US3837321A - Means for indicating the rate of air flow in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Means for indicating the rate of air flow in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine Download PDF

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Publication number
US3837321A
US3837321A US00403169A US40316973A US3837321A US 3837321 A US3837321 A US 3837321A US 00403169 A US00403169 A US 00403169A US 40316973 A US40316973 A US 40316973A US 3837321 A US3837321 A US 3837321A
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United States
Prior art keywords
track
potentiometer
strips
sliding contact
intake manifold
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00403169A
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English (en)
Inventor
R Sauer
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Robert Bosch GmbH
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Robert Bosch GmbH
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Publication date
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
    • G01F1/05—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects
    • G01F1/20—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by detection of dynamic effects of the flow
    • G01F1/28—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by detection of dynamic effects of the flow by drag-force, e.g. vane type or impact flowmeter
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
    • F02D41/02—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals
    • F02D41/18—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals by measuring intake air flow
    • F02D41/182—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals by measuring intake air flow for the control of a fuel injection device

Definitions

  • Striker 5 7 ABSTRACT A potentiometer wherein the sliding contact is pivotable by the flap of an air flow rate metering gauge in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine with fuel injection into the manifold, and the stationary resistor track of the potentiometer is provided with spaced-apart metallic strips each of which is connected with at least one resistor. The strips are thin enough to be cut by the sliding contact and each vthereof extends from a discrete fixed contact adjacent to a convex edge face of the track all the way to a concave edge face of the track.
  • the potentiometer is connected with a control circuit which determines the duration of pulses serving to effect an opening of fuel injection valves.
  • the present invention relates to fuel injection systems for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to' improvements in means for regulating the quantities of injected fuel as a function of changes in the rate of air flow into the intake manifold of the engine.
  • the air flow metering gauge is preferably designed with a view to insure that the resistance of the potentiometer will vary exponentially as well as that the relative error constituting the difference between actual variations and variations in accordance with an exponential function not only remains constant in each position of the sliding contact but also that such error is minimal.
  • the just discussed error can be compensated for by appropriate adjustment of opening times of fuel injection valves in the engine.
  • An object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive potentiometer or rheostat whose sliding contact is controlled by the movable flap of the air flow rate metering gauge in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine with fuel injection and wherein the resistance which the potentiometer offers in various positions of the flap corresponds exactly to, or deviates negligibly from, a set of predetermined values.
  • Another object ofthe invention is to provide a potentiometer wherein the resistance varies exponentially.
  • the invention is embodied in an internal combustion engine wherein the rate of air flow in the intake manifold is measured by a gauge having a movable member (e.g., a pivotable flap) whose position is a function of the rate ofair flow in the intake manifold. More specifically, the invention is embodied in a potentiometer or rheostat comprising an elongated resistor track having an exposed side, a plurality of firstcontacts each having a narrow metallic web or strip extending across the exposed side of the track, a plurality of resistors connected with the first contacts, and a sliding contact receiving motion from the movable member of the gauge and engaging the exposed side of the track. The thickness of each web or strip is such that the sliding contact LII cuts thereacross during movement along the respective portion of the exposed side of the track.
  • the webs or strips can be deposited on the track by evaporation.
  • the first contacts are preferably adjacent to a convex outer edge face and the webs or strips preferably extend all the way from the convex to a concave inner edge face of the track.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic partly elevational and partly sectional view of an internal combustion engine with fuel injection wherein the gauge which measures the rate of air flow in the intake manifold controls a potentiometer which embodies the invention;
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the potentiometer, with the sliding contact omitted;
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line III-III of FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a four-cylinder four stroke cycle internal combustion engine 10 with fuel injection.
  • the fuel injection system comprises four electromagnetically actuated fuel injection valves 11 which can receive fuel froma distributor 12 by way of discrete fuel lines 13.
  • Fuel is being drawn from a tank 14a by an electromagnetically operated fuel pump 14 which supplies fuel to the distributor 12 by way of a pressure regulator 15.
  • the regulator 15 insures that the pressure of fuel in the distributor 12 equals or closely approximates a predetermined value, e. g., two atmospheres superatmospheric pressure.
  • the surplus fuel delivered by the pump 14 to the pressure regulator 15 is returned to the tank 14a via conduit 15a.
  • the fuel injection system further comprises a signal generator including a normally closed switch 17a and a cam 17 which is driven by the crankshaft 16 of the engine 10 and actuates the switch 17a twice during each revolution of the crankshaft.
  • the switch 17a supplies rectangular pulses LJ to a transistorized control circuit TS which converts the pulses into valve-opening pulses S each having a duration Ti which determines the quantity of fuel injected into the cylinders.
  • a signal generator including a normally closed switch 17a and a cam 17 which is driven by the crankshaft 16 of the engine 10 and actuates the switch 17a twice during each revolution of the crankshaft.
  • the switch 17a supplies rectangular pulses LJ to a transistorized control circuit TS which converts the pulses into valve-opening pulses S each having a duration Ti which determines the quantity of fuel injected into the cylinders.
  • the pressure regulator 15 maintains the fuel in the distributor 12 at a constant pressure so that the quantity of injected fuel is a direct function of the length of intervals
  • the windings 18 of the fuel injection valves 11 are connected to the ground and are in series with discrete buffer resistors 19.
  • the resistors 19 are connected with the output of an amplifier 20 which comprises at least one output transistor 21 having an emitter-collector circuit in series with the resistors 19 and windings 18.
  • each piston which performs a suction stroke draws into the respective cylinder a certain amount of air together with a quantity of fuel defined as that quantity of fuel which is completely combusted during the nextfollowing working stroke.
  • a quantity of fuel defined as that quantity of fuel which is completely combusted during the nextfollowing working stroke.
  • the engine further comprises an air flow rate metering gauge LM which is installed in the intake manifold 22 between a filter 23 (at the inlet end of the manifold) and the throttle 25.
  • the latter is pivotable by a pedal 24.
  • the gauge LM comprises essentially a movable member or flap 26 which is mounted in the intake manifold 22 upstream of the throttle 25 and is pivotable about a shaft 26a extending tangentially of the intake manifold 22, and a potentiometer R having a sliding contact 27 which is directly or indirectly connected with the flap 26 and is movable along stationary contacts of the potentiometer.
  • the potentiometer R is connected with the transistorized control circuit TS.
  • the latter comprises two transistors and an energy storing device, such as a capacitor.
  • the capacitor is charged with constant current during onehalf of each revolution of the crankshaft 16.
  • the discharge immediately follows the charging step and is effected by a discharge current dependent on the resistance of a selected resistor of the potentiometer R.
  • One of the transistors in the circuit TS blocks when the other transistor conducts, and vice versa.
  • the connection between the two transistors is a feedbackconnection from one transistor to the other, and vice versa.
  • This potentiometer comprises a base plate or carrier 30 which consists of an insulating material and supports an arcuate resistor track 33 whose ends are secured to the carrier by rivets 31 and 32.
  • the track 33 includes a layer of graphite or another material having an accurately defined conductivity.
  • the outer (convex) edge face of the track 33 is adjacent to seven equidistant contacts 34 each having a narrow strip-shaped or web-shaped extension 36 which extends acrossthe track 33, i.e., all the way to the concave inner edge face 35 of the track.
  • the extensions 34 preferably consist of thin layers of silver which are deposited on the track 33 by evaporation.
  • Such thin layers of silver preferably further coat the contacts 34 to insure the making of satisfactory electrical connections with metallic rivets 37 passing through the carrier 30 (see FIG. 3) and connected with discrete conductive strips 38 at the rear side of the carrier 30.
  • the strips 38 may consist of copper and each thereof is connected to a discrete conductor 39 of a nine-strand cable 40 serving to connect the potentiometer R with the control circuit TS. It will be noted that two of the conductors 39 are connected with the rivets 31 and 32.
  • the sliding contact 27 of the potentiometer R is provided with a preferably pointed tip which travels along the track 33 in response to pivoting of the flap 26 as a result of changes of air pressure in the interior of the intake manifold 22.
  • the path along which the tip of the contact 27 travels along the track 33 is indicated in FIG. 2 by broken lines, as at 41. It will be noted that the width of the path 41 need not exceed the thickness of the extensions 36.
  • the resistance of the potentiometer R varies in dependency on changes in the angular position of the sliding contact 27, i.e., in dependency on the position of the tip on the contact 27 with respect to the track 33.
  • the purpose of the webor strip-shaped extensions 36 is to insure that the resistance varies in accordance with a predetermined pattern.
  • the extensions are shown as being equidistant from each other.
  • Three of the resistors which are connected in parallel between the contacts 34 are shown at A, B and C.
  • FIG. 9 of the commonly owned copending application Ser. No. 326,660 filed Mar. 12, 1973 by Kammerer et al., to FIG. 3b of commonly owned abandoned application Ser. No. 128,617 filed Mar. 25, 1971 by Zechnall et al., or to FIGS. 9-10 of commonly owned copending application Ser. No. 164,304 filed July 20, 1971 by Scholl et al.
  • the resistance of the resistors including those shown at A, B and C is selected in such a way that the resistance of the potentiometer R varies exponentially when the sliding contact 27 moves from the rivet 31 toward the rivet 32 or vice versa. It will be noted that the path 41 for the sliding contact 27 is shorter than the distance between the rivets 31, 32.
  • potentiometer R is that it is highly resistant to wear as well as that there takes place a uniform distribution of potential at each of the extensions 36.
  • the track 33 may form part of a circle.
  • the aforementioned distribution of potential is especially satisfactory if the extensions 36 extend all the way across the track 33, i.e., from the convex outer edge face and to the concave inner edge face 35.
  • the fixed contacts 34 are preferably adjacent to the outer edge face of the track 33.
  • a potentiometer comprising an elongated resistor track having an exposed side, a plurality of discrete first contacts each having a narrow metallic strip extending across said exposed side of said track, a plurality of resistors connected with said first contacts, and a sliding contact receiving motion from said movable member and engagin g said exposed side of said track, the thickness of said strips being such that said sliding contact cuts across said strips during movement along the respective portion of said exposed side of said track.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)
  • Adjustable Resistors (AREA)
  • Electrical Control Of Air Or Fuel Supplied To Internal-Combustion Engine (AREA)
  • Combined Controls Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
US00403169A 1972-10-07 1973-10-03 Means for indicating the rate of air flow in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine Expired - Lifetime US3837321A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2249279A DE2249279A1 (de) 1972-10-07 1972-10-07 Luftmengenmesser fuer eine kraftstoffeinspritzeinrichtung

Publications (1)

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US3837321A true US3837321A (en) 1974-09-24

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US00403169A Expired - Lifetime US3837321A (en) 1972-10-07 1973-10-03 Means for indicating the rate of air flow in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3837321A (fr)
JP (1) JPS4974564A (fr)
BE (1) BE805740A (fr)
BR (1) BR7307740D0 (fr)
CH (1) CH558881A (fr)
DE (1) DE2249279A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2163224A5 (fr)
IT (1) IT973048B (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3943891A (en) * 1973-08-09 1976-03-16 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Air-flow metering device for fuel injection system of internal combustion engine
US4127086A (en) * 1975-08-25 1978-11-28 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Fuel injection control system
US4210114A (en) * 1977-03-07 1980-07-01 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine
US4308838A (en) * 1978-08-30 1982-01-05 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Acceleration signal detector
US4500866A (en) * 1982-07-24 1985-02-19 Robert Bosch Gmbh Electric potentiometer
US4526042A (en) * 1982-02-17 1985-07-02 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Air flow measuring apparatus
US5415144A (en) * 1994-01-14 1995-05-16 Robertshaw Controls Company Throttle position validation method and apparatus

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3575147A (en) * 1969-02-12 1971-04-20 Ford Motor Co Electronic fuel injection system
US3612008A (en) * 1970-02-16 1971-10-12 Acf Ind Inc Vacuum-responsive voltage generator for a fuel injection system
US3683870A (en) * 1969-06-27 1972-08-15 Petrol Injection Ltd Fuel injection systems

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3575147A (en) * 1969-02-12 1971-04-20 Ford Motor Co Electronic fuel injection system
US3683870A (en) * 1969-06-27 1972-08-15 Petrol Injection Ltd Fuel injection systems
US3612008A (en) * 1970-02-16 1971-10-12 Acf Ind Inc Vacuum-responsive voltage generator for a fuel injection system

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3943891A (en) * 1973-08-09 1976-03-16 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Air-flow metering device for fuel injection system of internal combustion engine
US4127086A (en) * 1975-08-25 1978-11-28 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Fuel injection control system
US4210114A (en) * 1977-03-07 1980-07-01 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine
US4308838A (en) * 1978-08-30 1982-01-05 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Acceleration signal detector
US4526042A (en) * 1982-02-17 1985-07-02 Nippondenso Co., Ltd. Air flow measuring apparatus
US4500866A (en) * 1982-07-24 1985-02-19 Robert Bosch Gmbh Electric potentiometer
US5415144A (en) * 1994-01-14 1995-05-16 Robertshaw Controls Company Throttle position validation method and apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2163224A5 (fr) 1973-07-20
CH558881A (de) 1975-02-14
JPS4974564A (fr) 1974-07-18
DE2249279A1 (de) 1974-04-18
BR7307740D0 (pt) 1974-08-22
IT973048B (it) 1974-06-10
BE805740A (fr) 1974-02-01

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