WO2011129835A1

WO2011129835A1 - A replacement kit for installing a compressed natural gas (cng)/fuel dual system for motorcycles

Info

Publication number: WO2011129835A1
Application number: PCT/US2010/031400
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luciano Iezzi
Original assignee: Gometal Llc
Priority date: 2010-04-16
Filing date: 2010-04-16
Publication date: 2011-10-20

Abstract

A kit for installing a compressed natural gas (CNG)/fuel dual system in replacement of a conventional fuel system in a motorcycle, wherein the kit comprises a base support to fix to a motorcycle chassis, with the base support including a compressed natural gas container firmly affixed to the support, a gas pressure regulator to regulate the pressure of gas from the container towards a carburetor and a gas diffuser for feeding the gas into the carburetor.

Description

A REPLACEMENT KIT FOR INSTALLING A COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG)/FUEL DUAL SYSTEM FOR MOTORCYCLES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a new kit system to replace the conventional fuel feed system in motorcycles for a dual system capable of working with

compressed natural gas (CNG) or conventional fuel, wherein the conventional fuel tank of the motorcycle is removed and the inventive kit is mounted in the place of the fuel tank in a manner that the general design and weight balance of the motorcycle is minimally altered or not altered.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas is more and more employed in vehicles due to their low cost, clean combustion and hence low pollution. The installation of a CNG requires of a special designed tank capable of resisting the high pressure under which the gas is compressed, about 200 bars. This tank usually has a large size and volume what in a vehicle is not a problem for installation as long as it is mounted in the vehicle trunk where enough room is available. The use of CNG has shown to reduce dramatically the cost of the vehicle in terms of fuel per kilometer.

While a motorcycle involves remarked low costs in terms of fuel consumption as compared to a four wheel vehicle, the use of motorcycles is increasing particularly in non reach countries where this vehicle is employed in the delivery of products such as food and mail and one can see crowded cities full of motorcycles employed in these works. As a result of reducing much more the cost of the fuel, the use of CNG is starting to grow in many big cities for motorcycles and the first obstacle found in the installation of the gas containing tank is the lack of enough room to have a non extremely modified or altered motorcycle structure and profile. The gravity center and the weight and profile balance and symmetry of a motorcycle is of a high importance as long as it is a two- wheel vehicle that needs to be balanced for a safe riding.

Some attempts have been made to install one or more gas containers in a motorcycle such as by placing one tank at each side of the rear wheel in order to keep the necessary balance for the motorcycle. However the increasing of the width of the vehicle resulted in the non acceptance of this solution because of the dangerous consequences of being too wide in an extremely crowded traffic. Another attempt was to install the tank as close as possible to the longitudinal axis of the motorcycle and this was made in small motorcycles such as the motorcycles named underbone motorcycles or scooters where there is a room under the driver's seat that is employed to install the compressed gas tank. While this is a solution better than the prior one, this could not be employed for traditional big motorcycles of the type having and exposed big engine with the traditional fuel tank just above the engine and behind the handlebar. No solutions have been found yet to install CNG systems in these motorcycles.

Another important problem found in the attempted use of compressed natural gas in all the motorcycles is the correct feeding of gas in a manner to obtain a continuous and efficient operation of the motorcycle engine as well as to permit an easy switching from use of conventional fuel to CNG without any adjustment or modification being necessary when riding. The feeding of gas has been generally done through the air inlet where the butterfly plate is installed and the gas enters the carburetor by aspiration generated by the engine operation. This simple feeding, however has not been successful as long as the correct combustion of the gas has not been achieved yet. The way the gas enters and incorporates to the inlet air flow is not simple and the entrance of gas into the air flow must be precise in a manner that the gas is entirely combined with the air flow.

It would be therefore very convenient to have a replacement kit provided with all the necessary components to remove the conventional fuel tank of a motorcycle and install the kit without modifying the motorcycle structure and also having, in the kit, a compressed natural gas feed system that permits the motorcycle engine to operate with the same efficiency either with CNG or conventional fuel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new replacement kit for replacing the conventional fuel tank of a motorcycle by a CNG/fuel dual system without modifying or minimally altering the forms and weight balance of the motorcycle. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a a new

replacement kit for replacing the conventional fuel tank of a motorcycle by a

CNG/fuel dual system capable of efficiently operating either with conventional fuel as well as with CNG by providing an effective feeding of CNG into the carburetor of the motorcycle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a kit for installing a compressed natural gas (CNG)/fuel dual system in replacement of a conventional fuel system in a motorcycle, wherein the kit comprises a base support to fix to a motorcycle chassis, with the base support including a compressed natural gas container firmly affixed to the support, a gas pressure regulator to regulate the pressure of gas from the container towards a carburetor and a gas diffuser for feeding the gas into the carburetor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a kit for installing a compressed natural gas (CNG)/fuel dual system in replacement of a conventional fuel system for motorcycles, the kit comprising a base support with securing means for affixing to a motorcycle chassis; a compressed natural gas container mounted in said base support; at least one brace fixed to said base support and extending all around said container, the brace having at least one free end for locking in a closed loop to brace the container and firmly retain the container in the base support; a manometer connected to a gas outlet at an end of the container; a carburetor to feed an engine of the motorcycle; a gas pressure regulator mounted in the base support and connected to a carburetor; a gas conduit to feed gas from the gas pressure regulator into said carburetor, and a gas diffuser connecting said gas conduit with an inner gas feed chamber of the carburetor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a kit for installing a compressed natural gas (CNG)/fuel dual system in replacement of a conventional fuel system for motorcycles, the kit comprising a base support to be affixed to a motorcycle chassis; a compressed natural gas container; a gas pressure regulator to connect to a carburetor; and a gas diffuser to effectively feed the gas into an inner gas feed chamber of the carburetor, with the diffuser having a proximal end receiving gas from the regulator and a distal end passing through a wall of the carburetor and having a beveled cut forming a diagonal open outlet defining an angle of between about 58° and about 62° with a longitudinal axis of the diffuser, with the open outlet opening in the direction and sense of the gas flow towards the engine of the motorcycle.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example in the following drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation view of the right side of the kit according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows is a perspective view, taken from the right side and front of the kit of Figure 1 ,

Figure 3 shows is a left side elevation view of the kit of Figure 1 ,

Figure 4 shows is a left side elevation view of a motorcycle with the kit of the invention installed in replacement of the conventional fuel tank,

Figure 5 shows a perspective partial view of a motorcycle with a kit of the invention installed in replacement of the conventional fuel tank and a cover installed to hide and protect the inventive kit,

Figure 6 is a side elevation view of the diffuser according to the invention,

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the diffuser of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a cross-section side elevation view of a carburetor including the diffuser of Figures 6, 7, and

Figure 9 is a front view of the carburetor of Figure 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now referring in detail to the invention, the same refers to a new kit or system for motorcycles to convert a conventional fuel feed system of the motorcycle in a dual feed system. More particularly, the invention refers to a kit for installing a

compressed natural gas (CNG)/fuel dual system in replacement of a conventional fuel system for motorcycles. The kit is indicated by general reference 1 in Figures 1-4. According to the invention the kit comprises a base support 2 that is provided with securing means for affixing to a motorcycle chassis 3. The securing means of the base support includes at least one fixing bolt 4 firmly affixed or connected to the base support 2, at each side of the base support. The bolt has a lower threaded end 5 and a bracket 6 is threadably retained in the threaded end 5 of the bolt. In order to firmly affix to a part of the chassis the bracket preferably has a "U" or "C" shape that is capable of coupling a generally tubular or elongated member of the chassis.

The securing means of the base support are also comprised of two front extensions of the base support. In effect, base support 2 extends, at a front part thereof, in two front mounting wings 7, with one mounting wing at each side of the base support, wherein each mounting wing has connecting means to fix against a front part of the motorcycle chassis. Thus, each mounting wing is provided with orifices 8 and a "C" shaped cut to couple a front member of the motorcycle chassis. At a rear part of the kit another retention bar 10 is provided to fix to another part of the motorcycle. These securing means are all provided to fix to different parts of the motorcycle but it may be possible that, depending on the motorcycle model one or some of them are not necessary.

The kit according to the invention is provided with all the necessary components to operate the motorcycle engine. Thus, the base support includes a compressed natural gas container 11 firmly mounted in said base support by means of at least one brace 11 , and preferably two braces 12, 13, fixed to said base support and extending all around said container 11. In order to fix around container 11 , each brace 12, 13 has at least one free end 14, 15 for locking in a closed loop to brace the container and firmly retain the container in the base support.

The kit also includes a manometer 16 connected to a gas outlet 17 at a front end of the container wherein a valve key 18 is provided to shut and open the gas pass from the container to the feed system. A gas conduit 19 connects the manometer to a gas pressure regulator 20 necessary to reduce the high pressure from the container to a low pressure towards a carburetor 21, Figures 8, 9, and an engine 22, see Figure 4, of the type employed to feed the engine with a mixture of fuel and air. Thus, regulator 20 is connected to carburetor 22 through a gas conduit 23 indicated in Figure 9, which in turn is connected to a diffuser to which reference will be made below. An ignition control 24 is also provided and mounted in the base support, as required by the combustion system. In order that the system permits the motorcycle engine to operate either by conventional fuel as well as by compressed natural gas (CNG), the kit is also provided with a conventional fuel tank 25 having a cap 26 for refilling the tank when necessary. According to the invention, gas pressure regulator 20 is mounted at one side of the base support, preferably the right side as shown in Figure 1 , and fuel tank 25 is provided at an opposite side of the base support, namely at the left side as shown in Figure 4. When the motorcycle is being operated with conventional fuel and it is desired to switch to CNG, the driver must open key 18 to permit the exit of gas to the gas system but, before doing this, the driver must remove any liquid fuel remaining in the carburetor. Thus the kit is provided with an electrovalve 27 for removing any fuel remaining in the carburetor when the engine is switched to work with compressed natural gas. With the regulator at one side of the kit and tank 25 at the opposite side, the kit of the invention provides a system entirely balanced in terms of shapes and weights. In order to hide and protect the system, an outer cover 28 is provided and removably connected to the motorcycle chassis by any convenient connection. To protect the gas container, a resilient liner 29 is also provided between each brace 12, 13 and the gas container, as shown in Figure 1.

Also according to the invention, a gas diffuser generally indicated by reference number 30 in Figures 6-9 is provided to feed the motorcycle engine with gas in a manner that the gas combine with the inlet air flow to obtain an appropriate gas/air mixture. The gas diffuser provides the connection between gas conduit 23 and the carburetor in manner that the gas is fed into an inner gas feed chamber 31 of the carburetor. The carburetor, as it is well know comprises a fuel container 32 with conventional or liquid fuel 33 that is taken by suction through a tube 34 as a result of the air flow entering through an air inlet 35 and exiting through a mixture exit 36 towards the engine (not shown) in Figures 8, 9. The fuel is thus suctioned into the air flow to produce a combustion mixture as it is known. A butterfly plate 37, also known in the art, is provided at the air inlet to regulate the air flow and a control system 39 to actuate onto a needle 38 is provided to control the entrance of liquid fuel into the air flow.

According to the invention, in order to obtain a proper mixture of air and gas, diffuser 30 comprises a proximal end 39 connected to said gas conduit and a distal end 40 passing through a wall 41 of the carburetor and ending into said gas feed chamber 31 of the carburetor. Proximal end 39 is provided with ribs 42, or any kind of retentions means, in order to guarantee a good connection with conduit 23. An intermediate portion 43 is provided between the ribbed connecting end 39 and distal end 40 of the diffuser with the intermediate portion 43 being texturized to enhance fixation into the wall of the carburetor. Also according to the invention, distal end 40 is beveled cut forming a diagonal open outlet 44 defining angle a of between about 58° and about 62°, and preferably 58°, with a longitudinal axis X-X of the diffuser. To get the best results in diffusing the gas into the air flow, open outlet 44 is open in the direction and sense of the gas flow towards the engine of the motorcycle, as better shown in Figures 8, 9.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A kit for installing a compressed natural gas (CNG)/fuel dual system in replacement of a conventional fuel system for motorcycles, the kit comprising:

a base support with securing means for affixing to a motorcycle chassis;

a compressed natural gas container mounted in said base support;

at least one brace fixed to said base support and extending all around said container, the brace having at least one free end for locking in a closed loop to brace the container and firmly retain the container in the base support;

a manometer connected to a gas outlet at an end of the container;

a carburetor to feed an engine of the motorcycle;

a gas pressure regulator mounted in the base support and connected to a carburetor;

a gas conduit to feed gas from the gas pressure regulator into said carburetor, and

a gas diffuser connecting said gas conduit with an inner gas feed chamber of the carburetor.

2. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the securing means of the base support includes one fixing bolt at each side of the base support, the bolt having a lower threaded end and a bracket is threadably retained in the threaded end of the bolt, with the bracket having a "C" shape to fix against a part of the motorcycle chassis.

3. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the base support extends, at a front part thereof, in twon front mounting wings with one mounting wing at each side of the base support, each mounting wing having connecting means to fix against a front part of the motorcycle chassis.

4. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the gas pressure regulator is mounted at one side of the base support and a fuel tank is provided at an opposite side of the base support, with the base support including an electrovalve for removing any fuel remaining in the carburetor when the engine is switched to work with compressed natural gas.

5. The kit of claim 4, wherein an outer cover is provided to cover the kit once installed in the motorcycle.

6. The kit of claim 1 , wherein a resilient liner is provided between the brace and the gas container.

7. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser comprises a proximal end connected to said gas conduit and a distal end passing through a wall of the carburetor and ending into said gas feed chamber of the carburetor.

8. The kit of claim 7, wherein the distal end of the diffuser is beveled cut forming a diagonal open outlet.

9. The kit of claim 8, wherein said diagonal open outlet defines an angle of between about 58° and about 62° with a longitudinal axis of the diffuser.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein said diagonal open outlet defines an angle of 58° with a longitudinal axis of the diffuser.

11. The kit of claim 10, wherein said open outlet is open in the direction and sense of the gas flow towards the engine of the motorcycle.

12. The kit of claim 7, wherein the proximal end of the diffuser is a ribbed connecting end and an intermediate portion is provided between the ribbed connecting end and the distal end of the diffuser with the intermediate portion being texturized to fix into the wall of the carburetor.