The Bendix Corporation

Vickers, Inc.

Other

Gene Y Wen

Melvin A Rode

Alvin D Toelle

Jeffrey P Cherry

Richard Scott Leemhuis

James A Kessler

John D Camp

Albert Blatter

Ronald E Chipp

Allan Lee Oberstadt

John A Miller

An electrohydraulic system includes a plurality of electrohydraulic devices individually controlled by on-board microprocessor-based control electronics. Each individual device controller is connected to and addressable by a master controller for coordinating operation of the various devices. An electrohydraulic servo valve assembly includes a hydraulic manifold having a valve spool variably positionable therein under control of a torque motor. A microprocessor-based controller is connected to the torque motor and is mounted on the manifold by a cover which encloses and protects both the controller and the torque motor. A watchdog timer in the microprocessor-based controller monitors pulsewidth modulated signals to the torque motor for terminating operation in the event of signal loss. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the servo valve assembly is coupled to a linear actuator which has its position monitored by an electroacoustic transducer. Improved electronics couple the transducer to the control microprocessor.

Power transmission

An electrohydraulic system which includes a plurality of electrohydraulic devices individually controlled by microprocessor-based control electronics. A central controller for coordinating operation among the various devices includes a host controller for providing low speed serial and/or parallel output of control signals, and a master controller having a low speed serial and parallel I/O port for connection to the host controller, and a high speed serial I/O port connected by a full duplex bidirectional data bus in common to all of the device controllers.

A flow regulating device for use in a single-point control electronic fuel injection system. The flow regulating device receives a discrete, pressurized fuel pulse or charge from a fuel injector and extends its time duration over the charge cycle period to approximate a continuous flow. The extended fuel charge is provided to an atomizer for mixture with air preparatory to being drawn into an engine intake manifold. In one embodiment of the invention, the flow regulating device includes a constant pressure valve together with a restricted flow passage. The pressure setting of the valve is below the pressure at which the discrete fuel charge is emitted from the injector, and the restricted passage has an orifice dimension smaller than that of the injector nozzle. In another embodiment of the invention, the flow regulating device takes the form of a pair of parallel connected constant pressure valves together with restricted flow passages. One constant pressure valve has a first pressure setting below the pressure in which the discrete fuel charge is emitted from the injector. The other constant pressure valve has a relatively higher pressure setting, but below that of the injector. The pair of constant pressure valves and passages cooperatively function to extend fuel charge duration in both high and low engine operating speeds.

Single injector, single point fuel injection system

A dual mode control system for operating an electronic fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine so as to achieve an optimal compromise between engine emissions, fuel economy and driveability. A closed loop control circuit is provided which senses the amount of oxygen in the engine exhaust and normally drives an integrator in a closed loop mode of operation to operate the electronic fuel injection system at the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio at which the best conversion efficiency of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides occur. An open loop control circuit senses high speed operation where hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide conversion are normally high and where nitrous oxide emission is not critical and clamps the output of the integrator to a predetermined value which operates the electronic fuel injection system at a nonstoichiometric, relatively lean, air/fuel ratio for improved fuel economy. Further open loop control circuitry may be provided to sense very low speed, low engine load operation where nitrous oxide emission is negligible for similarly switching to an open loop mode of operation with the integrator output clamped. An override circuit may be provided which senses engine acceleration which normally requires a relatively rich air/fuel ratio for good driveability and overrides the clamped integrator output to restore the closed loop mode of operation regardless of the engine speed thereby achieving an optimal compromise between engine emissions, fuel economy and drivability.

Dual mode hybrid control for electronic fuel injection system

In a closed loop fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, a control system responding to several engine operating conditions and to rich fuel power demands operates to normalize the air/fuel ratio to a fixed air/fuel ratio. In the preferred embodiment the system responds to the operating temperature of a gas sensor to effectively remove the influence of the sensor control signals at nonoperational temperature upon the air/fuel ratio developed by the electronic control unit. In addition transducers responding to engine speed, wide open throttle, and coolant temperatures generate control signals to the control system indicating a requirement for engine operation of normalized air/fuel ratio.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Gene Y Wen