecting fuel viscosity/density compensation are disclosed. A combination of fuel flow through a viscosity sensitive annular orifice and a swirl-type orifice are utilized to create pressure differentials for driving a piston for regulating fuel flow. The components are positioned such that the direct variation of pressure drop across the annular flow orifice with viscosity change and the inverse variation of pressure drop across the swirl orifice with viscosity change, are combined to create an increased force for achieving the desired control effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: AIL Corporation
    Inventor: Norvan W. Bostwick
  • Patent number: 4869218
    Abstract: A fuel injection pump for internal combustion engines, which has a pump interior and a control mechanism chamber separate from it, with a control mechanism for actuating a quantity adjusting device determining the fuel injection quantity, is provided with an electrical temperature sensor, to compensate for the effect of temperature on the metered fuel quantity. The output signal of the temperature sensor is included as a correction variable in the control variable for the control mechanism. To assure accurate temperature measurement without delay, and for easy access to the temperature sensor for servicing, the temperature sensor is disposed in the control mechanism chamber and, with a temperature-sensitive sensor element, preferably an NTC resistor, dips into a permanent fuel flow diverted from the pump interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fehlmann, Wolfgang Geiger
  • Patent number: 4836166
    Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed for controlling the metering of fuel to an internal combustion engine. The control can be open-loop and/or closed-loop and the amount of fuel metered to the engine is limited by means of a full-load limiter dependent on at least the rotational speed of the engine. The arrangement further includes a substitute full-load limiter for limiting the amount of fuel metered to the engine. It is particularly advantageous for the substitute full-load limiter to operate in dependence on the engine temperature and/or the fuel temperature, with a linear function of these parameters representing a further embodiment of the invention. Block diagrams of the arrangement of the invention and characteristic fields explain its mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Jurgen Wietelmann
  • Patent number: 4823757
    Abstract: It has been found possible to achieve fuel savings by heating diesel fuel prior to injection to higher temperatures than those currently used, and in particular, for practical reasons, to temperatures in the range 70.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. However, to obtain the saving it is necessary to simultaneously modify the volumetric flow rate of fuel in order to maintain its mass flow rate in spite of two factors which tend to reduce the effective mass flow rate with increasing temperature, namely: volumetric expansion; and increased fluidity. Not only is fuel saved by heating to such temperatures, but the maximum power and torque which an engine is capable of delivering are also increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Inventor: Jean E. A. Redele
  • Patent number: 4791904
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for assuring emergency driving functions with a diesel engine when the fuel temperature sensor fails, the diesel engine having a charging-air blower and a charging-air temperature sensor. The method includes performing a fuel temperature dependent correction of specific operating functions by taking the charging air temperature as a basis such that all functions corresponding to a fuel temperature of T.sub.K =+20.degree. C. are fulfilled at a charging air temperature of T.sub.L .gtoreq.0.degree. C. and all functions corresponding to a fuel temperature of T.sub.K =-10.degree. C. are fulfilled at a charging air temperature of T.sub.L <0.degree. C. The functions include the start control path, starting speed, idle speed, control path correction, and basic quantity control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Grieshaber, Peter Schueler, J/u/ rgen Wietelmann
  • Patent number: 4774923
    Abstract: A pressure regulating valve for regulating a pressure of fuel to be supplied to a fuel injection device including a diaphragm chamber having a connecting portion for inducing an intake manifold vacuum in the vicinity of a nozzle hole of the fuel injection device and having a temperature sensitive spring formed of a shape memory alloy and a valve member operable by the temperature sensitive spring, wherein when a fuel temperature is equal to or greater than a set temperature of the shape memory alloy, the valve member of the temperature sensitive valve closes a fuel passage in the fuel discharge pipe, and a high pressure valve adapted to open the fuel passage in the fuel discharge pipe when the temperature sensitive valve is closed and the pressure in the fuel chamber is equal to or greater than a second set pressure higher than the first set pressure, whereby when the fuel temperature is less than the set temperature, the pressure in the fuel chamber is adjusted to be equal to the first set pressure, while wh
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4766864
    Abstract: A fuel injection control system for internal combustion engine comprises a fuel injection pump including a plunger slidably reciprocating in synchronism with rotation of the engine and a spill port establishing communication between a low pressure chamber and a pump chamber. An electronic control unit is responsive to engine operating conditions for the determination of fuel injection time period and controls the solenoid-operated valve to close the spill port in response to the requirement of fuel injection into the cylinder and open the same to terminate the fuel injection. The fuel injection control system further comprises a circuit including two fixed resistors and two adjusting resistors so that first and second voltage signals are developed at its terminals. The two adjusting resistors respectively determine the value of the voltage signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Ban, Masahiko Miyaki, Takashi Hasegawa, Fumiaki Kobayashi, Mamoru Kobashi
  • Patent number: 4763626
    Abstract: A feedback fuel metering control system is provided for an internal combustion engine and eliminates the need for high pressure fuel injectors, a high pressure fuel pump and a constant fuel pressure regulator. The system senses the amount of combustion air supplied to the engine, senses fuel flow velocity, and controls the amount of fuel supplied according to the amount of combustion air the fuel flow velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Richard E. Staerzl
  • Patent number: 4718391
    Abstract: A fuel injection pump for internal combustion engines has a pump piston, defining a pump work chamber for generating an injection pressure; an electromagnetic control device for fixing the duration of supply during the supply stroke of the pump piston and a measuring device, which measures the return flow fuel quantity that did not attain injection during the supply stroke of the pump piston and emits an electronic return flow quantity signal (Q.sub.R). An electronic control unit imposes control signals (.phi..sub..mu.V) upon the control device as a function of the return flow quantity signal (Q.sub.R) and operating characteristics of the engine. To attain highly accurate closed-loop control of the fuel injection quantity, a fluctuation detector is provided, which detects fluctuations in the return flow quantity signal and emits the appearance of fluctuations over time in the form of detection signals (.phi..sub.A, .phi..sub.E, .phi..sub.1 -.phi..sub.4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Rembold
  • Patent number: 4522177
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine fuel injection system includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the fuel or cooling water in the engine. When the detected temperature is higher than a given value, e.g., 50.degree. C., a pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of fuel supplied to a fuel injection valve is controlled so as to increase the fuel pressure irrespective of the intake pipe negative pressure and thereby increase the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine. In the case of an electronically controlled fuel injection control system, a predetermined correction quantity corresponding to the detected temperature from the temperature sensor is added to the basic fuel injection quantity calculated in accordance with given operating parameters of the engine, thereby increasing the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1985
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina, Toshihiko Igashira, Ken Nomura, Masakazu Yoshida, Takao Komoda, Makio Hamanishi
  • Patent number: 4438749
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for fuels, among which hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, alcohols or other fuel, or a mixture thereof, for combustion engines, provided with a device to determine the instantaneous state or composition of the fuel and to emit a signal as a variable for the control of the dosage device of the air-fuel ratio, comprising an opto-electronic sensor mounted in the fuel to measure its index of light refraction, and an electronic circuit connected to the sensor to control the dosage device in accordance with the determined state or composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1984
    Assignee: Nederlandse Centrale Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek
    Inventor: Guusstaaf A. Schwippert
  • Patent number: 4252097
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying a predetermined volume of liquid fuel (20) to a cylinder of a diesel engine (10) is provided. A storage tank (22) stores a column of the liquid fuel (20) in a storage area (24). A position sensor (36) transmits an analog signal proportional to the height of the fuel (20) in the tank (22). A pressure transducer (32) disposed at the bottom of the storage area (24) transmits an analog signal corresponding to the static fluid pressure at the bottom of the storage area (24). A temperature transducer (56) disposed along a fuel rail (16) transmits an analog temperature signal to an electronic fuel injection computer (14). The computer (14) converts the analog height signal, the analog temperature signal and the analog pressure signal into digital values and mathematically divides the resulting digital values of height and pressure to obtain a digital value for the fuel density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1981
    Assignee: The Bendix Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas W. Hartford, Alvin D. Toelle
  • Patent number: 4222713
    Abstract: Adjustments are preset to factory specifications, during assembly of a vehicle engine, which limit the maximum amount of fuel, per stroke, being injected by each injection pump. Because of these preset adjustments, an increase in fuel temperature above a critical point can cause a power loss. A compensator (30) is provided to vary the preset adjustments. The compensator includes a member (70) which responds to fuel temperature increase and permits more volume of fuel per stroke to be injected by each injection pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: Richard A. DeKeyser, Robert H. Miller