GB1585173A

GB1585173A - Apparatus regulating internal combustion engines

Info

Publication number: GB1585173A
Application number: GB2173476A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-05-26
Filing date: 1976-05-26
Publication date: 1981-02-25
Also published as: DE2723360A1; JPS5317831A

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR REGULATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES (71) 1, DAVID HENRY BUTCHER, a British Subject, of Stanford House, Slinfold, near Horsham, Sussex, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to apparatus for regulating internal combustion engines.

An internal combustion engine of the kind fitted to motor vehicles normally has a movable throttling device followed by an air intake duct for supplying the engine with air for the combustion of the fuel employed.

A single intake duct, provided in the form of an intake manifold, may supply all the cylinders of the engine with air. In another arrangement, there may be two or more intake ducts, each with its own throttling device, each for supplying air only to its own cylinder or set of cylinders. With most engines the throttling device is provided as part of a carburettor in which the fuel, usually of the light hydrocarbon type, is vapourised in the required amount in the air passing to the intake duct. With other engines the fuel is injected in measured amounts into the cylinders or into the duct beyond the throttling device.

By the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for regulating an internal combustion engine having, for supplying air to the engine, a movable throttling device followed by an air intake duct, and a throttle control movable from a minimum position to a maximum position for moving the throttling device, said apparatus comprising a pressure-responsive transducer connectable with the throttling device, with the throttle control and with said duct to respond to pressure therein and operable to reduce movement of the throttling device in response to the throttle control to oppose increase of said pressure over a part of the available movement of the throttle control away from the minimum position towards the maximum position which part has a termination short of the maximum position, a vacuum reservoir, and a change-over value device for isolating the transducer from said duct and connecting it with said reservoir at and beyond said termination.

With the apparatus of the invention an improvement of fuel economy is obtained, as described in the Complete Specification of my Patent Application No. 10193/74, Serial No. 1 500 491, whilst the movement of the throttle control is confined to the said part of the available movement. Movement of the throttle control beyond the said termination gives a further movement of the throttling device which is available for use when rapid acceleration is required.

The provision of the vacuum reservoir is simple. For practical purposes it may be connected with the intake duct via a nonreturn valve for exhaustion when the pressure in the duct is low, the provision of a vacuum pump being unnecessary in normal situations. Moreover satisfactory results are normally obtainable with a reservoir of dimensions which are sufficiently small to avoid installation problems. Loss of vacuum in a reservoir connected with the intake duct as aforesaid could occur as a result of repeated movement of the throttle control near the said termination. This effect is, however, unimportant.

My said Complete Specification describes an arrangement whereby the rate of response of the throttling device is increased to give rapid acceleration by a lever mechanism which acts over the last part of the available movement of the throttle control. The physical efEort required to operate the lever mechanism and the mechanical stresses involved are disadvantageous.

It is advantageous to provide an indication of when the termination is reached, preferably by providing a resistance to movement of the throttle control. A suitable arrangement is to provide a component which is spring-loaded at and beyond the termination. A preferred arrangement is to provide a rod the end of which engages at least one spring-loaded ball at the termination.

The following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings is given in order to illustrate the in vention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention, mainly in cross-section, Fig. 2 shows the larger part of a second embodiment in cross-section, and Fig. 3 shows, in cross-section, a valve device, being part of the second embodiment, shown on a larger scale than Fig. 2.

The embodiment of Fig. 1 has a housing 1 fitted internally with a transducer 2 formed of a pair of cup-shaped parts 3 & BR< 4 seamed together at 5 around the outer periphery of an annular rolling diaphragm 6. Mounted upon a rod 7 slidable through an aperture 8 in housing 1 and through a guide 9 in cup-shaped part 3 is a cup member 10 seamed at 11 to the inner periphery of diaphragm 6.

Part of transducer 2 is secured at 12 to a rod 13 movable to the left, as seen in the drawing by a cable 14 connected with a throttle pedal shown diagrammatically at 15'.

Rod 7 is connected by a cable 15 with a lever 16 pivotally mounted at 17 with a butterfly valve 18. Pulling cable 15, operates to open the butterfly valve against the reaction of spring 19 and reduce restriction upon the flow of air, indicated by arrow A, into intake manifold 20 of an internal combustion engine.

A vacuum branch tube M communicates with the interior of the manifold 20. If tube M is connected with the interior of part 4 of transducer 2 and the manifold is at atmospheric pressure (when the engine is stopped) or at a high pressure (when valve 18 is opened widely with the engine running) pressing the throttle pedal 15' merely moves parts 3 and 4 of the transducer to the left as viewed in the drawing, to compress a loading spring 22, this movement being permitted by a rolling action of diaphragm 6. No pull is exerted upon rod 7 or cable 15. A pull is exerted upon rod 7 and cable 15 to open valve 18 against the action of spring 19 only if the pressure in part 4 is low. The effect over the first part of the movement of the pedal 15' is to modify the response of valve 18 to oppose increase of pressure in the manifold and improve fuel economy.

At the termination of the first part of the movement, the end 20 of rod 13 engages between a set of spring loaded balls arranged in a circle, one of which is shown at 21 in the drawing. Forcing the balls apart requires a readily discernable additional effort by the driver who is thereby made aware that the termination of the first part of the pedal movement has been reached.

The position of part 4 of the transducer when the end of rod 13 engages the balls is such that face 23 engages the end 24 of a movable valve member 25 biassed into the position shown by a spring 26.

With the valve member 25 in the position shown, vacuum branch tube M communicates with the interior of part 4 of the transducer via branches 27 and 28 on valve body 29 and connecting tubes 30 and 31, of which the latter, at least, is flexible to permit movement of the transducer within housing 1.

Head 32 of valve member 25 seals a branch 35 on valve body 29 which is connected by tube X with the interior of a vacuum housing 33. Housing 33 communicates with tube M via a non-return valve 34. When head 32 clears branch 28, the interior of housing 33 is connected via branches 35 and 28 with part 4 of the transducer, and part 4 is isolated from communication with manifold 20. Vacuum conditions are maintained in part 4 to open butterfly valve 18 to the maximum extent corresponding with the position of pedal 15'. Further movement of pedal 15' opens valve 18 further to give rapid acceleration as required.

Branch 35' of valve body 29 communi cates with a tube and valve diagrammati cally shown at 36 and 37 which provide an adjustable leak to atmosphere for con trolling the response of the transducer 2 to the pressure in manifold 20 during the movement of the pedal 15' from its mini mum position to the termination aforesaid - as described in my Patent Application No. 24559/75.

In Fig. 1, the connecting tubes are not all shown fully over the whole of their routes but are shown symbolically for simplicity of illustration.

In the modified apparatus of Figs. 2 & BR< 3, the housing 1' is a nylon moulding, and cup-shaped part 4 of the transducer 2 has a surrounding guide sleeve 38, also formed of nylon, which is slidable within the housing 1.

Cable 14 passes through a connecting bracket 39 on cup-shaped part 4 and bears upon bracket 39 by a ball 40 attached to the cable. Rod 7' extends from cup member 10 through a sealing sleeve 9' mounted on cup-shaped part 3 to terminate in an en larged end portion 40, providing an annular shoulder 41 and having an end recess 42 fitted internally with an attachment 43 for cable 15.

Within the end of the housing is an annular ceramic magnet 44. End portion 40 of rod 7' is dimensioned to pass through the aperture of magnet 44 to engage a ferro magnetic washer 45 which is slidable over sleeve 9' and within the housing 1'. When the pedal 15' is moved to the end of the first part of its movement, shoulder 41 en gages the washer 45. Further movement of the pedal pulls washer 45 away from mag net 44, the force required being discernible at the pedal 15'. This magnetic arrange ment is a preferred alternative to the arrangement of the rod 13 and balls 21 shown in Fig. 1.

An attachment for receiving the mounting part 47 of a valve arrangement shown in Fig. 3, has an enlarged end part, provided with a grub screw as shown for receiving the mounting part 47 and a bore 48 which admits piston rod 49 to bear upon washer 45 at 49'. The valve arrangement has connections 28, 35 and 35', corresponding with those shown in Fig. 1, which communicate with ports opening to the interior of valve body 29'. Piston rod 49 terminates in a piston 50 having a loose fit within a recess 51 formed in an end closure 52 of the valve body 29' and containing a light return spring 53 for the piston 50.

Within an internally enlarged part 54 of body 29' the piston rod has an abutment 55. A seal 56 of elastomeric material bears between the abutment 55 and the inner surface of end closure 52. This seal has the configuration of a corrugated cylinder, the crests of the corrugations running circumferentially.

As the piston rod 49 begins to follow the movement of washer 45 away from magnet 44, the seal is cutting off the part leading to connection 35. Continued movement of rod 49 causes the seal 56 to leak, positive movement of the seal being assured by engagement of the piston 50 therein. Connections 28 and 35 are thereby brought into communication so that the interior of the transducer 2 is connected with a reservoir such as reservoir 33 of Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the apparatus is given for purposes of illustration only and that various departures may be made therefrom, all within the ambit of the invention. For example, the embodiments show apparatus for connection with a throttle linkage of the cable type, but the principles are applicable also to linkages of the push rod type. In the latter case, the distance between the mechanical input and output is increased, rather than decreased, by reduction of pressure in the intake or the action of the vacuum reservoir.

The arrangement of having a magnet and a ferromagnetic component pulled apart to create a force discernable by the driver, is mechanically simple and wear resistant in its operation.

Where preferred, an electromagnet with a ferromagnetic core may be employed in place of a permanent magnet, as may a solenoid and axially movable armature system. To conserve electrical supplies a switch can be arranged to energise the electromagnet or solenoid only when the throttle control is moved to, or near to, the position at which the magnetic action is required.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for regulating an internal combustion engine having, for supplying air to the engine, a movable throttling device followed by an air intake duct, and a throttle control movable from a minimum position to a maximum position for moving the throttling device, said apparatus comprising a pressure-responsive transducer connectable with the throttling device, with the throttle control and with said duct to respond to pressure therein and operable to reduce movement of the throttling device in response to the throttle control to oppose increase of said pressure over a part of the available movement of the throttle control away from the minimum position towards the maximum position which part has a termination short of the maximum position, a vacuum reservoir, and a change-over valve device for isolating the transducer from said duct and connecting it with said reservoir at and beyond said termination.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the vacuum reservoir has a nonreturn valve and is connectable with the intake duct via said valve.

3. Apparatus according to either of Claims 1 or 2 having means for indicating when said termination is passed.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which said means is a component which is spring-loaded at and beyond said termination.

5. Apparatus according to either of Claims 3 or 4 in which said means is a rod the end of which engages at least one springloaded ball at said termination.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which said means is a component which engages a ferromagnetic member when said termination is reached and thereafter moves said member away from a magnet.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6 in which the magnet and the ferromagnetic member are both annular.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which said transducer has a housing, a member movable within the housing and a diaphragm joining the movable member to the housing whilst permitting said movement, and said means includes a rod member connected with the movable member and means for loading the rod member mechanically or magnetically beyond said termination.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 8 in which the change-over valve device is a change-over valve arranged to be actuated by said means.

10. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 in which the transducer is connectable to the throttle control for movement thereby and the change-over valve device is a piston valve having a piston

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ment is a preferred alternative to the arrangement of the rod 13 and balls 21 shown in Fig. 1. An attachment for receiving the mounting part 47 of a valve arrangement shown in Fig. 3, has an enlarged end part, provided with a grub screw as shown for receiving the mounting part 47 and a bore 48 which admits piston rod 49 to bear upon washer 45 at 49'. The valve arrangement has connections 28, 35 and 35', corresponding with those shown in Fig. 1, which communicate with ports opening to the interior of valve body 29'. Piston rod 49 terminates in a piston 50 having a loose fit within a recess 51 formed in an end closure 52 of the valve body 29' and containing a light return spring 53 for the piston 50. Within an internally enlarged part 54 of body 29' the piston rod has an abutment 55. A seal 56 of elastomeric material bears between the abutment 55 and the inner surface of end closure 52. This seal has the configuration of a corrugated cylinder, the crests of the corrugations running circumferentially. As the piston rod 49 begins to follow the movement of washer 45 away from magnet 44, the seal is cutting off the part leading to connection 35. Continued movement of rod 49 causes the seal 56 to leak, positive movement of the seal being assured by engagement of the piston 50 therein. Connections 28 and 35 are thereby brought into communication so that the interior of the transducer 2 is connected with a reservoir such as reservoir 33 of Fig. 1. It will be understood that the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the apparatus is given for purposes of illustration only and that various departures may be made therefrom, all within the ambit of the invention. For example, the embodiments show apparatus for connection with a throttle linkage of the cable type, but the principles are applicable also to linkages of the push rod type. In the latter case, the distance between the mechanical input and output is increased, rather than decreased, by reduction of pressure in the intake or the action of the vacuum reservoir. The arrangement of having a magnet and a ferromagnetic component pulled apart to create a force discernable by the driver, is mechanically simple and wear resistant in its operation. Where preferred, an electromagnet with a ferromagnetic core may be employed in place of a permanent magnet, as may a solenoid and axially movable armature system. To conserve electrical supplies a switch can be arranged to energise the electromagnet or solenoid only when the throttle control is moved to, or near to, the position at which the magnetic action is required. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus for regulating an internal combustion engine having, for supplying air to the engine, a movable throttling device followed by an air intake duct, and a throttle control movable from a minimum position to a maximum position for moving the throttling device, said apparatus comprising a pressure-responsive transducer connectable with the throttling device, with the throttle control and with said duct to respond to pressure therein and operable to reduce movement of the throttling device in response to the throttle control to oppose increase of said pressure over a part of the available movement of the throttle control away from the minimum position towards the maximum position which part has a termination short of the maximum position, a vacuum reservoir, and a change-over valve device for isolating the transducer from said duct and connecting it with said reservoir at and beyond said termination.

member movable by engagement with said transducer.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 1 for regulating an internal combustion engine, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 1 for regulating an internal combustion engine, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.