The Lucas Electrical Company Limited

Lucas Industries Public Limited Company

Lucas Industries Limited

John Howard Moore

Charles Peter Cockshott

Ian J Harvey

Michael F Russell

Duncan Barry Hodgson

John H Francis

Andrew P Ives

John P Vernon

Paul M McCarthy

Russell A Bruce

An engine sensor includes a radiation response element which in use is coupled by a radiation transmission path with a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine so that a signal is provided when combustion occurs in the combustion chamber. The radiation transmitting path is incorporated into a component such as an engine starting aid which is mounted in a bore in the cylinder head of the engine. In the sample a quartz rod is locating in a tubular member about which is wound an electric heating element. The quartz rod can transmit light through a powdered glass filling to a through quartz rod at the end of which is mounted the sensing element.

Engine Sensors

An electronic control system for a fuel pump of an internal combustion engine includes a power circuit which controls the flow of electric current in an electromagnetic device coupled to a spill valve of the fuel pump. Power is supplied to the power circuit through a resistor through which power is also supplied to an engine speed sensing circuit. The system also includes a control unit which supplies control signals to the power circuit to effect closure of the valve and hence delivery of fuel, in timed relationship with the engine. The control unit receives the speed signal from the speed sensing circuit and also senses the voltage applied thereto. In addition it receives a demand signal from a transducer and controls current flow in a relay winding having contacts in parallel with the resistor. In normal operation the contacts are closed but in a fault situation with the demand low and the speed high the winding is de-energized and the voltage applied to the power circuit and speed sensing circuit falls below a standby level which is sensed by the control unit to maintain the winding energized.

Electronic control system for a fuel pump

A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine includes a mechanically actuated fuel pump which has at least one electromagnetically operable valve for controlling an operating parameter of the pump e.g. fuel delivery. A transducer is provided which provides an indication of the position of a moving part of the pump which determines the fuel delivery. The system also includes an electronic control system which determines the current flow to the valve and hence the position of said part. When the pump is manufactured there is created during its testing test data which is stored in a memory which conveniently is secured to the pump. The test data in the memory is utilized by the control system during normal operation of the fuel supply system.

Fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine

A linear inductive transducer includes a non-magnetic former which has a bore in which is slidable a core formed from magnetic material. The core in use is moved axially within the former by the component whose axial position it is required to sense. The former has three circumferential grooves in which are located coils connected together to form the transducer winding the inductance of which varies with the axial position of the core. The widths of the coils and the number of turns in each coil varies so as to produce a substantially linear variation of inductance as the core is moved. A temperature responsive resistor is mounted in close proximity to the winding and is connected in a resistance network which includes the winding. The inductance of the winding is checked by applying a step voltage to the resistance network and monitoring the change of current in a part of the network.

Linear inductive transducers

An angular position signal generator includes a rotor and a stator each having an arrangement of salient magnetic poles. The poles on the rotor are all of the same polarity and are spaced at unequal angles around the axis of the rotor. The poles on the stator are identically arranged so that in at least one position of the rotor all the poles are aligned and in at least two other positions only some of the poles are aligned. As the rotor rotates, therefore, the flux flowing between the poles fluctuates and a winding in the flux path produces pulses of different magnitudes at these various positions of the rotor.

Angular position transducers for use in engine timing controls

Apparatus for measuring the mass flow of a fluid comprises a first ionizing electrode which, in use, is located in the path of fluid flow and, when energized, ionizes said fluid. A second substantially cylindrical, hollow collector electrode extends around said first electrode so that, in use, the ions produced by the first electrode migrate to the second electrode. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive rings which are spaced apart in the direction of fluid flow and insulating material is interposed between adjacent rings, but is arranged so as not to be exposed to the ions migrating to the rings in use. Means is responsive to the amount of ion migration to the various conductive rings for measuring the displacement of the ions by the fluid flowing past the electrodes, the displacement being dependent upon the mass flow of the fluid.

Apparatus for measuring the mass flow of a fluid

A corona discharge gas flow transducer includes a high tension discharge electrode, and a receiving electrode having two terminals, the difference between the current flow from these terminals representing the gas mass flow. For deriving a current difference signal there is a circuit comprising a current to voltage converter, switch means alternately connecting the two terminals to the converter, and further switch means a.c. coupled to the converter and operable in synchronism with the switch means. The transducer is used in an i.c. engine fuel system in which the transducer output is integrated over a fixed engine crankshaft angle to generate a fuel demand signal.

Corona discharge fluid flow transducers and fuel injection systems

An i.c. engine fuel injection control includes a corona-discharge type transducer for measuring the mass of air aspirated by the engine. Since such a transducer is humidity sensitive a compensation circuit is provided for automatically applying a humidity correction to the control circuit which is used to control the quantity of fuel injected as a function of the transducer output. This control circuit includes an integrator to which the transducer output is periodically applied and a current source which periodically discharges the integrator, the time taken to discharge determining the quantity of fuel injected. The current source is controlled by the humidity sensitive means, to obtain the required compensation.

Internal combustion engine fuel injection control system

A pulse producing device has an E-shaped core with an input winding and an output winding, so that flow of flux between the limbs of the core produces an output in the windings. The flow of flux is controlled by parts rotating close to the limbs, and these parts are formed on a rotatable plate the periphery of which is split and deformed to provide two rows of tags, one row passing close to the central limb and one of the outer limbs and the other row passing close to the central limb and the other outer limb.

Pulse producing devices

A radiation-sensitive switching circuit includes a light emitting diode which from time to time illuminates a photo-transistor, the photo-transistor serving when its output reaches a predetermined value to operate a trigger circuit. In order to allow for aging of the components, the current flow through the diode is increased when the output from the transistor falls below a known level. Conveniently, this is achieved by having a transistor in parallel with the diode, and turning the transistor off when the output from the photo-transistor becomes too low.

Radiation-sensitive switching circuits

A radiation-sensitive switching circuit has a light emitting diode which supplies light to a photo-transistor, the light being interrupted from time to time. When the photo-transistor is illuminated, current builds up and when this current reaches a predetermined value, a trigger circuit changes state. The peak output of the photo-transistor is measured and the trigger circuit is arranged to change state when the output of the device is a set proportion of the peak output, so as to allow for aging of the components.

Growing community of inventors

Redditch, United Kingdom

John Howard Moore